AAA 100% Analogue This LP was Remastered using Pure Analogue Components Only from the Master Tapes through to the Cutting Head
R1 1835 - Mastered by Kevin Gray & Steve Hoffman at Acoustech
180 Gram Virgin Vinyl - Pressed at RTI
100 Recommended All-Analog ressues Worth Owning - Michael Fremer Analogplanet 2019
Mastered from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering
TAS Rated 5/5 Music, 4.5/5 Sonics in the The Absolute Sound! Once the needle drops, it's as if the music is being piped in from the heavens. Vocals are lifelike, levels non-fatiguing, and instruments richly detailed." - Bob Gendron, The Absolute Sound,
Featured in Michael Fremer's Heavy Rotation in the July 2009 Issue of Stereophile
The yang to Astral Weeks' yin, the brilliant Moondance is every bit as much a classic as its predecessor; Van Morrison's first commercially successful solo effort, it retains the previous album's deeply spiritual thrust but transcends its bleak, cathartic intensity to instead explore themes of renewal and redemption. Light, soulful, and jazzy,
Moondance links together elements of gospel, rhythm & blues, jazz and rock as only the ultra-talented singer from Belfast can. Tunes like "Crazy Love," "Moondance" and "These Dreams of You" have become classics. No wonder music critics have always rated this album one of Morrison's finest.
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 66/500
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - "Into The Mystic"
TAS Rated 5/5 Music, 4.5/5 Sonics in the April/May 2009 Issue of The Absolute Sound
Featured in Michael Fremer's Heavy Rotation in the July 2009 Issue of Stereophile!
It's unusual for a decade-defining record to come out in that decade's first year, but that was clearly the case with "Moondance". While it would have been one of the finest albums of any decade, it clearly marked a turning point both for Van Morrison and for rock as a whole. Coming after 1968's expansive, acoustic, jazz-inflected "Astral Weeks", "Moondance" marks a complete about-face; instead of looking inward to the depths of his soul, Van turned his gaze towards sunnier climes, offering up a seamless disc of tightly composed and arranged tunes brimming with warmth and energy.
Here the R&B influence that had been part of Morrison's toolkit since his days fronting them truly came to the fore at last. "Crazy Love", "Caravan", and "Brand New Day" could have been covered by any great soul singer, even as they redefined "soul" through the filter of Morrison's eclectic sensibilities. An openhearted record full of truly inspirational moments, "Moondance" is Van at the absolute top of his game, setting the pace for everyone else to follow. Nearly every song here is a stone-cold classic, and "Moondance" has become embedded in the collective pop consciousness as one of the most important touchstones of its time.
Musicians:
Van Morrison - guitar, rhythm guitar, tambourine, vocals
Judy Clay - vocals, background vocals
Cissy Houston - vocals
Emily Houston - background vocals
John Klingberg - bass
Jeff Labes - organ, percussion, piano, keyboard, clavinet
Gary Malabar - percussion, drums, vibraphone
Guy Masson - conga
John Platania - guitar, rhythm guitar
Jack Schroer - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
David Shaw - clarinet, percussion
Collin Tilton- flute, tenor saxophone,
Jackie Verdell - vocals, background vocals
Track Listings
1. And It Stoned Me
2. Moondance
3. Crazy Love
4. Caravan
5. Into The Mystic
6. Come Running
7. These Dreams Of You
8. Brand New Day
9. Everyone
10. Glad Tidings
RTI HQ-180 Vinyl
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