No guru no teacher is my favorite album of his of all time . A true masterpiece the lyrics are outstanding. This album oddly enough is a new discovery for me and it is also a masterpiece. A true poet
Here's the unsung masterpiece of Van's career that most people skip right over. When a friend of mine introduced me to Hard Nose the Highway, I had an orgasmic meltdown. From start to finish, this 1973 classic album packs a mean punch......thank you for this!!
Van writes poetic verses almost as if they come from dreams. The songs pierce our souls. So melodic and repetitious that they can be hypnotic on a minor level. He just has that ability.
This is gorgeous. I love this record. Van's most underrated record. It's beautiful. So moving. You just feel it you know? It's not like Moondance. This one takes a little more patience to appreciate.
Having grown up in San Anselmo I remember many snows albeit sparse and fleeting. I was there for this one. My Wisconsin father and Irish mother laughed at our pleasure for this minor storm. My sister screamed when I threw a snow ball in her face. Good times.
Ivan told me that the musicians were all into EST or TM or something like that - but that the groove was great. He wouldn't lie or exaggerate. He said the bass player was very good. Kind of interesting that - although we both loved Dylan, and he knew Dylan - we bonded over our mutual love of Van and his music.
Snow so rare in San Anselmo, so common in Cleveland. Yet, when I hear this. it's '73 and it's this very day. Long sing, George Ivan, long may you play.
I just watched a bio on Amazon called Van Morrison: Under Review: 1964-1974 and they say very little that is kind about this album. I disagree with most of their points. This album has moments of musical ecstasy woven throughout the songs.
Critics... meh.