There is just something about this album. I'll agree with anyone that it's not in the same category as something like Moondance, Tupelo Honey, and St. Dominic's Preview; but neither is Astral Weeks and Vleeden Fleece. The first three albums (Moondance, etc.) can be considered pop albums for their time while the second two (Astral Weeks...) as well as Hard Nose The Highway can be seen as very personal statements about the artist's life and love of music.

I think the reason why many fan's of Van Morrison don't go to this album as an artistic high point or their favorite is that it doesn't have the emotional extremes that Astral Weeks through Vleeden Fleece have. Instead he touches on the ordinary facets of life with a calm objectiveness that makes for the mellow mood throughout much of the record. The feel kind of reminds me of Frank Sinatra circa 1950's; something like "Song For Swinging Lovers!"

Like Bill Evans (the jazz pianist) the music is very passionate yet not confrontational; instead it is inviting and mature, relaxing yet fun, while maintaining an interesting introspection that is consistent in most of Morrison's work.

Every song on this album is excellent. I always feel quite satisfied after listening to it. Every other album of Morrison's has a couple of songs on it that I either have to be in a certain mood or just don't think is as consistent in it's quality as the other songs. Hard Nose The Highway I have no such complaint; each song is unique yet melody and production-wise relates to each other quite well. I also think it's interesting that he did two covers on this album considering how many songs that he recorded around this time (many of them are on Philosopher's Stone).

Snow In San Anselmo may be the strangest and most experimental song Morrsion ever did. A full choir and very jazzy interludes that follow a somewhat surreal observations. I am especially fond of Autumn Song, it just gently sways in it's on special way, but so does everything on this album....

Overall I think that it took a great deal of confidence for an artist to make an album so cool and mellow. This was 1973 after all. The music of the day was progressive/glam rock which was out to impress the listener with musicianship and bombast. You listen to this and it sets your mind at ease- it looks back on things with a simple fondness and enjoys the present without a worry of tomorrow.
Highly Recommended.

Although I am a fan of all of Van's many periods, moods, and styles, I find myself coming back to this album again and again. There's just a certain depth and spirituality to the music, a passion to the playing, that makes this one stand out as a deeply personal and expressive piece of music-making. For me, this album begins Van's long spiritual quest, in which shorter song structures were abandoned for more open, personal tone poems. This album nicely complements and serves as a bookend to Common One, in which Van takes the concepts explored here, both musically and lyrically, and moves them to the next level. "Warm Love" should have been a hit, "Hard Nose" is, to me, a song of redemption for those struggling through the culture wars and Vietnam, and his version of "Being Green" is strangely affecting. If you have relegated this album to Van's B or C list, I think it worth another spin -- you will not be disappointed.

Music critics are more than often very right and sensible in their judgements, although I must say - sometimes I just don't understand them. "Hard nose the highway" is an album that sparkle and glow. "Van the man" succeeds in combining ultra nostalgic feeling - true vocal sensitivity - with cool distance, almost nonchalance. Three or four of the songs are works of a true genius - "Snow in san anselmo", "Hard nose the higway" and "the great deception". They are laid back, yet enthusiastic, otherworldly yet down to earth, sensitive yet distanced, unique yet approachable. And they are all sung by a soulful voice that can leave no one untouched.

Critics, listen again.

morrison's early period comes to an end with this album marked by "snow in san anselmo," "warm love," and "hardnose the highway." A fine band explores the rather jazzy style that morrison was just them developing after dabbling with it on parts of astral weeks and moondance. if you are a morrison fan, this would be a good place to branch out from the more typical basic albums.

I love this album. It is my favorite album ever, and I come back to it again and again. It makes me nostalgic for something but I don't know what it is. I love Van Morrison, and own most of his albums, and this is easily the best one ever. Of course, Moondance is fabulous and heart wrenching, but nothing beats the simple beauty of Autumn Song, the soul and inspiration given to Kermit the Frog's "Bein Green", and the lyrical mastery of "Hard nose the Highway". There are not words in the english language to describe the great beauty and depth in this album. If you love music that is nostalgic and sweetly sad, you MUST buy this album. Buy two and give one to a friend. The folks that gave this record a bad review are missing something in it. Have patience with the songs on this album and you won't be disapointed.