Still On Top - The Greatest Hits

iTunes Review

Throughout his 40-year career Van Morrison has been a singer without peer. From his earliest days as a tough R&B singer with his Belfast-based group Them, through his constant evolution as an interpreter of folk, soul, country, jazz, Celtic traditionals, and New Age meditations, Morrison has put his unmistakable phrasings and passion on every note he sings. Summing up in 21 tracks this incredibly deep and diverse career is no easy task. But for someone seeking a point of entry, this collection spans his entire career and features the expected hits: “Gloria,” “Here Comes the Night,”  “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Moondance,” “Domino,”  “Wild Night,” “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven),” “Wavelength” and “Have I Told You Lately,” with a healthy cross-section of lesser known worthy contenders: “Tore Down a la Rimbaud,” “In the Garden.” Many tracks have been re-mastered and benefit from the extra richness in tone. Listeners suitably impressed should scour Morrison’s extensive catalog, as albums such as Astral Weeks, St. Dominic’s Preview, Veedon Fleece, Into the Music, Common One and Hymns to the Silence among the many, each feature their own rewarding highlights.