Anyone getting the Van Morrison "Moondance" Box set?

[jazzkrow]

The Van Morrison re-issue with (mucho alternate takes) of Moondance comes out tomorrow.

Either the Deluxe 4 CD/ 1 Blu Ray or the 2 CD (1st CD is remaster and 2nd disc is some alt takes)

The Deluxe set seems overkill-especially at over $55-but the 2 CD issue at $22 sounds tempting.

Van is the one non-jazz musician who I have followed all these years.

The word is that Van is none too happy with this re-issue and he posted so on his web site.

Much has been written on this on the Hoffman site...

Any takers?

[jlhoots]

Moondance is a favorite of mine - but I doubt that I'll buy this.

[romualdo]

Moondance is a favorite of mine - but I doubt that I'll buy this.

Import CDs has this for $44.99

I'll probably hold off on this - maybe see what the Australian price will be (they sold the Joni Mitchell box, another WB set, at rock bottom prices here)

Wonder why they didn't do Astral Weeks first? - that's my favourite (probably wasn't as much a commercial success as Moondance but that's an album (Astral Weeks) I can listen to ad infinitum & not become weary)

[colinmce]

Moondance is a favorite of mine - but I doubt that I'll buy this.

Yep.

(FWIW, though, I HATE the title track)

[king ubu]

Hated the title track in my teens since our high school big band was playing a very simplistic arrangement of it (though you should have heard me go bonkers in Stanley T's "Sugar" ) ... but I dearly love this album, and in particular the song "Caravan". I'm also a fan of "Astral Weeks", musically that one might be more rewarding (what a band, anyway!), but "Moondance" is probably dearer to me and I'm tempted to get the big sucker (amazon.it has it for 46€, take off the VAT and add free shipping ...)

Edited October 22, 2013 by king ubu

[Ed S]

Over the past 3-4 years I've become a HUGE Van Morrison fan. I think I've picked up nearly his entire output and have driven my wife nuts along the way.

I'm tempted to go for the the Deluxe set but am resisting temptation at this time. Waiting for some reviews.

[king ubu]

33 € at amazon.it

gave in an ordered now ...

[David]

Over the past 3-4 years I've become a HUGE Van Morrison fan. I think I've picked up nearly his entire output and have driven my wife nuts along the way.

I'm tempted to go for the the Deluxe set but am resisting temptation at this time. Waiting for some reviews.

I sprung for the deluxe set -- well worth the money, if only for the BD audio disc alone. With my setup (mid-fi) this is the best this album has ever sounded to me. Clean, smooth, and while not a "flat transfer," not brickwalled either.

I too have nearly his entire output (but fortunately my wife loves him, too!) and Moondance is my favorite of his albums.

The multiple of each song are pretty interesting, and mostly noticeably different from the master. Most takes are slower than the final version. There's also at least one additional song that didn't make the final album (I shall sing). To me, the multiple takes show that the final choices, especially for tempo, were clearly superior.

Buy without hesitation. This has been on regular rotation in our household since I purchased it.

[Ed S]

Well - I ended up picking up this set a few weeks ago. Popmarket had it for $42.99 - and I could not resist. It just came in a couple of days ago and I've had some time to give it a listen.

I'm really enjoying this set.

I've worked through it once and I really enjoyed the discs with the alternate takes. I'm sure many of you have material with studio chatter, breakdowns, alt takes etc - but for me this is my first experience with this sort of material. I found some of the rejected takes to be compelling as well as developmental in terms of the final product. I loved the raw versions of the tunes that eventually made it to the record in more refined fashion. The "I Shall Sing" series - which did not make the cut were fascinating to hear.

On disc 4, there is a version of Moondance that is kick ass - IMO

So for me - no regrets as to this purchase