Next month, on September 22, Irish rock legend Van Morrison will drop his 37th solo album Roll With The Punches. Today, he’s decided to give his fans a small preview with that record’s second track, a soulful, uplifting single titled “Transformation.” The new song finds Van The Man in exquisite form, singing along with an enthusiasm and verve that are quite staggering. In the middle, the entire thing is ramped up thanks to a tasteful solo from guitar wizard Jeff Beck. Put together, it’s one of the best pieces of music Morrison has released in quite some time.
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In a press release announcing his new record, Morrison opened up about his biggest influences and how they continue to inspire him and inform how he creates new music. “Music has to be about just doing it and that’s the way the blues works,” he said. “It’s an attitude. I was lucky to have met people who were the real thing, people like John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Witherspoon, Bo Diddley, Little Walter & Mose Allison. I got to hang out with them and absorb what they did. They were people with no ego whatsoever and they helped me learn a lot.”
You can check out both a live version that was filmed at London’s Porchester Hall and the official recording that’s on Roll With The Punches above, and peek at the full trackless for the coming album below.
1. “Roll With The Punches”
2. “Transformation”
3. “I Can Tell”
4. “Storm Monday/Lonely Avenue”
5. “Goin’ To Chicago”
6. “Fame”
7. “Too Much Trouble”
8. “Bring It On Home To Me”
9. “Ordinary People”
10. “How Far From God”
11. “Teardrops From My Eyes”
12. “Automobile Blues”
13. “Benediction”
14. “Mean Old World”
15. “Ride On Josephine”
