Astral Weeks, still his best Album, one of the best influential piece of music ever written!

Music for the ages. Timeless class by one the all time greats.

" Not one of his most popular ones " ? Seriously ? Astral Weeks is Van Morrison's tour-de-force , his most iconic and revered album . Bruce Springsteen said he regarded Astral Weeks as the album which blew his mind ; he referred to it as his bible . The best album ever . A masterpiece .

I think Astral Weeks is Van Morrison's masterpiece and one of the finest albums ever recorded.  I don't know of another album of the rock/pop era that so captures the immediacy of creativity and inspiration.  River by Terry Reid is in a similar vein, although lesser.

This whole album is magical - it's so spontaneous, beautiful and fresh even now...  and the that amazing voice. Although I don't think it has the commercially acceptable songs of Moondance, it never feels tired or like you've heard it a million times and want to turn on something else.

Mesmerising , absolutely. This whole album was just a soul release by band and vocals. Nothing like it , before or since.

Speaking of the jazz feel to this, there are a couple of incontestably great jazz players on this record, double bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Conrad 'Connie' Kay of the Modern Jazz Quartet who  really lift the music.

I understand where Jim is coming from the first time.I heard this album.I didn't get it since then.It has become one of my favorite albums of all time.Especially the Title Track.
I think jim needs to give it a couple more listens.

I'm loving what you guys are doing.
Jim, you might be old enough to remember this:
'First time i ever heard Van Morrison was when he was in a band called THEM and their big hit was the song, GLORIA (1964)...🎶 G-L-O-R-I-A, GLORIA, G-L-O-R-I-A, GLORIA🎶.
My garage-band used to play it.
Keep it up, brothers. 'Love of music is a unifying force.
Peace -

I disagree with Jim on his rating, and even with Jeff's rating.  The whole album was recorded in two days.  Van went into a booth and did the vocals.  The session musicians had been  playing advertising jingles just before coming into this session.  Van didn't give them much, if any, direction.  They just listened to the vocals and played music they thought went with the vocals.  I heard it when it first came out, and have been listening to it ever since.  This album is my favorite of his.  Cyprus Avenue and Madame George, both of which are longer than this song are the standouts on the album.

Ignorance is bliss ....😎

If you would like to react to an artist you might not have heard of, I recommend Aesthetic Perfection with Bark at the Moon

Astral weeks is one of the masterpieces of music for a century. It influenced more people than can be counted. If you take the time to listen to it, and read classics, you would see that the whole construction of the album mirrors 'The song of Innocence and Experience' by William Blake. Listen, read.

Hey guys. I've been missing out. Love this song and whole album.
Cancer treatments had me down and out for awhile but doing much better now. So glad to see you both at it again.
Peace out
Timo (now) from Texas... The prodigal has returned.

Try The Philosopher's Stone, Hymns to the Silence, When The Leaves Come Falling Down, or for a newer song try Close Enough for jazz.

Got to disagree with Jim. Although Van did many amazing songs and a bunch of great albums to me Astral Weeks is his greatest full album with Moondance a close second .

Jeff -
I'm wondering if you're old enough
to be familiar with early
Bob Dylan music. I'm betting Jim is . I'd like to catch your reaction to
DON'T THINK TWICE, IT'S ALRIGHT
from his 1963 album,
THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN.
Thanks -