Roll with the Punches
Studio album by
Van Morrison
Released22 September 2017
Recorded2017
GenreRock, Americana
Length63:14
LabelCaroline
ProducerVan Morrison
Van Morrison chronology
Keep Me Singing
(2016)		 Roll with the Punches
(2017)		 Versatile
(2017)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
PopMatters[2]
Slant Magazine [3]

Roll with the Punches is the 37th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 22 September 2017 by Caroline Records.[4] It features Jeff Beck on guitar, and charted in the Top 10 in five countries, and the Top 40 in a further six, including the US.

Great guests on this album, Jeff Beck on electric guitar, Georgie Fame on Hammond organ and vocals, Paul Moran also on Hammond organ and trumpet, Paul Jones on harmonica and vocals and, last but not least, Chris Farlowe on vocals.

Background and launch

The album consists of five original songs and ten covers.[5] The cover originally featured former professional wrestler and Mohawk chief Billy Two Rivers, who sued the singer and the label, Universal Music Group, claiming that they did not seek permission to use his likeness. The parties agreed to settle out of court, and the cover was replaced, to feature Omagh boxer William Mitchell.[6][7][8]

On 25 September, Morrison spoke to Paul Jones - who is a guest musician on the album - on his BBC Radio 2 show to coincide with its release. [9] When Morrison received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting from Emmylou Harris at the 2017 Americana Music Honors & Awards ceremony, he performed "Transformation", from the album. He has said that the inspiration for the song came from encountering the Californian Christian community, Agape.[10]

Critical reception

Pitchfork says that Roll with the Punches is "a thorough exploration of the blues", the first time Morrison has dedicated an entire album to that genre. Hailing it as "crisp, precise", it "reveals [Morrison's] ability to inhabit classic songs while paying respect to their form."[11] Slate finds that it "plays like a party album", and in departing from "his trademark blend of jazz, folk, and Celtic soul" is Morrison's "most distinctive album since 2006’s country covers collection Pay the Devil".[12]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Roll with the Punches"Van Morrison, Don Black3:58
2."Transformation"Van Morrison3:31
3."I Can Tell"
3:51
4."Stormy Monday / Lonely Avenue"T-Bone Walker / Doc Pomus5:30
5."Goin' to Chicago"Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing5:22
6."Fame"Van Morrison5:06
7."Too Much Trouble"Van Morrison3:04
8."Bring It On Home to Me"Sam Cooke5:39
9."Ordinary People"Van Morrison4:41
10."How Far from God"Sister Rosetta Tharpe3:47
11."Teardrops from My Eyes"Rudy Toombs3:53
12."Automobile Blues"Samuel Hopkins3:39
13."Benediction"Mose Allison3:12
14."Mean Old World"T-Bone Walker4:59
15."Ride On Josephine"Ellas McDaniel3:02
Total length:63:14

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[13]

Musicians

  • Van Morrison – vocals, electric guitar, harmonica, percussion, saxophone
  • Chris Farlowe – vocals (2-4, 9)
  • Georgie Fame – vocals, Hammond organ (5, 11)
  • Paul Jones – vocals, harmonica (6)
  • Jeff Beck – electric guitar (2-4, 8, 9)
  • Ned Edwards – electric guitar, harmonica, background vocals (12, 14, 15)
  • Dave Keary – acoustic and electric guitar, background vocals
  • Pete Hurley – electric bass (2, 11, 12, 14, 15)
  • Laurence Cottle – electric bass (1-4, 7-10, 13)
  • Paul Moore – electric bass (6)
  • Chris Hill – double bass (5)
  • Jason Rebello – piano (2, 7, 8, 11, 13)
  • Stuart McIlroy – piano, vocals, harmonica (1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15)
  • Joseph Jordan-Richardson - organ, Piano, pig skin drums
  • Paul Moran – Hammond organ, trumpet (5)
  • Sumudu Jayatilaka – background vocals
  • Dana Masters – background vocals
  • Elizabeth Williams – background vocals
  • Mez Clough – drums (1-4, 6-11, 13, 15), percussion (6), backing vocals (2-4, 8, 11, 15)
  • James Powell – drums (5)
  • Colin Griffin – drums (12, 14, 15)
  • Dan Ellis – percussion

Technical

  • Dick Beetham – mastering
  • Poppy Kavanagh – assistant engineer
  • Rowan McIntosh – assistant engineer
  • Gerry McLernon – engineer, mixing
  • Phil Parsons – assistant engineer
  • Patrick Phillips – assistant engineer
  • Tristan Powell – engineer, mixing
  • Will Purton – assistant, assistant engineer, engineer, mixing
  • Matt Tait – engineer, mixing
  • Richard Wade – photography
  • Enda Walsh – engineer, mixing

Charts

References

  1. ↑ Jurek, Thom. "Roll with the Punches - Van Morrison". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  2. ↑ Horowitz, Steve (22 September 2017). "Van Morrison: Roll with the Punches". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "Slant review".
  4. ↑ "Van Morrison Released 'Bring It On Home to Me' Video ::Van Morrison News ::antiMusic.com". www.antimusic.com. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "Van sings Sam: Watch Van Morrison perform the Sam Cooke classic "Bring It on Home to Me" live". Full Service 100.1/Real Country Q. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  6. ↑ Fennario, Tom (9 April 2019). "Mohawk Elder Billy Two Rivers talks wrestling, the Oka Crisis, and being a grandparent". APTN News. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "Billy Two Rivers, former pro wrestler, to settle lawsuit against Van Morrison". CBC. 4 August 2017.
  8. ↑ Hogan, Marc (26 August 2021). "A Brief History of Musicians Being Sued by Their Album Cover Subjects". Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "Van Morrison Special, The Blues Show with Paul Jones - BBC Radio 2". BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Little, Ivan (22 September 2017). "US spiritualists celebrate 'brother' Van Morrison's birthday". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Nelson, Brad (2017). "Albums: Roll With the Punches - Van Morrison". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  12. ↑ Hurst, Josh (29 September 2017). "Review: Van Morrison, Roll with the Punches". Slate. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "Roll with the Punches - Van Morrison - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  14. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  18. ↑ "Van Morrison Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  19. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  20. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 39, 2017)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  22. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Van Morrison". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  23. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  24. ↑ "Charts.nz – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  25. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  26. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  28. ↑ "Top 100 Albumes — Semana 39: del 22.09.2017 al 28.09.2017" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  29. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  30. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Van Morrison – Roll with the Punches". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  31. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  32. ↑ "Van Morrison Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  33. ↑ "Van Morrison Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  34. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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