Accentuate the Positive (Van Morrison album)

Last updated

Accentuate the Positive
Van Morrison - Accentuate the Positive.png
Studio album by
Van Morrison
Released3 November 2023 (2023-11-03)
Genre Rock and roll
Length61:41
Label
Producer Van Morrison
Van Morrison chronology
Moving On Skiffle
(2023)		Accentuate the Positive
(2023)		New Arrangements and Duets
(2024)

Accentuate the Positive is the 45th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 3 November 2023 by Exile Productions and Virgin Records. It is a cover album of Morrison's favourite rock and roll, R&B and country songs. The album received positive reviews from critics.

Contents

Accentuate the Positive marks Morrison's second consecutive album of covers and second album of 2023, following on from his album of skiffle covers from March, Moving On Skiffle . [1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 72/100 [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
American Songwriter Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Classic Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Uncut 7/10 [6]

Accentuate the Positive received a score of 72 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [2] Uncut stated that "this rock'n'roll album falls far short of Little Richard's atomic excitement in a genre here showing its age, but 78-year-old Van sounds youthly eager, even sensual in between the hushed female harmonies and honky-tonk piano of 'You Are My Sunshine'". [6] David Quantick of Classic Rock called it "something of a relief that Accentuate the Positive is, purely and simply, a covers album" that is "performed with the majestic casualness that only Van Morrison can bring to a song". [3]

Record Collector 's Terry Staunton described the album as a "lively mix of swing, jump jive, R&B and classic rock'n'roll [that] constantly plays to the singer's strengths as a thoughtful, inventive interpreter". [5] Mojo felt that "the quieter moments work best, like the moody, organ-led reworking of 'Shakin' All Over', which lesser bands have thrashed into the ground over the years but really shines here". [4] Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter found there to be "a charismatic exuberance in his voice few would expect from someone half his age and nearly six-decade history in music" and concluded that "Morrison and his always top-shelf musicians knock out these songs as if they're hanging around the studio, having a party playing music they love without knowing tapes are running". [1]

Track listing

Accentuate the Positive track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You Are My Sunshine" Jimmie Davis 3:42
2."When Will I Be Loved?" Phil Everly 3:52
3."Two Hound Dogs"
3:01
4."Flip, Flop and Fly"
3:52
5."I Want a Roof Over My Head" Harvey Oliver Brooks 2:39
6."Problems"
4:37
7."Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes" Chuck Willis 2:42
8."The Shape I'm In"
2:20
9."Accentuate the Positive"
3:24
10."Lonesome Train"
2:58
11."A Shot of Rhythm and Blues"Terry Thompson2:44
12."Shakin' All Over"
3:00
13."Bye Bye Johnny" Chuck Berry 2:58
14."Red Sails in the Sunset"
2:50
15."Sea of Heartbreak"
4:05
16."Blueberry Hill"
2:49
17."Bonaparte's Retreat"
2:14
18."Lucille"
2:54
19."Shake Rattle and Roll"Calhoun5:00
Total length:61:41

Personnel

"You Are My Sunshine"

"When Will I Be Loved?"

"Two Hound Dogs"

"Flip, Flop And Fly"

"I Want A Roof Over My Head"

"Problems"

"Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes"

"The Shape I'm In"

"Accentuate The Positive"

"Lonesome Train"

"A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues"

"Shakin' All Over"

"Bye Bye Johnny"

"Red Sails In The Sunset"

"Sea Of Heartbreak"

"Blueberry Hill"

"Bonaparte's Retreat"

"Lucille"

"Shake Rattle And Roll"

Charts

Chart performance for Accentuate the Positive
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [7] 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [8] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [9] 179
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [10] 42
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [11] 21
Scottish Albums (OCC) [12] 12
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [13] 44
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [14] 22
UK Albums (OCC) [15] 39
UK Americana Albums (OCC) [16] 2
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [17] 9

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Horowitz, Hal (2 November 2023). "Review: Van Morrison Accentuates the Positive on Yet Another New Release". American Songwriter . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Accentuate the Positive by Van Morrison Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 Quantick, David (2 November 2023). ""Morrison is like a guest on a musical chat show, turning these songs into musical anecdotes": Van Morrison's Accentuate the Positive | Van Morrison". Classic Rock . Retrieved 3 November 2023– via Loudersound.
  4. 1 2 "Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive". Mojo . December 2023. p. 86.
  5. 1 2 Staunton, Terry (23 October 2023). "Accentuate the Positive | Van Morrison". Record Collector . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive". Uncut . December 2023. p. 34.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Top 100 Albums Weekly". El portal de Música. Promusicae . Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  17. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
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