Vocal albums you'd enjoy even without the vocals

[kasperhauser]

Was just listening to Hard Nose the Highway and realized, hey, I'd enjoy this even if Van wasn't singing. The band, the playing, the arrangements – they're just that good.

I think it goes for a fair number of his albums. I'd for sure listen to instruments-only versions of Astral Weeks, Veedon Fleece, Tupelo Honey, definitely others.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Van's music (the man himself, not so much). But I know some might prefer all his albums if he wasn't singing on them.

Anyway, just an observation. There aren't a lot of "pop" singers who come to mind whose albums measure up to that kind of musical standard.

 

[Tumeni Notes]

Sinatra, Bennett and any of those who worked with the leading arrangers of the time - Billy May, Axel Stordahl, Nelson Riddle, etc.

Not the 'pop' of recent times, but certainly of another era.

 

[kasperhauser]

Funny, there's a line in the title track of the album that prompted this thread:

"When Sinatra sings against Nelson Riddle strings..."

Anyway, I agree - beautiful music on those.