Where legends of the industry are given a free pass to create, it does not always mean their efforts are worthwhile. When a songwriter with decades of experience comes along with a truly groundbreaking effort, Bob Dylan with Rough and Rowdy Ways or Leonard Cohen with You Want it Darker, it feels almost understated how big an achievement the work is. We expect the hits; we associate the name with the deeper plunder and joy of their earliest work. That is our fault, for seeing artists not as living, breathing creators but as milestones in music history. Van Morrison proves as such with Down to Joy, the Academy Award-nominated song which now forms the lead single of upcoming album, Remembering Now. It is an excellent song, a fine blur of Morrison’s vocal style and a fresh presentation of brass and jazz. Morrison has met the expectation.
But that expectation comes off the back of two lacklustre covers albums and some questionable material written during a global pandemic. It is not that Morrison has changed his mind or values but has tapped into the songwriter skill he displayed in his very best works. Down to Joy is, by the contemporary metric, an excellent song. It is an amazing experience for those who regard him as one of the best, but it was before it even released. Those who dedicate themselves to discussing the many releases and their relationship with the music were never going to tire of Morrison. Euphoria is the core of this single from Morrison. An upbeat quality to the bursts of brass and steady percussion, that soft tambourine on the top of it, pushing Down to Joy ever closer to saccharine song. But he knows where to draw the line, and with Down to Joy, Morrison has a great song on his hands.
Details of heartfelt experiences are what drive Down to Joy. Articulating the thrill of a positive experience, the emotional crash and serotonin boost, is tricky. Putting those feelings to paper has always been a skill Morrison, even at his flattest, has held. Down to Joy is a tremendous effort which features some lush instrumentals, some neat guitar work is almost buried but gets a moment in the spotlight towards the end. There is a rhythm and blues edge within Down to Joy which maintains the lighter tone, that keeps the tale spinning. Morrison has not tired of the instrumental freedom, the abrupt shifts he can offer as a vocalist are still strong, polished well on this release.
Down to Joy is one for the passive listener. A modern Morrison classic. He has struggled with consistency in the last few years, no wonder he took his vocals to classics of his youth on Accentuate the Positive and Moving on Skiffle. It is a welcome return to original materials, some of the strongest material he has released this century, irrespective of how low the bar may be. It plays up Morrison’s modern style well but also leaves room for the inevitable reflections which pour through from octogenarian singers. Conviction in those spots is all that matters. Morrison sounds honest, earnest, and writes well on Down to Joy. A light offering. Nothing too heavy, but still with a heartfelt message worth hearing. Euphoria takes its place at the core of this one, and the reaction to the impact such high points provide is charted well. It is not a thrill of the moment, but a gratitude paid to the moment, that lets Down to Joy stand out.
