Van “The Man” Morrison hasn’t always been the full fledge classic rocker he once was, but his gift for turning a lyric inside out of a melody is refreshing in any language. Once perceived as an angry Irishman with an ax to grind, Morrison softened his blow in recent years, becoming a crooner of sorts, reeling off mid-tempo ballads and pop standards in quick succession, like a man on a mission. It sometimes seems as if these stylistic forays, lyrically wistful and wry, are done very tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps not. Mixing a little lighthearted humor within a R&B, jazz and rock framework is what makes What’s Wrong With This Picture?, Morrison’s Grammy-nominated 2003 debut for Blue Note, the jazz label, that much more auspicious.
The brassy and sophisticated title track catches the singer literally cracking up at the beginning of the second verse. From there, it’s a virtual relay race of style and substance. “Whinin’ Boy Moan” is an old school blues number jazzed up and ready to swing, while “Evening In June” is a soulful samba that begs for a bottle of Courvoisier and a lady for your lair. Further down the road, Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Stop Drinking” is an off and running rockabilly romp that packs a snarl evocative of Morrison’s days as the lead singer for Them.
Whether it’s the classic lounge lizardry of “Somerset,” the New Orleans jazz of “Saint James Infirmary,” the innocent bounce of “Once In A Blue Moon,” or the self-analysis of “Goldfish Bowl” and “Get On With The Show,” Morrison rolls through every note with assuredness and panache, sounding as moved to tunefully howl as he did in the 1960s. What’s Wrong With This Picture? is just another example of why this Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has grown older with dignity and grace. Now that he’s in his 80s, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t continue to make significant music.
~ Shawn Perry
Purchase
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
