Moondance (Deluxe Edition)

Van Morrison’s 1970 album Moondance turned out to be his most commercially successful studio release. More than 40 years later, it's been remastered and is offered in standard, expanded, and deluxe editions, with this deluxe edition standing as the exhaustive and wondrous last word. It features the original 10-track album and then 50(!) alternate takes and mixes. There are several songs that didn’t make the final cut, including the fantastic “I Shall Sing,” which became a hit for Art Garfunkel. For either a hardcore Van Morrison fan or a fan of modern vocal phrasing, this is the ultimate experience. Hear the evolution of a performance as the classic title cut is chased through various takes and, even finer, the incomparable “Into the Mystic” is featured with takes 10 through 17. Like a true jazz musician (Van always denied singing rock ‘n’ roll), Morrison hits his spots in his uniquely idiosyncratic style. Six of the album’s main tracks are featured in multiple alternate takes, with “Crazy Love” and “These Dreams of You” appearing in alternate mixes and versions. Essential.