Published Apr 20, 2006
"Pay the Devil" Van MorrisonWhen he's on, there's no better live performer, band leader or songwriter in the pop music pantheon than Van Morrison.
But when he's off (or feeling notoriously temperamental), there's no artist near as dissatisfying or confounding.
"Devil" is Morrison's take on country standards. Morrison's selection of material is sublime, including Webb Pierce's "There Stands the Glass," but something between the music and the vocal performance doesn't come together.