A Sense of Wonder

Description

A Sense of Wonder is an album by the Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison, released on Mercury Records in 1985. The album was recorded by Jim Stern with Van Morrison producing and directing for Caledonia Productions. Mixed by Stern and Mick Glossop.

Wherein the brilliantly idiosyncratric Mr. Morrison returns with his 15th solo album, thereby confounding critic and fan (likely to be one in the same) with his most overtly religious album yet. The music contained within is a unique amalgam of r&b and old Celtic tunes delivered with customary vigor by a voice that sounds more like the inestimable Ray Charles with each passing year.

Highlights include a soulful rave-up («Tore Down a la Rimbaud»), a pastoral lament with evocative recitation («A Sense of Wonder»), and something that can only be described as a new Van Morrison tune («A New Kind of Man»). Lowlights include a ponderous recitation of William Blake («Let the Slave»/«The Price of Experience») and a lesser Mose Allison tune, «If You Only Knew».

«Ancient of Days», «The Master’s Eyes», «A New Kind of Man» and others have direct, heartfelt religious references, usually steeped in the ancient faith of his Irish forefathers. Even the instrumental «Evening Meditation» comes across as a joyous hymn. For the flaws, ‘A Sense of Wonder’ delivers exactly what the title promises. [Bob Darden, CCM, May 1985]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-sense-of-wonder-bonus-track-version/1831217917)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Tore Down A La Rimbaud” – 4:08
A2. “Ancient Of Days” – 3:36
A3. “Evening Meditation” – 4:11
A4. “The Master’s Eyes” – 3:58
A5. “What Would I Do” – 4:08

Side Two
B1. “A Sense Of Wonder” – 7:08
B2. “Boffyflow And Spike” – 3:04
B3. “If You Only Knew” – 2:55
B4. “Let The Slave”, incorporating “The Price of Experience” – 5:25
B5. “A New Kind Of Man” – 3:19

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Mercury Records. Re-issued on CD by Polydor ‎in 1998. The January 2008 re-issued and remastered Exile/Polydor version of the album contains an alternative take of “Crazy Jane on God” and “A Sense of Wonder”. (On first release, original pressings had to be recalled when the W. B. Yeats estate refused to allow Morrison’s musical version of the poem “Crazy Jane on God” to be included, as they believed his poems should only be set to classical music. Morrison substituted “If You Only Knew” for the Yeats’ recording.)

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