Keep Me Singing

Keep Me Singing
Studio album by Van Morrison
Released	30 September 2016
Recorded	2015–16
Genre	Rock
Length	56:33
Label	Caroline
Producer	Van Morrison [1]
Van Morrison chronology
The Essential Van Morrison (2015) Keep Me Singing (2016) Roll with the Punches (2017)

Keep Me Singing is the 36th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 30 September 2016 by Caroline Records. ^[2] It is Morrison's highest-charting album in the US, and third US Top 10 album, following the success of Keep It Simple (2008) and Born to Sing: No Plan B (2012). ^[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100 [4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
Consequence of Sound	B− [6]
Entertainment Weekly	B+ [7]
The Independent	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]

Keep Me Singing received generally positive reviews from music critics, with Metacritic giving the album an average score of 74 / 100 based on ten reviews. ^[4] Rolling Stone found that "through arrangements elegant to a fault, his mercurial tenor, more supple and restrained, remains a marvel", with his delivery at times being "full of chortles, snarls and gospel-tinged hollers." ^[10] Hot Press wrote that Morrison's "voice is as strong and expressive as ever, while the songs are a mix of familiar-sounding, soulful ballads and mid-tempo jazz-influenced tunes." ^[11] His "liquid-smooth voice" is "just as soulful as ever", wrote PopMatters , finding that Morrison "draws on a variety of vocal traditions from Celtic folk to contemporary jazz", and combines them "through the sheer force of his being." ^[12] Consequence concluded that "[there] are very few constants in life, but another warm record from Van the Man seems par for the course", but noted that it was "pierced with a severe, self-reflective melancholy". ^[13]

Accolades

Publication	Accolade	Year	Rank
Mojo	The 50 Best Albums of 2016	2016	47 [14]

Commercial performance

Keep Me Singing debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart, and at number nine on the US Billboard 200. ^[3] It sold 25,000 units in the US in its first week, with almost all of that figure in traditional album sales. ^[3] It is his last US Top 10 to date.

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Let It Rhyme"	3:53
2.	"Every Time I See a River"	4:43
3.	"Keep Me Singing"	3:39
4.	"Out in the Cold Again"	7:06
5.	"Memory Lane"	4:08
6.	"The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword"	3:51
7.	"Holy Guardian Angel"	6:18
8.	"Share Your Love with Me"	4:11
9.	"In Tiburon"	5:18
10.	"Look Beyond the Hill"	2:28
11.	"Going Down to Bangor"	5:18
12.	"Too Late"	2:48
13.	"Caledonia Swing"	2:52

Personnel

• Van Morrison - vocals, guitar (1–3, 6, 7, 11, 12), drums (4, 5), piano (13), alto saxophone (8, 10, 13), blues harp (1, 3, 11).
• Dave Keary - acoustic and electric guitar (1, 2, 6, 8–10).
• Johnny Scott - electric guitar (3, 11).
• Nigel Price - acoustic and electric guitar (4, 5, 12).
• John Platania - acoustic guitar (7, 13).
• Paul Moore - bass (1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 13).
• Nicky Scott - bass (3, 11).
• Jez Brown - bass (6, 9).
• Laurence Cottle - bass (4, 5, 12), trombone (8, 10, 12).
• Paul Moran - keyboards (1, 2, 4–10, 12, 13), trumpet (2, 8–10, 12).
• Fiachra Trench - keyboards (1–5, 8, 10–12), strings arrangements (1, 2, 4, 5, 7).
• Enda Walsh - keyboards (2, 3, 7), percussion (3).
• Robbie Ruggiero - drums (1, 6, 9).
• Liam Bradley - drums and percussion (2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11).
• Paul Robinson - drums (4, 5, 12).
• Neal Wilkinson - drums (13).
• Kate St John - English horn (4, 5).
• Anthony Kerr - vibraphone (8, 10).
• Tony Fitzgibbon - fiddle (13).
• Ange Grant, Dana Masters, Lance Ellington - backing vocals.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2016) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA) [15] 11 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [16] 4 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [17] 7 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [18] 42 Canadian Albums ( Billboard ) [19] 18 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [20] 7 French Albums (SNEP) [21] 141 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [22] 6 Irish Albums (IRMA) [23] 28 Italian Albums (FIMI) [24] 14 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [25] 5 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [26] 20 Portuguese Albums (AFP) [27] 39 Scottish Albums (OCC) [28] 3 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [29] 5 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [30] 19 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [31] 12 UK Albums (OCC) [32] 4 US Billboard 200 [3] 9 US Top Rock Albums ( Billboard ) [33] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2016) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [34] 162 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [35] 84 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [36] 68

References

1. Kreps, Daniel (29 June 2016). "Van Morrison Announces New LP 'Keep Me Singing'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
2. Kreps, Daniel (29 June 2016). "Van Morrison Announces New LP 'Keep Me Singing'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
3. Caulfield, Keith (9 October 2016). "Solange Scores Her First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'A Seat at the Table'". Billboard . Retrieved 10 October 2016.
4. "Reviews for Keep Me Singing by Van Morrison". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
5. Thom Jurek (30 September 2016). "Keep Me Singing - Van Morrison | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
6. Reiff, Corbin (28 September 2016). "Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
7. Bernstein, Jonathan (28 September 2016). "Van Morrison's Keep Me Singing: EW review". EW.com. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
8. Andy Gill (28 September 2016). "Album reviews: Drive-By Truckers, Van Morrison, Bon Iver, Pixies, Regina Spektor and more". The Independent. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
9. Hermes, Will (29 September 2016). "Review: Van Morrison, 'Keep Me Singing'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
10. Hermes, Will (29 September 2016). "Review: Van Morrison Brings Vintage Chill to 'Keep Me Singing'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
11. O'Hare, Colm (28 September 2016). "Album Review: Van Morrison, Keep Me Singing". Hot Press. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
12. Horowitz, Steve (4 November 2016). "Van Morrison: Keep Me Singing". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
13. Reiff, Corbin (28 September 2016). "Album Review: Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Consequence. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
14. "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Mojo . 22 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
15. "Australiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
16. "Austriancharts.at – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
17. "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
18. "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
19. "Van Morrison Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved 11 October 2016.
20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
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22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
23. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 40, 2016". GfK Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
24. "Italiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
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26. "Norwegiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
27. "Portuguesecharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
28. "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 7/10/2016 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
29. "TOP 100 ALBUMES — SEMANA 40: del 30.09.2016 al 06.10.2016" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España . Retrieved 14 October 2016.
30. "Swedishcharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
31. "Swisscharts.com – Van Morrison – Keep Me Singing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
32. "Official Albums Chart on 7/10/2016 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
33. "Van Morrison Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved 25 July 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten 2016". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
35. "Top 100 Albums Annual 2016". El portal de Música. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
36. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 25 July 2020.