***1/2 Van Morrison

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE: THE UNRELEASED TAPES VOLUME ONE

(Polydor)

Back in 1991, when Columbia released Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3, lots of people were shocked that so much material at least as good as, if not better than, much of Dylan's officially released work had been lingering in record-company vaults for years. There's likely to be a similar response to The Philosopher's Stone, a double CD of unreleased Van Morrison recordings from between 1971 and 1988. The 30 tracks collected here, mostly mid-'70s vintage (only five cuts are post-1980), are nearly all of outstanding quality, showcasing the Belfast Cowboy's inimitable soul-dripping vocal style along with some superb sax and harmonica playing. Among the many great moments are Van's outrageous shrieks during "John Henry," the bad-ass groove that just won't quit on "Naked in the Jungle," and this now-dated but charming couplet from "Lover's Prayer": "I don't want no jive artists calling me on the telephone/Don't wanna watch the Carson show all alone." Perhaps the most exciting thing about The Philosopher's Stone is what's hinted at in its subtitle. If there's more where this came from, bring it on. Soon.

-- Mac Randall