1979’s Into The Music kicks off with two of Van’s best up-tempo pop tunes in years, the sprightly soul of “Bright Side Of The Road” and the driving rock-gospel of “Full Force Gale”, a one-two punch that reflects the vigorous spirit of this outstanding middle period effort. Per the title, Van seems deeply invested in this material, and on a bit of a caffeine rush at that. Even the eight-minute philosophical rumination “And The Healing Has Begun” is filled with vocal exhortations of the kind James Brown used to fire up his JB’s with. This incarnation of Van is a long ways from the garage days of “Gloria”, but “Into The Music” finds him bristling with an uncommon, and welcome, vehemence.