Astral Weeks

I've only heard of a few Van Morrison tracks before. And been meaning to check some more of his stuff out. Nothing really grabbed me on here though

Neutralne 3/5

Boring except for The Way Young Lovers Do which is pretty good.

i will never grow so old again

I’m not a big VM fan. But I recognize his voice and his music are viewed as sacred for many people. So 3 stars from me.

Enjoyed that. 3

The songs are good, but too long and I hate his voice. Good use of more traditional instruments like violins, double bass, and I think I heard a bassoon somewhere. Favorite song: Sweet thing.

Solid 70's

This is kinda interesting.. certainly for an ostensibly folky/singer-songwriter album, he was willing to experiment with less structured songs that are longer and more rambling than we might usually expect. Some nice instrumentation dripped in which gives it a lovely layered, but still folky, sound. I also like Van's vocals on this, he really is soulful at times I will stick with 3* because I find the long tracks a bit dull and sometimes it feels like they don't go anywhere, which made me a bit bored

This album was just OK. It took me a while to warm up to it. I enjoy a little Van Morrison but I'd pass this one up for Moondance any day.

Not the biggest flute guy

Tricky one to rate. Didn't like it at first but once you get used to his vocal style, the songs are very good. Reminds me of Bob Dylan. Fav tracks: Sweet Thing, Young Lovers, Madame George

Some very high highs

I do like him. This was just average for me.

Decent. The softer instrumentals in the background give dimension to singing and lyrics that can sometimes feel unfinished. Liked it but not over the moon

This is some real mellow Van Morrison and all their stuff is pretty chill. There really wasn’t anything that stood out but I do like Van Morrison.

2.5/5 liked the instrumental, was annoyed by the voice

El uso de violín, flauta de pan, guitarra acústica, entre otros instrumentos poco comunes, así como su voz característica hacen canciones bonitas en ejecución y melodiosas, muy calmantes. Pero, que largas son, son eternas. En mi opinión, el disco entero es la misma canción repetida. Hay poca variación en la melodia, ritmo y ejecución.

3.3/5 Best Track: Astral Weeks

La voix de Van Morrison m’a lassée à la longue; j’avais l’impression qu’elle exprimait un sentiment d’urgence parfois disproportionné et peu nuancé

Bien.

I'm white, but all I can think about when I listen to Van Morrison is how much it just sounds like music for white people. I don't mind Van Morrison, but his singing style starts to grate on me after a couple of songs. This sounded like one long song to me.

I’m not the biggest Van Morrison fan, but I can see why this album has become the classic that it is. At first listen I was lost, but once I got to Madame George (a beautiful song) I finally had the key that helped open up the album for me. Definitely need to hear it again.

Als ich gestern die Seite geöffnet habe, hatte ich bei dem Albumcover erstmal ein wenig Angst, was mich da erwartet.. Aber so täuscht man sich, das Album war am Morgen so gut, um in den Arbeitstag zu starten. Bin nach meinem dritten grippalen Infekt (oder Corona) in drei Monaten immer noch etwas matschig und saß irgendwie halb zerstört am Schreibtisch. Meine Laune hat sich aber deutlich gebessert nach diesem chilligen Einstieg. Trotzdem ist mir nichts besonders im Kopf geblieben, was ja aber auch nicht immer unbedingt sein muss, als Gesamtwerk gefiel es mir jedenfalls.

It's all right. Seemed a bit meandering.

I understand the story telling but this is unnecessarily long. The music is nice and it does have soul.

Judging by his more popular tunes, I thought I would enjoy this Van Morrison album more. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either.

Love moondance but astral weeks is a little slow

The instrumental on “The Way Young Lovers Do”??? Absolutely insane in an album where the rest of the songs sound the same/simplistic in comparison. Also, am I crazy or does he venture into Muppets territory with his voice at some points. Fav: The Way Young Lovers Do/Slim Slow Slider Least Fav: eh

i really love Van Morrison but I found this to be more of a chore, not bad, but not great. great singer/songwriter but tghis album left me wanting.

Eh sometimes I like Van Morrison and sometimes his voice grates. Tonight was grating.

Like later Morrison albums more

I’m indifferent on this.

Hieman samaa kuin Songs of Leonard Cohenissa: aloittelun, luonnostelun tuntua, vaikka eheä levy onkin ja sinänsä hyvät biisit. Ei meinaa jäädä mieleen, kun jokainen biisi muistuttaa toistaan, on kuin samasta aihiosta. Mut kiva ajan tunnelma.

sin duda un album lleno de sonidos familiares como el blues y el jazz con una mescla envolvente de setntimientos como el amor y el odio.

Honestly, after first song i want to drop this album, but after 2 songs it starts to grow on me at the point, that i listened to it 3 times, maybe in the future this album would be 5/5, but for now 3/5

Considering this follows his commercial success I can see it being a true departure and therefore visionary. But is this a sophomore slump? I don’t really think so but it is independently viewed in his catalog and that can make it hard to be fully objective. Produced well. A bit singular. 3.33/5

Terrible person, album was okay

Fav song: the way young lovers do

Ok

good Van is really good Van. this seems more jazzy than what i know him for, but i enjoyed it

I didnt realise this all dates back to the 1960s. It also sounds like it could be intimate, soft soothing, and comforting etc. and his lyrics reveal some vulnerability. the guitars and flute offer delicate counterpoints to this raw and unique vocals. Alas, while acknowledging it has merit, I cant hear it with a 60's ear, or tell you those special moments where he was the soundtrack for my life, where his music was alive a brave and spoke to me, because the Wonder Years, while wonderful, arent my youth. So it is wasted on me.

Here are my heretical opinions on Astral Weeks. Overall, I find this album nonsensical, vague and meandering with, little to no real focus. Van certainly projects sincerity in his stream of consciousness singing, but the lyrics can be described as "impressionistic" at best, and he seems to be singing the same tune fragments over and over. It works in an ambient kind of way. Beside You is probably the most egregious example of this on the record. Madame George and The Way Young Lovers Do are the best formed songs on the record, and stand out as a result. I know Van didn't like the string arrangements, but often the string arrangements actually provide some structure to the songs. I know that many people love this album, and I love the Jeff Buckley version of The Way Young Lovers Do on his Live at Sin-e ep. And Van's improvisational approach to singing was clearly a big influence on young Jeff, so that is a good thing. Look, the record is pleasantly listenable (if you don't pay too much close attention), but I don't love it. I'm glad that I have given it some good close attention, as it highly rated by many. But it really ain't for me.

I like what I hear, but I wish some of the songs were a little shorter. I think Van Morrison really perfected what he was trying to do with his next album, Moondance.

Re-listen. I definitely prefer this one over Moondance.

Heard of artist, not album. Is alright, not bad but nothing special either. Apparently Rock from 1968, doesn’t really sound like it. 3/5 at the moment.

A little too late-60s scattered for my liking. For a record that's only 47 minutes long, it seemed to play for an hour and a half.

Good, but kinda somber and introspective.

This is a bit boring, decent dinner party music but not a lot beyond that really. Title track is decent, Sweet Thing also good, but not showstoppers, and the rest fades into the background very easily. Squeaks a 3 on the strength of the two highlights.

Van Morrison has one of coolest and most distinctive voices in Rock 'n' Roll. This album is super mellow and the music is pretty stripped down. I don’t think the songs do him justice but his vocals are pretty great nevertheless.

Interesting stripped down album by Van. I liked the songs, but everything was a little too slow. 3/5 Might listen again

Такой странный альбом и странная музыка. Он когда начал петь в первом треке, я подумала: какой красивый голос, это предвестник Бубле! А потом чувак отлетел в космос в пространные рассуждения о люби к особе и их отношениях. Музыка в стилистике "что вижу, то и пою", без структуры, без повторяющейся мелодии - немного блеющий, варьирующийся голос. Красивый, но расхлябаный, расслабленный.. Странно, но интересно.

Bien.

en vrrrrrai ca passe

Not bad, enjoyed some of it

So conflicted on Van. Love his music, don't like his views. But that said, this is an absolute classic collection of songs.

Van morrison is an amazing artist but every song sounds like van morrison

Slow rock. Nothing special, but not bad either. Listened to it while working, so didn’t get the chance to concentrate too much on it.

Put into context this album is pretty good. However maybe I need to spend a bit more time with it as I just didn't overly enjoy it. Fave track is Cyprus Avenue. Special call out for Ballerina as when it starts I wondered whose iPhone was ringing.

Enjoyable, but I prefer their hits (I'm worried that will be my review for all 1001 ablums!)

this is interesting... it took me four days to get through and it is very good at certain points but urgh... sometimes it's just soooo annoying tbh

I understand this album is considered essential and in a way I can get it. Personally though it’s a bit too jammy for me. It feels like so many of these songs just continue on and go nowhere. Maybe it’s a me problem. Essential Track: Sweet Thing (Added to Playlist)

More introspective than what I've come to expect from Van Morrison.

Tällästä perus musaa. Ei ihmeellisen hyvä eikä ihmeellisen huono. Taustalla menee. 3/3

Decent enough

mid

Celui qui s'est fait connaître en prononçant son prénom très vite propose ici un album d'assez bonne qualité, toujours dans son style gémissant caractérstique.

J'ai bien aimé écouter Van Morrison gémir pendant de longues minutes, super style.

I don’t connect with Van’s vocals, and I find the music to be a bit astral plain.

liked it but i didnt love it. felt a little repetitive

Not my favorite van morrison album. Not bad. 3 stars

Pretty good album. Don't have too much to say about it though. I like the voice, and the whole album has good flow.

Incredibly soothing instrumentals contrasted by Van Morrison's extremely harsh voice. He voice works well at points but it's kind of tough to listen to a full album of. Overall a good album pretty much exactly a 3 rating

the A-side was excellent, "sweet thing" specifically along with the title track, but i found the b-side to be a little bit lacking. still overall quite good but i'd likely only listen to the a-side again.

I had to listen to this twice to decide what I thought of it and I'm still on the fence after two listens. One one hand it's kind of repetitive and the vocals are annoying. It also feels sometimes like the music and lyrics are strangely detached. However, I also found myself enjoying the slightly depressing sounds and the musicality of the whole thing. I wavered between a 2 and a 4, sometimes in the space of a few minutes in some of the individual tracks. I also felt myself hovering over the like button and then backing out again. I feel a 3-star rating is a bit low, but I probably won't go out of my way to listen to this again.

Sounds better late at night when you're very blazed. Apparently some of these songs were written as a stream of consciousness and it really shows.

Not my favorite Van Album. I have to be in a mood.

Loved a couple of songs on this (particularly Astral Weeks), found others to not go anywhere and get increasingly annoying (Madame George the worst of the lot). There's clearly far more to Van Morrison than brown eyed girl so in that sense I'm pleasantly surprised but not really compelled to listen to more.

Many of the songs outstay their welcome, but it does contain a couple of interesting, melancholy and melodic tracks. The Way Young Lovers Do is a bit more uptempo, and consequently a bit more memorable. Madam George is too long.

A bit too mellow for me but dang what a powerful voice that cuts through the malaise of your morning.

-van morrison is tight as hell -vibes are very good -favorites: slim slow slider -these lyrics are also really beautiful -idk if i like this enough to listen again but i’m enjoying listening to it -these older albums sincerely need to stop with the 8+ minute songs. halfway through i have checked out mentally because they have not made it interesting enough to keep the song going that long -sorry i have simply hit my limit

fadeouts... eikö osata lopettaa pistää loppua JA LOPPU NÄIN. STOP. eikö osata... noh ei haittaa..kivaa musiikkia mutta pettymystä tunnettu nimi kuitenkin oli korkealla ajatukset, pilvissä (ei hörhöillen) ajatukset vaan... tykkäsin silti, plim plom kellonkolina elementtti heh.. the way young lovers do

Not my favourite Van Morrison, but good

Not his best album.

Good production but lead singer’s voice was extremely distracting

Nice album, kind of a shame he's a dick on stage

Pleasant but a tad boring

On the one hand I really like the dreamy atmosphere van Morrison creates. Very unique sound. As a an album it becomes a bit boring

very van morrisony. it’s alright

Sorry but the wee Belfast boy, Van the Man, will never win the battle of me liking his voice. I find it a really hard ask to listen to him, and he does leave you feeling a tad depressed and melancholy after listening to this album. The album is an eclectic mix of folksy tracks with maybe a hint of jazz or blues... its hard to tell, did I mention his voice, I still can't get that out of my ears. The songs themselves are musically a progession arrangement for 1968, when music was emerging as more expressive than traditional, albeit on a number of tracks there is little synergy between the musicians and it all gets a bit clunky. But the music isnt the bad part about this album, because you just can't get away from that persistent Leeeooowwwwowowwowwahhyeah extensions he adds into way too many of the lyrics, which continually adds to the headache of his grating singing voice. So in summary, it's an album of his early work, it's eclectic, i dont know why people rave on about Van, but laterally he did go on to turn out better albums and some well known popular songs, but for me this Astral Weeks album is just middle of the road, absolutely nothing special, and pretty sure it won't get played again... unless I get depressed and want to add to my woes, then I'll play it again.

Not as popular as some other albums, but great nonetheless

Okay, very artsy and of its time

I really liked Van Morrison but I didn't find any song especially cool.

(2.5) Y a pas de quoi casser trois pattes à un canard

PREFS : Astral Weeks, Cyprus Avenue, The Way Young Lovers Do, Ballerina MOINS PREF : Beside You

I dont this this holds up. Also never been a fan of his voice

Overall an ok album however there wasn't really anything that stood out as fantastic to my ears. Best: Sweet Thing Worst: Madame George

This isn’t really my style but I can definitely say there are some cool vocal moments on this record. I really like his use of repetition, it really gives off this vibe of hunger or longing that I think he’s going for. That paired with his strained vocal makes for a super unique sound.

Sort of like alternative soul music. 3/5

Wow I actually really don't like how dramatic this is. Almost a 2 in enjoyment but it's objectively not bad... so 3 I guess but oof.

Love Van Morrison voices sounds quite haunting. Lovely short album and very much a 60s record

At times: wow, what lovely, rich, mystical sounds to daydream along to! At other times: wow, is this song *still* rambling on…? Overall I probably feel similar about this album to how I feel about Moondance. Which is to say, I enjoyed it in parts but can’t quite understand its legendary reputation.

I think "Madame George" encapsulates my feelings about this album well. It's got a nice, full sound and evocative lyrics sung in Van's unmistakeable voice, but it's too damn long. At no point in my life have I ever said "Man, you know what I'd like to do? Listen to a 10 minute-long song." (Okay, that's not entirely true; I've got a 16 minute version of "Rhapsody in Blue" that's pretty awesome, but that's the exception to the rule). On its own, sure, it's fine. But when I listen to music I listen to multiple songs (as pretty much everyone does), and I like the experience to flow. Get much longer than 5-6 minutes and things start to drag. And yet I enjoyed the song and the album, even if they overstayed their welcome a bit. Enjoyment-wise, they were both a net positive thanks to Van's lyrics and delivery. This album isn't something I'd queue up with regularity, but I threw "Sweet Thing" and "The Way Young Lovers Do" into my 1001 Albums playlist on Spotify. And yeah, "Madame George," too.

I enjoy his voice & some of his music, but this was a little on the boring side.

good background/study music

Split on this. It has atmosphere, but also a lot of wailing. To the extend that my girlfriend made me turn it off as it was pecking her head.

6/10. meh no es malo pero no me gusto tanto. aparte las letras qlas el wn repite todo dms y no me lo puedo tomar en serio. to nevanevaneva to nevavava to nevanevanveavamsjsuqbsm

Very good album, with its quiet but skillfully played instrumental background and poetic lyrics. Still, the melodies become monotonous at times and the songs are, in my opinion, too long.

Ihan kiva fiilis. Sunnuntaihin sopivaa settiä

Enjoyed it, would have given it 3.5 if I could.

Very unique singer songwriter and folk album with no real choruses, just free flowing lyrics and long run times. I think given more time with the record I will grow to like it more, but it is definitely an interesting listen.

I thought I liked early Van Morrison, before him and his music turned into a bloated wankfest, but this must be too early

Pleasant, light, but very samey (just as What's Going On is samey, but still excellent).

Not my favorite Van Morrison

Hab nachgelesen, Album wurde wohl in 3 Tagen aufgenommen. Auf jeden Fall interessant das Ding

His voice is the biggest draw back to me. It's great for one song, Ok, for a few songs, then just get's old for me after that.... Standouts: None Still, it's good music. Just like to hear someone else sing the songs! 3.5

Ett nästan banalt album, varje låt är otroligt Van Morrison. Det är inte särskilt spännande eller "kreativt". Låtarna smälter ihop på ett väldigt tråkigt sätt, det blir som en enda lång smet av okej texter och melodier.

I don't have much to say about this one but it was pretty alright. I blanked through most of it but it definitely wasn't awful. Too many of the songs were too long, though. Fave track(s): The Way Young Lovers Do

Peaceful and calming, would listen again

ничего не поняла))

Kind of a snooze. I feel like this needs to be listened to in a meadow somewhere. Nice sounding but every song sounds the same and his vocalizing gets to be a bit much.

Certainly more muted than other entries in Van Morrison's catalogue. Astral Weeks doesn't really have that Into The Mystic on Moondance or Domino on Domino-style song, but the album as a whole was fairly relaxing, which I definitely needed yesterday. Standouts: Astral Weeks, Sweet Thing

I only knew a few of Van Morrison’s hits coming into this one. This was my first time listening to this one, and it didn’t really do much at all for me. Will definitely be going back for future listens in the near future

Bonito. "Astral weeks", "Sweet thing", "The way young lovers do". No es la octava maravilla pero creo que si es un disco a escuchar.

No me convenció la voz del pibito

A few good songs does not a cunt redeem.

These songs kinda meandered along and I found them to be pleasant but forgetful (with the exception of a couple). Highlights: Sweet Thing Cyprus Avenue

Sir Ivan er eitthvað svo kósí, þrátt fyrir sína mjög sérstöku rödd og raddbeitingu. Fíla þetta.

>..<

favorite tracks - astral weeks, sweet thing least favorite tracks - beside you, ballerina Loved the fingerpicking and vocals from van. every track was 3-4 minutes too long

Pretty stereotypical acoustic based jam band. Songs too long, and don’t feel like it added much to the genre. Though probably was a bit new for it’s time.

Good, Didn't grab me.

It’s a shame that Van Morrison is a wanker these days. This record is pretty good. I feel like he was trying to pull a Tim Buckley with the jazz/classical elements to his folk rock. He pulls it off quite well. While Morrison’s voice isn’t the best, the songwriting is pretty good. There’s also a tinge of psychedelia in the overall sound of the record. But hey, it was 1968, what do you expect?

Of its time - not the best thing I've heard. Bit folk-y for me.

The album is at times marred by some unexploratory tracks that seem to drag on a bit (Madame George), as well as the relegation of many of the more interesting instrumental parts to the background of the mix. This is redeemed in part by the more experimental textures present throughout the record. A lively rhythm section (Richard Davis' bass in particular) is put to good use on higher energy tracks like 'The Way Young Lovers Do', however opportunities for them to stretch their legs are unfortunately limited. Another strong point of the record would be Morrison's abrupt and keening vocal delivery of his casual, at times motivic lyrics. Favorite Tracks: Beside You The Way Young Lovers Do Slim Slow Slider

Nothing much to say about this. Good songwriting, competent performance, but not outstanding. Nothing that is going to be added to my playlists, but nothing that I would skip if presented to me.

3, its okay.

3 Great album

It’s good but not great.

I hate Van Morrison and his music is overrated.

Nice album. Enjoyed it on my autumnal walk!

Aardig, maar veel nummers veel te langdradig

ha la voce di Mick Jagger, molto più psichedelico e arzigogolato

Was dreading when this one was going to appear. it was actually more tolerable than I was expecting.

Sounds like 1968. Bluesy acoustic guitar and flute. It's OK, I guess. I file this under "Sunday morning household chores" music. There are a lot of stories here - not unlike a Bruce Springsteen album I was forced to endure earlier in this project.

Decent enough but nothing stood out. His voice was pretty good back then.

Meh, no me gustó mucho

Decent.

definitely not something i would have picked but i really enjoyed it more than i thought i would, especially about halfway through the album :))

Can’t work out if I love this, hate it, or just think it’s mediocre. First impressions weren’t great, but I’ve listened to ‘Astral Weeks’ several times now, and what I can tell you is that it does get better and more enjoyable the more time you spend with it, although it does feel unfinished in parts. Could it ever become a desert island disc for me? Jury is still out on that one. I do love ‘Sweet Thing’ though, which is just beautiful and my favourite song on the album.

not his hits but a good album none the less. liked it.

It's a nice album but I've maybe never really been a big Van Morrison fan outside of the most popular songs

I thought the songs were nice sounding but I was confused by the lack of structure in a lot of them

One of my favorite vocalists ever, and his voice cuts through so cleanly on this album. But, this album left me kind of disappointed. Decent music, but nothing terribly interesting to me. Favorite track: Sweet Thing

Pretty good listen but some songs dragged a bit and would’ve liked more variety. Fav track: Astral Weeks

A very interesting folky-country feel. Nothing extraordinary though.

Decent - some good tunes some not as good

Lacks the genius singles of some of his other albums, but is overall a decent Van Morrison listening experience

It’s a fine piece of ‘60s folk. Like, it’s been done better…even by Morrison himself. Nonetheless it’s fine.

Album was weird starting off but finished off very strong. Was going to give it 2 stars but 3 is perfect.

Not Van Morrison's best album. Not a bad album though. I am disappointed that this is on here but Blowin' Your Mind! isn't. Decent just not anything special.

It didn't really grab me. It sounds like "here's a bunch of songs, do the Van Morrison thing to them" That's no small feat, but I found that none of the songs stuck with me like they did on other releases.

Jag gillar ändå honom. Men var är brown eyed girl? den saknade jag.

Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace for this one, but it didn't blow me away. Several of the songs were very busy musically and had a jazz feel, with Van's voice acting as more of an instrument. Maybe that was the point and I missed it.

I have it a shot but Van Morrison is still not for me

Tough record to boil down into a rating. Its greatest strength is Van Morrison insisting on defying conventions - lyrically, compositionally and structure-wise. This strength also makes the whole thing a bit inaccessible and makes you alter between a calm meditative state and frustration at the repetitiveness and runtime of the tracks. When it transports you to an entirely different state of mind, it's magnificent. I am just not able to stay there for the entirety of the record.

This album has a lot of good vibes, and the lyrics are also enjoyable. I don't know if I'm receiving too much folk and folk rock, but even with a musical style that I appreciate, I think this album was a little bit repetitive. I understand why it is part of the 1001 list, but it's not a 5-star due to the repetitiveness.

Clearly something in this album captured people’s imagination and there is something ethereal and unique in the soundscape and Morrison’s impassioned, if imperfect vocals, but I found it an elusive and slippery thing, hard to pin down and become absorbed by. Perhaps more listens are required.

Good but needed a more upbeat Van Morrison today

Nothing highly memorable about the album but I did enjoy it more than I thought. Wish I could rate with half stars, because it would be a 2.5, but I'll be generous and give it a 3/5

I honestly haven't ever really spent much time on the music of Van Morrison. Other than having the unpopular opinion of hating Brown Eyed Girl. I guess I'm going to continue to have the unpopular opinions because I kind of just tuned it out while working and hadn't realized that first off I was on track 5, and two that I thought I was still on track one. Sorry gang, he just doesn't do much for me.

Good album, but doesn't do it for me like, say, Moondance does.

Chilled out acoustic 70s.

it's good

Gave it a couple listens just so I would get the feel of this expansive psych folk release that's so coveted. I think it does have some wonderful moments, though I feel it would take some time to actually sink. Sadly I rather not give more attention to a dude that would eventually turn to a conspiracy nutjob, so I'll give it a 3.

I remember being blown away when I first heard this, but the last couple of times I've listened it's left me a bit cold. There's some beautiful stuff going on instrumentally but Van's voice is quite abrasive in places (especially on the first couple of tracks) and nothing is particularly memorable

Didn’t latch on to anything in particular but it was all decent. Maybe a 2.5

Wat komt er toch veel goeds uit Ierland. Ik was niet kapot van de plaat, maar die stem is natuurlijk geweldig.

Fine

I love the conflation in music of sex and religious experience. That album opener is like standing in a violin downpour at night. The instrumentation on track 2 is actually quite experimental, demanding the listener's ear. Then a walk in the wet garden after the downpour. If this music doesn't speak to you, it's because it doesn't speak to your heart. Because that's the only thing this album can speak to. The heart. I think this is the perfect album when you're returning home after staying out all night. I love how the harpsichord goes hard then silent then hard again. If music were an embroidered object, it would be some of these songs. This album is about turning points--when the rain gives way to clear skies, when the night gives way to the dawn--standing on the cusp of love. "Madame George" is spellbinding, the last song you listen to as the dawn comes, when you've been out all night and are dead tired but still enchanted by the memory of the stars. This is falling in love, not with a person but with an experience and a forgotten but remembered snatch of some whispered line. Here's that violin downpour again. Feel it on your face as you turn your collar up, as you turn your face toward home. This is an album detailing the life portals we must all step through, the last being death. I love that final moment of experimental dissonance. The music--like life--is over. The music is disrupted.

He's got one of the best voices in classic rock / rock / folk rock. It's so notable, distinct, and full of emotion. This album starts off with some tracks that have the music underneath his voice sort of meander around and he just kind of "does his own thing" on top. Lots of rubato and free flowing rhythms in his vocal melodies that just sit on top of the chord changes. I'm not sure if the majority of his music/songwriting is like this, but I like it. Sometimes vocalists have such good voices that they really just have the agency to do what they want on top of music without the need for things like structured repeats to enhance the catchy-ness quality of a melody, and this seems like the case with him. He can seemingly just grab a mic and go "lllluuuuuhhhhhh yeeeaaaah" and it sounds great. The one downside of this that I've seen happen is that it makes this sort of disconnect between the vocalist and the band members. I like a certain amount of homogeneity in the vocals and the music; it is just another instrument after all. I don't find it as much of a downside for Van Morrison though because I know that he is a songwriter too and not just someone who gets put on stage in front of a band and told to "do his thing". I think Steve put it well in his review of the last album on the list - (where he ironically mentioned Van Morrison- not knowing that next up on the list WAS Van Morrison lol) this is a great Sunday morning / afternoon album. Put it on while you are drinking coffee and tidying up your place, or put it on while you wait for your grill to get hot and for your friends to arrive. There won't be any objections to the music choice.

Blah

The Way Young Lovers Do är en 5:a men resten blir rätt gnälligt.

I just love Van Morrison's profound and meaningful lyrics : "Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye Dry your eye, your eye, your eye, your eye Your eye, your eye, your eye, your eye Your eye, your eye, your eye, your eye Your eye, your eye, your eye, your eye Your eye, your eye, your eye, your eye Say goodbye to Madame George And the loves that love to love that loves to love That loves to love the loves that loves to love The love that loves to love Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye"

Not bad, but not that good neither.

Finally go through this. It took me three tries. Overall it's a pleasant and creative album. Once I read that it was a stream of conscious style concept album the repetitiveness made sense. But I can't see myself putting it on and just listening to it or having it as background music. Hence my low rating. It truly is just too repetitive. The one song that made me sit up and listen was The Way Young Lovers Do which is excellent, and I imagine in my head that Stufjan Stevens listened to this album and it inspired the band in Illinois.

pleasant, classic vocals

Eh, I got kinda bored halfway though, it's not bad

Il m'a fallu quelques écoutes et la lecture de l'article de Wikipédia pour comprendre l'intérêt de cet album (que je connaissais déjà pourtant). Le processus créatif auquel ont pris part des musiciens de jazz lancés sans trop d'indication dans des chansons folk aux structures simples produit un effet très original. L'envers de cette excellente idée est que les chansons sont plutôt redondantes.

Alright. Bit boring for me

Helt swag... fångade mig inte helt dock.

Canciones largas, me gustaron algo

agætt en ekki my shit

I don’t really know how to talk about this album but I can say it was more of an experience than anything else I’ve rated so far. Still not into singer-songwriters, for the most part. Best song: Sweet Thing

Thought the album was nice, though maybe the songs a bit too long at times. 7/10.

Hit or miss - sometimes it sounds like he's just yelling into the microphone, and other songs are nice to listen to. All unmistakably Van Morrison, but wish he'd leave the yelling to other artists.

I never really understood people's obsession with Van Morrison. I don't think his music is bad, but I really don't think its any thing special. Maybe I'm missing something.

for some reason i really didn't care for the back half of this, but the first songs were really good, nice aesthetic and pretty lyrics. the vocal style where he just repeats a phrase over and over with increasing intensity can be pretty annoying. 6/10

6/10. Why does this list need more than one Van Morrison Album?

It sounds nice but it’s so slow. 6/10

Weird album. I liked it, but it was also pretty same-y. There was some weird things with desyncing between instruments in like, Madame George. That was off-putting a bit, as it just seemed clumsy and didn't add to the music. Also, Slim Slow Slider just fucking ends. It has a little weird freakout and then quick fade. What a weird way to end an album. 3/5

No where near as good as Moondance, the symphonic additions were way too much. Incredible stereo mix though

Loin d'être autant remarquable que Moondance. Des bons moments mais des moments oubliables aussi

i didn't' listen but i don't like van morrison

van morrison is just not my thing. still good, and chill to listen at. not any bad songs too.

Decent, not really my style of music, but not bad

Pretty nice

I really like Van Morrisons vocals. First album I've listened to.

It was okay kinda boring

It's a lovely sort of ramble that sounds to me like a Sunday afternoon. I'm guessing it takes a certain frame of mind to fully appreciate.

I used to love this album, but it sounds a bit tired and dated now.

Rating: 5/10

Sé alveg hvernig fólki getur fundist þetta sjarmerandi og þetta var greinilega nýtt spennandi á sínum tíma. En ég get ekki sagt að ég hafi mikla þörf á að hlusta aftur.

I liked a lot of it musically and instrumentally, pleasant sounding strings and flute and harpsichord-sounding thing. I really had a hard time enjoying his voice on this album; sometimes I liked it, but often it pierces my ears and was too loud in the mix. He sings with much passion though, I must give credit for that. Some of the songs were a bit too long without enough change imo (I love a good long song, but not as much if it doesn't change much the whole time). Fav song was "The Way Young Lovers Do". I appreciate it aesthetically, there is tenderness and sweetness.

Never experienced this chapter of Van Morrison. I was impressed. Can’t call it classic rock cuz I’d never heard it.

My wife had a friend in college who was a huge Van Morrison fan, and hated that all anyone ever knew of Morrison was "Brown-Eyed Girl." Well, that would've been me. For as iconic as Morrison is in his era and genre, I'm surprised I don't know his other work. Or don't know that I know it, at least. I was going to follow this up with some kind of poorly introspective mumbo-jumbo about his songs and lyrics, but in the middle of struggling to write it I Googled Van Morrison and now I am forced to write about Janet Planet! Janet Rigsbee was Morrison's first wife, who he married to avoid deportation. At least, according to an article from ecelebrityspy.com. I'm going with ecelebrityspy, in spite of it's horrible writing, because there is no Wikipedia article about Janet. Even though Morrison re-christened her Janet Planet. Even though she went on to have a career in music after they divorced. But ecelebrityspy devotes as much time to her music career as the items in her Etsy shop. She doesn't go by Janet Planet anymore. Finally, the visual I had of Morrison in my head was him in the 60s. Turns out I also knew what he looked like later in life, but had no idea it was the same guy. Some in the public eye cultivate a look and style and then hang on to it until long after it stops working for them. At least Morrison didn't do that.

Very pretty sprawling music with diverse instrumentation which van Morrison uses as a background to repeat himself and make the WAHHH sound every 3 seconds

Algjör Strandarmúsik, skítfínt

As intellectual as the lyrics are, poetry is not my jam. The music blends together, seeming one big song of an album. It's not bad, it's actually probably quite good and important, just not my taste of folk rock. Highlight Track: 5

Nice album.

Not impressed

Enjoyed this much more than I expected. Brown Eyed Girl might on one of my least favorite/overplayed songs, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much this sound was appealing to me. 3/5

Its okay, a couple of stand out tracks, 2.5

Classic folk rock

I'm a Van Morrison fan (musically, not personally), but I don't think I've ever listened to this album all the way through. I already liked Sweet Thing, but I really like the title track. The rest of the album is okay, but those two songs in particular are excellent.

Funny, love van the man.. But this is to jazzy.

Folk/blues. Ikke så hit agtigt som Brown-Eyed-girl, men stadig med charme!

This is another I've always known is an Important Album. I love Brown Eyed Girl and Moondance, but Van Morrison's reputation as a bit of an arsehole has always kept me from bothering. Excited to see what this is all about. Astral Weeks (the song) is certainly a statement of intent. Loose and rhythmic with intriguing string arrangements and good, Dylanesque lyrics. At 7 minutes it maybe starts to outstay it's welcome, but by less than I expected. More Velvet Underground indulgent than say, Yes. Cyprus Avenue sounds a bit Cat Stevens (or Cat Stevens sounds a bit Van Morrison?) which is no bad thing! Again, it would be better if it had been around the 4 minute mark, rather than 7. After two good, but overlong tracks, Beside You is shorter, but Van Morrison's nasal whine becomes very grating. The awful noise is supposed to represent passion I'm guessing. Sweet Thing is nice. The arrangement feels a bit Nick Drake, and in a softer voice I imagine it'd be beautiful. As it is it is still good. The Way Young Lovers do is a much better match for Van Morisson's vocals and a return to excellence for the album. It's jazzy lilt and occasional viewing close to anarchy making for a great song. I note with dread the next two tracks last a combined 16 1/2 minutes. Madame Joy is nice for three minutes, but could have built and resolved itself much faster than it did. The last three minutes are intensely repetitious. Slim Slow Slider is just okay. Blander than the rest of the album but a shockingly short 3 minutes long! This, in theory, is a great album. Had it had a producer that was willing to be firm on song length, it probably would have been. As it is, there are some brilliant songs that I'd love the radio edits of, but that ultimately come across as bloated and indulgent (and I say this as a prog fan). A 30 minute version of this album would get four stars, but as it stands at 47 minutes, very much a three star album.

I generally love Van's music. This one was worth the listen and felt more personal than some of his other albums but just lacked the enthusiasm and energy overall. Many of the songs were a bit rambling and seemingly aimless at times. Not bad, just... Incomplete? Felt like a warmup or practice album for what was to come on Moondance.

I'll say a 3. It's pleasant enough, though a bit dull. Nothing I plan to revisit but it's not bad.

Enjoyable psychadelic folk, but I didnt want to listen to it again. Didnt click with me i guess.

Never been much of a fan of Van's voice. It's a tad shrill for my tastes. But this was a decent album.

It’s pleasant enough and all signature VM sound. Just nothing really stood out for me.

Started decent, but dragged a bit.

Favourite tracks: Beside You; The Way Young Lovers Do. Cool sounding acoustic guitar that works together very well with the other instruments to project a very smooth and slightly melancolic feel. It also sounds very warm at times, kinda reminds me of The Beach Boys in that aspect. This album works well as an experience, but I think some songs carry it and make it way more catchy and compeling. FI: 6/10

Some decent stuff on there

Bien

Meh. Not my favorite.

Just an alright album. I did not find it memorable.

It's fine.

3.5

ganz nett anzuhören, spannende Mischung mit Cembalo und teilweise Jazz :)

Sounds pretty good and original, but a bit repetitive.

3/5

once again can’t fault it can’t necessarily praise it either

Astral Weeks is generally considered one of the best albums in pop music history, but for all that renown, it is anything but an archetypal rock & roll album. It it isn't a rock & roll album at all. Van Morrison plays acoustic guitar and sings in his elastic, bluesy, soulful voice, accompanied by crack group of jazz studio players. Astral Weeks is a justified entry in pop music's pantheon. It is unlike any record before or since; it mixes together the very best of postwar popular music in an emotional outpouring cast in delicate, subtle musical structures.

Sounds interesting, would like to have another listen as it is pretty densely packed songwriting

Some nice most ok. Long duration

Sounds good, it's what you would expect from Van Morrison.

Not an artist that I like and every track sounded the same. ***

Like this 👌

Sounded better to my older ears. Not a huge fan of his voice though. Will give it a few more listens.

Mainly dull but some good bits in there

Not as good as moondance and I don’t care what Jav says. 3/5

"And as you leave, the room is filled with music Laughing, music, dancing, music all around the room And all the little boys come around, walking away from it all" (Madame George) "And here I am Standing in your sad arrest Trying to do my very best Lookin' straight at you Comin' through, darlin' Yeah, yeah, yeah" (Astral Weeks) Quizás no el mejor disco para ponerte a trabajar a las nueve de la mañana si necesitas un poco de marchita, pero sí para tener de fondo una tarde pocha al lado de la estufa.

NyeeeaaaaAAAEEEEEeeeaaaaaah

Buena voz de un buen intérprete anglosajón. Canciones reposadas y tranquilas, aunque con un buen timbre de voz. Bastante parecidas las canciones entre sí.

15/01/2021 - Nota: 5

Mnja

Opening track is really fun but runs long. Overstays its welcome. Beside You is pretty much unlistenable. Not for me I guess.

Knew a few singles off this but never listened to the full record. Had an enjoyable time

Need to be in a mood

Had some bangers on it, really enjoyed it as background music tho

Great record. Second half is a bit forgettable.

eh

Meh. All I kept hearing was a unplugged, down tempoed version of Brown Eyed Girl.

Its Van Morrison thats for sure. Only listened to about half of it. It's good I guess not my thing though.

There is a very nice vibe to it, quite hippy. A little too screamy for me but I can definitelly see why some would love it. Madame George is definitely a highlight of this album.

I know I’m suppose to love it and appreciate it, but the album just felt boring to me.

Pretty nice ambience. I'm not sure why I expected more of a rock sound, but this is nice and folky. Nothing particularly mind-blowing, but a good vibe.

Not bad, bit didn't feel compelled to listen to all of it.

No bangers.

A real big surprise for me- I had a feeling I'd dislike this one, but there were some bangers on here, "The Way Young Lovers Do", "Madame George"

ok. would listen to it again.

Another album known to me. The only Van Morrison album I've ever listened to.

Melodious. Different instruments in left and right channel. Long tracks. Voice easy to listen to and rides the instrumentation well. Nice flourishes of single wind or string instruments. Not sure what the lyrics are alluding to, don't have a good imagery of the emotions presented. Presents a sad but hopeful mood.

This album suffers from the same thing many do for me, it's too much of the same thing. Maybe it's an issue with me. I like Van Morrison, Moondance is among my most favourite songs, and there are great songs on here. It's just too much Van Morrison in one go though.

Nice voice but songs are too long

ANTI MASKERRRRRRRR. Really too bad because this really is an exceptional record. It would’ve been a 5 but I’ll give it 3 because of his recent transgressions and being an old loser boomer.

It's good, I don't think it'll be on the regular rotation. 3 star

Only somewhat did it for me

Morrison's soothing voice backed by the beautiful strumming of the guitar took my mind to another place and almost put me to sleep.

3.5

It’s good and that but not super engaging

A lovely, forgettable album

If I were in the studio, we'd get all these tracks down to a tight 3 minutes and 30 seconds. I can tell you that much right now. "Trim the fat, Van!" I'd yell.

This stuff is boring... Van Morrison may have been cool at one point, but there's never a point where there isn't a better option for the vibe.

2 estrellas y media. Me cuesta mucho que musica muy vieja y repetitiva me agrade genuinamente. Si, tiene lindas melodías. Si, las letras deben ser buenas y hasta quizás profundas (no las analice). Pero necesito algo mas...

Sounds like he got a big tongue

Not sure how Van Morrison got three albums on this list when he's just a regularly-talented folk artist. I understand I'm not the target audience here but I just don't get it. The tracks go too long, the melodies feel a touch off-rhythm, and there's nothing particularly unique happening. I dislike focusing on the negativity, but Cyprus Avenue in particular was quite terrible. It sounded like a sauceless The Residents sketch. At least it was followed up by the best track on the album, (The Way Young Lovers Do). I'm also just not a fan of Morrison's voice generally speaking but that's definitely a me problem. I don't think there's anything offensively bad about the album, but it took me a few tries just to get through it, and that's as bad a sign as it gets. Two stars for Morrison clearly being somewhat talented at least. Fav tracks: The Way Young Lovers Do

Man I didn't care for this. Meandering and 47 minutes still felt way too long. Really enjoyed The Way Young Lovers Do, but that was about it.

About one song is all one can take from VM. I can certainly appreciate his talents but the whiny voice just seems to drone on and on after more than one song.

Van Halen's tamer older brother

good

nn é minha praia

I prefer his brother car.

Fokuseret lyt på en gåtur gennem en skov. Jeg kom ud på den anden side uendelig træt af 60erne. Hvorfor er der ikke noget bid i størstedelens lyd? Det er så glat og intetsigende alt sammen.

Ærgerligt at man vælger så uinteressant musik med sådan en stemme

The epitome of easy listening. Too bad easy listening is just kind of boring.

Dosta underwhelming, dosadno i same same cijeli album, čekala sam da se nešto dogodi i nisam dočekala. 2/5, 3/10