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Keep It Simple | 
 enlarge | Artist: Van Morrison
Label: Universal Music Group
Category: Music
List Price: CDN$ 14.99
Buy New: CDN$ 11.99
You Save: CDN$ 3.00 (20%)
New (15) Used (4) from CDN$ 9.99
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 67
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 001065802
UPC: 602517630789
EAN: 0602517630789
ASIN: B0012QGP00
Release Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | How Can A Poor Boy | | • | School Of Hard Knocks | | • | That's Entrainment | | • | Don't Go To Nightclubs Anymore | | • | Lover Come Back | | • | Keep It Simple | | • | End Of The Land | | • | Song Of Home | | • | No Thing | | • | Soul | | • | Behind The Ritual |
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| Customer Reviews:
 A warm, authentic, restrained bluesy affair. May 4, 2008
charmerismyname (Paris, France)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
The ever-enduring crooner returns with a collection of stripped-back, simple songs diverging how it feels to be reaching the twilight of life. Yet Van Morrison keeps all the controlled energy of someone who still has something to pass on to the world.
"Keep It Simple" is a mainly bluesy affair. He's returned to the usual mixture of autobiographical fare and the kind of mix of jazz, folk, blues, country and soul that may be chock-full of lyrical cliche but is always lifted by a voice that really hasn't deteriorated much in the last twenty years. Let's face it: the blues wouldn't be the blues without it's lyrical template. It's the way it's sung that matters, and Van is still peerless in this respect.
Husky, slurred, simple yet honest, the album is one enduring constant is in its title: the acceptance that less is more and that with restraint true quality always prevails.
After five decades of prolific and heart-felt melodies this is amazingly Van Morrison's 33rd studio album but is shows as much dedication as many new artist's debut.
His first recording of original material since 2005 it's also the first album penned solely by Van Morrison's own hand since "Back On Top" in 1999.
You have to try very to hard to find Van Morrison doing much wrong and even when he's not breaking new ground there's still generally enough going on to keep his music worth a listen.
On this one, he does more than just tow the line and even offers up one or two gems in the making - "Lover Come Back" and "End Of The Land" prove in particular why he's not yet disappeared into retirement.
There's a certain grace to Van's stripped-back band and as always he evokes images of sorrow and anguish but with such beauty and warmth that you can't help but smile when you hear him.
It maybe that he has already reached his peak, but what "Keep It Simple" proves is that with the right combination of sensitivity and commitment to his art Van Morrison can still stay ahead the rest of the field and, what's more important, can do it with dignity.
The CD is a better Van Morrison album than anyone had a right to expect - not least on its closing song. Fanning out from a rimshot-riding mandolin phrase, the killer track "Behind the Ritual" returns to a theme that has informed his best songs from "Into the Mystic" and on.
Drinking wine and dancing like a dervish, Van finds "the spiritual behind the ritual".
The supporting cast acquit themselves admirably as well. Of special note is the steel guitar of Cindy Cashdollar (of Asleep At The Wheel). The only downside is that the backing vocals are a trifle over-egged at times.
But on the whole this is a lovely welcome back to a man who's been increasingly offhand in his output of late.
It may look simple, but only a master like Van could pull this off.
Another career high from a great original in the 40th anniversary year of his classic "Astral Weeks".
Simple, but totally brilliant.
 Van Morrison at His Best Again! April 27, 2008
Gayle (Stettler, Alberta, Canada)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I hated Pay the Devil and am so glad this new one is more like Van Morrison. This is Van Morrison at his best! I loved every song on this CD. The majority of songs are blues with great lyrics.
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