Moving on Skiffle

Moving On Skiffle is Van Morrison's 44th studio album and represents a deep dive into the genre that first inspired him as a youth in Belfast. Following his 2000 collaboration with Lonnie Donegan, this 2023 release is a more expansive, 23-track exploration of the American folk and country songs that were reinterpreted by British youth in the late 1950s. The album features English folk legend Seth Lakeman on fiddle, whose contributions add a rustic, driving energy to the arrangements. Unlike Morrison's more recent albums, which often focused on contemporary grievances, this record finds him in a celebratory mood, re-contextualizing classics by Hank Williams, Elizabeth Cotten, and Lead Belly. The production is remarkably live and warm, emphasizing the ensemble's chemistry and the percussive 'chug' essential to the skiffle sound. It stands as a significant late-career highlight, showcasing Morrison's enduring vocal power and his role as a curator of the Great American and British songbooks.