Reviews (page 2 of 7)
When he's doing the blue-eyed soul bit it's fantastic. When he's doing the folk, the country, the blues...it's less so. And it's a live album (ugh) and it's a double live album (ughhhhhhh).
Top blues
This is a double live album recorded in 1974 and is considered Van Morrison at his peak. His music can be described as blues soul funk sung by an Irish guy with a large band of horns and strings. Van Morrison is powerful singer with a few great songs that will be around a long time (Brown Eyed Girl is not on this album). But for me he is one dimensional. I found myself getting bored and tuning out when listening to more than a few songs. I also think his own songs are best for him. I would rather listen to the original blues and soul singers than his covers. I'll listen to a Van Morrison song when it pops up but won't be playing an album.
Nära fyra, rätt bra ändå
I can't believe he didn't play Madame George.
Think I might need to listen to this a couple more times to have a full opinion. Can't actually remember one individual song. But I don't object to listening to it again. So even if it does all merge into one song, it merges into one I enjoy.
It's a good live album, and I like Van Morrison well enough. If I really liked him, this would be great, but it's longer than I need it to be.
1043 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."
It's a lot of the 'Van man' for one sitting, I feel very 'old white blues & soul guy' now, ⭐⭐⭐
Good enough music, but I don’t really imagine an occasion I’d want to put this on.
This one's perfectly fine, but I honestly am not in the mood for an hour and a half long live Van Morrison. Some of this is solid, and the performances/recording are great, but then some of it kinda sounds like a whimpy Stevie Ray Vaughan. So yeah. Its fine.
I thought at the start this might reach three stars, but it didn't take long for it to become tedious. Van Morrison has this stop/start style which really grates my ears, coupled by the fact he can't sing. It just makes the whole experience awful. The real sting in the tail are two 10 minute tracks to finish off the album, just when you think it'll be done. Thankfully I've only one more Van Morrison album to go... Please give me at least a year before you send it my way.
I like this. Van is good; the music sounds good live (yes he's a fucking dickhead, but two things can be true at once). But it's also completely inessential.
I think I speak for many people when I say - Fuck Van Morrison and the caravan he rode in on.
Well he bored the hell out of me in the studio, and he gets a little exaggeratedly whiteboy soulful here, but this was a phenomenal performance.
It’s Too Late to Stop Now is more than just a souvenir of a successful tour; it is a masterclass in vocal delivery and band leadership. Van Morrison can occasionally be an unpredictable and prickly live performer, but here he is completely locked into the music, losing himself entirely in the "mystic".
Es increíble pero es más entretenido van morrrison en concierto que un estudio
I finally got to see Van Morrison in concert a few years ago and he’s amazing live. The music is phenomenal with a talented band behind him who are much more than just a backup, but his voice is really the main event. It’s soulful, expressive, and smooth as silk, even as an older gent. He loves to improvise when he’s live and takes you places his studio songs don’t go. A real jazzy/bluesy jam session. All this to say, I bought this album a year or so ago because it was a live one. And it did not disappoint. A true representation of his talent and musicianship.
Good, solid rock & roll. The album is crisp, interesting and entertaining from start to finish. I don’t usually care for live albums, but this was really good.
Pasty-white soul music for the Margaritaville crowd. Full of bravado and self-importance, this live album is littered with more vocal ‘styling’ than a finals epudode of The Voice. Some songs are delivered with barely more than the affect of spoken word and others feel forcefully lstuck in vocal tics for indulgent amounts of time. Not to say that Van Morrison doesn’t any soulful connection, but it remains ‘shallow’ at best. Let’s just leave it there. This is not enjoyable.
Live albums are hit or miss with me, this is an exception. This one is just fine, missing the energy a good live album but the songs are good so we end up with a decent greatest hits record.
Most of the time I didn't get the live vibe but it would show up every once in a while, not sure when the audience participation was there it really did much for me but thats fine. I would say his energy is much more mellow then I would have expected but its also mellow and powerful. I wouldn't mind seeing him in a smoky little jazz club but not in a big venue.
I'm mostly confused by the small smattering of live albums on this list and how they were specifically chosen, but I'll give Van his props. He's clearly a presence on stage and brings a lot of life and heart into his live performance. Great instrumentation throughout too. I especially loved the piano and horns.
p319. 1974. 1 star. It's a live double album, with redundant covers and multiple +5 minute tracks including a 10+ minute monstrosity to close. Don't like live albums. Don't like double albums. Don't like extended 70s wankage. No idea why this is deemed essential listening. Just listen to the studio originals, you'll have a better time.
great
Regarded as one of the best all time. A truely remarkable album by one of my favorite musicians.
turns out van morrison is a pretty good musician even if he sucks a bunch recently overall though, very bluesy, probably more my dad's bag than mine as a concert album it's all right, there's a bunch of the faff you want from those 💥domino
I usually don't like live albums at all, but there are a few exceptions. There are some that really deserve a spot on this list. This ain't one. It's a 1 though. I hated it.
I'm usually disappointed with live albums. They rarely sound as good as the originals. Which is perverse, because when you are actually at a gig it usually sounds better - caveat, drugs and alcohol may play a part in that. This was decent material though. Not anything that blew me away but listenable.
A Van Morrison live album? I do suppose somewhere in the back of my mind I’ve wondered at least once in my life what a Van Morrison concert would be like. So, this is it? All he has to do is mumble and yell ‘Mama!’ to make the ladies shout. Semi-interesting, but too long for me.
Great live album, supercharged energy, sweet piano licks, bluesy. Just amazing
I'm sure this is great, i am not listening to a two disc live album. there are 1089 albums to listen to - i cannot waste my time on this.
2,9/5
It was joyous
Carino
Okay live album, but not really my thing
Really like this. Not a bad song and has a great sound for a live album. Not sure live albums should be included on this list but it’s here and it’s a great one.
All kinda sounds like a recreation of brown eyed girl
Very cozy live album. I just wish we got generated one of his studio albums over this. Would’ve fucked up astral weeks
I didn’t make it through the entire album - 90 minutes is long. My initial thought was TL;DR (but replace the R for F = finish.) I enjoyed what I heard, though! He’s a classic for a reason.
I have always been a Van fan - maybe less now than in my youth but still a fan. Live albums are always an interesting choice for a list like this. The question for me is “is there something special about this album (Allman Brothers Live at the Filmore East) or is it just a greatest hits album?” I think this falls somewhere in between. This has lots of good versions of classic Van songs. The real question is “does it need to be 90 minutes long?” I think the answer to that is a resounding “no.”
I really like about 15-20 Van Morrison songs. The rest I could take or leave. They vary from solid to wobbly, meandering, boring songs that I wish would quit dragging on and just end. This very long album represents the VM experience quite effectively. Some of the songs are familiar standouts. At times the band cooks on songs I'm not familiar with. And at times, I'm thinking, Yeah ... this is why I'm not really a fan; our casual connection is about right.
This is a hard one. Morrison is, like Morrissey before him on this list, someone whose music has been meaningful to me, and whose songs I still like and even occasionally listen to. But his political views and the hawking of conspiracy theories make it hard for me to want to give him any of my attention or money. Trying my best to review this without resorting to violence or childish name-calling, as the Simpsons once put it. Morrison has a tremendous presence and energy and really shines with live performances. I enjoyed a lot of these songs, but sometimes found them a little too enamored of 70's excessiveness, if I can put it that way. Overall I guess I didn't need this to be a double album. Great for the true fans; for me, I can think of a number of songs I would have cut. Despite everything I wouldn't turn this off if it was playing. It's a good listen.
6/10
A delight to listen to. Van Morrison often is. Live, the energy he brought was just amazing.
Nice music, some songs are really great, I would relisten the album anytime. 3,5/5.
I like me some Van Morrison but this makes me realize I don't like him as much I thought. Great voice, but so much of it. Sounds like a great show, but doesn't hold up for me 52 years later.
Really fun but waaay too long
I do think 3 Van Morrison albums is excessive. But as far as music goes, I don't hate it.
Favorite Track: Caravan
3.4 2x good but long
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - Van The Man has one of the best voices I have ever heard. When he really goes for it he has such power, such soul and emotion. In a live setting like this he really lets that voice shine. I love this version of These Dreams Of You and I Believe To My Soul is incredible. There are great renditions of Domino and I Just Want To Make Love To You. Bring It On Home To Me has some great work by the band but I don't think anyone could ever top the thrill of hearing Sam Cooke sing it. Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket is great. The couple of Them tracks are ok but I prefer the rawer versions. Caravan followed by Cypress Avenue is transcendent. Fantastic live record.
Way better than I thought it was going to be…at times.
Demasiado country, creo que me gustarían más las canciones de estudio.
The instrumentals are top notch (the horns are definitely a highlight), and the compositions are solid, but I don't like his style of singing very much. He seems to be carried by his band a bit. I guess that's what rubs me the wrong way just slightly; he seems to be a superstar despite being somewhat annoying and hard to understand, though I guess this may have been the style of singing that was popular back then. It makes me wonder if he was popular more for his image or for being a heartthrob than the music, but that is conjecture. He's still undeniable a skilled singer, and It's still a very solid album. It sits on the edge of the 70s pop traditions that I enjoy, so im going to give it a solid 3 and skip disk 2, because I think I've heard all I need to hear
I should just say 4 stars, and be done with it. But of course I won't. Generally not a fan of "live" albums, and have to admit that -- even though I'm a big fan of Van Morrison, I'd mostly ignored/overlooked this one, and possibly picked up somewhere along the way the idea that it wasn't very good. Anyway, I still have quite a few Van the Man albums (and used to have more), but this one is new to me. Or rather, the songs are old friends, most of them (including his covers of blues and R&B greats), but these (live) versions are new. In a nutshell, and not surprisingly, I enjoyed this, and the quality is good, but I still think that over all, song for song, I'd prefer the album versions. Still, I did enjoy hearing what he did with these songs in live performance. And I do love these songs, and Van's singing (though I must say that, predictably, his live singing isn't as good as the versions recorded in the studio). Which is why this one gets a solid 4 stars, but not 5.
I would love to hear Van Morrison sing his own name
With little exceptions, I believe there shouldn’t be any non jazz live albums on the list. Why is a single performance worthy of being an album I should listen to… the flow of an album is unmatched. Whilst this is good, it’s too long and lacks any reason for why it’s on here, especially when I heard a better non live Van Morrison album 2 weeks ago.
Why do live performances have to end like that? With those really drawn-out endings that feel pointless, as if they really want to test the audience's patience at the end of a concert. It really killed the vibe of the album, which, to be honest, wasn't too bad before this. Actually, I have a better question: why was this album even on the list? Sure, the book points out that it sounded like a studio album even though it's a live album (which it couldn't possibly be because of that ending), but he already has two studio albums on the list that sound exactly like that! However, it couldn't possibly be a proper rendition of this concert. They even had to cut "Moondance" (one of his best songs) because of a bum note! How could it possibly be a live album of this significance if you have to cut out a song? If I had actually gone to the concert, I would have been very satisfied. But, yet again, Robert Dimery, for the millionth time: why is this album on the 1001 Albums list?
Double live albums shouldn't be on this list unless they are truly something special. This is not something special.
Mijn verwachtingen waren niet zo hoog, omdat ik meestal niet zoveel heb met live albums van artiesten waar ik niet naar luister. Ik vond deze echter heel sterk in elkaar zitten! De muziek sloot goed op elkaar aan en ik vond de kwaliteit echt heel sterk, vooral als je je bedenkt dat het album uit de jaren 70 komt. Ik had niet verwacht dat deze muziek bij mij in de smaak zou vallen, maar ik vond het echt leuk om naar te luisteren.
Great live double-album! I know so little Van Morrison beyond Brown Eyed Girl, but this set was magical!
A live album. The only song I know from VM is Brown Eyed Girl. But that appears to be on Volume 2 and I am going to stop after volume 1 so I am not here for 5 hours. I am not a huge Live Album guy, but this one does have a few good things going for it. Gloria is pretty good.
I find Van Morrison to be tedious at the best of times. Add in the fact that it's a live album (which are 99% dross) and I knew I wasn't in for a fun time.
Incredible. The energy, the jams, the arrangements, the vocals. Its fantastic. Van Morrison is a treasure. Once in a century kind of talent. I loved every part of this.
Not good. Into The Mystic was done like it was spoken word, it was not sung, it was recited over background music
I'm too tired for this
Skönt sväng men 93 minuter var lite mycket för en icke-Van-man
Man är så svag för Van the Man alltså. Otroligt tight och vilken röst
Om kokain kunde sjunga. Första halvan, torsdag kväll, var helt ok. Andra halvan, fredag (!), garvade jag stumt och njöt.
Livealbum
Listening on headphones it strikes me how well this live album is recorded for 1974 and also how well it works to say it omits Brown eyed girl, Baby please don't go, Tupelo Honey, Moondance and Crazy love from its tracklist. Apparently it's the first live rock album to feature any string playing (in this case a trio) and it certainly would be influential in live rock performance on a bigger scale for arangements. Here comes the night is so good it could finish the gig from my perspective as I feel the last two tracks have too much meandering and Van's ad libbing compared to the relatively economical majority of the tracks. A pleasant surprise overall.
Two Van Morrison albums in one month is one album too many... And this is a double album. I gave it a read before the listen which ended up intriguing me deeply, crossing lines between genres and blending them, unedited live performances from a typically tempered musician, it sounds like it's going to present the beauty of capturing an erratic moment of talent for your audio pleasure. I was hoping there'd be some kind of video, like with some of Johnny Cash or Nirvana's MTV Unplugged, but that's not the case here. I think it's interesting when people rave about blending genres with singer-songwriters. Their priority is for the sound to fit the poetry. I don't find the mix stunning, though I can admit there's magic that would probably multiply in emotion the closer the experience gets to the actual live performances. Those shows must have been a blast of energy that I can't fully appreciate on this double album. I know it's there, but not the way I'm listening to it, like the bass on a set of shitty speakers. 3/5
Decent enough - enjoyed disc 2 more than 1 - more classics
Cool live outfit
ass album
Really solid, live album, didn’t realize how much I enjoyed Van Morrison stuff. I do appreciate that he borrowed from a lot of R&B and Seoul, but I feel like he put his own spin on it to make it unique and original. Four stars.
Yesterday's album was Björk's Medúlla. That was interesting and rewarding. This is easy, engaging, and pleasant enough but I'd rather be challenged. Van, it might have been too late to stop now, but I think I wish you had.
I can get down with some Vsn Morrison, but can't for the life of me figure out how this one made it on the list. Too long, bloated tracks, and a poor selection.
Ever heard Van the Man at North Sea Jazz? That was quite an experience.
I've seen Van live a couple of times. He was never this cheerful and now he's widely regarded as one of the world's grumpiest singing bastards. This set proves he was sort of normal once.
Disco grabado en vivo con temazos de blues y dolor a cargo de un Van Morrison genial. Extrañé algunos de los más grandes hits, pero es buena selección y me dio temazos que no le conocía. Buen álbum.
A live double album is a surefire recipe for disaster, but I quite like VM and this is a pleasant listen although his voice doesn’t have enough variation for this to not drag and get a bit monotonous 3.2 BUT his band is absolutely awesome
Really great live set. I was a little let down by this version of Into The Mystic, but otherwise Van largely gives each song good all.
Wel oke
What a fantastic album that I hadn’t listened to before. Just wonderful and will definitely listen to it again!
What a fantastic album that I never listened to before! I love it!!
I skew towards Irish musicians and singers so I rather enjoyed this. The band was pretty tight for a live album. Maybe didn't need to be a double album.
Love Van the Man & usually love live performance albums. Some reason I’m digging the studio versions more. After the string of terrible albums we had recently I feel like this should be an automatic 5 stars, but I can’t do it, hahaha
Not bad
Didn't give much of a chance in all honesty but I could tell that I wasn't going to like it
I’m a fan of Van the Man. But not of live albums. It’s hard not to give this one of five and I probably need to listen to it more today. It’s not a five.
Hard to hate this – solid recording, tight arrangements, spirited performance. But equally hard to love it. While boasting some great musical performances, I seriously doubt this is worthy of a list of the top 1001 most important albums of all time. There are plenty of other Van Morrison records to choose from, not to mention the countless non-live masterpieces that didn't make the list. (I'm still pissed about Origin of Symmetry and Absolution not making the cut, and those are leaps and bounds better.) Plus, when's the last time you heard a friend tell you It's Too Late to Stop Now is one of the most influential, groundbreaking albums of all time? For me, it was about 90 minutes ago. If you count Robert Dimery as my friend. Great soulful intro track, Ain't Nothin' You Can Do, with hints of funk and jazz spread throughout. Lots of brass to preface what the rest of the album intends to present. However, the fact that the sophomore track, Warm Love, boasts exactly the same mood and instrumentation suggests that this is more suited to be a background listen than a deep dive. I do like Morrison's boisterous vocal delivery though. People are unusually excited to hear Into the Mystic, and I can understand why: it's a change in mood. (Someday people will realise that "variety shows" are the secret to truly legendary albumship.) Lovely strings and slower tempo in this song. In other news: poor song sequencing immediately follows. You can't tell me with a straight face that These Dreams of You / I Believe to My Soul is a successful one-two punch, even if the individual songs are great. Both with a similar tempo, similar piano parts, identical keys, identical vocal delivery and (for the most part) melody... Yeah. This is like You Shook Me / Dazed and Confused (from Led Zeppelin's debut record) all over again. I realised around the time of the song Domino that Morrison really likes hanging onto one note in the melody. Billy Joel does the same thing in When In Rome, and fans consider that his worst song for exactly that reason, so I don't know what Dimery and Co. were thinking here. Some of the longer songs after this point drag on a bit – Listen to the Lion, Saint Dominic's Preview, Cyprus Avenue, and Caravan (with its extended "acknowledgements" section) are the suspects. Even Gloria, at a modest 4:14, feels longer than necessary. Though in that case, the song only boasts two chords (I and VIIb), which can't help matters. Still... every song holds steadfast. There isn't a single dud. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4, but I'll bump it to 4 to counteract the top-upvoted review. 4/5 Key tracks: Ain't Nothin' You Can Do, Into the Mystic, Bring It on Home to Me
ok background music
maybe he shouldve stopped like 45 minutes in
Van Morrison was always sort of an odd bird. Hard to fit into any one category. That said his live album was very good.
"Live double album" is like a death sentence. This is fine...but he isn't so dynamic that this is a totally different listening experience than his studio albums. I generally love Blue-Eyed Soul. Animal from the Muppets also says "Woman, Woman, Woman". Wild Children is not a good song. All the songs get longer and longer as the album goes on. They also get better. His diction includes some interesting choices, but this is good. Cyprus Avenue is not a strong close. And then it suddenly improves! I guess a ten minute song gives you the chance to have it be a quarter bad and then three-quarters good.
this is a good sounding live album. it's pretty difficult to tell it's a live recording unless the audience chimes in. the band is tight. ...that said, i'm still not the biggest van fan. there are some live albums that can justify their inclusion in a list like this, but i'm not sure this is one of them. i'd have to revisit his other albums in the list, but upon first blush, the versions don't seem to be that much different. if someone had dragged me to this concert, i wouldn't be mad at them, but it wouldn't have converted me.
How many strikes can an album have for me? Live album - boo Double album - double boo Van fucking Morrison - @*&@(!#((!! YER OUT!
This is not quite my kind of music but it’s a really cool live album for its time! Gotta love the variety of instruments on this
Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🎤😫🔦 Production: 🔴👏🙂↕️ Music: 🎷💫🤩 Rating: ⏹️⏹️⏹️⏹️/5
It's good, but just a lot when you're not really a fan. A live album isn't meant for people who aren't fans.
3 - BAD
Realizing that I don't particularly like Van's voice. Found the album wholly unremarkable and middling blues rock played competently well. Did not feel any energy or spark - which was a drag given its a double album.
It’s Too Late to Stop Now This doesn’t quite have the same had-to-be-there factor that other live albums on the list do, probably due to being familiar with the majority of the songs, the intimate atmosphere, his excellent vocals and just how great the live band are. But there is still an air of inessentialness to it if you aren’t an uber-Van fan or you didn’t see him live at his peak in this period. It’s not enjoyable and there are some great highlights - Warm Love, Into the Mystic, I’ve Been Working, Domino, Saint Dominic’s Preview, Gloria, Caravan, Cyprus Avenue - all tracks where the band really shine, particularly the strings, but I would generally prefer to listen to the studio albums from his Astral Weeks to Veedon Fleece pomp and 90 minutes is a lot of time to invest in it. The length and my general ambivalence about live albums leads this to a 3 - the band, his vocals, the songs are all great, but ultimately it’s not as engaging for me as his studio recordings. ⏰⏰⏰ Playlist submission: Domino
Van is quickly becoming one of my great discoveries of this venture. For someone who ostensibly revels in being ultra-cranky, this is a deliciously open and warm performance. With a voice like that, you feel like he could sing anything and make it sound great. The boogie woogie / brass-supported soul numbers like 'These Dreams of You', 'Domino' and 'Ain't Nothing You Can Do' are irresistible. They're up there with the likes of Sam Cook (whom he covers here) and his live album at the Harlem Square Club. A cranky little man, face like a slapped arse, but cracking live album. One of the best.
That depends on what we're talking about.
I don't care who you are, >90 mins of Van Morrison is too much. The songs exist but don't really individually stand out. Not a bad album, but a weird inclusion on this list regardless. 2.5/5 -> 3/5
For me, Van Morrison will always be associated with Brown Eyed Girl. Not a fan of anything else.
I had no idea this double live album existed and it sounds just as good as anything Van Morrison has done. The musicians are solid here. And Van is on fire here. So much playful energy with the audience and the band. The only downside is the last half of the album leans a little sleepy and doesn't hold up to the energy of the first half. But I'll take sleepy Van over a lot of other artists any day.
Pleasantly surprised after Astral Weeks and a live album to boot.
It was decent. VM still loves repeating words which can be aggravating to me, but I get his appeal more as I’m forced to listen to more and more of him (this is Stockholm syndrome talking).
Great voice, too many mediocre songs, and his Covid craziness has turned me off from him, even when his songs from half a century ago where good.
As far as live albums go van's really nailed it here, it's basically studio quality throughout with just enough of a live feel to enhance things. Which I think it probably needs as the music is nice enough if a little bit bland. Van Morrison has a good voice and this listen was nice enough but it doesn't have enough new ideas to come back to. Far better than expected, wasn't very happy to see it come up and it was fine, which given the run time is impressive. 3.5.
Great recording quality, he sounds well up for it, and the band are top. Into the Mystic, and These Dreams of You never sounded better. Only just outstayed its welcome by Caravan toward the end of the second CD, quite impressive. A really good listen, this. Turns out he's not just all Brown Eyed Girl, after all.
Got a soft spot for van Morrison, quite sentimental to me. Thought this was really good. I've moaned about live albums being on this list many times, but thought this was great. Forgot it was live for large portions. Apparently a grumpy fucker, but seemed jovial enough in this live act. Probably won't come back to this specific album, but do like Van the man.
A delight. A cosy, warm delight.
Great musician. Live album though.
Little overlong but nice to hear a live album by him. I've always enjoyed his music.
That live orchestra, strings and horns and all the things. I do like other recorded versions of Into the Mystic,l. This 90 minutes is 45 minutes beyond my attention span.
Pretty good for a live album. The band was absolutely on fire and the recording was excellent for the time. But it's a live album and at least 30 minutes too long, so I'm unlikely to listen again.
I have never listened to more than one Van Morrison song at a time. I generally do not like live albums but this one was good. Lots of songs have never heard before
You know... I'm going to say something about Van Morrison that I'm sure plenty of people say about my favorite artists... but, all of his songs sound the same to me. They're fine and all but I found this album to be monotonous.
Tedious music from a tedious man.
last time i got van morrison on this project i had to allude to the fact that his descent into right wing conspiracy nutcase inevitably makes his blue eyed rnb singer songwriter style even harder to swallow these days than it otherwise might be. on this very live album he covers two songs most associated with muddy waters and sam cooke respectively, and if we're being real there's rly no justification for him to think he could do that...other than the inconvenient fact that somehow, he pulls it off. ive never had a strong negative or positive response to his studio work that ive heard, but this 90 minute live record is so hard not to be constantly stunned at that it honestly kind of pisses me off lmao. yes van morrision is a white irishman imitating a half dozen of the greatest black singers to ever live but man in pure stylistic terms he really just Lives here, his renditions dont embarrass themselves at all, he sinks his teeth into every track with such a sincere power, yet so vulnerable in its raw expression and "ugly" timbres, that it makes me think i would love the rolling stones as much as the consensus had mick jagger choked to death on a chicken bone and van been the one to step in. but morrison's backing band here isnt the rolling stones, its one of the greatest live bands i've probably ever heard, sticking mostly to the more Traditional structural and melodic pleasures of morrison's hard hitting songs and covers but having so many distinctive moments and energy that they feel like they could keep up with the best live lineups of frank zappa. i instinctively want to resist this album for so many obvious reasons but it just constantly found new ways to leave my jaw on the floor. when i hit the first moment of morrison vocally imitating the sax line like robbie plant used to do with jimmy page, i had to throw my hands up. while this Could be my way into appreciating van morrison at large, and im not opposed to that, i could also understand if this recording captured a unique height for him that isnt helpfully representative. and even if it is, what a height. i genuinely would have been fine listening to this for an additional 30 minutes.
I would give this a higher rating but honestly the length of this was what was really getting to me. 6/10 has some good standalone songs but wouldn’t play the album front to back
Vans voice still blows me away and this live album is brilliant, in places . The “Them” songs are the best . There is a section ( side 2 of the vinyl) that the quality drops until domino brings it back up . Live double album that actually sounds good to listen to to is something of a rarity
You know, "It's Too Late to Stop Now" has kinda become my motto for the 1001 Albums project at this point. I have 93 albums left after this one. I can't stop when I'm so close to the end! Besides, I still have good albums waiting for me. I know that because this was one of them. I had a good time with this! I guess I'll start by addressing the elephant in the room though. This thing is long. 90-minute live albums aren't the best experiences you can get with music, but when the performances are as good as they are on this Van Morrison live album, you can't be that upset. I liked the 2 Van Morrison studio albums quite a good deal, and while I didn't enjoy this as much as either of those two, I still enjoyed what I heard quite a bit. Van's voice was still pretty good at this point in his career. His backing band was on point with these shows. The energy is really something special. The production is honestly great. This genuinely sounds like a studio album at times. Normally I'd complain about live albums feeling redundant on this list, but when only 4 of the 18 songs on this album are from the studio albums also on the list, there really isn't that much redundancy here. I mean, I probably wouldn't keep it on my 1001 Albums list, but I get why it's here. This is just a great live album from a pretty good artist in his prime. Sure it's long, but if I was there at this show, I feel like I would've had an amazing time. That experience would probably be a 9/10 or something, but the live album experience is good too. It's probably around a 7/10 or so, which equates to a decent 4/5 from me.
18 songs, I liked 4. The band was great, the vocals not so much. 2 stars
Not big on most soul but it was good
It is a shame, but I did not click at all with this live album.
pretty good
Ugh I’m getting so sick of this… here’s my obligatory rant: LIVE ALBUMS DO NOT BELONG ON THIS LIST!!! They should have their own list. Live albums have different parameters for quality compared to studio albums. It’s not fair that live albums are on the list cause they are usually greatest hits albums to some degree combined with how do I compare this to a studio album where they get more time and focus to get the music perfect when live music can at times be messy. So again, this shouldn’t even be on the list. That being said I really loved this album. It’s a great blues rock album. There’s atonement of great songs including “ain’t nothing you can do”, “warm love”, “domino” (probably my favorite on the album), “bring it home to me”, “saint dominics preview”, and “take your hand out of my pocket”. Seriously what are we doing? Like this album is infinitely better than the last Van Morrison album but it still doesn’t belong here….
I still think live albums are a cop-out but I do love Van Morrison Playlist add: "Warm Love (Live)
Aujourd'hui on va s'attaquer au monumental It's Too Late to Stop Now, qui traîne derrière lui une réputation absolument légendaire mais surtout qui squatte sans la moindre vergogne les listes des meilleurs disques live de toute l'histoire du rock et de la soul moderne. Donc en posant ce mastodonte sur ma platine, je m'attendais sincèrement à recevoir une claque monumentale. Et pour être tout à fait franc avec vous, les toutes premières minutes de l'écoute m'ont donné pleinement raison, me plongeant directement au cœur d'un chaudron bouillonnant de rhythm and blues cuivré. Je me suis donc installé confortablement et l'enthousiasme m'a rapidement submergé au fil des premiers morceaux qui s'enchaînaient de façon magistrale. Le constat me paraissait alors d'une clarté limpide et j'étais fin prêt à attribuer à cette œuvre une magnifique note de 4 sur 5 sans la moindre hésitation au bout de quelques pistes seulement. Viscérale, chaude et portée par une section rythmique d'une souplesse incroyable, la première partie de ce concert est une pure merveille d'exécution musicale. La voix de Van Morrison, ce timbre unique de vieux lion blessé et rugissant, fait des miracles absolus lorsqu'il revisite ses propres standards ou qu'il s'attaque avec une hargne contagieuse aux standards éternels de Ray Charles et de Sam Cooke. Le groupe qui l'accompagne pour cette tournée mythique de 1973, le fameux Caledonia Soul Orchestra, se révèle être une machine de guerre d'une précision diabolique, sachant exactement comment draper le mysticisme celte du chanteur dans les étoffes les plus soyeuses de la soul américaine. À ce moment précis du voyage, l'alchimie est totale, la moiteur de la salle est presque palpable à travers les haut-parleurs, et je me voyais déjà rédiger un papier d'une flatterie éhontée pour célébrer ce que je pensais être le Graal absolu de la musique capturée en public. Et puis, l'effrayante réalité temporelle s'est rappelée à mon bon souvenir de manière brutale, et j'ai fini par découvrir le plus gros et le plus impardonnable défaut de cette entreprise herculéenne qui m'avait tant charmé au départ. 1h32... Oui, vous avez bien lu, une heure et trente-deux minutes de concert ininterrompu balancé au visage de l'auditeur. Et croyez-moi sur parole, 1h32 à ce niveau d'intensité constante et de surplace thématique, c'est long, voire carrément très, très long. Car ce qui s'apparentait au début à une transe chamanique hypnotique et festive a commencé lentement à se muer en un tunnel sonore interminable, une sorte de labyrinthe auditif dont on ne voit jamais le bout poindre à l'horizon. Bon pour faire simple et sans tourner autour du pot, ce disque est l'archétype même de la boursouflure typique des double-albums vinyles qui ont pullulé dans les années soixante-dix. Vous savez cette époque un brin prétentieuse où les monstres sacrés de la musique se croyaient autorisés à tout étaler sur deux disques sous prétexte de liberté artistique totale et de respect de leur intégrité créative. Sauf que la générosité mal canalisée se transforme vite en un fleuve tranquille un poil trop soporifique pour son propre bien, diluant les éclairs de génie au milieu de vagues d'accords répétitifs. C'est le drame absolu du chef-d'œuvre potentiel qui aurait pu être condensé sur un seul vinyle de quarante-cinq minutes foudroyantes, mais qui se retrouve noyé sous le poids d'une générosité mal maîtrisée et d'un étirement temporel qui nuit gravement à la cohérence de l'ensemble. On passe de l'extase à la somnolence, ce qui est le pire affront que l'on puisse faire à un projet musical censé nous transporter au-delà du quotidien. Donc après avoir vaillamment lutté contre les aiguilles de ma montre, le temps ayant malheureusement remporté la guerre de l'usure de manière définitive, je me vois dans l'obligation de revoir mes prétentions initiales à la baisse pour coller à la dure réalité de mon expérience vécue. It's Too Late to Stop Now s'en sort donc finalement avec la note globale de 3 sur 5, ce qui reste, qu'on se le dise bien entre nous, une bonne note tout à fait honorable située pile dans la moyenne des productions de cette envergure. Ce n'est en aucun cas un naufrage artistique ou une purge inaudible, mais la musique populaire est aussi une affaire de rythme, de concision et d'efficacité directe. En conclusion, si vous avez une heure et demie de votre vie à perdre devant vous et une patience de moine bouddhiste en pleine méditation, tentez l'aventure, vous y ferez de magnifiques découvertes cuivrées au détour d'un morceau. Pour tous les autres, contentez-vous d'une bonne compilation ou d'une écoute fragmentée sous peine de finir l'exercice sur les rotules, complètement vanné par l'entêtement de ce cher vieux râleur celte.
I almost forgot to listen to this album; this sometimes happens. There are some nice songs featured on "It's Too Late to Stop Now". One day, I'll listen to the albums where the tracks came from. After a while, "It's Too Late to Stop Now" overstays its welcome. That's when the songs get longer and more boring. 2 stars for "It's Too Late to Stop Now".
Ok. Ég þarf að viðurkenna að ég hef aldrei veitt Van Morrison sérstaka athygli og ruglast á honum og bæði Morrison úr Doors og Morrissey en hann er bara nokkuð góður. Ég þarf að gefa honum meiri séns en núna er hann samt bara þristur
Even though I am not a big fan of Van Morrison as a person, this project is still something I have been very interested in diving into as it made this once humble and small Folk Rock star into a much more thematic and grand artist. As much as I appreciate the song composition overhauls done to each and every track here, I do have to say sometimes it does come across as a bit much and ruins the spirit of the gentle originals. This project isn't all bad as there are plenty of highlights, but also as many others have pointed out there are also a lot of duds that should have worked better than they did. I think Van Morrison didn't really know how to translate some of these songs properly like with Into the Mystic, a heart breaking butchering of his best song, and his over the top drive to everything here only works sometimes and feels a bit corny during most attempts. His little improvisational moments also feel like he is trying to hype his own music up more than the music already does which I thought was a bit odd but okay I guess, polish your dome for yourself man I don't care. I tried to get into It's Too Late to Stop Now, but this was just a messy live project all around. You really need to cherry pick your favorites here because there is no way I am hearing this in full again.
Ehhhh qué se yo, larguísimo y casi soporífero para mi gusto. Nota: 2.7
I’m just not that interested in knowing what a Van Morrison concert in 1974 sounded like. I’m not even that interested in Van Morrison. His vocals are competent, I suppose, but just not very . . . interesting. (Does it go without saying that this is far too long?) 2.5?
Second time for this live, double album. I have come to appreciate live albums a lot more because of this exercise. Double albums- not so much. Have to see how I feel today… Yeah- I do believe this is making me not like Van Morrison. I appreciate it. I want it to be over. Same as last time. Don’t think I will make myself do this a third time. I get it. But it was too late to stop… 3 Boolean: True?
Fucking live album. It is never a good idea. Clapping, I don't want to hear that shit.
Twee dingen waar ik echt een beetje moe van word: - een dubbel album - een live album Van Morrison doet het allebei op 1 album... Outkast en Stevie Wonder hebben voor mij bewezen dat het mogelijk is om een goed dubbel album te maken. En er staat op deze lijst ook een goed live album(Niet Stop making sense van Talking Heads want redenen??) Dus ik probeer hier nog wel blanco in te gaan. En ja het is prima? Er zit best wat jazz invloeden in, het zorgt met de lange solo's enzo er wel voor dat ik redelijk geinteresseerd ben en blijf. De zanger klinkt ook best wel prima(Is dat Van Morrison? Geen idee eigenlijk) Er staan heel veel saxofoon solos op, ja die pakken me natuurlijk altijd wel. Daarnaast is de energie bijna voelbaar. Je hoort dat Van Morrison er wat dat betreft wel echt voor gaat. Denk dat de voordelen van een live concert hier niet echt opwegen tegen de nadelen. Vaak hoor je dat de recording gewoon flink minder is bij een live optreden, maar dat is hier echt niet het geval. De band klinkt strak en de zang klinkt ook gewoon echt goed. Is het te lang? Ja eigenlijk gewoon wel. Maar moet eerlijk zeggen dat het album me alles is meegevallen. Ik denk dat de live uitvoering ook wel echt wat toevoegt op dit album. Prima, interessant jazzy folk rock blues album. En dan vergeet ik vast nog wat genres. Lange zit, maar zeker de moeite waard. Ik neig toch een beetje naar 4 sterren, puur omdat ik verbaasd was over hoe relatief snel het album voorbij was. FAVO: Ive been working, Saint dominics preview, Caravan
White boy blues
I typically love a live album, and I do really like Van Morrison. This is far too long for me, but it's very very good and it reminds me of my fiancé :) Great album to have on vinyl.
It's not an awful record, it was better than Live at Leeds. The recording is rather good and the instruments sound great, he sounds good. It's too long tho for me to fully vibe throughout tho
This is my first Van Morrison album. It was also a live album. I can say that most of the singing sounded the same. It’s not bad singing it’s just not exciting or great singing. The band is great and the music is really good. I just don’t think I needed to hear this album. But I listened.
1. "Into the Mystic" 2. "I Believe to My Soul" 3. "I've Been Working"
Started off pretty good. The last few songs were pretty disappointing.
Always loved Van. Faded in The Last Waltz A crucial voice in his generation. 1974 might be his peak. He's a little too grumpy now. Cool new renditions of some of his most timeless classics.
..
could of kept the second disc.
Dette var usedvanlig rævva!
Now THIS is how you do a live album. Good blend of hits, deep cuts, and covers. Just the right amount of jamming. Great dynamics, great voice, great instrumental performances with varied instrumentation.
Not for me.
I really love Van Morrison's voice. Typically, I'm also a fan of live albums. This one fell a little flat for me.
This is a lot of Van Wailison. I’ve never been more torn on whether something is good or a cheap thrill for those with no taste - I’ll defer to the latter.
He sounds a lot better here than he did when I saw him live last year. The live setting brings extra energy and room for improvisation that isn't really there on the studio albums. It's a bit of a long seat through and not every song really grabs my attention, but it's a beautiful piece overall. Probably not a necessary inclusion but definitely not a bad one.
Well… I sure want to give this a 2 or 3 just to be snarky. I mean it’s BOTH a double album AND a live album. Not. A. Fan. And Van Morrison has THREE albums on the list. I mean… really? Do I really NEED that much Van Morrison in my life? But… damn it. This is good. I can’t deny the man. It’s good. His live versions are actually better than the recordings I know too well. Arrrrrghhhhhh! Damn it. 4 Boolean: yes…
6/10
I enjoyed listening to this in the background. It's not an album that I'm adding to my rotation, but the music is good all the same.
Nice but don’t like live albums
Van Morrison is awesome. I think his live performances are a good argument for cocaine use
A bit bloated, there was some stuff that could’ve been cut. That said, it is a fantastic album. I thought the two big hits, Domino and Gloria, were kind of weak live. I thought those would be the best ones, but they were both just okay. The band was terrific and I loved the horns.
Hoo-boy, hour and a half of live van morrison. I think if this were half the length, with tracks paired sensibly it would be pretty good. Instead, we are left with a slog. 2/5
I feel disrespected. By Van Morrison for thinking he had a double-live album of worthwhile material and anyone who thought this deserved to be included as one of the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die."
Classic rock is just a club of mostly white boys playing around with musical ideas that black people developed & mastered decades before. Van Morrison is no different. It sounds good but loses points for being imitation and not actually building off existing musical tools. I can’t in good conscience rate this high. That doesn’t mean there aren’t highlights though! Highlights: Wild Children, Caravan
Long but alright.
Before today I only knew Gloria and Brown Eyed Girl — not really a fan of either. I was pleasantly surprised that this album is far more bluesy and the aforementioned songs. His band sounds fantastic — the soloists really shine. Overall it’s surprising how good this sounds for a 1970s live recording.
From an artist who’s name I barely recognize, I was impressed with how this sounded from the start. The band does an excellent job and there was a nice classiness to this. Van sticks to what he does well and doesn’t deviate much from that. Definitely a pleasing listen for me just wish it was a little tighter but it is a live album so that can happen and you just have to live with it, I suppose. 1 listen Favorite Track: Ain’t Nothin’ You Can Do
Expectation: -> Van Morrison. Definitely a name I should know something about but mind is blank. After listening: -> A solid live album. This is good rock/blues which I enjoyed at times but mostly just didn't mind. Definitely like the orchestral and horn elements. Listened to this beyond a day and just couldn't convince myself this is a 4 for me, though it's close. Track ranking: Here Comes Domino Caravan These Dreams I Believe Working Saint Bring It Lion Gloria Mystic Ain't Children Pocket Make Love Warm Love Help Cypress
This was surprisingly good. I didn't really expect to like it.
2.5
Its too late to stop the far right but here's some lovely tunes.
This is the last Van Morrison album I’m listening to for this project. It’s a double album that includes a live recording. I find that combination a bit tricky. Surprisingly, this was the album I liked best. It was nice to listen to, but it didn’t captivate me enough that I feel compelled to listen to it again. 3/5
What is there to say? It's a Van Morrison live album. and he doesn't play "Moodndance". Favorite track: Into the Mystic
I'm not like a die-hard Van Morrison fan or anything, so I wasn't going to be surprised if this 1.5 hour double album felt like a chore. But it didn't. This is great live music. Each musician on that stage was locked into the same flow state, guided by the music itself. That's the real gold of this album to me. I chose closer Cyprus Avenue for my playlist, but Wild Children was a close second.
despite him being a miserable old git when I saw him live, this is a classy album
It certainly is. I guess one thing I'm learning from this is that I hate double albums, and find very few of them to be even slightly worth it. The best part of this album is in its live nature. There's a real warmness from the crowd who are into it, the orchestra is going off, and damn does it all come together so good. I can't say I think much of Van Morrison's singing but everything around it works so well that I can see how someone could fall in love to this album. I(t's just too damn long, every song began merging together and the similarities between them became more and more obvious. Which is unfortunate because I think the individual songs here are great. A few of these songs also have the detriment of being done better elsewhere (Gloria, I just Want to Make Love To You). I think it just edges out a 4 for me.
gostei bastante por mais q seja um live album, to de olho top hall da fama...
ok n me importaria de ouvir dnv
A bit of a slog...
After a few listens (and comparisons to the studio recordings), I'm convinced this is the best way to listen to many Van Morrison songs. Faves: Warm Love, These Dreams of You, Bring It on Home to Me, Saint Dominic's Preview
Ikke lige noget for mig, men det var egentlig meget fint at lytte til. Jeg blev bare ikke helt grebet
Good
3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/van-morrison/its-too-late-to-stop-now/ The music is fine, but it just adds very little as a live album. Little to no crowd interaction, and most of the songs sound like studio versions (even though I don't actually know the studio versions). Maybe nice for true Van Morrison fans, but not for me per se.
Incredible live album by Van the man. This one kind of gets forgotten when talking about the greatest live albums of all-time, but it deserves to be up there with Live at Leeds or At Filmore East. Van Morrison at his peak as a live performer. 4.5
Loved this album!
Ok
Great stuff. It took me years to appreciate his music. Huge fan now.
I am of the opinion that live albums should not be a part of this project. Additionally, I was looking forward to diving into Van Morrison and I’m annoyed that my first real exposure to him, outside of his hits, was a double live album. I feel like that ruins some of the presentation of future albums. So, I’m annoyed with this one.
i got in plenty little digs about Van's white-boy soul in my Moondance review, but the songs are given some much-needed breathing room here, played by a cracking band, and sung by a the most crowd-pleasing version of a notorious old crank. warm, rolling, lovely stuff, but never entirely without depth or bitterness
Another one I can't believe I hadn't discovered sooner. Great all the way through. Great production and sound. Will def be in my rotation.
To long and to similar sound wise. But credit where it’s due the album is mixed fantastically
I often wondered how Van Morrison might sound on an album, less of his big hits, more deep cuts maybe? Well now I know for sure that I'll never be listening to anything by Mr Morrison again out of choice. This album drones on and on, turning a song that could be done in one minute into an interminable torture. There's 90 minutes of Van yeah-yeahing, wo-woing, and mumbling his way through some of the bluest-eyed soul I've ever had the misfortune to hear. Utter and irredeemable dross. One star.
I think there's been a festival of fours recently, but I guess I can't help that. 4/5.
Это было долго и не обязательно. Надоели лайвы. Но ладно, все равно прикольно.
уверен вживую концерт был очень крутой, но в записи это слушать не то, песни и творчество ван моррисона мне норм, но тут поставлю 3
2026.05.18.
I have seen VM live once and he's a great performer. This album just doesn't meet my very high expectation. I'd easily give a 5 to many of his albums (Poetic Champions Compose is one of my favourites). This one, just about a four. I just don't like it that much.
This is far too much Van Morrison for one sitting. 2.5
didnt have time 2 lisn 2 much but it seemd good
A shame to get this one before eg Astral Weeks, which i assume resides in the list somewhere, and sounds NOTHING like this Absolutely brilliant production for live recording, brass section great, sent into the mystic into lowkey transcendent territory. That said I probably would not have felt this way if it appeared 85 minutes into the album, but enjoyed this a lot more than expected despite the length 👀
This was fine, there wasn’t anything bad on here but dear god was it a slog to get through I already knew bring it on home and I just want to make love to you but wow was it annoying how he kept ruining the hook for the chorus 2.5
banger
WARUM VERSUCHT ER BLACK ZU SEINNNN?! es ist so verwirrend und für mich persönlich auch kulturelle aneignung, weil wie sollte er je die tiefe und den schmerz von blues musik verstehen?? natürlich ist es nicht schlecht, er klingt nunmal authentisch black aber ich respektiere es nicht
My "Hot Take".... Van Morrison is serious Boomer shit. Like, there must be some secret frequency in his music that only people born between 1946 and 1964 can hear. Somehow, his music has some very specialized auditory pheromone in it that has gripped an entire generation for five decades. It drives them absolutely nuts for anything "Van the Man" spits out. Kinda like that Dave Chapelle sketch with John Mayer. Just roll up to any Seniors Pickleball Tournament with a boombox. Pop in some music form "The Bard" and watch those Boomers start grinding on each other like horny teenagers on prom night. Expect a Viagra shortage within a fifty mile radius.
I didn't hate this as much as I thought. Live and double album are 2 terms I've grown to fear on this list. But the horns were great, elevating this from a 2 to a 3.
Not a huge fan of Van Morrison, but this live set is pretty good, even if a bit too long.
Live but decent
Pretty good, love a live album. Great to put on in the background and get some work done. Van Morrison has a phenomenal voice and the instrumentation was also great
Must have been great to be there in person.
Felt like being in the crowd, incredible album that just doesn't end (it's a double)
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: ?? I listened to this album twice, like I try to do with every album, even those which I don't particularly care for. I listened to 3 hours of Van Morrison. That was a lot of hours of Van Morrison. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I formed no impressions. There were maybe a couple of tracks somewhere in the middle where it sounded like they were jamming out for, but I don't know if that's really true; There's only one song over 10 minutes. Entirely middle of the road.
how many more live albums must one endure?
did y’all know he was white?
(81/100
Jackie Wilson and I were in heaven listening to this. I added “Domino” to my playlist. There’s not a weak track on here.
i am so 50/50 on live albums but this one was enjoyable! very long but fun
I love Van Morrison, but I don’t understand most live records inclusion in this project. I don’t believe that this performance was such a landmark achievement that it should be compel me to hear it before I die. I do love most of the songs on it though, and they were performed well. 7/10
It’s ok and he has a nice voice and the band is good but it’s a bit boring and goes on and on….
old but good, orchestral arrangements that some how stay a little bit repetitive.
Solid live, 6/10
This is a very solid live album, with lots of great players playing Morrison's soulful music along with a few covers. Liked Songs Added: Ain't Nothin' You Can Do Domino Listen To The Lion
A good one
Normally I'm not a fan of live albums but this is an exception to my rule. Van's the man.
An unappealing singer.
A very boring album that is also easy too long. I can understand why his fans would like to have a live album too listen to, but it does not belong on the 1001 albums list. Even if not considering the controversies that has surrounded him, this album doesn't deserve more than a 1
Sounds like a good show to have been at
Rock. Classic. Soulful with a message. I like most and some I could take or leave. Definitely on the must hear list.
Skimmed this one. Not something I would listen to. Something hokey about it.
I don’t like live albums really but it was ok nothing special
Caledonian Soul, swinging and righteous, uplifting and wonderful
Van Morrison is a unique sound- you’ve got to really enjoy that sound to endure all 93 minutes of a live album. I like Van Morrison, especially the upbeat style of his charted sings like Domino and Brown Eyes Girl, but a lot of his catalog sounds the same, and if you don’t really live that Bluesy style you’re going to be skipping some of these tracks. Still mad respect for the Van the Man.
this put me in a bad mood
I like Astral Weeks a lot - a little arty and pretentious but it caught me at the right time. This felt a little over the top, something about the exaggerated accent I didn't really like. Didn't strike me as his best work.
I wish someone would've stopped you. This being a live album does absolutely nothing for it. Caravan is in my daily playlist in fact, and it's not the version that has Van the Man warbling out every name of every band member halfway through it.
A nice collection of live songs from Van and his band. One of the better live albums I've listened to. Soul filled and emotionally delivered gems from his musical repertoire.
I had one of his albums recently that I really enjoyed, so was looking forward to this despite all the hate live albums and double length albums get for being on this list. It's fine, starts strong but becomes somewhat bland. Probably really cool in person.
Actually liked this album. Not sure why I have a soft spot for Van Morrison.
Good sound, most of the songs remind me of what my dad would listen to. Decent.
Live version, need to check studio versions of I Believe to My Soul I've Been Working
Сара 3 Марко 3
I hate the reviews on this site sometimes. “1 STAR I HATE LIVE ALBUMS!!!!!!” How hard is it for people to have an open mind, especially on a challenge that is supposed to introduce you to new music. Live music is an art, the same as studio music. Even though the full concert experience can’t be captured on a recording, there’s still a magic. This album is extremely impressive, tight playing, great sound quality, and a great set list. What’s even more impressive is that there is no overdubbing, which was standard for live albums at the time. Though the song selection is very good, some songs do drag a bit. Also Van Morrison’s singing can be very unintentionally funny (or at least I assume it’s unintentional). For example: “I gave you… alldemoneyIhadindebank” 4/5
It was a great live album, it reintroduced me to I believe to my soul which I previously thought was only a ray charles song. Great live instrumentation and vocals but a long performance and I couldn’t get to disc 2
Rv
Overall: 3/10 Van Morrison really sucks. I can't put my finger on why but I just can't stand listening to him, and I certainly don't want to listen to a live double album from him. This was tough to get through. Fav Song: These Dreams of You
The Good: We must be on a roll!!! The Bad: What if we really want to stop? The Ugly: The state we are in, after slamming into another car, cause we really wanted to stop… There are things to be said that one person’s favorite album can be another person's least or another person’t so-so selection… at the end of the day, music is subjective as hell. However, when it comes to live albums, there is little subjectiveness involved… it is fact; you either hate it or love it. In the case of this trainwreck of an album… I have to just bow my head and say thanks that I won’t have to listen to it again… I am certain that there are Van M fans out there who view this album as the best of the best… in my case, it’s too late to stop now…. 2* thanks to Into The Mystic
Morry's a powerhouse vocalist as always, and the instrumentation is quite nice... but c'mon, the average person has no proper reason for ever picking this one off the shelves in favour of one of his studio albums. You're getting those three stars, Morrison... but just barely. I'm expecting more of your next assignment.
Too long man
20/04/2026 I actually didn't think this was too bad. I guess my mum was right about Van Morrison after all. Spotify listeners: 11 million
Not a big van morrison fan.
This is #day618 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my third and final record from Van Morrison, a live one this time around. I've noticed that live albums are something folks often don't enjoy as much on this journey, but, hey, listening to this one, what's not to like? It's a great way to drop into a concert setting and instantly get transported to another place and time. Stom Making Sense, Devotional, just to name a few... It's Too Late to Stop Now is an excellent performance that blends blues, jazz, rock, and whatnot. The whole thing sounds as smooth and tight as you'd want it to. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day619.
The vibe of the album was quite chill and initially I liked how it was nice and jazzy. However, every single song sounded the same so the entire album felt very monotone. The album was also so long I keep wishing it would end but it never ends!!!
With live albums I tend to prefer smaller, more intimate venues, but this was still pretty good. I like the blues and I like Van Morrison. He kind of butchered the "Bring it on Home to Me" cover (or maybe I just dislike any version that isn't Sam Cooke). He killed it with the "Gloria" cover though. Wish he had played "Moondance." That's my favorite of his.
Really liked most of this album. The instrumentals were incredibly well done and the singing was great. Felt like the last couple songs dragged but otherwise a phenomenal experience.
A disappointing human, but I really dug it! 4.
First Listen; 3.5; So I got two Van Morrison albums back to back - Moondance and then this. If anything, I enjoy the live songs more, they have more emotion, strain, and punch behind them. Still, not something I ever see myself really coming back to, or necessary in this list. Favorite Track: Into the Mystic
Never knew of it. Super bluesy on the numbers that weren’t hits. It’ll be played often :)
Disc 1 - 2.5/5 Ain't Nothin' You Can Do - 3/5 Warm Love - 3/5 Into the Mystic - 2.5/5 These Dreams of You - 2.5/5 I Believe to My Soul - 3/5 I've Been Working - 3/5 Help Me - 3.5/5 Wild Children - 2.5/5 Domino - 3/5 I Just Want to Make Love to You - 2.5/5 Disc 2 - 2/5 Bring It on Home to Me - 2/5 Saint Dominic's Preview - 2.5/5 Take You Hand Out of My Pocket - 2/5 Listen to the Lion - 2.5/5 Here Comes the Night - 3/5 Gloria - 2/5 Caravan - 3/5 Cyprus Avenue - 1.5/5
i respect the Hustle
Not really much of a big Van Morrison fan; his work just never really made much of an impression on me and his voice is a bit of an acquired taste. That said, he definitely sounds far better here, with a full backing band, than any of his studio efforts I've heard. 7/10.
Can't say for sure if "best live album ever" really applies, but it's got some real nice live sounds.
8/10 Never listened to Van Morrison before but damn his vocal performance here is really impressive.
Second album après 'Moondance' que j'avais peu apprécié (noté 2/5 - mélodies répétitives et peu intéressantes). Catastrophes pour cet album : plus de 90 mn au compteur, et une orchestration pseudo classique sur certains morceaux. En plus (et c'est dommage), rien n'est apparenté au Jazz dans cet album (classement incompréhensible ...). Et il est bourré de reprises blues, qui n'apportent rien aux originaux. Bref, je ne suis pas allé au bout, une face d'ennui profond m'a suffit. =>1/5
The difference between Van Morrison’s live and studio energy is really big- I think I prefer his studio albums more but this was still very easy listening.
Super fun vibes, weirdly nostalgic for something older than my mom
Loved it all the way through. It’s not rock of ages or the last waltz, but there are some amazing jams in it.
Not his best
jesus christ please god no more 70s slop
Perfect album for a slow morning in bed with a good book. Love it!
If you're looking to overdose on Van Morrison, this'll do it.
Voz impecable, que rico álbum. todo fluye perfecto y armonioso, estoy kicking my feet in the air el 70% del tiempo. live, laugh, blues. Primera vez escuchando a Van Morrison, digging it.
great
Wat een lekker live album. Jammer dat ze er in staan, Maar dit is echt goed
This probably would have been a good concert to go to, but I just couldn’t get into it as an album. It did pick up some after Domino, but it’s still just ok in my book, which is a shame because I like Van Morrison.
this was boring icl
I would enjoy this album way more if Van wasn't such a pretentious douchebag. But personality aside, hot damn does the man know how to lead a band.. energy is ripping from top to bottom.
He doesn't sound like the miserable fucker everyone says he is? He sounds quite upbeat actually. The wind section adds nothing, but overall this is a great live album.
Not too fan of live albums. I don’t doubt that this was a marvelous show and being there would be life changing, but don’t know why including it on the list.
I'm a big fan of his first 3 albums. Good lyricist and great energy to his music. This live album has terrific energy and his voice is perfect for the lyrics he is singing. Put this on and just enjoy.
Te lang, te repetitief, te te. Beetje raar dat dit in de lijst staat.
It's not a mess. It has some interesting sound choices. I don't know about mandatory listening but sure, something like this in the list, why not. This is in the like 900s of 1,001. High 2 low 3.
Live albums are for people that are already fans of an act. This is recorded well, but like I said before he sounds as tho he has tiny lungs. There are just way better singers that have way more passion. He must have a stage presence that makes up for his voice. Is he doing a parody of the Blues? The instrumentation is great.
Double album? Oh no! Live album? You're kidding? These are not good signs. Luckily, its a good album.
He's okay but it all sounds the same to me
Meh , Chris put it on during the car ride to cork and it worked as background music but overall I was bored
Halfway through this one, I understood the title. I don’t like live albums. As live albums go, this isn’t that egregious (except for “Gloria” with the crowd clapping along poorly), but at an hour and a half, it’s definitely too long. I generally like Van Morrison, but this was too much and too live to ever be worth listening to again. Low 3/5
It’s kind of weird that he only played two or three songs from Moondance I’d be a little pissed if I was at this show. I don’t know, maybe I’m a little biased. I had a girlfriend when I was 23 and Moondance was our bed time music. This is a good live album but it could be better. It’s a little better than The Black Album.
This live album was very well done. I didn't recognize any of these songs as big Van Morrison hits, but it was really good. The backing band is awesome and obviously Van Morrison is SUPER talented. The strings were really impressive Liked Songs: "Ain't Nothin' You Can't Do" , "Warm Love" , "These Dreams of You" , "I've Been Working" , "Help Me" , "Domino" , "Bring It on Home to Me" , "Saint Dominic's Preview" , "Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket" , "Here Comes the Night" , "Gloria" , "Caravan"
“Bluesy” Rock, vintage feeling. I like the live version Eddy sides of the album alot. Its not compleatly my style, but not bad
not 4 me
Don’t know why this list keeps spitting out mid live albums
Great Irish singer. Songs that will last throughout history. Can change genres easily. Just a great artist.
6/10
The band is pretty good and the songs sound perfectly pleasant, but soul this ain't Also the accent is just weird
Another live album. Van Morrison another name I've heard but never really listened to extensively. This was fine, nothing jumped out and grabbed me demanding my close attention.
Van Morrison is one of those artists with a stellar reputation that, to me, his music doesn't live up to. He's a talented singer and a good songwriter, and he's backed by a talented band that does a great job keeping up with his (apparently heavily improvised) performances. But maybe it's one of those cases where you had to be there. This is, for me, a fine recording of what was probably a pretty good set of concerts.
I didn't listen to this but I've heard enough Van Morrison in my life to know this isn't for me
Sometimes I wonder if something is amiss with my genetic Elder Millenial coding because I feel nothing when listening to Van. Like, I recognize that the music is well played with lots of heart or whatever but I feel zero compulsion to dive in.