Review Summary: To be born again...
Has an album ever been more emotionally stirring? Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks epitomises accoustic/pop but shouldn’t be labelled one. Combining elements of Classical, Jazz and Folk, Morrison’s eight-track masterpiece is pure magic. The loosely jammed music which flows throughout the album is that of pure genius with Van leading the way on guitar and his emotional, baritone voice. Apparently he told the session members to “just play”, giving them some loose chord patterns to follow, which cites the notion; precision isn’t the key to perfection.
Astral Weeks, is a gorgeous opener. Immediatley, Van’s lyrics wash over you, emanating a sense of warmth and happiness that few album openers can deliver. “To be born again” he tells us throughout seven minutes of bliss. Beside You then backflips from what the opener delivers. This beautiful “Spanish” hand picked piece, depicts what can only be described as Van’s emotions for a girl as he lays “beside her”.
Sweet Thing is another surreal and gorgeous accoustic ballad that should be played over all candle-lit dinners. If any song were to hit the charts from this album Sweet Thing, would be it. However the charts and Astral Weeks were world’s apart. The album and all of its songs didn’t venture into the charts. It only went Gold in 2001 – 31 years after it’s release. But Rolling Stone considered it worthy of a #19 position in its 500 Greatest Albums. In this sense ‘Weeks defied the notion of the charts and its influence on music.
“Cyprus Avenue”, was apprently a street in Morrison’s native town Belfast, which divided the town. One side being the rich part of town and the other side (Morrison’s) the poor industrial side, where the poor kids played and hoped to get to the other side of the steet, one day. Cyprus Avenue is also the fourth song on Astral Weeks. Yet another gorgeous sweeping ballad, led by a harpsichord, Morrison is at his most personal on this track. "Caught one more time / Up on Cyprus Avenue / Yes, I may go crazy / Before that mansion on the hill". Following the journey down Cyprus Avenue, The Way Young Lovers Do jumps out of the gloom. Although probably out of place on this album, you can’t help put tap your foot to this bouncy and upbeat jazz song. The next track is a sprawling epic called Madame George. Dreamy and thought provoking lyrics skip around you across nine minutes of brilliance in which Van sounds like a child again, talking about this ethereal figure named Madame George. Next, you’ll find yourselves drifting into a dream as Van’s Ballerina slowly pirouette’s into your soul. This is the most emotional song of the album, and believe me there is a lot to. Slim Slow Slider concludes Astral Weeks. Sounding like it should be played in the death scene of some Hollywood epic, it is a slightly sombre song though beautiful in its tragedy.
Astral Weeks is an unforgettable musicjourney. It is raw emotion layed down for all amidst dreamy lyrics and superb musicianship. It is understandable why this album did not receive recognition in its time. Noone had heard anything like it. And noone ever will again.
