Hear Van Morrison’s Soulful New Song With Jeff Beck, ‘Transformation’
Van Morrison issued a soulful new single, “Transformation,” from his upcoming 37th studio album, Roll With the Punches. “Gonna be a transformation down in your soul,” the vocalist croons over a gospel groove with heavy Hammond organ. Jason Rebello anchors the track with smooth piano chords and rock legend Jeff Beck contributes a series of smoldering guitar fills.
Morrison also released a live video of the song filmed at his recent gig at London’s Porchester Hall. In that clip, available above, the singer leads the band with his impassioned delivery, throwing back in his head and stomping the stage.
Roll With the Punches, out September 22nd, features five new Morrison compositions and a series of blues and soul covers.
“The songs on Roll With the Punches – whether I’ve written them or not – they’re performance oriented,” he said in a statement last month upon announcing the LP. “Each song is like a story and I’m performing that story. That’s been forgotten over years because people over-analyze things. I was a performer before I started writing songs, and I’ve always felt like that’s what I do.”
The album includes versions of Bo Diddley (“I Can Tell,” “Ride on Josephine”), Lightnin’ Hopkins (“Automobile Blues”) and Little Walter (“Mean Old World”) songs, along with several post-war standards like “Stormy Monday,” which both Lou Rawls and the Allman Brothers Band recorded. Morrison promoted the LP in July by releasing his take on Sam Cooke’s “Bring It on Home to Me.”
The Astral Weeks singer will promote Roll With the Punches on a short tour launching September 10th in Hershey, Pennsylvania.