from our convo it SOUNDED like he was just rolling with the punches, and one could logically assume his sound changed/evolved/switched-up in reaction to his changing situation re: record labels. perhaps he just feels comfy enough now to fully express the music HE truly feels he was weened on? same would go for Lewis. both of em came out as one 'thing', a package. and i think the origin stories for those initial soul/r&b characters they were was just *amplified* & not completely fabricated. Lewis was a prog rock dude through-and-through, but he was only ever known as "Lewis Taylor" when he was a soul singer. pretty sure "Lewis" isn't even his real first name, i think its his middle name. so maybe he just FELT like making that kinda music? and wanted a persona to go with it? doesn't seem so disingenuous to me. just an avenue to express a certain type of sound.

u can see a clear struggle with Van trying to come to terms with his 'sound'. i love those 1st two albums much as i love the rest, but for compeltely different reasons. but it doesn't make me look cock-eyed at the dude for the constant search in attaining something even approaching a signature sound. isn't that what artists are sposed to do? i feel like he's been on nothing but an incline since his debut, music quality wise. each disc builds on the previous one but also adds something new. to ME, charting his sound convinces me he's being as honest as any artist can possibly be. cos he's wanting to build and do some new shit with each disc. a cynical eye would see that the way u see it, but i have no problem believing it.

and to answer the simple argument from OP: i love the music for what it is, contextless of everything else we're talking about. i think he's a legit talent that will only continue to get better with age. and i think he's released one of the albums of the year, and of his career. call me crazy lol.

V.