As has become tradition, the opening track is what George Martin would call a potboiler. Here it’s “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)”, wherein he takes joy in a song on the radio and scats along to another place. Others will disagree, but the overdramatic “Gypsy” with its predominant flute is a little grating. Likewise, “I Will Be There” isn’t as effective as some of his other jazz homages. As eleven-minute songs go, “Listen To The Lion” threatens to be tedious, but manages to hypnotize. The comparisons to Astral Weeks are well placed, and even the middle section where he starts growling (like, ahem, a lion) can be excused. It’s an excellent conclusion to the side.
The title track nicely combines R&B (in the horns) and country (in the steel guitar), seesawing between two chords until the slight minor modulation mid-verse, culminating in the chorus, which merely repeats the title. The impressionistic lyrics give plenty of opportunity for interpretation, and voice seems a little sped up, making it higher than usual. A slow horn refrain prefaces “Redwood Tree”, a brief reminiscence of a boy (and his dog). Then there’s another ten-minute opus. “Almost Independence Day” begins with Van duetting with his off-key 12-string, then the band comes in, led by a droning synthesizer, over two chords. It’s another nod back to Astral Weeks, but isn’t as effective as “Listen To The Lion”. Still, the band’s excellent dynamic response makes you want to enjoy it.
Saint Dominic’s Preview is half of a great album, but we must give him credit for not repeating himself. He truly was developing a body of work designed to be taken as a whole, a story that would evolve over time.
Van Morrison Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972)—3
I like the humour of this blog. Reminds me of my own stuff. St. Dominic's has my favorite Morrison song on it, being Jackie Wilson Said.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteHave never totally warmed to the album for much the reasons you state. It does have too personal favorites for me though and I loved the live shows from that time- DAR Constitution Hall in the fall of 1973 in particular. Will always listen to Jackie Wilson Said and the title song. More partial to Hard Nose the Highway.
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