In his old age,
Van Morrison dispensed with any lingering niceties he harbored, favoring bluntness over poetry. That transition is made plain by the title
Latest Record Project, Vol. 1, a literal description of the album if not its contents.
Latest Record Project, Vol. 1 is indeed
Morrison's latest record project as of 2021 -- it's called "Vol. 1" because he recorded more than enough to fill a second volume, a remarkable feat considering that this album contains 28 tracks and runs well over two hours -- and if that doesn't hint at what the music within sounds like, it's also true that
Van Morrison has stayed in his R&B lane for much of the 2010s. Even a detour like
You're Driving Me Crazy, a duet album with jazz organist
Joey DeFrancesco, is distinguished by his choice of collaborator, not a shift in the direction. That can't be said of
Latest Record Project, Vol. 1.
Van cooks along with a simpatico band who are happy to vamp and groove, taking solos that never, ever distract from their lead singer, who has a lot on his mind.
Morrison isn't happy with the state of the world and he takes dead aim at his irritants with song titles that convey as much as his full set of lyrics: "Where Have All the Rebels Gone," "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished," "Stop Bitching, Do Something," "Why Are You on Facebook," and "They Own the Media." The latter song thankfully doesn't descend into conspiracy tropes -- a justifiable worry considering how
Van wrote a series of anti-lockdown singles during the Covid-19 pandemic -- but it does show how
Morrison's crankiness has calcified into nastiness. As always, his saving grace is his expert control of his voice and good musical taste, qualities that prevent
Latest Record Project, Vol. 1 from being as sour as its creator. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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