Reviews (page 3 of 9)
He’s certainly got a voice and a process that makes a lot of the song sound similar. But they all sound good.
This gives restaurant music that they would play to give some ambiance without being distracting. It’s not bad, but it all kinda blends into the background
I like other Van Morrison albums but not this one - no matter that the critics somehow really like this one.
2/10
Decent, but definitely my least favorite of the three albums on this list of his so far.
Strong album, brown eyed girl is a classic. One thing you can say about van morrison is that he had short muscular legs like a footballer. He shuffled all the way to the top on his beefy Celtic drummers.
I was unsure about this album in the beginning, but the sound grew on me the further I got into it. Nothing I am rushing to revisit, but it was not a bad listen. Favorite Track - The Way Young Lovers Do Least Favorite Track - Besides You ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Before he turned into a complete egotist so still pretty good.
One of the best singer-songwriters
I just really don’t care for Van. His vocals are not doing it for me and it just sounds like half formed thoughts. I would probably like this more if someone else sung it but this is what it is.
Good album. Over before you know it.
Another classic artist I really haven’t listened to much before, apart from the most known hits. Morrison has a very charecteristic voice, but I’m not a big fan of his vocal style. The songs are okay, but few songs stands out.
Great album annoying artist
Got a big ol' soft spot for Van Morrison, sometimes you've gotta give in to fannying about acting like a romantic poem as you wander around a heath or some such. This is a classic imo!
was not familiar with this album, but like Van the Man. Very calm and melodic. (Wonder if he looked at anyone while recording?)
A bit more shaggy, rambling and jangly than what I’m generally drawn to.
Astral Weeks drifts along with loose, wandering vocals over gorgeous instrumentation, but for me it still lands as background dinner music.
I think Van Morrison should give instrumentals a try.
i don't know.... it's really pretty. Van Morrison's a crabby old fuck who can barely sing, but this album kinda fucks. i don't really fuck with his r&b or rock forward stuff, but this gentle folk is the type of stuff that really fits his lyricism well. aesthetically pristine. Sweet Thing is just incredible, really. deserves to be one of the 1001? yes
I'm not against long 7-9 minute songs... and generally the vibe is pretty chill and listenable ... but, maybe I just kinda don't love Van Morrison.
I knew some of these songs, but never listened to the entire album. I like it. Question: if you’re asked to kiss Van Morrison’s eyes, are they open or closed?
Driving through Brooklyn listening to this and the vibes, as the kids say, were immaculate. Then I got stuck in the tunnel and realized how much noodling was going on
The more folky tracks are really good. The jazz influenced tracks are not. Multiple 7+ minutes songs overstay their welcome a bit. Overall, it's a keeper.
Once upon a time, I saw Astral Weeks ranked 7th best album of all time by Rolling Stone. So I checked it out. I liked it, but 7th? All time? Later I heard Van's follow-up album, Moondance, and that resonated more with me... which only sharpened the question: if I think Moondance is the better album, why did Rolling Stone rank this one in the top 10 all time? Two things, I think. First, Astral Weeks came first. Innovation matters, even within your own body of work. Second, some people genuinely love the free-flowing structure here in a way I can only partially share. The people who rank Astral Weeks at the top tend to experience Van's vocal improvisation as the melody, hearing it almost like a horn solo. That's a valid mode of listening. It's just one I don't love. I want a little more structure. At its best, the songs "Astral Weeks" and "Sweet Thing" for example, the album is transcendent. But outside those two tracks, the melodies never quite grabbed me, and melody is load-bearing for me as a listener. Four stars because the ambition is real, the musicianship is extraordinary, and those two tracks alone justify the album's reputation. But in my opinion Moondance is better. It shows what Van could do when he brought that same spirit into tighter focus.
Un chouchou de China. Personnellement, j'aime encore mieux Them. Dommage qu'il soit viré crackpot ces dernières années; comme Eric Clapton.
Comme ça a été quelques fois soulevé ici, on commence à être saturé du son des 60s collectivement. C'est dommage pour M. Morrison, peut-être que s'il était arrivé plus tôt sur la liste il aurait eu un 5 étoiles. C'était un album idéal pour descendre la 155 Nord avec mes cocos qui dorment. Petites limites qui m'ont accroché : -je suis pas tant un fan de son timbre de voix criard. - les tounes étaient globalement des 'jams', des 'grooves' et 8-10 minutes ça avait des longueurs. A 4 minutes, j'étais déjà satisfait, le reste c'était un peu du remplissage... Bob Dylan aussi a fait ça avec Desolation Row et Sad-Eyed Lady à l'époque PIS C'EST GOSSANT. - j'aime pas les fade-out, petit pet peeve personnel. Finissez vos tounes guys...
A question that arises time and time again on this list is whether you should separate the artist from the art and indeed if that is even possible. There are a lot of cases of musicians who turned out to have problematic personal lives or political opinions but the music still has something to say. In Van Morrison’s case his public persona on this album is of a fairly liberal hippy singing jazzy love songs with a bit of a spiritual side, and this album is perfectly fine if you like that sort of thing. However, in recent years Van Morrison has made no secret of his far right antisemitic views (writing a jaw droppingly offensive song called “They Own the Media”) as well as his tinfoil hat anti-vax conspiracy theories. It’s also no secret that he has had a turbulent private life and taken a petty dispute with a neighbour about a driveway all the way to the Irish Supreme Court to prove a point (which he lost). Lovely guy. So, I can’t really appreciate these songs as I might have done had I heard the record with no prior knowledge of his character. Your mileage may vary.
Probably not for everyone. Honestly reminiscent of Bob Dylan's music in some ways (NOT the good ways). I'm familiar with some of Van Morrison's later stuff which is all fine and good, but the stream-of-consciousness and free-verse style lyricism just doesn't seem to work for me. It's all too loose. The composition and arrangements carry the album, though. The strings and acoustic guitars give this a sort of comfy and relaxing feel, with other instrumentation adding a jazzy flair at points. It's too bad though, as Van Morrison's presence kind of takes you out of these aforementioned feelings.
Alrighty, quite excited about this cause I never really found opportunity to explore more from this guy apart from Brown Eyed Girl. One thing which is pretty soon becomes clear is that this guy has really an amazing and versatile voice which I like. Album is enjoyable but so far I haven't found the reason why this was so popular at it's time. Definitely at least 3 stars, with possibility to REVISIT, but I keep getting distracted today and not finding time to listen to this in full.
A very relaxed album that I enjoyed a lot!
2 out of 5. A bit slow for my tastes but enjoyed some of the instruments used.
This disappointed me actually. It appeals to much less than his other stuff on here. Put me in mine of Joni Mitchell, his voice annoys.mre on this oneand that meandering style is clearly not for me. 2.5
Heard a lot of Van Morrison in my life, but never this album. It’s really a work of art in every way. Each song is its own world and its own story. I feel like every listen would allow a new discovery and revelation in the music. The arrangements are so complex and beautiful. Such an amazing album! Top Songs: Cyprus Avenue, The Way Young Lovers Do, Ballerina
Good man.
I love you Van
Love it. Perfect dinner making album
Too slow and not my jam
Need to revisit
i understand the why and how this is so acclaimed. that being said, not my thing.
Nope, can't do it. Quite literally painful. How can anybody stomach multiple 6+ minute ballads of screeching nonsense?
This was an unpleasant day to have ears. It’s not worth a 1, but I sure was tempted. At least if it was bad I could laugh about it, but it’s just so boring. 2/5 ⭐️ 65/1089
Not as good as the previous Van Morrison but ok.
i guess this is just the Van Morrison album per day machine now? good thing they’re pretty good
I had a brilliant review written all about how in my first year of university, one of my new friends asked me if wanted to go see John Martyn who was playing there. Having heard the whining drone emanating from his room from time to time I declined. The punchline was that I was wise beyond my years. When I posted it I realised this is actually a Van Morrison album not John Martyn But to me the two are indistinguishable. And I'm sure some of the wailing coming from that room was Van Morrison anyway so I stand by the original review. So I'm still wise beyond my years
Listened to this years ago and it didn't really click with me, but I enjoyed it a lot more this time around. Thought the first track was especially good
Fell asleep during 'Madame George '
awesome!
ai q capa é essa FAVS (top 3): sweet thing, cyprus avenue, madame george mençoes honrosas: ai gente dava pra morrer sem ter ouvido esse sinceramente um album bem normal, não é ruim mas nao é um marco nota final: 2/5
Sounds very unique and quite gorgeous. Have to say I only had it going in one ear as I listened and probably need to give it another whirl. 3.7/5
HATE
This felt like an astral week to get through.
What an album. Lush and deep and wild and ranging. Beautiful.
Van Morrison sings too loud. His music is very creative and often done with great composition. Guitarwork is interesting and sometimes the instrumentals come out of nowhere. The Way Young Lovers Do is a true banger, and I love the album’s ending
Grata sorpresa No lo conocía y me ha gustado
I was positive going into this; Van Morrison has a great voice. By the middle of the album, I was dying for it to end. A good voice with neat guitar playing isn't quite enough to sustain my attention. I was bored shitless listening to this. A bit harsh maybe, but true. 'Sweet Thing' was pretty good. Some of the songs started off interesting, and quickly become dull or meaningless. This genre, country/acoustic (however you want to call it) is not really for me anyway. It takes something particularly excellent to capture my attention, and this wasn't it. I only really know Van Morrison for his big hit song, Brown-eyed girl. Perhaps I would have been happier only knowing him for this. Because of how much I was willing this to end, I have to get it two stars.
It’s a shame Van Morrison is a piece of shit cause man…
Never been able to pierce the veil with this one. There are certainly a lot of interesting production qualities fused together here, but I've never been able to connect to the album personally. That's Astral Weeks at its best - at its worst, it is a little irritating with seemingly few progressions. I can see this one being best heard on vinyl.
It’s good but it made me feel down
Was quite boring
what an amazing album, too bad morrison didn't continue with this style
Type of guy to kiss you on the cheek but you really wouldn't have a problem with it
Van's first few albums are fantastic. He's had some great songs since those days - but the only full albums worth hearing are these early ones. I'd put Astral Weeks as my personal favorite, slightly above Moondance.
I didn't love it ... I didn't hate it. I am not sure I even like it that much. More like 2.5 stars, and I am pretty positive I will never listen to it again.
The album was pleasant enough, but why did some of the songs have to drag on for so long? I don't think extending a song for longer than 5 minutes improves the song in any way.
This is a fantastic jazz-folk/soul album, it's like a stream of consciousness put into songs. The production, Van Morrison's soulful and often heart wrenching singing are stunning, and so are the backing instruments of the songs. I can't really explain why it all sounds so magical but it's such a mesmerising album from start to finish. A real album's album which is one complete, very consistent work. It absolutely deserves five stars.
awful
ovaj album zvuči kao moneova slika! što je crazy, ali istina. zvukovi prirode u pozadini, instrumenti kao što su flauta, bas i slično, koji sviraju nekako vazdušaste melodije, samo doprinose tom utisku! van morison peva u onom stilu gde nema jednu fiksiranu melodiju nego samo kenja nešto i to me iskreno nervira, ali ne previše. ima dosta dugačkih pesama ali uopšte nemaš osećaj kao da slušaš istu pesmu 9 minuta, iako nisu nešto preterano dinamične pesme, prosto ti ne dosadi melodija, nemam pojma. opustila sam se dok sam slušala ovaj album iskreno. pesma the way young lovers do ima neki džezi zvuk i instrumente, mnogo mi se dopala! produkcija i miks su veoma dobri, mada sam slušala remaster, ali svakako.
A true classic. I’ve spent many weeks playing Astral Weeks on repeat in the background throughout my days. This is pure expression, pure music, and it’s timeless.
Intense session with a familiar voice.
Album #23, Van Morrison, Astral Weeks, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a really difficult one to review. It’s such a unique record. I can’t think of another album that sounds like it. The closest comparison I can come up with is Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk. It feels like lightning in a bottle. If you sent Van in to record it again, I think it would come out completely different. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like pure music. It isn’t weighed down by obvious structure or form. It’s boundaryless and just spills out of the speakers. The songs feel almost improvised, like they’re being made up on the spot. At times they seem like they might fall apart, but they’re held together by Van’s voice, his lyrics, and the way he phrases things. He squeezes too many words into a line or stretches too few across a melody, and somehow it works. He pushes the songs forward. There’s momentum behind everything. The arrangements swell and shift in subtle, unexpected ways, with little melodic lines appearing and disappearing. It somehow feels both stripped back and incredibly lush at the same time, which is an impressive balance to strike. It’s a beautiful record and deserves all the praise it gets.
Unenjoyable
Why is there so much sing-talking? And not in a way like Slint’s Spiderland. Utterly forgettable 2/5
It felt like it had a lot of potential, but it was kinda talk-y with the occasional trying to reach for notes, meh. At least it wasn't that long. 2*
4.0
Like listening to a sunset
I am particularly enjoying the full spread of reviews on this one because I have held both positions on this record. My introduction to it was when I lived in a postage stamp student flat and my flatmate would blast this on Sunday mornings. I was still a fully blinkered indie kid at the time and I raged through my hangover at the weebly floaty jazzy nonsense of it all. I don't know when it clicked for me but it was definitely years after all that. Now I think it is pure unfathomable magical alchemy.
Weird that I didn’t like this that much
don't attack me but this feels like a b-version of Pink Moon. 8/10.
Good but just not sure
Slum plate for en rolig søndag.
mid
An early, important album. 50+ years later, he's still relevant.
Never get tired of the Celtic Godfather of Soul’s singing and music. Too bad he went insane during Covid.
I really hated everything about this. Boring bland music. If this album is something I need to hear before i die I might as well be dead.
Didn't grab me in the slightly. Could also be because I just finished a red eye flight.
I didn't get quite as engaged by it as I did with his live album but it's still a pleasing album to listen to, he has a unique and substantial feel to his music I'll look forward to seeing how Moondance compares to the rest
I’ve enjoyed this album for years, ever since I first heard it. I have yet to hear anything else from Van Morrison that has come close. So many oddities in here, across all the instruments. No idea what the bass is doing at times, and it’s brilliant. Some of his phrasing is definitely unorthodox.A truly original sounding album. 5.
I will probably never be a big Van Morrison fan, but this album is better than anything I've heard from him.
As bad as I expected. Did not finish.
bruh sounds like he’s about to throw up throughout this whole album
easy
Don't think I'm a Van Morrison person. Only track I liked was The Way Young Lovers Do, the rest bored me
When it first came out I really didn't like it. Thought it a difficult listen. Hearing it now it's a little easier on the ears but I still find his vocalizations sleep inducing.
The music itself was fine but I’m not a huge fan of this dude’s voice.
A bit annoying, a lot of boring. 4/10
3/5
The more I listen to this album the more I continue to find new things I love about it.
ummmmmm
Notable Textzeile: I know you're dying, baby And I know you know it too I know you're dying And I know you know it too Every time I see you I just don't know what to do Ich bin eher bei der Panflötenmeinung. Und bei quäckige Stimme. Und zu sehr wie Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
It is OK, probably his best album. I have heard. it before and enjoyed it, but this listen I just could not get into it. Seemed kind of bland.
The way young lover do...
i think there was one song where i wasn't bored
Cool country/folk album although it all sort of ran together for me
4.5 - so so close to a 5. Van at his peak. There’s just little too much jazz flute on “Beside You” than I can handle. Other than than, it’s pure bliss.
This one is an emotional connection album for me…love it!!!
Not bad nothing exciting but lyrics are pretty cool
Gruet meg til å høre denne igjen. Elendig og masete drittplate. Takler ikke stemmen hans. Jeg vil aldri høre Van Morrison igjen. (Faen, ser nå at det er to plater til på lista)
The Way Young Lovers Do
Fuck this guy. Also, amazing album just transcendal
I like the instruments.
He's always been fantastic!
Astral Weeks - 5/5 Beside You - 3/5 Sweet Thing - 5/5 Cyprus Avenue - 4/5 The Way Young Lovers Do - 5/5 Madame George - 5/5 Ballerina - 3/5 Slim Slow Slider - 3/5 Average score: 4.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ these tracks could stand to be at least a couple minutes shorter, if not more. once you pass the 4-5 minute mark it's a whole lot of hootin and hollerin aside from that, i suppose there are some gems here
I generally like Van Morrison, but I don't understand the love for this album. It's boring and most of the singing sounds like it was inspired by a doctor putting a tongue depressed in his mouth.
I'm not really a huge fan of Morrison's voice. Sweet Thing is the standout track here; the rest is a little samey.
Not quite my van Morrison
Really nice listen. Jazzy folky classical and blues
It's pretty dark, but the music is interesting. I don't like the vocals.
Titlte track is such a great song
This is a pretty remarkable album. If you know, you know. There are times when it sounds like all the musicians are playing different songs at the same time but I wouldn’t change a thing. Not my favourite VM album but I love it all the same. Several songs on this make me cry. Ireland forever. Best: Sweet Thing is a perfect song Worst: Beside You is an absolute rabble
I managed to miss most of the album the first time I listened. I don't blame this entirely on the album, I was preoccupied, but it does say something to me that nothing really caught my attention during that time. It just lacks any kind of bite tbh. Like if you went fishing for me, and this was your bait, you would go home empty-handed.
I listened to this album first thing in the morning at my desk, struggling not to doze off. To put my thoughts bluntly, this is the least exciting album I've encountered so far on this list. My only knowledge of Van Morrison prior to this was Brown Eyed Girl, and I found myself craving some of that higher energy throughout this album. While I can appreciate that this project is more contemplative, the instrumentation tends to feel a little toothless and flat. A lot of the songs tend to flow together in a way that feels a little repetitive and hard to parse; there are some songs and moments which stick out, but much of this album becomes difficult to distinguish for me. I also don't know how much I feel like Van Morrison's voice fits this slower, more ethereal pace; there's definitely a groove here with this album, but it's not one I particularly feel that strongly. Highlights: Beside You, Slim Slow Slider
it all blended tg ngl
Love this man’s voice but was boring white guy stuff tbh
this is a very high 3... but it ain't a 4
This was ok, I like VMs iconic voice. That said, this is not his best work. Not sure why they picked this Album. Reluctantly rounding up but this is truly middle of the road. 2.5/5
This being called an album is a stretch. More like an improvised moaning stream of consciousness. Yes Van the Man has a unique voice and way of “singing”, but with very little song structure and even less melody, it made for a pretty forced listen. Props to the session players hired to try and follow this rambling.
Bonus points for not including all the Van Morrison songs you know, and a point deduction for flute usage. I actually really like a handful of songs on here, and am definitely between ratings. Going with the higher of the two because I just enjoyed this vibe today.
I wanted to like this. Great rock voice and some decent songs. But this was a bit over sung and felt directionless. Madame George scared the bejesus out of me in the beginning when he came in. There was also a part in that song and others that was just weird repetition. 2.5 but I’ll round up because there are moments of vocal greatness.
I mean, it's good...but it's no Brown Eyed Girl. LOL 3.25/5
I tried. Really, I did. I knew going in that I'm not the biggest fan of Van Morrison, but 125 albums in I have genuinely become more open minded in my musical listening. The first 30 seconds of the first song were going pretty well, too - trying to digest the lyrics, appreciating a nice melody. After about 5 minutes (of this 7 minute long song) I realized...the music hasn't changed. We're getting the same short chord progression over, and over, and over. And I can't take the constipated singing any longer. And the lyrics don't resonate with me at all. So this ended up being a tortuous voyage through Van Morrison's navel gazing. And to be fair, I don't feel too bad. After all, COVID unleashed Van Morrison's inner conspiracy theorist identity, including putting out an album decrying all the ways he is being oppressed - including by Jews. Once a pos, always a pos I suppose.
I have to be in a certain mode to listen to this I think. Its not bad but I wasn't really feeling it today.
danceable, cool vibes, so fun
Great album - lovely acoustic ballads.
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks It's gonna be a good Saturday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I hate reviews that do this, but why does every song sound the fucking same. Holy shit. This is supposed to be one of the best albums of all time and it’s so samey and annoying.
Enjoyable but unmemorable for the most part
Absolutely wacky vocals most of the time, but I enjoy the fusion of all these genres.
This is a really good album, but I wish I liked it more than I do. I think I couldn’t stop comparing it to Moondance, which is a definitely superior album. This is fairly solid as well, but in several spots it felt like he was doing some form of self-styled scat. And sometimes the song just wouldn’t end, like Madame George. Fortunately, Van Morrison has a pleasant enough voice that I still liked listening to him, even if I was mostly over the song. The strings were fantastic, also.
I like my Van the Man records with a bit more pep, a little less wet than this one. He's good, but he's done better!
Mixed feelings, I really like some of the guitar work and musicianship, but sometimes felt a bit detached/disengaged.
Meh
Sorry to my man Van Morrison but this don’t work for me
This album had some good songwriting and songwriting moments.
I just can’t bring myself to enjoy the singer’s whiny voice. It sounds like a never-ending "boo hoo, not all men" rant set to music, which unsurprisingly matches the singer’s reportedly abusive behavior.
乐器很轻盈，人声在有的歌里好不搭
Twas ok
unreal good
PIPES!! Man’s got pipes. Bit of same-song too tho. I did not find this album matched its reputation. Dos estrellas
Ok, das nimmt mich irgendwie mit, auch wenn alles auch irgendwie peinlich klingt. OG whitest boy alive?
Panflöten.
The Way Young Lovers Do --> 👌 Verbindung von Bläsern, mit Stimme und Gitarre mag ich. Überraschungshit
Una obra maestra. Honestamente, prefiero Moondance, que lo he escuchado muchísimo más. Pero no quita para alabra la calidad de este, más centrado en el jazz (el incomprendido Common One del 80 se abriría áun más) que Moondance pero igualmente genial. Su influencia es enorme: desde Bruce hasta cualquier solista posterior a Morrison. Conocido su mal carácter y la dificultad de trabajar con él, centrémonos en las canciones: Astral weeks es fabulosa, sencilla y es lo mejor. Lejos de artificios y sobreproducciones, su interpretación es magistral. Tiene cierto aire a otra de sus mejores canciones Listen to the lion, del Saint Dominic's Preview del 72. Beside you es aún más simple. Sweet thing emociona desde la primera nota, de mis favoritas. Cypruss Avenue sigue por esos mismos parámetros hacia un final extraordinario, por cierto es una calle de su barrio. The way young lovers do podría estar en Moondance o en el Forever changes de Love... fabuloso tema. No puede no gustarte. Madame George es otro clásico. El final con Ballerina y Slim Slow Slider es un cierre digno del resto. 5/5
alsof je op een kat zijn staart staat en blijft staan...
gut
5'5" Irish garden gnome who needs to ease up on the vowels
3.5/5
seine Stimme gefällt mir persönlich nicht so und die Lieder sind jetzt auch nicht besonders spannend
didn’t even have Tupelo honey
I wouldn't listen to the whole album but I added one song to the playlist called beside you,very chill vibes and I like that.This guy has better songs on his discography than this album
Who let bro sing in these songs that all I have to say
jesus fucking christ first song hes making noises i didnt think could be made elijah on the front cover too i already knew i was in for a ride nearly added the way young lovers do but i cant stand the way he speaks 0/8
Wel oke
All the songs are just Van Morrison singing randomly with pretty much no sense of melody. I guess I didn’t hate the flute and acoustic guitar backing. Those songs did not need to be that long.
oh boy, that soothing folk stuff got on my nerves quickly although there's technically nothing wrong with it...
Sounds like someone doing a parody of Van Morrison.
Interesting range of influences
60talets bästa album om man frågar mig och det gör man ju faktiskt här.Här handlar 60talet inte om singlar, Astral weeks är ett album i dess rätta bemärkelse, sammanhållet och helheten större än summan av delarna. Van tar den keltiska trubadurtradition och gifter den med soulens känslighet och deltabluesens smärta för att sedan svepa in allt i en dimma av nostalgi och peace-love&understanding. Musiken är komplex och ändlöst facsinerande, i jämförelse med Moondance är den krävande, men samtidigt lätt nästan flyktig. Som Fredrik skrev om Bowie "nästan större än musik", det tycker jag passar utmärkt även här. Myten säger att buttermannen inte pratade med musikerna under inspelningen, ett gäng etablerade jazzrävar. Han ska ha kommit till studion sagt "spela vad ni vill" för att sen isolera sig i sångbåset med en ackustisk gitarr resten av inspelningstiden. Inspelningstiden ja, 48 studiotimmar ska Astral weeks tagit, häpnadsväckande för så komplext och texttungt album. Det är väl ungefär vad Radiohead lägger på introt till en låt.Om Dylan kunde få Nobelpriset så borde fan Van också kunna få det. Det uppmärksammans alltför sällsynt vilken fantastisk textförfattare han är. Storytellingen på Astral weeks är galet bra, poetiskt iaktagande med fullständig närvaro. "Cyprus Avenue" och "Madame George" är ju Marcel Prousts "På spaning..." förklädd till keltisk hippiesoul. Den som inte blir fängslad av dem kan knappast vara människa. När sen Van sjunger låtarna med sån total inlevelse rakt ur hjärtat är det faktiskt ingen som kan mäta sig och det är omöjligt att inte bli berörd. Det är få skivor jag gråtit till lika ofta som AW (så även den genomlyssningsrunda). Någonstans halvvägs genom "Beside you" rör den vid en nerv hos mig som kan dra igång kranen och har jag börjat där då lipar sporadiskt genom hela skivan. En fullständig kuturupplevelse för hela själen
Kan inte någon knäcka den där jävla flöjten mitt itu? Här finns en bra låt och det är The way young lovers do. I övrigt är det ett evigt flöjtande, fiolande och gnolande i låtar utan slut. På Moondance, som kommer fyra år senare, har Van Morrison fått styr på grejerna och levererar sånger med början och slut och däremellan riktiga melodier. Men här finns än så länge bara embryon till detta.
Astral weeks är lite som schweinshaxe. Fläsklägg, surkål, potatispuré. Var för sig helt okej. Men tillsammans! Vilken upplevelse för smaklökarna! Lite folkmusiksgitarrplock, några flöjter, violin. Trumma? Nej, det räcker med maracas. Det här borde inte vara nått att ha. Ändå, helt fantastiskt. Van the Man har så mycket soul att Ringhals hade kunnat ersättas rakt av. AW är å ena sidan verkligen ett sammanhållet album, å andra sidan var för sig en samling fantastiska sånger. Inte minst inledande titelspåret, Sweet thing (kompet med high hat och ståbas, jösses!), jazziga The Way Young Lovers Do, och Cyprus Avenue. Hysénklass!
Bilden på Van Morrison på omslaget är lite suddig, ofokuserad. Och det är lite så det låter också. Astral Weeks, Sweet Thing och The Way Young Lovers Do håller hög klass medan resterande låtar mer är ändlösa jam-sessions som aldrig leder någon vart. Dryga 20 år gammal låter han redan som en gammal gubbe. Jag gillar det jazziga soundet. Det är bra men inte fantastiskt.
Sublime album, very easy on the ears. Great lyrics and lyricist!
3 - deservedly on this list
I love Moondance. Not so sure about this one.
3/5 I’m a van/fan of Morrison. The album is easy going and simple and I like it. Nothing too special but just okay. Maybe not a must listen.
It’s good, I appreciate this one as a whole package. I think Van Morrison is for someone, but this doesn’t grip me the same way similar music does, but I could listen to the album as a whole if it was on. 3 stars
Really close to a 5
Completely tolerable but nothing special
Yes please.
This was the first one I really struggled through. I don’t like Van Morrison.
той самий альбом, який звучить як скриплячі двері шафи
Not much to say. Just a little too boring and a little too long. Another mediocre folk album.
I don't really have much to offer here. Can't see a time when I would actively reach for this. Not terrible, but the tracks seem a bit drawn out. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ 50% Revisit ❌️ Default ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 194 Already owned : 44 Purchased : 8 To buy list : 4 Nope : 138
3,2/5
Vaguly folk-y, jazz-y and messy scat type vocals. On more than one occasion I felt like there were two asynchronous melodies playing at the same time. Which I didn't enjoy, considering the overall feel of this album is easy listening. My lasting memory of this album is me thinking 'Is this the same track?' Could be improved by taking between 1 to 2 minutes off every track. As that time is mostly just noodling anyway. Not for me.
Just beautiful
Note just listening to music, but being invited into a dream universe of sound and voice. Not easy listening, but beautiful nonetheless.
The voice makes this album. Morrison’s vocals are soulful and emotive, adding weight to the chilled out grooves and melodies that flow through the record. It's not fully blown me away but it was a very enjoyable listen, made even more impressive by the solid production for the 60s. A strong 7/10 or light 8/10 for me.
I was told this album was the best Van Morrison album and was hoping to have my mind blown, but it ended up sounding like every other Van Morrison song and nothing stood out
His voice is just bad, right?
Not quite my tempo
I was very impressed by this album. I know Van Morrison, of course, and know he is more than "Brown Eyed Girl," but I still have never listened to this album all the way through. The psychedelic and open, expansive nature is what surprised me the most, but I think it works and is beautiful and very smart, if not genius, especially for 1968. It doesn't fall off into some druggy trip but stays focused and feels composted with intent.
Payin' Dues er bedre.
Not for me. Oops.
Nasal, warbled, hippy-dippy lyrics ("the dynamo of your smile caressed the barefoot virgin child to wander" FUCK OFF) sung over music provided by a crack selection of jazz musicians (bassist Richard Davis, drummer Connie Kay, guitarist Jay Berliner, flautist John Payne and percussionist Warren Smith, Jr.). Unfortunately, they don't sound much like jazz musicians on any of these songs except on "The Way Young Lovers Do" (easily my favorite song on here). It would have been great to get an actual jazz album out of this group without Morrison, but they are mostly confined to playing lilting, meandering, folk-ish background music to some truly terrible, self-indulgent singing. Morrison clearly loved the sound of his own voice and could stretch a single sentence over twenty miles of audiotape. Even Richard Cohen's sleepy, quarter-time singing is better than this. The (mostly-improvised) backing music is impressive, and there's one good song, which saves this from one star, but on the whole, this is an easy pass for me.
Shit, den var fin! Hvorfor har jeg aldri lyttet til ha før?
Hørt på 03.01.25, mens æ drakk masse kaffe. Sykt fin folkemusikk. Perfekt bakgrunnmusikk for en kaffekopp.
Hørt på tur rundt Prestvannet med Guri 3/01/26
Didn't connect with the lyrics but I enjoyed the flow and musicality a lot
If this album is any indication of how the new year will go, it looks like I'm going to have a painstakingly boring year. Favorite Track: "Astral Weeks".
The epitome of "Boomer Music."
Astral Weeks is an album built almost entirely on mood and flow rather than structure or hooks. It drifts from song to song in a loose, impressionistic way, favouring atmosphere over definition. The instrumentation is subtle and fluid, and the arrangements feel more like jazz sketches than traditional folk or rock compositions, which gives the album a distinctive, hazy identity. That approach is both its strength and its weakness. The album maintains a consistent tone throughout, but that consistency often turns into monotony. Songs bleed into one another with very little contrast, and the lack of clear melodic anchors makes individual tracks hard to distinguish once the record is over. Van Morrison’s vocal delivery is expressive and committed, but the abstract imagery and freeform phrasing rarely crystallise into moments that truly land. In the end, Astral Weeks feels more like an aesthetic experience than a compelling album journey. It is tasteful, influential, and undeniably well played, but it asks a lot of patience while offering limited payoff.
Great to get to a true classic that I haven’t heard yet. This really is a beautiful album. I’m entranced by the way he sings these songs with a lot of room to just stretch and vocalise however way he feels. Maybe after a while it starts sounding a bit same-y but there’s no denying his distinct voice and talent at emoting through these songs. Definitely need to hear some more albums from him!
The music itself isn't too bad, but those vocals... JFC.
Pretty alright I’ve grown up listening too Van Morrisons “classics” and I’ve never heard anything on this album but his voice is a little annoying but I do like the use of string instruments. 6.4/10
Tiesin Van Morrisonin nimeltä, mutta musiikkinsa on jäänyt pimentoon. Tämä levy oli materiaaliltaan tasapaksuhko ja hitit puuttui. Parasta oli akustisuus ja Van Morrisonin karhea laulusoundi. Siitä tykkäsin.
Classic.
Every instrument used in this jazzy rock album. 6/5
I remember buying this on CD with a Circuity City gift card when I was about 26. Which would suggest I know this album better than I do. It starts out very strong and then kind of fades into what feels like an endless, undifferentiated vibe towards the end. Five stars for the first half, 3 for the second.
None of the songs I’m familiar work from Van Morrison. I’m the sicko who actually likes his voice. Enjoyed it for what it was though I doubt I’ll ever conscientiously come back to it. 3.5/5
There are good songs. However I ain't listening to 9 minutes of folk. 4/5
Was not a fan of this album
Considering how much I love Moondance I was surprised by how much I DIDNT like this one. His voice is meandering and borders on grating
Pretty nice vibes but prolly not gonna listen to again :)
Very pleasant stuff
man can i be so for real right now ........ i just dont see it at all, i dont get it in the slightest bit and think he actually just sucks ass and the only interesting thing on the album is the celtic folk elements
Surprisingly this one falls flat for me. I love Moondance but the pace of this is too slow and Van Morrison’s wailing doesn’t strike the same as it will there. Maybe with more listens it will grow, but after 10 years of having it on vinyl I would never pull this one out to play if not prompted.
The songs are actually pretty good, but I can’t stand his voice.
Hypnotic lyrics with lovely instrumentation. Unfortunate he is such a shitty guy.
'If I ventured in the slipstream / Between the viaducts of your dream.' I've heard that opening refrain n+1 times, and it always means the same thing, which is that, for me, there is no album that matters quite as much. It has no real genre, but I'd say in the realm of 'rock,' the only record that comes close is Marquee Moon, but I heard this first, and there it remains. I'd have to go to pre-60s music - Armstrong and Monk, Patsy Cline and Ray Charles - to find a sound as revelatory. The track I initially heard was 'Sweet Thing.' Then it was 'The Way Young Lovers Do,' the song that most resembles the style he'd go for on Moondance. From there, it was everything. I can't, in the end, analyze Astral Weeks. I can merely say that it's taught me to love.
Some very cool stuff but also odd
It's not as perfect as Moondance, but any album with "Astral Weeks", "Sweet Thing" and "Madame George" is going to be a classic.
A classic album that really polarises people. It’s either a drunk rambling in a faux accent or a transcendent road trip album. I’m with the latter.
8 / 10
p154. 1968. 2 stars. Fine lyrics and voice, let down by below par songs. Go on, whistle the melody to anything on this after one listen. See what I mean? And no-one needs multiple 6+ minute songs.
Otro más de este sujeto? No está mal, pero no da para tener otro disco en la lista.
Acoustic storytelling
Folky, bluesy, psychy and somehow never boring. His voice grates after a while but never too much for this to not be a great album.
E Salbi für mis Trommelfell. Aber wer brucht hützutags no Salbene? simmer 13i? Allgemein chli z herzig und z lieb für min Geschmack und den dezwüsche Lieder wo mi biz zfest gestresst hend für de hüttig mood. Sorry Morri. 2 ich-freu-mi-sehr-fest-uf-baldigi-Ferie für dich
Sooodeli. Isch gmüetlich, isch fun. Aber halt chli 60er einheitsbrei. Darum 3 wuche
An all-time favourite
Just confirming my thoughts that I find Van Morrison boring.
I really dislike his singing style. He's certainly pretty talented, and the arrangements are great, but his hit-the-beat-every-once-in-a-while cadence while overemphasizing certain words in a half shout/half groan just grinds my gears. I can't imagine any scenario in which I'd want to put this album on.
his voice is annoying, songs have no structure or memorable melodies, and are also waaaaaay too long - an astonishigly boring album
Just a solid all around record. Well produced and recorded and pretty iconic.
163/1001 Van Morrison - Astral Weeks Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ I love how each song seemingly flows into the other with Morrison's stream of consciousness running over the top of the music. There's blues and jazz infusions in the folk rock on this, which make it such an interesting listen. Sure, it's not perfect, but a great album.
Special
Van Morrison has never been an artist I sought out - it was a little too old-timey folksy for my tastes, so I knew his hits but not much else. Putting on this album, really highlights his artistic sense—and his band he built up over time, between acoustic sessions, flute accompaniment—that made this whole album enjoyable. Reading about it, it sounds like this was his push to explore musically: reading it described as "a concept album" fits. I'm still not a "fan" overall, but it's a solid album to throw on and relax to.
This is some meandering ass shit. I have yet to hear a distinguishable verse chorus verse structure. I like Van Morrison sometimes. But he can be butt puckeringly cheesy or overly unfocused at times. And this feels like the latter. I challenge anyone to try to distinguish songs from each other after one listen.
It’s very soft and relaxing music, but all sounds very much alike. He has a unique and passionate voice, but I just can’t get excited about anything here. 3
I like this, but I didn't love it...
He was emoting and delivering songs with a lot angst. It was good, but I didn't get into that intensity for the full 47 minutes. Sweet Thing is a beautiful song, and I was pleasantly surprised by The Way Young Lovers Do. "And I will walk and talk in gardens all wet with rain"
I thought some of the songs were a little long, but amazing vocals and guitar as usual from Morrison.
Always impressed no matter what he does
Listening to this after Dexys Midnight Runners makes Morrison sound like the voice of an angel. I do like his voice but this album rambles too much. It's just too rambly with no point it feels like, and this makes it drag in places, especially "Madame George". Overall it sounds nice but that's kinda it for me.
I love some Van Morrison but don't find this to be one of his strongest albums. it's good-he's always had his own style/vibe, just not as focused as several others
I listened to a 100 minute podcast episode about this album/title track and it did nothing to make me interested in Van Morrison. Neither did listening to this album. Why does he sing like that? Why are the songs so long?
***An ok album, easy listening
Sometimes I grab my acoustic, pick a key, and just improvise I-IV-V songs for 10 minutes at a time, saying very little, but singing passionately as ever. Now, I tend to do this alone, because as fun as it is to do, it would be excruciating for an outside listener. Someone should have told Van Morrison to keep his bedroom noodling to himself when “writing” Astral Weeks. This album sounds much more fun to make than to listen to.
Not even one song is markeble, it makes no diference or impact to the listener. Seens just like something to ignore, its really bad.
More mellow than I expected ?? Idk what my expectations were tbh but I liked it
One of the best ever
it’s alright. had a nice airy feel to it but a lot of the songs were boring. didn’t capture my interest too much
Beautiful album. I haven’t taken it all in yet. One I feel will go up ratings wise the more I listen.
This album is one of my all time favorites as well as the artist. It’s a 10/10. It’s absolute poetry. Always a strong sense of longing and melancholy every single time I listen to this album.
I know this is critically acclaimed but I don’t find it all that great.
Heard some songs from it before. He kind of sounds like Mick Jagger if he suddenly started doing folk music. Honestly, not that great 2/5
vocals were atrocious oh my days. lowkey unlistenable. instrumentals were nice i liked the flute at one point buttttt this was bad
Vibing heavily with the Spanish guitar sound in “Beside You”. Feel like I’m running/twirling through a field of tall grass with his tunes. Overall very good but just not my personal favorite!
I really like it when he’s not shouting like a drunk old man. Unfortunately he does that quite a lot. The instrumentals are beautiful
Genre: Chamber Folk (Singer/Songwriter) Folk and I have a love/hate relationship. Most of the time, I feel like I should love most of this shit, but I end up not loving it at all. This was in between. Van Morrison’s voice is so distinct/hearty that it brings a lot of these tunes to a better place, but overall it’s pretty tepid musically, even though I’m sure it scratches the itch for a lot of folks out there. Not bad. 3/5
Apparently this is a "classic album" I have given it many listens over years and I still do not like it.
Every soft song on this album sounded the same to me, granted it was a pretty good song. "The Way Young Lovers Do" was solid, I wish there were more like that on here.
If I could give this negative stars I would
I've never listened to this album (64). Pretty good, but I prefer when Van grooves a bit more.
this was a rough listen, very grating
Cool, great album, can’t deny it. God, he sucks.
Found this to be very mediocre and samey
This just sounds like what you'd think a Van Morrison album sounds like. I know he's supposed to be the big great Irish artist, but frankly I don't really get it.
Old but nice. The cats liked this when I hummed with it
I've listened to a lot of Van Morrison because Jenny really likes him. While I don't mind him, I have trouble distinguishing between one song and the next, except for the "hits," I guess. Like . . . nothing stands out in any way. This album - which I may or may not have heard before - follows that pattern. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Not for me. Though it's better than Moondance by a long shot.
I’m a big fan of this record. I appreciate the jazz freak folk soul mashup that really pushed the limits of soul music. It’s very organic music to me, and many props to his band on this record, especially the bassist, Richard Davis. A lot of great songs but the buildup in Madame George to the crescendo at 3:35 is probably my favorite part. His phrasing at the climax is just incredible, even if he’s a giant asshole.
Rounding up from 3.5. Maybe influenced because I know this is regarded as great. Also, there’s a batshit organized-crime story behind its recording. Anyway, this would be really good to listen to by the fire with a glass of whiskey.
5/5 - This music exists out of time and place for me. I first heard it in high school and have relistened now and then over the years. The whole sound of it is unlike anything else. Sweet Thing, Madame George, Astral Weeks are all great. I’m thankful this exists.
Great album
Not bad
I thought Van would need to work pretty hard to make me give anything under a 4, but, fair play to him, he managed it.
Thought the previous VM album was better. Perhaps should have given that a 4. Whatever.
Nascent
Not a fan. Sounds like the 60s.
no
Too slow Almost fell asleep
I've been waiting for this to come up. This is the hill I will die on. This is the most overrated album ever, bar none. I'm talking full-on emperor's new clothes here. I've tried, and tried, and tried again and again (isn't that one of his lyrics? probably) to understand exactly what has made this top so many people's "best of" lists. Dull music, dull melodies, uninteresting and repetitive in every conceivable facet. Every vocal line just follows the same couple of musical intervals - he's just doing the melodic thing in every track, which usually involves repeating the word "baby" until he runs out of breath. Or "sweet". Or every other lyric, to be honest. "Way up on, way up on Way up on, way up on, way up on Way up on, way up on, way up on Way up on, way up on, way up on Way up on To the avenue of trees" Bollocks. Don't waste my time trying to tell me the lyrics are poetry. I get that repetition can be used as a device, fine, but half of this sounds like he is just improvising on the fly and repeating stuff to pad out a few bars. Things improve slightly on the tracks where a full backing band bothered to turn up. Very slightly. Nope, I cannot imagine a greater chasm separating the general consensus on an album and my own personal experience of that album. Sorry, not sorry.
Yeah I get it: It's semi improvised, free form pop became a incidental classic etc blah blah. But seriously folks, it's boring, meandering and his voice is annoying. A young man in his 20s sounding like a grumpy old man, harping onabout fuck knows what. Critics favourite, my arse.
Utter shite
I'm not a fan of Van for a whole load of reasons, including his music. Somehow this doesn't seem quite as annoying as the other albums I've heard, but I still don't like it much
More Morrison innit?
Pleasant enough.
beast
I didn’t get to listen to it
This does not feel finished. Something about the incessant shaking and the half open guitar strumming on the first track made it absolutely claustrophobic. There's just non-music everywhere, and it's 10 layers deep. The rest of the album is somewhat better, but why does every single miserable track include a god forsaken recorder of all things? Who enjoys that?
Van Morrison is so good. This would be a 5 if I weren't comparing him to himself.
It's a lyrically beautiful album. Like a passionate summer romance. If there was a bit of pop in there, it would be perfect.
Favorite Track: Astral Weeks
it was pretty good
8/10 - really enjoyed this, more so than Moondance
The music on this is actually kind of cool but I just find Morrison’s voice grating. Pretty sure Mark Lanegan loved this record.
Good use of background instrumentals
Never understood the fuss. But sure, it’s fine.
I enjoyed this playing in the background while working. I know I missed any depth, but the vibes were fit for a relatively productive afternoon.