Van Morrison goes Under Review

Under Review 1964-1974
VAN MORRISON
(Chrome Dreams)

Like the title suggests, Under Review 1964-1974 offers a critical analysis of the formidable years that took Van Morrison from Them pop stardom ("Gloria") to an acclaimed solo career (Astral Weeks). The documentary is short on actual studio/concert footage — neither Morrison nor his management/record company authorized the project — but the assessments provided by early colleagues, academics and European rock critics prove interesting. With a fair amount of scrutiny, they evaluate Morrison's most acclaimed recording/touring period (Astral Weeks through It's Too Late to Stop Now…). The "talking head" nature of the documentary will likely turn off casual enthusiasts — but Morrison-geeks should appreciate the thorough examination. 2.5 stars

This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2008.