Record Roulette: A Period of Transition
I'll be completely transparent in saying this week's Record Roulette was a rollercoaster to put together. This series is based on my record collection and rediscovering albums left behind by the bitter winds of time and relevance. This afternoon, I plucked A Period of Transition by Van Morrison from the shelf, thinking, "This is a great album," as I usually do most Sundays. But unfortunately, I had little to no prior knowledge of Van Morrison other than his music catalog.
Now I'm pondering how to recommend what is widely regarded as a critical disappointment from a man the LA Times called a "middle-aged curmudgeon showcasing occasional moments of brilliance, [turned] boozy-uncle type, cranking out boilerplate blues LPs while leaning on his earlier legacy to fill concert halls."
Yeah, not great, but we're going to push through this together. Maybe have a few laughs, shed a few tears at the sheer idiocy of denying the validity of science (see: Northern Ireland Health Minister Sues Van Morrison Over COVID Remarks), and ponder the ethics of listening to morons who make great music.
A Period of Transition may have been just that for Morrison. The album was initially released in 1977, after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus from the music industry. There are only seven songs on the tracklist, including "Heavy Connection" and "Cold Wind In August," the latter being my second favorite Van Morrison song of all time (after "Into the Mystic"). The record is bluesy, with heavy horns and an overall reliance on a background choir to fill the void between Morrison and the band. Upon its initial release, Greil Marcus of Rolling Stone said, "Morrison's performances rarely find a focus, almost never hit a groove ... The key to the album's sluggishness is the dullness of the horn charts."
You may be reflecting on Morrison's better-known works (Astral Weeks, Moondance), wondering how you completely missed his reputation as a "curmudgeon," at least I am. I don't know him personally, so I can't really attest to his attitude. I can only give you direct quotes and information from reputable sources.
In a deleted message from August 2020, Morrison stated, "I call on my fellow singers, musicians, writers, producers, promoters and others in the industry to fight with me on this. Come forward, stand up, fight the pseudo-science and speak up."
Northern Ireland's Health Minister, Robin Swann, actually initiated legal proceedings against Morrison over his statements, another twist I did not have on my Covid bingo card. Swann said," His words will give great comfort to the conspiracy theorists- the tin foil hat brigade who crusade against masks and vaccines." Morrison also had a brief stint in Scientology, thanking L. Ron Hubbard on 1983's Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, and has more recently been accused of anti-Semitism.
We've strayed a bit from A Period of Transition, but I felt an explanation was necessary in this case. I can't say if you should or shouldn't listen to the album. I still stand by the music; I think it's a solid record, but knowing what I know now, I cringe a bit hearing it. So this week is really up to you- listen to it, don't listen to it, ruin the magic for your parents who love "Brown Eyed Girl"...
All I can say is: “That's showbiz, baby!”
If you feel so inclined, listen to A Period of Transition on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube