antiMusic.com: Van Morrison - Still on Top Review

Van Morrison - Still on Top Review
by Zane Ewton

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Did Van Morrison die? The steady stream of hits compilations that continue to hit record shelves hint towards a schmaltzy biopic and cover song by Sheryl Crow in the near future.

For the betterment of music fans, the rock/soul/folk/blues crooner of an Irishman is alive and very well. His music is vitally alive and important as well. For certain, this compilation is a record company fill-in while Morrison completes the follow-up to the well received Pay the Devil.

Given the Morrison is on the third volume of a The Best of Van Morrison series, and the recent release of the well-done At the Movies compilation, another disc is unnecessary. Still on Top is a mere snapshot of a 40-year career.

With only two songs from his time with Them and a smattering of songs from the next 35 years, Still on Top leaves too much on the table. There are too many outstanding Van compilations to waste time with this one. In fact, the best course of introduction to Morrison would be a few of his original full-length albums. Go get Astral Weeks. Any long time fans will have these songs multiple times over, and new fans should start somewhere else � like Astral Weeks. And start they should. Start because Van Morrison's music is necessary human listening.

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Van Morrison - Still on Top
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