{{use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox album | name = The Prophet Speaks | type = studio | artist = [[Van Morrison]] | cover = Van Morrison The Prophet Speaks.jpg | alt = | released = 7 December 2018 | recorded = 2018 | venue = | studio = [[Studio D Recording|Studio D]] ([[Sausalito, California]]) | genre = [[Jazz]] | length = 68:49 | label = {{hlist|Exile Productions|[[Caroline Records|Caroline]]}} | producer = Van Morrison, [[Joey DeFrancesco]] | prev_title = [[You're Driving Me Crazy (album)|You're Driving Me Crazy]] | prev_year = 2018 | next_title = [[Three Chords & the Truth (Van Morrison album)|Three Chords & the Truth]] | next_year = 2019 }}
'''''The Prophet Speaks''''' is the 40th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter [[Van Morrison]], and the second to feature [[jazz]] organist and trumpeter [[Joey DeFrancesco]]. Released on 7 December 2018 by Exile Productions and [[Caroline Records]], it was his fourth album "of new material in just fifteen months".<ref name="Observer">{{Cite web |last=Mongredien |first=Phil |date=9 December 2019 |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks review – the creativity keeps coming |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/dec/09/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review |access-date=10 November 2022 |website=The Observer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-prophet-speaks/1437517049 |title=The Prophet Speaks by Van Morrison on Apple Music |website=[[Apple Music]] |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author=Althea Legaspi |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/van-morrison-new-album-the-prophet-speaks-731913/ |title=Van Morrison Details New Album 'The Prophet Speaks' |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=2018-10-02 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Album ratings | MC = 73/100<ref name="metacritic1">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-prophet-speaks/van-morrison |title=The Prophet Speaks by Van Morrison Reviews and Tracks |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Thom Jurek |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-prophet-speaks-mw0003214396 |title=The Prophet Speaks - Van Morrison |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[American Songwriter]]'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Horowitz |first=Hal |url=https://americansongwriter.com/2018/12/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks/ |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks |website=[[American Songwriter]] |date=2018-12-03 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]'' | rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Hann |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/dec/07/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review-laid-back-old-school-rb |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks review – laid-back, old-school R&B |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2018-12-07 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev4 = ''[[The Independent]]'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Elisa Bray |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-album-review-tracklist-release-date-tour-a8671221.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-album-review-tracklist-release-date-tour-a8671221.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Van Morrison review, The Prophet Speaks: Singer-songwriter sounds like he's having a blast on this satisfying album |work=[[The Independent]] |date=2018-12-06 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev5 = ''[[The Observer]]'' | rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Phil Mongredien |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/dec/09/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks review – the creativity keeps coming |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2018-12-09 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> | rev6 = ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' | rev6score = 7.2/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ellen |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/12/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review.html |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks Review |work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |date=2018-12-06 |accessdate=2019-10-17 |archive-date=20 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620182343/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/12/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | rev7 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' | rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Jonathan Bernstein |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-van-morrisons-the-prophet-speaks-mixes-standards-and-fresh-originals-766123/ |title=Review: Van Morrison's 'The Prophet Speaks' Mixes Standards and Fresh Originals |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=2018-12-07 |accessdate=2019-10-17}}</ref> }}
''The Prophet Speaks'' received generally positive reviews, with [[Metacritic]] giving it 73 / 100, based on 11 reviews.<ref name="metacritic1"/> It delivered "excellent songs, expertly rendered", leading ''[[The Observer]]'' to conclude that "Van Morrison’s current prolificacy clearly hasn’t compromised the quality of his output at all – this is another thoroughly enjoyable mix of vocal jazz and bluesy R&B."<ref name="Observer" /> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' heralded it as "further proof that he’s still one of the most moving, unrivaled singers of his generation", suggesting that Morrison wants to convey "that he’s able to write old-time originals that are mostly indistinguishable" from the classics he covers. Its review finds it "moving to hear Morrison revert back to his primordial roots", but finds that the album "feels like another headstrong gesture of self-determination".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bernstein |first=Jonathan |date=7 December 2018 |title=Review: Van Morrison's 'The Prophet Speaks' Mixes Standards and Fresh Originals |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-van-morrisons-the-prophet-speaks-mixes-standards-and-fresh-originals-766123/ |access-date=10 November 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> ''[[The Irish Times]]'' deemed it a "pleasure and a privilege to luxuriate" in the "exemplary" musicianship, concluding that "[at] his imperial best, Van the Man can still be mystical and magical after all these years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sweeney |first=Eamon |date=7 December 2018 |title=Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks review – A master in his comfort zone |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/van-morrison-the-prophet-speaks-review-a-master-in-his-comfort-zone-1.3719857 |access-date=10 November 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | total_length = 1:08:49
| title1 = Gonna Send You Back to Where I Got You From | writer1 = [[Eddie Vinson]], Leona Blackman | length1 = 4:40
| title2 = Dimples | writer2 = [[John Lee Hooker]], [[James Bracken]] | length2 = 5:33
| title3 = Got to Go Where the Love Is | writer3 = Van Morrison | length3 = 4:23
| title4 = Laughin' and Clownin' | writer4 = [[Sam Cooke]] | length4 = 5:31
| title5 = 5 am Greenwich Mean Time | writer5 = Van Morrison | length5 = 5:37
| title6 = Gotta Get You Off My Mind | writer6 = [[Solomon Burke]], Delores Burke, Josephine Burke Moore | length6 = 3:44
| title7 = Teardrops | writer7 = J.D. Harris | length7 = 6:00
| title8 = I Love the Life I Live | writer8 = [[Willie Dixon]] | length8 = 3:34
| title9 = Worried Blues / Rollin' and Tumblin' | writer9 = J.D. Harris | length9 = 6:22
| title10 = Ain't Gonna Moan No More | writer10 = Van Morrison | length10 = 6:15
| title11 = Love Is a Five Letter Word | writer11 = [[Gene Barge]] | length11 = 3:45
| title12 = Love Is Hard Work | writer12 = Van Morrison | length12 = 4:28
| title13 = Spirit Will Provide | writer13 = Van Morrison | length13 = 4:03
| title14 = The Prophet Speaks | writer14 = Van Morrison | length14 = 4:54 }}
==Personnel== *Van Morrison - vocals, alto saxophone, harmonica *[[Joey DeFrancesco]] - organ, keyboards, trumpet *Dan Wilson - acoustic and electric guitar *Troy Roberts - acoustic bass, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone *Michael Ode - drums *Jim Stern - tambourine, recording, mixing *[[Shana Morrison]] - backing vocals on "Gotta Get You Off My Mind" and "Spirit Will Provide"
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2018) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Australia|49|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Austria|23|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|35|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|29|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Germany|22|id=373530|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=11 November 2019}} |- {{album chart|Ireland2|50|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Italy|68|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|34|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Spain|21|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|34|artist=Van Morrison|album=The Prophet Speaks|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|UK2|40|date=20181214|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|110|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=16 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRock|15|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=16 October 2019}} |- {{album chart|BillboardJazz|2|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=16 October 2019}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Van Morrison}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prophet Speaks}} [[Category:2018 albums]] [[Category:Van Morrison albums]] [[Category:Caroline Records albums]]