His Band and Street Choir

Description

The dark night of the soul that culminated in ASTRAL WEEKS found its counterpart in Morrisons next two albums, the seminal MOONDANCE and its subsequent sister, HIS BAND & THE STREET CHOIR. Both released in 1970, these latter two albums defined the folk/soul/blues amalgam that would prove to be the foundation of Morrisons music. The photos inside the sleeve reveal Van as country gentleman, looking at home and (dare we say it) happy. This image is furthered by his then-wife Janet Planets liner notes, which paint a picture of Van as a man reborn. The music more than bears this out. The tunes here are among the most soulful in Morrisons repertoire. The classic opener Domino finds him wailing over a punchy horn section and insistent, percolating rhythms, setting the tone for the rest of the album. Van rocks his way through the R&B-inflected Blue Money, gets down on the funk workout Ive Been Working, and waxes lyrical on If I Ever Needed Someone, which seems to be both a gospel song and love ballad simultaneously. HIS BAND & THE STREET CHOIR is perhaps Morrisons most open, exuberant recording.