Van Morrison & The Chieftains - Songs Of Innocence (1988)

Van Morrison first met The Chieftains at an Edinburgh rock festival, and they later joined up in Belfast during Morrison's No Guru tour. Following the tour, Morrison and Paddy Moloney met up and discussed recording an album together, with both of them having a list of songs that they wanted to include, and they eventually reached a consensus to cover two of Morrison's previously released tracks, with 'Irish Heartbeat' later becoming the title of the album, and the rest would be traditional Irish songs. According to Moloney, making the album was a way for Morrison to rediscover his Irish roots, having played blues, rock 'n' roll, jazz and more importantly soul, for many years, and so he wanted to come home to his Irishness with The Chieftains. The album was recorded on dates from September to December 1987 and in January 1988, and was released later that year. It consists of eight traditional Irish songs, plus re-workings of the Morrison songs 'Celtic Ray' and 'Irish Heartbeat', with 'Carrickfergus' being described by critic Denis Campbell as "a melancholic air worthy of Otis Redding". 'On Raglan Road' was adapted from a poem by Patrick Kavanagh and is the story of a man ensnared by a beautiful revenant, whom he had mistaken for a creature made of clay. 'Irish Heartbeat' received positive reviews from most critics, one of whom called it "some of the most haunting, rousing, downright friendly music of the year", and in the NME's round-up of albums of the year of 1988 it was ranked number 2. On 15 September 1988 Morrison and The Chieftains played a gig together at The Ulster Hall, Belfast, which was recorded for Ulster Television, and also broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. For anyone who missed it, or just wants to hear this meeting of two of Ireland's most revered musical exports, here is the whole concert. 

Track listing

01 Tore Down A La Rimbaud 
02 In The Garden 
03 Rave On John Donne 
04 Did Ye Get Healed 
05 Star Of The County Down 
06 She Moved Through The Fair 
07 Ta Mo Chleamhnas Deanta 
08 I'll Tell Me Ma 
09 Carrickfergus 
10 Celtic Ray 
11 Marie's Wedding 
12 Boffyflow & Spike 
13 Goodnight Irene 
14 Moondance  

Neal Ford & The Fanatics - We Will If You Want To (1968)

At the end of 1964, Neal Ford (lead vocals), a veteran of the local pop scene with other groups like the Ramadas and the VIPs, formed the first line-up of Neal Ford & The Fanatics, which consisted of Johnny Stringfellow (lead guitar), Jon Pereles (rhythm guitar, vocals), W. T. Johnson (bass guitar), Dennis Senter (keyboards), and John Cravey (drums). Though not as experimental as Austin's The 13th Floor Elevators, the band possessed an appreciation for the British Invasion groups, and played organ-driven instrumentals, and an R&B-inspired set typical of other garage rock acts. At first, the group went relatively unnoticed performing cover versions of songs by The Animals, The Zombies, and James Brown locally in their own club named Teen Scene, until record producer Ray Rush saw promise in the developing band, specifically their spontaneous live act. As a result, Neal Ford & The Fanatics recorded the song 'I Will Not Be Lonely' at ACA-Recording Studios, and released the single in May 1965 on GINA records. It was among the first in Texas to note a "British influence", and received airplay in Houston which helped it reach the regional charts. Shortly thereafter, Ford was called up for the Naval Reserve, and so the band's recording activities came to a standstill until he was released in late 1965. When he returned, Senter was replaced by Steven Ames, while his older brother, Richard "Dick" Ames, created Tantara Records to release the group's second single, the folk rock tune, 'Bitter Bells', in January 1966. 

Through the summer of 1966, Neal Ford & The Fanatics' profile rose steadily, with extensive airplay in Houston, multiple appearances on the Larry Kane Show, and well-attended shows at a venue called the Catacombs, alongside nationally successful acts including The Beach Boys and The Lovin' Spoonful. By the summer of 1966, Ames had departed to pursue a management position for The Moving Sidewalks, and he was replaced by Vox organ virtuoso Lanier Greig, who created a new sound for the band, and collaborated with the members to pen more original compositions. In October 1966 the band recorded demos of songs including 'I Can't Go On' and 'Good Men (Are Hard To Find)', in order to earn a contract with the national label, Hickory Records. Two regionally successful singles followed, with 'I Will If You Want To' receiving national attention in September 1966, and 'Gonna Be My Girl' reaching number one in Houston in early 1967. 

Their debut album, 'Neal Ford & The Fanatics', was released in November 1967 on Hickory Records, but their next single, 'Wait for Me', failed to produce the national breakthrough the group anticipated, and none of their later offerings in 1968 met with the same acclaim as 'Gonna Be My Girl'. The band continued to perform on the local club circuit, but in 1969 Ford quit and eventually produced a solo album in 1971, while more songs without Ford were recorded but not distributed, and in October 1970 the group disbanded. Ford continued to play with various bands into the '70's, including the Neal Ford Foundation, which released an album in 1972, but for the most part they will be remembered for their earlier, edgier singles, and garage aficionados still acknowledge their versatility. During sessions for their 1967 album they recorded more material then was needed, and so by adding some of those tracks to a selection of their later singles, there's enough left over to imagine what a second album could have sounded like had it been released in 1968. 

Track listing

01 Good Men (Are Hard To Find) 
02 Mary Wanna Marry Me          
03 Don't Tie Me Down 
04 Movin' Along
05 Save Your Affection
06 The Jones 
07 I Can't Go On  
08 I Will If You Want To
09 Little World Girl  
10 Woman 
11 I'll Put My Boots On Backwards
12 Better Slow Down  
13 For You  
14 Pain  
15 Buttercup
16 The Seasons