release date: Feb. 28, 1970
format: cd (1991 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,52]
producer: Van Morrison, Lewis Merenstein (exec. pro.)
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK
Tracklist: 1. "And It Stoned Me" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Moondance" (4 / 5) - 3. "Crazy Love" - 4. "Caravan" (5 / 5) (live from The Last Waltz concert with The Band) - 5. "Into the Mystic" (4 / 5) - 6. "Come Running" - 7. "These Dreams of You" - 8. "Brand New Day" - 9. "Everyone" - 10. "Glad Tidings" (4 / 5)
3rd solo album by Van Morrison is once again with Lewis Merenstein, although, Van has already put himself in charge of the production. The album is the natural stylistic follow up to Astral Weeks, but it also combines a new simpler soul element with his singer / songwriter, celtic folk and jazz feel.
Although, his contemporaries didn't experience it exactly like that, Astral Weeks was his great break-through album as a solo artist, and the album where he came out perfectly on his own terms and in his own combination of celtic folk, and as a singer / songwriter. However, the album wasn't met by enthusiasm, and Morrison decided he'd try to make music that people would have a bigger chance to relate to. Moondance released 1½ years after Astral Weeks is a continued sublime journey in his newfound own combo of folk, jazz and singer / songwriter with the change that his new album has less focus on celtic folk and in addition reflects a bolder soul element, which by no means makes it a lesser interesting release. It's simply one of his best albums and a must-have in any collection of modern singer / songwriter, pop / rock, and folk-oriented music. I simply love this album, and like its predecessor it's naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
1970 Favourite releases: 1. Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory - 2. Van Morrison Moondance - 3. Neil Young After the Gold Rush
