''Avalon Sunset'' is the nineteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
. It was released in 1989 by
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...
to both commercial and critical success.
In 2008, ''Avalon Sunset'' was reissued and remastered, featuring an alternate take of "
Whenever God Shines His Light", and a version of "
When the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as simply "The Saints", is a traditional black spiritual. It originated as a Christian hymn and is often played by jazz bands. This song was famously recorded on May 13, 1938, by Louis Armstron ...
" with additional lyrics by Morrison.
Recording
This album was recorded in England at Woodhall Studio,
Eden Studios
Eden Studios was a commercial recording studio, recording facility in west London. It opened in 1967, originally at 11 Eden Street in Kingston upon Thames (now under the Eden Walk shopping centre), before moving to 20-24 Beaumont Road in Chiswic ...
,
Olympic Studios, Westside Studio, and
Townhouse Studios
The Town House (also known as Townhouse Studios) was a recording studio located at 150 Goldhawk Road, Shepherd's Bush in London, built in 1978 under the direction of Richard Branson for Virgin Records. The studios changed ownership and eventuall ...
. It marked the first appearance of
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the on ...
with Morrison. Fame played the
Hammond organ and also provided backup vocals and helped direct the band. Morrison and Fame would work together for most of the 1990s.
The all new songs were rehearsed in two days and then recorded in another two days.
Arty McGlynn (the guitarist) remarked about the band's feelings when the sessions ended "we still don't know if it's an album, or maybe a demo for an album." Morrison's reliance on spontaneity was evident on "Daring Night" where he can be heard calling out chord changes "one-four, one-four" (Gmaj to Cmaj) to Roy Jones near the song's ending. The album was previewed at a private concert at
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is a jazz club that has operated in Soho, London, since 1959.
History
The club opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district. It was set up and managed by musicians Ronnie Sc ...
In London on 24 May 1989.
Music and lyrics
On ''Avalon Sunset'',
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
wrote, Morrison sang about God and love in a
scat-influenced style, set against a musical backdrop of mellow
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
. According to
Donald Clarke, the album combined "religiosity and Celtic feeling, a sort of superior
New Age music
New-age is a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management to bring about a state of ecstasy rather than tr ...
".
The album opens with "
Whenever God Shines His Light", a duet with
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
; also issued as a single, it charted at No. 20 in the UK. The album contains the religious ballad "
Have I Told You Lately
"Have I Told You Lately" is a song written and recorded by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison for his nineteenth studio album ''Avalon Sunset'' (1989). It is a romantic ballad that is often played at weddings, although it was ori ...
" which became a hit single for Morrison, reaching No. 12 on the Adult Contemporary Charts, and was a bigger hit for
Rod Stewart in 1993. This song was included on Morrison's 2007 album, ''
Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits
''Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits'' is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 2007 comprising 19 songs as featured in various movies. The album was released on 12 February 2007 in the U ...
''. Brian Hinton compares the idyllic female in "
Orangefield" to
Beatrice in the ''
Divine Comedy
The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature ...
''.
Release and reception
''Avalon Sunset'' was one of Morrison's most commercially successful albums,
and his fastest-selling record in the United Kingdom, being
certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
soon after its release.
[Hage, ''The Words and Music of Van Morrison'', p. 110] The album was also met with critical acclaim. In a review for ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'',
Robert Christgau said Morrison has found new inspiration in more temporal themes, especially on the album's first side, although he cited the
redemption-themed "Whenever God Shines His Light" as his most exuberant song since 1982's "
Cleaning Windows
"Cleaning Windows" is a song written by the Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, recorded on his 1982 album ''Beautiful Vision''.
Recording and composition
The version of "Cleaning Windows" that was released as a single and was includ ...
".
''
Spin'' magazine's Karen Schoemer called it an elegantly orchestrated record void of pain: "He celebrates nature, love and poetry too; this is contemplation without conflict, remembrances without bitterness. And no matter how esoteric things get, a charged sensuality permeates." In the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'',
Greg Kot
Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
said "I'd Love to Write Another Song" is a return to his 1960s and 1970s peak; on what is an otherwise good showcase for his insightful vocal delivery of simple yet evocative lyrics and a style of music that "strikes an artful middle ground between the visceral joys of
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
and the soothing aural wallpaper of New Age."
At the end of 1989, Christgau named ''Avalon Sunset'' the 22nd best album of the year in his list for the annual
Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
critics poll. ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
'' ranked it 63rd in its 1993 list of "All Time Top 100 Albums".
In ''
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' is an encyclopedia created in 1989 by Colin Larkin. It is the "modern man's" equivalent of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music'', which Larkin describes in less than flattering terms.''The Times'', ''The Kno ...
'' (2006),
Colin Larkin
Colin Larkin (born 1949) is a British writer and entrepreneur. He founded, and was the editor-in-chief of, the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', described by ''The Times'' as "the standard against which all others must be judged".
Along wit ...
wrote that the record featured "quite immaculate love songs" from Morrison, along with a prominent sense of spirituality and nostalgia throughout,
while Morrison biographer Erik Hage called it "a powerful statement
howingthe often turbulent muse had stabilized, and was now a sublime force flowing through Van Morrison".
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
's Jason Ankeny was less enthusiastic and found it somewhat inconsistent but "nevertheless the work of a master craftsman, its lush orchestration and atmospheric production casting an irresistibly elegant spell".
Track listing
All songs written by Van Morrison, except where noted.
#"
Whenever God Shines His Light" (duet with
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
) – 4:58
#"Contacting My Angel" – 4:57
#"I'd Love to Write Another Song" – 2:52
#"
Have I Told You Lately
"Have I Told You Lately" is a song written and recorded by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison for his nineteenth studio album ''Avalon Sunset'' (1989). It is a romantic ballad that is often played at weddings, although it was ori ...
" – 4:20
#"
Coney Island" – 2:00
#"I'm Tired Joey Boy" – 2:29
#"When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God" – 5:38
#"
Orangefield" – 3:50
#"Daring Night" – 6:10
#"
These Are the Days" – 5:08
CD reissue bonus tracks
#"
Whenever God Shines His Light" – 3:51 (Alternate take)
#"
When the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as simply "The Saints", is a traditional black spiritual. It originated as a Christian hymn and is often played by jazz bands. This song was famously recorded on May 13, 1938, by Louis Armstron ...
" – 6:01 (
Traditional
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
,
arr. by Morrison)
Personnel
*Van Morrison – vocal, guitar, producer
*
Arty McGlynn
Arty McGlynn (7 August 1944 – 18 December 2019) was an Irish guitarist born in Omagh, County Tyrone. In addition to his solo work, he collaborated with different notable groups such as Patrick Street, Planxty, Four Men and a Dog, De Dannan ...
– guitar
*
Clive Culbertson
Clive Culbertson (born 28 August 1954, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) is the founder of The Order of Druids in Ulster. He is a mysticism, mystic, musician and healer (alternative medicine), healer. Culbertson trained with his friend ...
– bass guitar
*Steve Pearce – bass guitar
*
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the on ...
–
Hammond organ
*Neil Drinkwater –
accordion, piano, synthesizer
*
Stan Sulzmann
Stanley Ernest Sulzmann (born 30 November 1948) is an English jazz saxophonist.
Biography
He was born in London, England.
Sulzmann began playing the saxophone at age of 13 and played in 1964 Bill Ashton's London Youth Jazz Orchestra, later ...
–
alto saxophone
*
Alan Barnes –
baritone saxophone
*
Henry Lowther – trumpet
*Cliff Hardie –
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...
*Roy Jones – drums, percussion
*
Dave Early
Dave Early (5 April 1957 – 14 October 1996) was an English drummer and percussionist. He was best known as the original drummer for Sade. He also worked with Chris Rea, Van Morrison, The Chieftains, Mary Black, Ananta, and others. Later he mov ...
– drums, percussion
*
Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon (sometimes spelt Karol; born 1959) is a British singer. She is best known for her vocals on the Heaven 17 hit song "Temptation", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1983. When the song was re-released as a remix by ...
– backing vocals
*
Katie Kissoon
Mac and Katie Kissoon are a pop soul duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon (born Gerald Farthing, November 11, 1943, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) and Katie Kissoon (born Katherine Farthing, March 11, 1951, Port of Spain).
E ...
– backing vocals
*
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
– vocal on "Whenever God Shines His Light"
*
Gavyn Wright – string section leader
*
Fiachra Trench
Fiachra Terence Wilbrah Trench (born 7 September 1941, in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish musician and composer from Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.
Trench first studied Chemistry at Trinity College, Dublin, before moving on to t ...
– brass and string arrangements
*
Mick Glossop
Mick Glossop is an English record producer and recording engineer. In 2009, he was awarded a Visiting Professorship at Leeds College of Music.
Glossop was initially known for recording and producing for new wave and punk bands such as Magazine ...
– mixing and engineering
Charts
Certifications
Notes and references
Sources
* Hage, Erik (2009). ''The Words and Music of Van Morrison'',
Praeger Publishers
Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. (GPG), also known as ABC-Clio/Greenwood (stylized ABC-CLIO/Greenwood), is an educational and academic publisher (middle school through university level) which is today part of ABC-Clio. Established in 1967 as Gr ...
,
*
Heylin, Clinton (2003). ''Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography'',
Chicago Review Press
Chicago Review Press, or CRP, is a U.S. book publisher and an independent company founded in 1973. Chicago Review Press publishes approximately 60 new titles yearly under eight imprints: Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Academy Chicago, ...
,
*
Hinton, Brian (1997). ''Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison'', Sanctuary,
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
1989 albums
Albums produced by Van Morrison
Mercury Records albums
Van Morrison albums