Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

...roots that he created with Astral Weeks still come out in the harmonies and mood of his present work, although of course, like with all good artists, his work has evolved into newness. One of the most impressive images that this album produces in my mind is how new and experimental the sixties were, and how artists were encouraged to be inventive, and not merely copiers of earlier styles. The sheer professionalism of this album doesn't date. Sumptuous ...
...the Artist. Track 1 Astral Weeks. (run time 7 minutes). The words and the challenging way in which the instrumentals compliment them in this track is up-tempo and innovative. The song fills me with an optimism that many newer artists fail to bring out in me, and I believe that the poetic perfection and rhythms of music and heart and soul are what draw me into the song. It is almost like a poets wildest thoughts being put in motion, and you feel ...

thingywhatsit 13.06.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Astral Weeks (1968) was Van the Man's first real album, and deserves its place in musical history for its accomplishment, innovation, fusion of styles, resonant storytelling lyrics and Van's unique, emotive voice. Though sometimes referred to as a 'rock' album, Astral Weeks contains none of the grinding guitars and pounding drumbeats one would expect from such a description. Instead the songs are rich in strings, horns and acoustic guitars, creating ...
...songs are equally beautiful and inspired, dealing with timeless themes of love, childhood, beauty, spirituality and, above all, feeling. Astral Weeks more than stands the test of time and paves the way for the emotiona;/spiritual themes and musical genres explored by Van Morrison in his long and diverse carreer. ...

sandrabarber 04.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Born in Belfast (Northern Ireland), Van Morrison was steeped in the sounds of American folk & blues from his youth. By age 11 he had mastered guitar, sax, and harmonica and began perfoprming with skiffle bands in local dance halls. In the swinging '60's he joined the Monarchs and toured U.S air bases in West Germany. Beginning to improve himself versus different public and american buddies. Then he returned to Belfast, he formed Them, one of the ...
...huge hits like "Don't Start Crying Now", "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Here Comes The Night" and the wonderful international hit "Gloria" so many times covered by main artists as The Doors, Patti Smith, U2 but according to me never as well as Van himself... After Them disbanded, Van Morrison rebegan a solo carreer. And one of the best album he recorded is "ASTRAL WEEK" less than 2 days after arrival in NYC. Only 8 songs but you can feel all the ...

europe68 20.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

This was once described as on of the top ten rock albums of all time. Unusual for an album that contains no electric instrumentation at all. The reviewer went on to say that Moondance, it's successor, was even better. I sort of agree , but then my top ten albums of all time will probably contain about a hundred discs. This was his debut album proper, after leaving Them. Every track on this album is absolutely brilliant. Yes its laid back, and ...

mikeydred 21.01.2001 (23.03.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

As i have said before i am totally addicted to Van Morrison. The guy is a genious. This is vans first solo album Van released when he finally escaped the clutches of Bert Berns and the Bang label. I think that this album is special because it was the first album that Van could do his own thing on and really lose him self. They recorded each song as live rather than each musician individually so there is a real atmosphere to the album. In some songs ...
...but that really just adds to the whole magic of the album. And its all accoustic. The album is very spiritual, philosophical and poetic which i guess is typical Van the man, but this is the album where he does it best. Each song sweeps you into the next. Some sweeping faster than others, some making you want to hear them just once more before you allow the track to flow to the next one. When i put this album on i just feel like doing nothing, but ...

raincheck_uk 22.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

When this album was first recommended to me I listened to it and thought what a waste of £5. However, upon listening to it again some of the songs began to appeal to me, subsequent sessions listening to Van the man strut his stuff in his unique way I have come to love this album and regard it as one of the best 10 albums I own. It's the type of music that eveyone needs in their collection, a album that you can either put on at a resonable level ...
...again, or it can be used for background music, when freinds come over or in the garden on a warm summers evening. You can easlity loose yourself in the emotion of the music which can, for me anyway, lead to sometimes unwelcome bouts of nostalgia, but hey sometimes drunken tears are the best. This was Vans first album since leaving Them in 1967 and I would consider it alongside Tracy Chapmans eponymously titled first album as one of the best debuts ...

Pulpdiction_1999 06.02.2001 (16.02.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Astral Weeks is a sublime mix of soul and jazz, sung effortlessly by Van the man, in probably what is his strongest album. The album has to be listened to as a whole, as its continuing themes and haunting melodies are woven throughout the album from beginning to end. The almost mystical quality of the music and Van's delivery are simply mesmerizing and transport you to another world where time seems to stand still. The quality of the album is simply ...
...Do", or the evocative tales of "Madame George" and "Cyprus Avenue". Although each song is distinctive in its own right, it is the sheer quality of the album as a whole that makes it such a joy to listen to. As the various themes weave in and out, you can get lost in your imagination for 40 minutes as you listen to Van's narrative. Barring possibly "Saint Dominic's Preview" this is easily Van Morrisons crowning acheivement and has been revered by ...

som2 05.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Astral weeks is an album by Van Morrison that is hard to classify musically. It's a mixture of jazz, celtic music, blues and folk. In my opinion, it is the best album that Morrison ever produced. Songs like the title track and Cypress Avenue can transport you to another realm. It is relaxing, soothing and yet very evocative. It is highly original as many music critics find the musical genre a mystery. The lyrics are breathtaking and mystical. It's ...

TomT12345 08.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

This is Van Morrisson's 1st proper solo album, and its truely beatiful and also unique in its delicate mix of celtic folk, jazz flourishes and a hint of his beloved soul. All the songs are constructed in a simular way, built up from an accoustic song with some unusual instrumentation laid over the top. In my mind this is at its best on "Cyprus Avenue" where gypsy violins and a harpsichord add an unusual quality and the pumping horns on "The way ...

brownp1 23.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Astral Weeks is generally considered one of the best albums in pop music history. For all that renown, Astral Weeks is anything but an archetypal rock & roll album: In fact, it isn't a rock & roll album at all. Employing a mixture of folk, blues, jazz, and classical music, Van Morrison spins out a series of extended ruminations on his Belfast upbringing, including the remarkable character "Madame George" and the climactic epiphany experienced on ...
...Smith, Jr.), with a string quartet overdubbed. An emotional outpouring cast in delicate musical structures, Astral Weeks has a unique musical power. Unlike any record before or since, it nevertheless encompasses the passion and tenderness that have always mixed in the best postwar popular music, easily justifying the critics' rave. ...

jamiegiles 28.06.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Astral Weeks - Van Morrison