Celtic Crossroads-The Art of Van Morrison

Out Of Print... Using a variety of sources to construct a composite portrait of the reclusive and irascible Celtic singer-songwriter and to critique his extensive oeuvre, the poet Brian Hinton examines Van Morrison's life and career in CELTIC CROSSROADS, an informative and often illuminating study. Tracing Morrison's roots in postwar working-class Belfast, Hinton follows the performer's early life with the aid of the recollections of friends, relatives, and colleagues, and recounts his early successes as a solo artist after leaving the popular R&B group Them with albums like the spectacular ASTRAL WEEKS. Though both Morrison and his music defy easy description, Hinton does a sterling job of collating and examining the wealth of journalistic criticism published about the artist over the almost five decades of his career. The author never shies away from harsh assessments when he feels they're justified, and also points up Morrison's unqualified musical successes, like the country and folk-influenced TUPELO HONEY and the enigmatic and pastoral VEEDON FLEECE. A rich source of critical analysis of the mercurial star, CELTIC CROSSROADS provides a comprehensive overview of both Van Morrison's musical output and his complex personality.