MOUNTAIN CALLING

Rough God Goes Riding; Foreign Window; Tore Down ala Rimbaud; Vanlose Stairway; Foor For You; Sometimes We Cry; It Once Was My Life; I'm Not Feeling It Anymore; This Weight; Who Can I Turn To; In the Belly; Tupelo Honey/Why Must I Always Explain; Satisfied; The Healing Game

 The Mountain Calling is Fijou's entry into the Montreux '97 sweepstakes, and it is remarkably good. The sound is crisp and clear; the horn section sounds bright and the bass pops. Van rips through some of his standard fair ("Tupelo Honey") as well as some not so familiar tunes. As usual, Fijou packages the concert in a slim sleeve, complete with a pencil drawing of Van on the front. Overall, Van sounds animated and his band is professional, if a little slick. One wonders how Van would fair with a tough unit like Dylan's 2002 gang. The highlight: a sublime version of "Fool For You." Overall, an excellent slice of Van.