| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 1249.1 |  | FSHQOA::SBEAUPRE | Duck and Cover | Tue Jul 05 1988 07:11 | 9 | 
|  |     Being a Van Morrison fan, and not all that enamored of traditional
    celtic music, I also was a bit hesitant. However, though I can't
    compare the Chieftains performance to earlier work, I have to think
    that these are some of the most impassioned vocals from Van in quite
    a while. To these ears the combination of styles is a unqualified
    success. Along with the interpretations of traditional songs there
    are also reworkings of two Van Morrison originals, Celtic Ray and
    Irish Heartbeat. This is a wonderful album and I would not hesitate
    to recommend it.
 | 
| 1249.2 | Van Morrison Smiles - True | YUPPY::OHAGAN |  | Tue Jul 05 1988 10:09 | 12 | 
|  |     Being an active Van Morrison fan and also liking the Chieftans,
    I went along to see them at the Hammersmith Odeon in London recently.
    After individual sets both Van Morrison and the Chieftans joined
    up to perform all (I think) the songs from the album and they were
    really good. The album which came out a few weeks later confirmed
    that the pairing was a really good idea. One of my favourites of
    the year already.
    
    Actually I was slightly hesitant of the results of the pairing as
    an English magazine called 'Q' (highly recommended) hinted about
    arguments in the studio. But on live dates Van Morrison was reported
    smiling!!
 | 
| 1249.3 | The token nay-sayer | AKOV11::BOYAJIAN | It's a dream I have | Tue Jul 05 1988 10:45 | 9 | 
|  |     On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed.
    
    The performances all around (I like both Van Morrison and the
    Chieftains) were fine, but Morrison had just too much of an r&b
    sound to his voice that just didn't fit right with the material.
    
    It's not a *bad* album, but not one I'd listen to a whole lot.
    
    --- jerry
 | 
| 1249.4 |  | FSHQOA::SBEAUPRE | Duck and Cover | Tue Jul 05 1988 11:29 | 1 | 
|  |     Any news concerning a U.S tour?
 | 
| 1249.5 | Irish Heartbeat | OSLLAV::SVEINN | No Guru,No Method,No Teacher | Wed Jul 06 1988 02:39 | 4 | 
|  |     Van Morrison goes back to the "roots".
    Result? Wonderful music !
    Van the Man,the Celtic soulbrother no 1 strikes again !  :-)
    
 | 
| 1249.6 | I liked it | DUB01::OSULLIVAN_D | Did you get healed? | Fri Jul 08 1988 05:20 | 19 | 
|  |     
    Another Van Morrison fan signing in...
    
    Excellent record with powerful vocals from Van.  Carrickfergus in
    particular is outstanding, as is The Star of the County Down. Very
    lively versions of Marie's Wedding (heel for heel and toe for toe)
    and I'll Tell my Ma has the Chieftains playing like a Shankill Road
    band around this time of year!  Raglan Road is good, but it's hard
    to get the late Luke Kelly's version out of the head.  Another
    highlight is the bilingual song, with Van singing in English and
    a member of the Chieftains singing in Irish.  A momentous cultural
    statement.
    
    The two original Van Morrison songs are also well done.  The title
    track, which for me is an emigrant's lament gets excellent backing
    from the Chieftains and the playout at the end is straight out of
    Astral Weeks.
    
    -Dermot
 | 
| 1249.7 | Back to Van Morrison | CASEY::BURACK | Kes� on kaunis | Mon Aug 08 1988 10:02 | 11 | 
|  |     Hi,
    
    Just bought Irish Hearbeat and was a little disappointed on the
    first listen. Maybe it will grow on me... however it may be because
    I also heard 'Poetic Champions Compose' and was very impressed!
    It came out in 1987 and has some great instrumentals and lots of
    great lyrics! I would recommend this CD highly...
    
    I had lost touch with Van Morrison and I'm glad I came back!
    
    Ruth-Ellen 
 |