Moving On Skiffle is the 44th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 10 March 2023 by Exile Productions through Virgin Music (successor of Caroline Distribution). The album is Van Morrison's second in the Skiffle genre after his 2000 live album The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998, which saw Morrison collaborate with Lonnie Donegan and Chris Barber. Another skiffle pioneer, Chas McDevitt, was present during the recording sessions for Moving On Skiffle.[1]

Moving On Skiffle
Studio album by
Released10 March 2023 (2023-03-10)
StudioReal World Studios
Genre
Length93:56
Label
ProducerVan Morrison
Van Morrison chronology
What's It Gonna Take?
(2022)
Moving On Skiffle
(2023)
Accentuate the Positive
(2023)

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic74/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
Financial Times     [4]
The Irish Times     [5]
Uncut     [1]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Moving On Skiffle received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 7 critic scores.[2] AllMusic found Moving On Skiffle "relaxed and unhurried" and an "easy record to enjoy."[3] The Financial Times welcomed Morrison's return to the music of his youth (in contrast to the "pub-bore lectures" of his previous two albums) and found that "the music has a richer quality than the spindly tenacity of 1950s skiffle."[4] Uncut likewise welcomed Morrison's "back to basics" approach following "two exhausting albums of political ranting", finding the album "richer and more sophisticated" than The Skiffle Sessions but with "a lightness of touch that recalls Bruce Springsteen's delightful 2006 album of Pete Seeger reinterpretations, We Shall Overcome."[1] The Irish Times praised Dave Keary's guitar and Morrison's voice, concluding "It's good to hear him happy."[5]

Track listing edit

All songs traditional except as indicated.

Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Freight Train"Elizabeth Cotten3:27
2."Careless Love" 5:38
3."Sail Away Ladies" 3:18
4."Streamline Train"Red Nelson4:03
5."Take This Hammer" 4:38
6."No Other Baby"Dickie Bishop, Bob Watson4:30
7."Gypsy Davy"Woody Guthrie4:18
8."This Loving Light of Mine" 5:11
9."In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down" 4:25
10."Yonder Comes a Sucker"Jim Reeves3:11
11."Travelin' Blues"Jimmie Rodgers, Shelly Lee Alley3:43
Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Gov Don't Allow" (version of "Mama Don't Allow" with new lyrics by Van Morrison)traditional, Van Morrison (lyrics)4:10
13."Come On In" 3:39
14."Streamlined Cannonball"Roy Acuff3:16
15."Greenback Dollar" 3:43
16."Oh Lonesome Me"Don Gibson3:25
17."I Wish I Was an Apple On a Tree" 3:14
18."I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"Hank Williams3:04
19."I'm Movin' On"Hank Snow2:58
20."Cold Cold Heart"Hank Williams3:26
21."Worried Man Blues" 4:38
22."Cotton Fields"Lead Belly3:07
23."Green Rocky Road" 9:02

Personnel edit

Charts edit

Chart performance for Moving On Skiffle
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[6] 5
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 7
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[8] 69
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9] 19
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] 11
Irish Albums (IRMA)[11] 32
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[12] 20
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] 5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[14] 13
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 18
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 16

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Watts, Peter (17 March 2023). "Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle". Uncut. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Moving On Skiffle by Van Morrison Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Moving On Skiffle – Van Morrison". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (9 March 2023). "Van Morrison takes a break from pub-bore lectures with Moving on Skiffle". Financial Times. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b Breen, Joe (10 March 2023). "Van Morrison: Moving on Skiffle – It's great to hear him happy as he returns to his musical roots". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Van Morrison". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 April 2023.