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Amazon.co.uk Review
Never mind that Van Morrison is one of the most indelible songwriters of the 20th century--take each album on its own terms. On 1968's seminal Astral Weeks, a twentysomething Van Morrison can be found belting his gospelly, bluesy vocals in just as fine a form as he would be 20 years hence. In the sociopolitical context of the times, the album cried out about such ubiquitous 1960s themes as cultural oppression and social upheaval. But it is Morrison's vocal dexterity and passion that maintains such timeless appeal. Take tracks like "Madame George" or "Cyprus Avenue" and you'll find such beautiful mourning, it'll be clear why Sinéad O'Connor once publicly exclaimed: "Van Morrison should be friggin' canonized". --Nick Heil
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Astral Weeks...
Well I certainly wouldn't be elaborating upon my feelings for this album by saying that I think it is quite simply one of the best musical creations of our generation. This album transcends its successors in both its musical atmosphere, which in itself captures a lost idealism of the late sixties, and in its lyricism. Morrison has never been questioned with regards to his ability to infuse a song with the most beautiful and poetic lyrics, but what is sometimes in question is his ability to contain such powerful lyrics within his music - in Astral Weeks I believe he succeeds in both to such an extent that we never again here the vocal, lyrical, and musical intensity achieved in Astral Weeks, apart from a brief retrospection in 'Veedon Fleece'.
This album provides the greatest insight into what I deem to be the frustrated genius of Van Morrison, in my opinion the greatest singer-songwriter of our time, and I urge anyone remotely interested in experiencing a rare musical treat to get it.
Well I certainly wouldn't be elaborating upon my feelings for this album by saying that I think it is quite simply one of the best musical creations of our generation. This album transcends its successors in both its musical atmosphere, which in itself captures a lost idealism of the late sixties, and in its lyricism. Morrison has never been questioned with regards to his ability to infuse a song with the most beautiful and poetic lyrics, but what is sometimes in question is his ability to contain such powerful lyrics within his music - in Astral Weeks I believe he succeeds in both to such an extent that we never again here the vocal, lyrical, and musical intensity achieved in Astral Weeks, apart from a brief retrospection in 'Veedon Fleece'.
This album provides the greatest insight into what I deem to be the frustrated genius of Van Morrison, in my opinion the greatest singer-songwriter of our time, and I urge anyone remotely interested in experiencing a rare musical treat to get it.
61 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Ah Astral Weeks. I remember being young and living with my dad, just the two of us, and my dad used to have his own architect office and he used to work late at night. He would work in the afternoon, stop working when I got home from school until I went to bed and then work until those lonely quiet hours of the early morning listening to his music. My bedroom used be open plan, so I could hear the music he played and every night I would lose the battle with sleep while listening to the likes of Highway 61 Revisited, John Coltrane's Soultrane, Blood On The Tracks, The Band and also Van Morrison's Astral Weeks and Moondance…. Drifting between those shadowlands of being awake and dreamland while the music floated through the air into my bedroom trying to hold on because I didn’t want to miss any off the mystical glorious sounds I was hearing. Astral Weeks was always one of those records I found incredibly intriguing but that I never quite got, it seemed this guy was singing about things, and in a way that I could never quite fully understand, there was something manic and dark in his voice and the music, so much so that the album actually kind of scared me when I was young. I was far more at ease with Moondance, a slightly more straight forward album and a little less dark. I found the album hypnotising but I would always come away feeling slightly off balance after listening to it.
Years later, when I started buying all the albums my dad used to listen to when I was growing up on CD, I rediscovered Astral Weeks…. I got both Astral Weeks and Moondance on CD and although Moondance still remains one of my all time favourite albums, I really fell head over heels in love with Astral Weeks. There's pure brilliance in the ramshackle yet amazingly beautiful performances of a man fresh out of a mental institution… the album sounds like nothing else before or since including Van's own albums. The band brilliantly flesh out Van's acoustic epical songs of heartache, longing and despair… at times heavenly beautiful at times ramshackle madness a beautiful blend between Irish folk and jazz and something altogether unique.
A masterpiece.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Perhaps it was because of musical tastes too similar to my peers or maybe just sheer bloody-mindedness. But it was with this album and artist that I chose to stand apart.
At 14 it was easy dismiss Van Morrison's uncompromising voice and Folk/Jazz backing as un-melodic and boring.
I resisted it's pull for nigh on ten years. But we all grow up and the first time I listened to it with an open mind I found myself captivated.
To describe Astral Weeks (as I sit here listening to it) is a task beyond my humble abilities except to say that it is as involving and rewarding a piece of music as anything else I have heard.
If you derive anything more than a beat and a dance groove from your music then you really should try it.
At 14 it was easy dismiss Van Morrison's uncompromising voice and Folk/Jazz backing as un-melodic and boring.
I resisted it's pull for nigh on ten years. But we all grow up and the first time I listened to it with an open mind I found myself captivated.
To describe Astral Weeks (as I sit here listening to it) is a task beyond my humble abilities except to say that it is as involving and rewarding a piece of music as anything else I have heard.
If you derive anything more than a beat and a dance groove from your music then you really should try it.
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