Customer Reviews

Philosopher's Stone

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In this world of over-dubbed, over-marketed and generally puff ball artists with a talent span of 1.5 albums and little ability beyond their 25-year old flavor-of-the-month publicists, it is utterly refreshing when we are provided a window into a great artist. Philosopher's Stone is just that album. It includes songs from 1971 to 1988 and as such we have bookends; we hear young Van on top post-Moondance to a Van that was 12 months from Poetic Champions Compose, two of Van's strongest albums. What a period and what music to document unreleased material! The Philosopher's Stone is not a perfect album by any measure (with 30 songs there are several B efforts). Then why should someone invest $+ on these two CD's. If you are new to Van, go through the primer first - Moondance, Astral Weeks, Tupelo Honey, Into the Music and Veedon Fleece. However, if you are a graduate student, you will appreciate and savor this fine, fine album. As you do, consider this::

1. Sound Quality: Whether you are listening to this CD on a Levinson/Thiel setup or a Sony Boombox, it will be clear that the effort was A+ on the remixing of these hidden gems. The cymbals on Wonderful Remark are waist high, the flute 6ft in the upper left hand corner of the soundstage - close your eyes and Van and the Band are in your living room taking requests.

2. A+ Tunes: Any Van fan has his/her gems. You will discover no less than 10, yes 10, new gems. I can't tell you which ones as Van affects everybody differently but here go a few of mine and why. Not Supposed to Break Down is a winding road here with Van taking the lead and a piano following along, the song starts slow with Van heating it up at the end (this song alone is worth the $). Wonderful Remark is also stripped of the overproduced, formulistic original with flute and Van's voice intertwining throughout - the last 60 seconds are a ride (in my opinion, far superior to the original). Madame Joy IS a joyous ride with Van ramblin' in syncopated rhythm while drums keep pace. Drumshanbo Hustle is one of those unexpected spectacular gems. Documenting his disgust with the music industry circa 1972-73, the lyrics are a novel sung with real emotion. Naked in the Jungle rocks from the beginning with Van's signature "ya na na na" throughout. Hear a raw unpolished The Street Only Knew Your Name with a classic Van backed by a sax and Judy Clay singing back up. Follow that up with a graveled voiced Van barking out John Henry, grooving and grunting with the piano and his own harmonica belting it out. Showbusiness has Van recounting the life of churn and burn, drugs and unscrupulous agents.

3. B Tunes: Contemplation Rose, while a little slow, has its moments with a great piano by Jeff Labes. Try For Sleep has Van pulling off two octaves above his normal range with a great horn circling in the background. This version of Real Real Gone confirms the original choice on Enlightenment and that alone is worth a listen. While not a big fan of his straight poetry, Song of Being a Child is interesting several times through and it works. High Spirits documents his involvement with the Chieftains and shows further insight into Van's evolution from the US folk/blues movement full circle back to his roots.

In summary, any Van fan will find the things that he/she loves about the man in these two CDs. There are some less than stellar songs but even those are worthy as additional understanding of this accomplished artist. The real test of an effort: after 5 listens, you will find this glued to your CD player for months. Enough said.

Van Morrison, one of rock's finest songwriters and arguably it's finest singer, crafted a number of strong albums, and that's where most should start. However, once you get through ASTRAL WEEKS, MOONDANCE, and the rest, if you still want more, PHILOSOPHER'S STONE is an excellent set to get. The packaging is a bit lacking (incorrect dates and lyric transcriptions, and even though Van wrote track-by-track notes, he decided not to include them), but as far as content goes, this is an excellent selection of unreleased studio material. Unfortunately, it doesn't include any content like demos or outtakes before the 1970's (hopefully there will be a Volume Two that includes them), but what's here is surprisingly consistent. Even the weaker material like "Twilight Zone" is enjoyable for Van's singing.

Few artists merit collections like these, because in order for them to work, one has to be prolific and, more importantly, shelve 'rejects' that hold up to their best work; this set fulfills both requirements. A strong, early version of "Wonderful Remark" arguably trumps the released version. "Madame Joy" and "Contemplation Rose" are beautiful tracks that could've salvaged HARD NOSE THE HIGHWAY (one of his weakest albums); so could've "Drumshanbo Hustle," an angry, vitriolic song against the music industry that miraculously transcends its bitterness. Then there's "Naked Jungle," possibly his greatest stab at funk, and excellent compositions like "The Street Only Knew Your Name" and "I Have Finally Come To Realize" that disprove the notion that he had trouble coming up with new material in the mid-70's (trouble releasing it, but not writing and recording it). Even better is "Crazy Jane On God," which was meant for release but had to be temporarily shelved for legal reasons (based on a Yeats poem, he didn't get permission to use it); in less capable hands, it could've been a pretentious disaster, but it's surprisingly accessible and works very well here.

It's an expensive set at $30, and for that reason, I'd recommend this only if you've already explored his best work: the early classics with Them, ASTRAL WEEKS, MOONDANCE, ST. DOMINIC'S PREVIEW, VEEDON FLEECE, IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW, and INTO THE MUSIC, for starters. If your appetite is still strong by that point, than PHILOSOPHER'S STONE will definitely come in handy.

Somehow I had either forgotten and/or misplaced my Phil Stone CD
and played it this past week. The years have gone by so quickly and Van's catalog has always been impressive.....so the headphones came out and I was again transformed... to another place and time and then back again to today.

I have read all 35+ reviews and agree with most all in some way or another but I do feel that PS is a masterpiece in so very many ways. Van shouts, growls...has the eternal "Fire in his belly" and brings us a sense of the blues and funk and gospel. As has come to be expected, VM had the presence of mind to use musicians of such stellar quality....especially the brilliant piano work of Jef Labes to forge this expensive gem.

As was noted by another reviewer, it is worth it alone for the superb, as yet unmatched, soulful version of "The Street...."

Damn!!!, what a sound, what charts, what a sax, a "Joyous Sound"
that no one save for Ray Charles has ever exhibited on vinyl.

I just love this mans' music.

"Philosopher's Stone" is a collection of unreleased songs by Van Morrison spanning approximately 1971-1987. The two-disc album runs over two hours long.

I wouldn't advise newcomers to Van Morrison to necessarily pick up this album first. This is the sort of album that you throw on your shelf next to "Moondance", "Astral Weeks", "Greatest Hits Vol. I", and perhaps a newer album like "Enlightenment" first. The majority of the songs on this album are from the 70's and sound very much in line with what Van put out on "Greatest Hits Vol. I" or the songs "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and "Don't Look Back" from "Greatest Hits Vol. II". Don't let the fact that these songs are unreleased deter you from this album; these songs are still very good and classic Van Morrison stuff.

There are at least 5 bluesy tracks on the album. There are a couple of funky ones, my favorites like "Street Theory" and "Naked in the Jungle". I'm a horn lover, Van does combine horns on a number of tracks. There is a good mixture of fast and slow songs. There are not any traditional Irish tracks. Booklet includes all lyrics and musicians. The best part of all is the subtitle of this album is: "The Unreleased Tapes: Volume One". After listening to this album, I will definitely get Volume Two if and when it comes out.

Enough great cuts to make the lesser ones bearable. For fans of Morrison's early-70s stuff, this is like finding an overlooked gem. The post-"Into the Music" selections leave a little to be desired. But it is still great to hear him blow a few mean harp solos, and sing some blues like he used to do. I hate to live in the past, but at times this record sounds like the old days. And that means it sounds just great!

The Philosopher's Stone will be welcomed and devoured by serious students of Van Morrison. This CD provides wonderful insight to the working mind of a master. The selections are not highly polished with the perfection of Moondance or Tupelo Honey, an era from which many of the cuts originate; the slightly crude edge is compelling nonetheless. For those who are not completely familiar with Morrison, start out with the beautifully produced live anthology A Night In San Francisco. Similar out takes and sketching form an earlier era can also be found on Bang Masters. One of the things that makes this collection special is Van Morrison's voice as an instrument. He is in top form here as aptly demonstrated by the brilliant "Madame Joy". Although Madame George is lyrically alluded to in this song, it is not similar to the TB Sheets piece - the cut is closer to a lost treasure like "Redwood Tree" from Saint Dominic's Preview album - it may be the cut t! hat's worth the price of the CD. Compare any of Morrison's vocal phrasing to his sax solos in cuts like "The Street..." or "Joyous Sound" or "I Have Finally Come to Realise." There are some masterful vocal performances here. We are also treated to the musicianship of journeymen like guitarist Ronnie Montrose "Ordinary People", several cuts including guitarist John Platania from the Moondance/Street Choir era, and lush cuts enhanced by pianist Pete Wingfield - "Twilight Zone" and "Foggy Mountain Top," the former rendered in a somewhat distracting falsetto by Morrison (curiously, Wingfield's sole chart hit in the seventies, "18 with a Bullet" was also performed falsetto). I wonder why the slow tempo of "Flamingoes Fly" wasn't chosen over the version on the album Period of Transition. On the other hand, the reprised reggae-like version of "Real Real Gone", "Joyous Sound", "Th! e Street Only Knew Your Name" and a few others, are in! teresting but were advantageously restructured for their final release. Van Morrison will be compared to Bob Dylan with whom he recently toured. Dylan's roots are closer to folk and Morrison's closer to blues, but they share some similarities. Dylan's spirituality emanates from his lyrics without speaking directly to it; Morrison addresses the issue directly. They are different but have both succeeded in cutting out dead wood to get to the source. They will both be studied and enjoyed for a long time. For Van Morrison, The Philosopher's Stone is rich in material treasure.

For a so called B side/un-released song collection this is ridiclously good. Van is a seminal arist for the more mature music ears. Only a place like Ireland with its love for music and the arts could produce a mystic, poetic genius like this.

He is a rare artist that puts the corporate music biz to shame. His concerts sell out in minutes without any promotion and i think he has even surpassed his hero Bob Dylan. We will be telling our kids about the genius of Van morrison. He is the best white soul/blues singer on earth today. On his last tour the tickets for his concert in nashville sold in 12 minutes. Long live Van. We need him to keep going to shame the no talented teenyboppers and MTV sellouts.

Probably the best "Van" in years. Great alternate versions of "Bright Side of the Road" and "Real Real Gone", plus many unrecorded gems, such as "Mr. Thomas" (referring to Dylan Thomas). This album immediately jumps to the "Only ten CDs on a desert island" list!

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE is proof positive that Van Morrison is almost as bad at choosing which songs to release and which to leave in the vaults as Paul McCartney is. (Paul should really release a collection like this too, but that's another story altogether.) Comprised of unreleased songs spanning the years from 1971-1988, this is a two-disc, two-and-a-half-hour windfall that belongs in the collection of any serious Van Fan.

The first CD plays better than the second as a whole, mostly because the recordings collected here cover a shorter span - specifically the period between 1971 and 1976 - lending it, if not a sense of cohesion, then at least a more uniform sound. Highlights? "Madame Joy" is a buoyantly nostalgic look back at that girl every boy wanted. The emotionally shattered "Not Supposed to Break Down" viciously indicts society's demands that we keep our emotions locked inside. The eight-minute original version of "Wonderful Remark" far outstrips its latter-day counterpart in its airy grace. "Drumshanbo Hustle" is the product of Van's by-now familiar disdain for the record industry, but is much sharper and generally better than his bitter screeds of the 90s. The searing funk of "Naked in the Jungle" forms the backdrop to one of Van's most intense vocal performances. The title of the slight-yet-touching "Lover's Prayer" says it all; same goes for the breezy "Laughing in the Wind". And that's not even half of Disc 1.

After the release of 1974's VEEDON FLEECE, Van Morrison went on hiatus until 1977. Over the course of these years, reports surfaced that Van was in the process of recording a new album, but nothing came of these rumours. Many of these sessions are present here, spread out over the end of Disc 1 and the beginning of Disc 2. And if Van Morrison had indeed made an album with these songs, it would have easily been his best album since ST. DOMINIC'S PREVIEW, and would have retained that title until 1979's masterpiece INTO THE MUSIC.

Disc 2 is, as mentioned above, somewhat more uneven, but a treasure trove of great songs nevertheless. It kicks off with this set's lost masterpiece, "The Street Only Knew Your Name". This flawless gem of a song would seem to foreshadow Van's nostalgia obsession of the 80s and 90s, but its sound and peerless vocal performance are pure 70s Van. The disc then progresses through a pair of blues covers and alternate takes of songs from A PERIOD OF TRANSITION and INTO THE MUSIC, with a great new cut (the pensive "I Have Finally Come to Realize") thrown in for good measure. This brings us up to the 80s, where the highlights are fewer but the quality is still high: the straight-up R&B of "Street Theory", Van's cover of Robin Williamson's poetic "For Mr. Thomas", and "High Spirits", a suitably rousing leftover from the Chieftains collaboration IRISH HEARTBEAT, especially stand out from this period.

Van Morrison is one of the most prolific writers, recorders, and performers in all rock music. He's released almost an album a year since 1970, and it's clear from THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE that he had, and probably still has, even more just waiting in the vaults. And not just odds and ends either; the vast majority of the selections are fully-formed, well-performed songs that, for whatever reason or another, Van simply chose not to release. Just another testament to the staggering talent that is George Ivan "Van the Man" Morrison.

Two very long cds and every moment is fascinating at least and brilliant at best. This is a must have for any Morrison fan and probably a better introduction for neophytes than the two poorly assembled best of compilations. All of this material is fully capable of standing on its own without disclaimer.

For me the most interesting thing about this set is how much solid material seems to have come from around the time "Hard Nose The Highway" was being recorded. It tends to confirm my suspicion that the weakness of "Hard Nose" was the result of some deliberate and wrong-headed decisions about how best to appeal to American audiences. The best tracks from "Hard Nose" combined with the contemporaneous outtakes in this set would have made a tremendous record.

Also noteworthy are the alternate takes. The material from "A Period of Transition" here is far superior to the stiff and mannered performances on that album. The rough and ready version of "The Street Only Knew Your Name" is also much better than than the soft synth-drenched version that appeared on "Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart". There is so much to discover here. If you've ever had any interest in Van the Man, buy it today.

Can't wait for volume 2.