Top 10 Van Albums: #4, Saint Dominic's Preview

At the time that Saint Dominic's Preview was released in 1972, Van had produced four great albums in three years, and common logic would dictate that a letdown was in store. Such a letdown, however, would have to wait another five years to surface, as Van continued to chalk up magnificent music in short order. Among the batch of 1970's classics is Saint Dominic's Preview, a mildly popular yet often overlooked treasure. One of the strongest attributes of this particular collection of songs is that they all possess wildly diverse musical styles, yet they somehow manage to maintain a collective unity within the framework of the album. Many of the songs boast true accessibility for even the most casual of fans, but they also contain complex and interesting musical arrangements. The lyrics range from average ("Gypsy") to unbeatable (the title track), and there are no throw away tracks. Furthermore, while some musicians might struggle to compile a meaningful album out of a mere seven songs, Saint Dominic's Preview is so amply stuffed with quality music that even one additional track would be too many.

The album begins with Van singing a capella, ushering in a fun rendition of "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)." When the horns and drums kick into rhythm and the song gets rousingly underway, the listener feels like breaking into a spontaneous dance party. The arrangement is jazzy swing, and although the lyrics aren't particularly thought-provoking, it is among Van's finest up-tempo love songs. "Gypsy" follows, changing the tone quickly into a rhythm and blues tour de force. The lyrics, again, aren't among Van's best, but the rhythm is unbearably catchy. The pace races along in manic fashion, as the horns can barely keep stride with the drums. "I Will Be There" takes us back to 1950's jazz, and Van waltzes through the performance coolly and methodically. It's the perfect soundtrack for a lazy afternoon, with lines like "if it's on a lazy afternoon in summertime/and you're drinking champagne and wine." The first three tracks are as compact and accessible as anything on Moondance, but such radio-friendliness does not again resurface on Saint Dominic's Preview.

"Listen to the Lion" summons the best qualities of any of the Astral Weeks tracks; it is meandering, ethereal, and pneumatic, but never lackluster or boring. At eleven minutes, there is plenty of room for error, but Van keeps the listener guessing throughout every second of the song. By employing every outlandish vocal trick in the book, such as moaning, growling, whispering, shouting, and even bubbling, "Listen to the Lion" exudes eccentricities. Lyrically, the song urges the listener to adopt the courage to seek out a new life that will best suit himself. Metaphorically, this courage is represented by the lion that Van repeatedly invites during the song. Thematically and musically, it is one of Van's finest masterpieces.

Following "Listen to the Lion," the title track provides another compelling piece of music. This time, though, the theme is not automatically clear; instead, Van indulges in a parade of personal symbols that likely would have no meaning to his audience whatsoever. The music chugs along behind the momentum of an electric guitar and accompanying horns and piano, and the listener never becomes complacent with the music, despite a lack of clarity in the words. The names, locations, and symbols that Van employs are rich enough to possess some intrigue, thus sparking an unintended interest in the words.

"Redwood Tree" is a punchy and upbeat musical jaunt, in which a boy seeks comfort beneath a towering (you guessed it...) redwood. There are no morals to be gained; Van simply tells the story of a boy venturing into the woods with his dog, only to lose him for good. The tree provides solace and protection to the boy in a still innocent world; this is a mere glimpse into the nostalgia that Van would explore in later albums such as No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. The album concludes with another rambling, ten minute composition. "Almost Independence Day" is not nearly as lyrically bold as "Listen to the Lion," but it is nevertheless whimsical and beguiling in its own right. The acoustic guitar plucking mixed with crackling drumbeats and brooding synthesizer convey the image of a marching gypsy band. Van vaguely reels off a stream of consciousness reading of various summertime, dusk-like images, and the song is all together haunting as it fades to silence.

Saint Dominic's Preview represents a successful merging of various musical styles, and they all mesh together spotlessly. We find Van's songwriting not so much in soul-searching mode, but moreso in storytelling mode. The long list of images that sprawl throughout the seven songs tell a nostalgic tale of everywhere that Van's heretofore gypsy lifetime has taken him; Ireland, Caledonia, and America. There is no filler, and every song is light enough for accessibility, and simultaneously weighty enough for intricacy.