Van Morrison – The Philosopher’s Stone (Remastered) (1998/2020) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

The Philosopher’s Stone is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison released in 1998.

The songs released on this thirty-track album were previously unreleased outtakes from 1969 to 1988. The album features twenty-five songs that had never been released and alternative renditions of “The Street Only Knew Your Name” (Inarticulate Speech of the Heart), “Wonderful Remark” (The Best of Van Morrison), “Real Real Gone” (Enlightenment), “Joyous Sound” (A Period of Transition), “Flamingos Fly” (A Period of Transition) and “Bright Side of the Road” (Into the Music).

Van Morrison has always been a prolific artist, releasing nearly an album a year for 30 years. All the while, he had a stockpile of unreleased material in the vaults, much of which became legendary among collectors. A selection of this material was planned for inclusion in a box set, but when he realized the sheer amount of worthy material, he decided to separate the unreleased cuts and release them as the double-disc set The Philosopher’s Stone. Certainly, the collection is for fans, but not just hardcore fans — there are a number of great songs here, from “Madame Joy” and “Naked in the Jungle” to “Crazy Jane on God” and “The Street Only Knew Your Name.” A full 25 of the 30 tracks on the album have never been released in any form, while the remaining five — “Wonderful Remark,” “Real Real Gone,” “Flamingoes Fly,” “The Street Only Knew Your Name,” and “Bright Side of the Road” — are present in alternate takes. In all, The Philosopher’s Stone is a welcome addition to Van Morrison’s official catalog — some of these songs are so good, it would have been a shame if they had stayed locked in the vaults. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:
1. Really Don’t Know (3:37)
2. Ordinary People (5:21)
3. Wonderful Remark (Philosopher’s Stone Version) (8:01)
4. Not Supposed to Break Down (5:24)
5. Laughing in the Wind (4:11)
6. Madame Joy (4:24)
7. Contemplation Rose (5:15)
8. Don’t Worry About Tomorrow (5:21)
9. Try for Sleep (6:06)
10. Lover’s Prayer (3:58)
11. Drumshanbo Hustle (4:49)
12. Twilight Zone (8:23)
13. Foggy Mountain Top (5:28)
14. Naked in the Jungle (4:37)
15. There There Child (3:00)
16. The Street Only Knew Your Name (Extended Version) (6:25)
17. John Henry (5:49)
18. Western Plain (5:43)
19. Joyous Sound (Alternative Version) (2:30)
20. I Have Finally Come to Realise (5:10)
21. Flamingoes Fly (6:29)
22. Stepping Out Queen, Pt. 2 (4:27)
23. Bright Side of the Road (4:02)
24. Street Theory (4:54)
25. Real Real Gone (3:45)
26. Showbusiness (9:21)
27. For Mr. Thomas (4:15)
28. Crazy Jane on God (4:06)
29. Song of Being a Child (4:09)
30. High Spirits (4:20)