Hymns to the Silence
Hymns to the Silence | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Recorded | 1990 | |||
Studio |
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Polydor | ||||
Producer | Van Morrison | |||
Van Morrison chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hymns to the Silence | ||||
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Hymns to the Silence is the twenty-first
When Hymns to the Silence was released in 1991, it reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and received positive reviews from critics. Morrison's use of various musical styles was well received, as were the more worldly-themed songs on an otherwise spiritual album.
Recording and composition
The album of songs was recorded during sessions at Wool Hall Studios in Beckington, Townhouse, London and Westside Studios, London with Mick Glossop as engineer, except for the song "Take Me Back". It was recorded in 1990 at Pavilion Studios in London with Martin Hayles and Mick Glossop as engineers.[2]
"Why Must I Always Explain?" was set to the same melody as 1970s "
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
Entertainment Weekly | A[7] |
Q | [8] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [10] |
The Village Voice | B+[11] |
In a review for
In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Michael Gallucci felt Hymns to the Silence was Morrison's best album during the 1990s, although he also found it too long and essentially a "spirited rewrite" of his previous record Enlightenment.[1] Rob Sheffield was more critical in The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), deeming it a "complex and self-involved" imitation of Avalon Sunset with a few exceptional songs.[10]
Track listing
All songs written by Van Morrison unless noted.
Disc one
- "Professional Jealousy" – 3:42
- "I'm Not Feeling It Anymore" – 6:34
- "Ordinary Life" – 3:29
- "Some Peace of Mind" – 6:24
- "So Complicated" – 3:18
- "I Can't Stop Loving You" - (Gibson) – 3:54 (With The Chieftains)
- "Why Must I Always Explain?" – 3:50
- "Village Idiot" – 3:13
- "See Me Through, Pt. 2 (Just a Closer Walk with Thee)" - (Traditional) – 3:10
- "Take Me Back" – 9:11
Disc two
- "By His Grace" – 2:34
- "All Saints Day" – 2:28
- "Hymns to the Silence" – 9:42
- "On Hyndford Street" – 5:17
- "Be Thou My Vision" - (Traditional) – 3:49 (With The Chieftains)
- "Carrying a Torch" – 4:26
- "Green Mansions" – 3:38
- "Pagan Streams" – 3:38
- "Quality Street" - (Morrison, Rebennack) – 3:57
- "It Must Be You" – 4:08
- "I Need Your Kind of Loving" – 4:31
Personnel
- Van Morrison - vocal, guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone
- Haji Ahkba - flugelhorn
- Derek Bell - synthesizer
- The Chieftains - instrumentation
- Terry Disley - piano
- Neil Drinkwater - accordion, piano, synthesizer
- Candy Dulfer - alto saxophone
- Dave Early - drums, percussion
- Georgie Fame - piano, Hammond organ, backing vocals
- Eddie Friel - piano, Hammond organ, synthesizer
- Steve Gregory - flute, baritone saxophone
- backing vocals
- Katie Kissoon- backing vocals
- Steve Pearce - bass
- Paul Robinson - drums
- Nicky Scott - bass
- cor anglais
Charts
Album -
Year | Chart | Position |
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1991 | The Billboard 200 | 99 |
Album -
Year | Chart | Position |
1991 | UK Album Chart | 5 |
Notes
- ^ a b c Allmusic review
- ^ Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 526
- ^ Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p 302
- ^ Turner, It's Too Late to Stop Now, p.170
- ^ Kot, Greg (3 October 1991). "Hymns to the Silence". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ISBN 0195313739.
- ^ Entertainment Weekly review
- ^ Sutcliffe, Phil (October 1991). "New LPs: Van Morrison Hymns to the Silence". Q. p. 98.
- ^ a b Gardner, Elysa (17 October 1993). "Hymns to the Silence". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (5 November 1991). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ^ Jay Cocks (28 October 1991). "Listen to the Lion". Time. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
- ^ Foege, Alec (November 1991). "Hymns to the Silence". Spin: 106. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ^ "The 1991 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. 3 March 1992. Archived from the original on 7 May 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
References
- ISBN 1-55652-542-7
- ISBN 1-86074-169-X
- ISBN 0-670-85147-7
External links
- Time Review Hymns to the Silence