Magic Time - Van Morrison > Reviews > Dr. Freudine's Keeping Mediocrity At Bay

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	fun danceable music
Disadvantages:	none really

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

NOTE - Dr. Freudine is a fictitious psychiatrist and my alter ego who sometimes helps me to review books, movies and music. Last time she watched the movie, Whose Life Is It, Anyway? While her boyfriend read her play.
***********

"So am I really your girl still? Maybe you want me to take up with Urban Cowboy Jack?" I fish coyly, but am unable to quell a nervousness in my gut. He gazes at me with greenish eyes gleaming.

"Tell you what, darlin'. You give me the part of McMurphy in your play and…," he pauses, easing himself off the stuffed gray blue couch. "…and we'll go back, back for a while, to that magic time…," he croons huskily, grabbing an imaginary mike from the air and reaching out for me with the other hand. Bemused I take it and rise to my feet where, while continuing to sing this bluesy ballad, he swings me over to the TV and pops in a CD from his back pocket.

"What's this?" I venture. "Not Sarah Brightman or Etta James, is it?"

"Hell no! We've got to keep mediocrity at bay so we're not lonely and blue and can nurture that, well, at least I can, the gypsy in my soul. Don't want to get in the bleeding heart's way!"

The music begins very pleasingly with a lyrical alto sax welcoming me into the spell of the music. Irish croons along in my ear with the equally husky singer, singing "I'm stranded, on the edge of the world; it's a world I don't know; got no where to go; feels like I'm stranded…with you," which he adds. It's gorgeous, calming, perfect.

"So who is this?"

"Another Irishman paying tribute to the Celtic New Year who wants you to come back home, to see you in the waning of the moon. Maybe you've heard of the song "Moondance" or "Brown-eyed Girl"?" He smiles at my look of recognition.

"Van Morrison? Wow, is that him playing sax and now harmonica? Besides piano those are my favorite instruments. I love this, his voice is fun and loose, and the lyrics are too."

"That's my man. Talented writer, singer and musician of multiple instruments." He breaks into song as another jamming, sassy tune begins. "My my; bye bye; don't cry; don't sigh; when you hear that train go by…" He swings me around and dips me, making me laugh.

"You really think my play is good enough for putting on?" I ask breathlessly.

"Shh! Don't ask such silly questions." He croons, "This love of mine goes on and on; though life is empty since you have been gone…"

"I'm not going anywhere. You can have the part," I murmur, snuggling with him.

"Yeow! Look out, Matt Holland! He's on trumpet. Oh and here's Martin Winning on alto sax this time. The liner notes include all the lyrics and the people in the band for each song. 13 of them, I think." He's silent for a while as the Frank Sinatra-type song ends with "what's to become of it? This love of mine." Then in the next swinging, bluesy song the harmonica rips. We swirl around the furniture, stumbling over his rollerblades comically. "I'm confessin that I love you; tell me do you love me too?" he joins in with Van and I think nothing of it, lost in the music's magic.

"Wooh, I'm confessin that I love you; over, over, over, over and over again…" He tips my astonished face to him and kisses me.

"You do? You're not just…"

"Doc!" Grinning he shakes his head and we keep dancing more slowly. I'm not sure what to say to not break the spell. I could get all blubbery and make a fool of myself, but not now while this enchanting music is holding me up, lifting me higher, as if my feet aren't touching the floor.

"This is pretty," I remark as another song featuring Van on acoustic guitar flows over us. "It sounds so personal."

"He wrote most of the songs for Magic Time and it's considered quasi-autobiographical. He's just like Greta Garbo and just wants to be alone. A reclusive celebrity not afraid to sing what he feels and to mix blues and jazz.

"Mmm. I love you, too, you know."

"I know, but you really looked like you wanted to go out with Jack, darlin', and I don't want to be possessive. We can see other people, okay?"

I wince into his neck as the song "Gypsy in my Soul" quietly fills the room. I will not cry. Have I broken his heart? Do I have this gypsy in my soul that makes 'me pack up my things and go'? I didn"t think so! But maybe he does. "If you think that's best," I murmur and his grip loosens some. Now I really am feeling lonely and blue. The strummed song "The Lion This Time" barely registers on the Richter scale and Irish gruffly whispers, "We've got to keep mediocrity at bay, right?"

I nod solemnly while the title song "Magic Time" washes over me in a mocking, nostalgic way. Irish's voice fades in and out with Van before he finally lets me go and half-heartedly wanders to the kitchen. I wasn't really in the mood to listen to the CD anymore. "They Sold Me Out" has electric piano and drums, but nothing else really stands out; then it ends appropriately with "Carry On Regardless." It's not about a relationship, of course, but like most of the rest of the CD about carrying on with the struggles of life. "Got to satisfy your soul," Van encourages in the song and he really has with his newest CD.

I follow Irish to the kitchen, a smile trembling upon my lips.