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.

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.

As a dedicated fan of Van since high school, I thoroughly enjoy all of his music from the late 60's through mid-1970's. Suffice it to say that this album is an absolute must for fans of Van's earlier music- a la Astral Weeks, St. D's, Street Choir, Moondance, Tupelo Honey, etc. (If you primarily enjoy his later work, I just haven't experienced enough of it to suggest whether this album is for you.) Viewed as a whole, the album blends Van's country rhythym with that contemplative, wistfulness that is so uniquely his own. However, the emphasis is on the latter style, so the music, with the exception of "Autumn Song", is not carefree. If you are the type of Van listener who likes to put the time in to get to know an album, I guarantee you that this album will not disappoint. "Snow in San Anselmo" and "Wild Children" showcase Van's wistful, intelligent sound at its best. The title track and his cover of "Bein' Green" are the earthy, get-what-you-see Van. (As an aside, what Van does with Kermit's tune "Bein' Green" speaks volumes about his talents.) Finally, Purple Heather is an uplifting hymnal tune with beautiful melody similar to "Old Old Woodstock" on the Tupelo Honey album. Indeed, "Purple Heather" has an amazing crescendo and fade out- that very much reminds me of the guitar climax and fade on "Listen to the Lion" from St. D's Preview. If you are the type of fan I have described, you should buy this album. Otherwise, you will kick yourself for not buying this album sooner- I did.

Some people read too many reviews, like the many tin-eared screeds from Rolling Stone. (Read the publication's reviews retrospectively and find that, over the years, it has consistently proven itself unable to understand contemporary music.)

"Hard Nose the Highway" is another of Van Morrison's forays into jazz-infused popular music. Vocally and instrumentally all of the songs are complex, extraordinarily well performed and, thanks to good engineering, clearly presented to the world.

If there is such a thing as an Irish soul, you'll find it in this album. To me its central theme is liberating ourselves by saying good-bye to the past, but not losing ourselves by forgetting it. And, geez, sometimes that process doesn't warrant a minor chord.

Get this album and listen.