Cynics might well have a good old snigger at the fact that one of the songs on Van Morrison's new album is called 'Keep Mediocrity at Bay'. To be fair, the grouchy Belfast veteran has succeeded - but greatness is still just a distant memory. Magic Time contains much the same mix as all his recent offerings: jazzy noodlings with a hint of blues, vaguely pastoral lyrics and consistently gruff vocals that suggest Van the Man had one eye fixed firmly on the studio clock. Most of the songs are bathed in a hazy glow of nostalgia that is, if you're in the right mood, actually quite pleasant. Before long, however, the relentlessly mid-tempo pace and the sheer lack of passion on display is likely to tax the patience of all but most indulgent. Move on folks, there's nothing much to see here.

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