Accentuate the Positive (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.
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
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
Personnel
"You Are My Sunshine"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals – Van Morrison
Written-By – Charles Mitchell, Jimmie Davis
"When Will I Be Loved?"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Phil Everly
"Two Hound Dogs"
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ], Backing Vocals – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Bill Haley, Frank Pingatore
"Flip, Flop And Fly"
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ], Backing Vocals – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Charles Calhoun, Lou Willie Turner
"I Want A Roof Over My Head"
Backing Vocals – Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Trumpet, Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Harvey O Brooks
"Problems"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant
"Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Music By – Chuck Willis
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
"The Shape I'm In"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Cathy Lynn, Otis Blackwell
"Accentuate The Positive"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Percussion – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
"Lonesome Train"
Bass – Laurence Cottle
Drums – Mez Clough
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary, Jeff Beck
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Paul Moran
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals – Chris Farlowe, Van Morrison
Written-By – Dorsey Burnette, Glen Moore, Johnny Burnette, Milton Subotsky, Paul Burliso
"A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Paul Moore
Drums – Jeff Lardner
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Piano – Paul Moran
Tenor Saxophone – Chris White
Trombone – Alistair White
Vocals – Van Morrison
Written-By – Terry Thompson
"Shakin' All Over"
Bass – Paul Moore
Drums – Jeff Lardner
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Paul Moran
Tenor Saxophone – Chris White
Trombone – Alistair White
Vocals – Van Morrison
Written-By – Johnny Kidd
"Bye Bye Johnny"
Backing Vocals – Chantelle Duncan, Crawford Bell, Teena Lyle
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums, Backing Vocals – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar [Electric Lead Guitar], Lead Guitar [Electric Lead Guitar], Backing Vocals – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Percussion – Sticky Wicket
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals, Electric Guitar [Electric Rhythm Guitar], Rhythm Guitar [Electric Rhythm Guitar] – Van Morrison
Written-By – Chuck Berry
"Red Sails In The Sunset"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Piano – John McCullough
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Hugh Williams, James Kennedy, Wilhelm Grosz
"Sea Of Heartbreak"
Backing Vocals – Dana Masters, Jolene O'Hara, Nathan O'Regan
Bass – Nick Scott
Drums – Eamon Ferris
Piano – John McCullough
Vocals – Van Morrison
Written-By – Hal David, Paul Hampton
"Blueberry Hill"
Backing Vocals – Dana Masters, Jolene O'Hara, Nathan O'Regan
Bass – Nick Scott
Drums – Eamon Ferris
Piano – John McCullough
Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Van Morrison
Written-By – Al Lewis, Lawrence Stock, Vincent Rose
"Bonaparte's Retreat"
Backing Vocals – Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Jolene O'Hara
Bass – Pete Hurley
Drums – Colin Griffin
Electric Guitar – Dave Keary
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Richard Dunn
Music By – Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart
Piano – Stuart McIlroy
Vocals – Van Morrison
"Lucille"
Bass – David Hayes
Drums – Larry Vann
Electric Guitar – Anthony Paule
Percussion – Bobby Ruggiero
Piano – John Allair
Vocals – Taj Mahal
Vocals, Alto Saxophone, Acoustic Guitar, Tambourine – Van Morrison
Written-By – Albert Collins, Richard Penniman
"Shake Rattle And Roll"
Bass, Backing Vocals – David Hayes
Drums, Backing Vocals – Larry Vann
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Anthony Paule
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ], Backing Vocals – John Allair
Percussion, Backing Vocals – Bobby Ruggiero
Piano, Backing Vocals – Mitch Woods
Vocals – Van Morrison
Vocals, Banjo – Taj Mahal
Written-By – Charles E. Calhoun
Charts
References
Them Studio albums Live albums Compilations Videos DVDs Unofficial Bang albums Tribute albums