Three Chords & the Truth (Van Morrison album)

Last updated

Three Chords & the Truth
Van Morrison - Three Chords & the Truth.png
Studio album by
Released25 October 2019 (2019-10-25)
Genre Americana, blues rock
Length67:30
Label
Producer Van Morrison
Van Morrison chronology
The Prophet Speaks
(2018)
Three Chords & the Truth
(2019)
Latest Record Project, Volume 1
(2021)

Three Chords & the Truth is the 41st studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 25 October 2019 by Exile Productions and Caroline Records. [1] His sixth record in four years, it reached the Top 20 in seven countries. [2] Morrison's first album to feature all-new original songs since 2012’s Born to Sing: No Plan B , it includes "If We Wait for Mountains", a co-write with Don Black, and "Fame Will Eat the Soul", a duet with Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers. [3] [4]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 80/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
American Songwriter Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Pitchfork 7.3/10 [9]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Three Chords & the Truth received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. [5] It was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic. [10] Pitchfork concluded that it demonstrates that "Van Morrison remains one of rock’s most enduring studies in contrast, never changing and forever restless." [2] "Songwriter Harlan Howard coined the phrase “Three chords and the truth” to describe the necessary ingredients for country and western music", it notes, but finds that "this isn’t a country record. Van’s talking about his desire to take simple rhymes and traditional song structures and imbue them with Caledonia soul heaviness." American Songwriter writes that "the vibrant, often vivacious Three Chords and the Truth" finds the 74-year-old "dashing along in an extraordinary creative and fertile clip". [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Van Morrison, except "If We Wait for Mountains", co-written with Don Black.

No.TitleLength
1."March Winds in February"4:37
2."Fame Will Eat the Soul"4:51
3."Dark Night of the Soul"5:56
4."In Search of Grace"3:41
5."Nobody in Charge"4:12
6."You Don't Understand"6:17
7."Read Between the Lines"3:41
8."Does Love Conquer All?"4:42
9."Early Days"3:40
10."If We Wait for Mountains"2:42
11."Up on Broadway"6:23
12."Three Chords and the Truth"5:00
13."Bags Under My Eyes"4:05
14."Days Gone By"7:43
Total length:67:30

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [12] 11
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [13] 8
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [14] 14
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [15] 57
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI) [16] 74
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [17] 18
French Albums (SNEP) [18] 170
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [19] 11
Irish Albums (IRMA) [20] 15
Italian Albums (FIMI) [21] 38
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [22] 127
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [23] 20
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [24] 23
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [25] 7
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [26] 34
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [27] 15
UK Albums (OCC) [28] 13
US Billboard 200 [29] 57
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [30] 6

Related Research Articles

<i>Spirit</i> (Jewel album) 1998 studio album by Jewel

Spirit is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Jewel, released on November 17, 1998, by Atlantic Records. Singles include "Hands", "Down So Long", and a newly recorded version of "Jupiter", followed by a remix of "What's Simple Is True" to promote Jewel's debut film Ride with the Devil. In addition, a one-track CD containing a live version of "Life Uncommon" was released to music stores in hopes to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

<i>Its Too Late to Stop Now</i> 1974 double live album by Van Morrison

It's Too Late to Stop Now is a 1974 live double album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It features performances that were recorded in concerts at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and the Rainbow in London, during Morrison's three-month tour with his eleven-piece band, the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, from May to July 1973. Frequently named as one of the best live albums ever, It's Too Late to Stop Now was recorded during what has often been said to be the singer's greatest phase as a live performer.

<i>Inarticulate Speech of the Heart</i> 1983 studio album by Van Morrison

Inarticulate Speech of the Heart is the fourteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1983. Morrison said he arrived at the title from a Shavian saying: "that idea of communicating with as little articulation as possible, at the same time being emotionally articulate". As his last album for Warner Bros. Records, he decided to do an album which had more than the usual complement of instrumental tracks. As he explained in 1984, "Sometimes when I'm playing something, I'm just sort of humming along with it, and that's got a different vibration than an actual song. So the instrumentals just come from trying to get that form of expression, which is not the same as writing a song." Although not expanded upon, of note is that a special thanks is given to L. Ron Hubbard in the liner notes. The reissued and remastered version of the album contains alternative takes of "Cry for Home" and "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2".

<i>Too Long in Exile</i> 1993 studio album by Van Morrison

Too Long in Exile is the twenty-second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. The album was produced by Morrison and draws on urban blues and soul jazz sounds, including collaborations with John Lee Hooker and Georgie Fame. Released in 1993 by Polydor Records, Too Long in Exile received positive reviews from most critics and reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart. It reached #29 in the US, Van Morrison's highest ranking since 1978's Wavelength (#28) and until 1999's Back on Top (#28).

<i>Days Like This</i> (Van Morrison album) 1995 studio album by Van Morrison

Days Like This is the twenty-third studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1995. It is a diverse group of songs offering a variety of moods and styles. It ranked No. 5 on the UK album charts and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.

<i>Back on Top</i> (Van Morrison album) 1999 studio album by Van Morrison

Back on Top is the twenty-seventh studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1999 by Point Blank. It reached the Top Twenty in seven countries, building on the success of 1997's The Healing Game.

<i>The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998</i> 2000 live album by Van Morrison, Lonnie Donegan, and Chris Barber

The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast is a live album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, with Lonnie Donegan and Chris Barber, released in 2000. Lonnie Donegan had played with the Chris Barber jazz band when he had his first hit with "Rock Island Line"/"John Henry" in 1955. He had been a childhood influence on Van Morrison, who had performed in his own skiffle band with schoolmates when he was twelve years old in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was Donegan's second album in twenty years, reviving his career until his death in 2002.

<i>Songs for You, Truths for Me</i> 2008 studio album by James Morrison

Songs for You, Truths for Me is the second album by English singer, songwriter and guitarist James Morrison, released on 26 September 2008. The album was a commercial success in the UK where it entered the album charts at number three and in Ireland where it topped the charts. It has been certified double Platinum by the BPI with over 700,000 sales and has sold more than 1 million of copies worldwide.

<i>Soul 2</i> 2011 studio album by Seal

Soul 2 is the eighth studio album by British soul/R&B singer Seal. The album was released on 4 November 2011. Like its predecessor, Soul (2008) the album consists of soul classics, and it was produced by David Foster, Jochem van der Saag, and long-time collaborator Trevor Horn. It was preceded by the lead single, "Let's Stay Together" on 30 September 2011.

<i>Duets: Re-working the Catalogue</i> 2015 studio album by Van Morrison

Duets: Re-working the Catalogue is the 35th studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, released on 13 March 2015 on RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music. Produced by Van Morrison along with Don Was and Bob Rock, it consists of previously recorded Morrison songs, reworked as duets. Collaborators include Bobby Womack, Steve Winwood, Mark Knopfler, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, George Benson, Gregory Porter, Clare Teal, P.J. Proby, Joss Stone, Georgie Fame, Mick Hucknall, Chris Farlowe, and Morrison's daughter Shana Morrison. Morrison's first album for Sony, it entered the Top 10 in six countries, including the UK.

<i>Keep Me Singing</i> 2016 studio album by Van Morrison

Keep Me Singing is the 36th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 30 September 2016 by Caroline Records. 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).

<i>Roll with the Punches</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Van Morrison

Roll with the Punches is the 37th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 22 September 2017 by Caroline Records. It features Jeff Beck on guitar, and charted in the Top 10 in five countries, and the Top 40 in a further six, including the US.

<i>Youre Driving Me Crazy</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco

You're Driving Me Crazy is the 39th studio album by Irish musician Van Morrison, his first in collaboration with American jazz organist & trumpeter Joey DeFrancesco. His third album in just seven months, and released on 27 April 2018 by Sony Legacy, it reached the Top 20 in the UK, and features Morrison's daughter, Shana.

<i>Black Velvet</i> (Charles Bradley album) 2018 studio album by Charles Bradley

Black Velvet is the fourth and final studio album by American funk/soul artist Charles Bradley, released on 9 November 2018. The album release was preceded by two singles, "Can't Fight the Feeling" and "I Feel a Change". The name of the album comes from Bradley's stage name during his time as a James Brown impersonator. The album consists of songs originally recorded for Bradley's three previous studio albums, and was compiled by producer Thomas Brenneck after Bradley's death from cancer in September 2017. Included are covers of "Stay Away" by Nirvana and "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young.

<i>The Prophet Speaks</i> 2018 studio album by Van Morrison

The Prophet Speaks is the 40th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, and the second to feature jazz organist and trumpeter Joey DeFrancesco. Released on 7 December 2018 by Exile Productions and Caroline Records, it was his fourth album "of new material in just fifteen months".

<i>Summer of Sorcery</i> 2019 studio album by Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul

Summer of Sorcery is the seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Little Steven, released under the name Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. It was released on May 3, 2019 under Universal Music Enterprises. It is Little Steven's first album of new material since 1999's Born Again Savage. The album consists of 10 new songs plus a reworking of "Education" from his 1989 Revolution album, and the outtake "Suddenly You" from the Lilyhammer score.

<i>Latest Record Project, Volume 1</i> 2021 studio album by Van Morrison

Latest Record Project, Volume 1 is the 42nd studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 7 May 2021 by Exile Productions and BMG. The 28-track album includes the songs "Why Are You on Facebook?", "They Own the Media" and "Western Man". Released as a 2-CD set and on triple vinyl, the album marked a return to the UK Top Ten for Morrison, making the 2020s the fourth consecutive decade in which he has reached those heights.

<i>Whats It Gonna Take?</i> 2022 studio album by Van Morrison

What's It Gonna Take? is the 43rd studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 20 May 2022. It reached the Top Ten in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but failed to chart in Ireland. It was also his first solo album in over fifty years not to chart in the US.

<i>Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart</i> 2023 studio album by Lucinda Williams

Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart is the 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released on June 30, 2023, by Highway 20 Records with distribution by Thirty Tigers.

<i>Accentuate the Positive</i> (Van Morrison album) 2023 studio album by Van Morrison

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.

References

  1. "Three Chords and the Truth by Van Morrison". Apple Music . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 Woodbury, Jason P. (31 October 2019). "Three Chords and the Truth: Van Morrison". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. Blistein, Jon (18 September 2019). "Van Morrison Previews New Album With Graceful 'Dark Night of the Soul'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  4. "New Release: Three Chords And The Truth". vanmorrison.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Three Chords and the Truth by Van Morrison Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  6. Jurek, Thom. "Three Chords and the Truth – Van Morrison". AllMusic . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  7. Horowitz, Hal (24 October 2019). "Van Morrison: Three Chords and the Truth". American Songwriter . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  8. DeLuca, Dan (31 October 2019). "Album reviews: Miranda Lambert, Van Morrison, and that dog". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  9. Woodbury, Jason P. (31 October 2019). "Van Morrison: Three Chords and the Truth Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  10. "Favorite Blues Albums | AllMusic 2019 in Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  11. Horowitz, Hal (2019). "Van Morrison: Three Chords And The Truth". American Songwriter. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  12. "Australiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  15. "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  16. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 44.Týden 2019 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  18. "Lescharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  20. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Van Morrison". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  21. "Italiancharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  22. "Three Chords And The Truth | ヴァン・モリソン". Oricon . Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  23. "Charts.nz – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  24. "Portuguesecharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  25. "Spanishcharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  26. "Swedishcharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  27. "Swisscharts.com – Van Morrison – Three Chords & the Truth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  28. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  29. "Van Morrison Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  30. "Van Morrison Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2019.