1) It isn't perfectly played.
2) The songs aren't polished.
3) It isn't Van's strongest collection of songs.

First of all, it isn't necessary for great music to be note-perfect. ASTRAL WEEKS is about the magic of improvisation-- the suspended thrill of playing (and listening) on the cusp of discovery. In that way, the album is a perfect marriage of music and lyrics, as Van bends and twists the language in an effort to TRANSCEND the earthly significance of his words, to conjure a piece of heaven out of the frustration and pain that wracks his existence. Like Ray Charles did 15 years prior, Van fuses gospel and blues, the sacred and the profane.

For those of you hear only hippy-dippy (...), you're obviously missing the unbearable heartache that haunts these songs. Cypress Avenue deals with unrequited, perhaps forbidden love. Madame George captures the mixture of joy and sadness that comes with lost innocence, getting on "the train" that takes one away from a place of safety and comfort. Ballerina is a burst of effusive passion, but the object of the singer's affection is separate from him, a spectral fantasy that he can only gaze on with paralyzed amazement. Thank god these rough gems weren't polished for radio consumption-- their unique, spontaneous quality would have been ruined.

I concede that this isn't Van's strongest collection of songs, but it's hard to think of these tracks as "songs" in the conventional sense-- impressionistic sketches, maybe, but they hardly lose any artistic merit because of that. ASTRAL WEEKS is not a jazz album, but it certainly brandishes a jazz mentality-- the triumph of feel over form, emotional release over craftsmanship. If that's not your cup of tea, then proceed directly to MOONDANCE. But if you're searching for a true musical journey-- in the truest sense of the word-- then ASTRAL WEEKS is the apogee.

60 of 65 found the following review helpful:


My desert island disc  Oct 02, 1998 By Robert Moore
This album has repeatedly turned up in the top ten of lists of the greatest albums ever recorded, and deservedly so. It can be listened to on so many levels. Sometimes I will listen to it while concentrating on the lyrics. Another time, I will focus on Van's phrasing. Another time on Richard Davis's inconceivably great bass playing (this is arguably the greatest performance on bass on any album ever recorded for a rock audience, even if the bass player was a jazz musician). This is an album that simply reeks of genius. Simply put: a masterpiece.

38 of 41 found the following review helpful:


This album blows me away  Mar 10, 2005 By D. J. Richardson
This album is absolutely phenomenal. This is one of the most personal, beautiful artistic statements I can think of. It is like a diary, but better, because the music adds color and depth that no words can describe. It is rare when the music compliments the singer so well... it is as if the musicians are from the same vein, the same heart. This cd is perfect, beginning to end; musically and lyrically. Van Morrison will show you his lowest low and ever so sweetly, he will take you away to a place that is timeless, a place so wonderful it will make you want to weep... because you know that at some point it will have to end. And what a sad ending it is to this miraculous cd. But you can always press repeat. :)

21 of 22 found the following review helpful:


This album is pure magic  Mar 11, 1999 By Casca
Van the man fans don't have to be told this is a fabulous album.Somehow he reached a level of transcendence with this album rare to find with any artist.He was able to capture those magic moments we sometimes have which illuminate the everyday with timeless wonder.I can't be sure as to what he means in some of the songs, but this doesn't matter, it's the overall mood he creates that is the essence of this album.In the "Astral Weeks" album above others, and in songs like "Autumn Song" from Hard Nose the Highway, he creates what poet Robert Bly has called the Van Morrison mood (in "The Sibling Society").Those are the mellow, magical moods which linger in the recesses of memory and remind us of our days of glory and the "visionary gleam"(Wordsworth).Van has never sung better than he does here.Some top jazz musicians help make the music very special.Words and music blend so well together into one seamless whole. This is not only my favourite Van album,but my all-time favourite album.

20 of 21 found the following review helpful:


Beyond a "Classic"  Sep 23, 1999 By Chris Lauer(cflauer@us.ibm.com)
This album is unlike anything else ever recorded. It's unorthodox, uncompromising and unforgettable. Van had finally freed himself of the creative stifling he'd had with Them and his recordings with Bang. One gets the feeling that this was a rare event: a chance intersection of a young artist reeling in inspiration allowed to work with a group of seasoned musical veterans who knew how to bring that inspiration to its fruition. Subsequently, Van was able to successfully achieve a unique jazz/folk sound highlighted by stream-of-consciousness lyrics with potent word-images. The lyrics rarely come close to making sense but always move the listener, tickling their mind. The emotion conveyed by Van's vocals is strong. We feel a rebirth when Van sings "It's easy to be born again". We feel comforted when Van sings "I'll stand beside you" and we feel in love when he sings "(we)dreamed of the way that I was for you and you were for me..." And we finish off the song cycle feeling the depth of despair when Van intones "I know you're dying/And I know that you know it too/Everytime I see you/I just don't know what to do..." In a few seconds of song he accomplishes what it took him 9 minutes to do on the Bang recording's "T.B. Sheets". I don't know if I'd call it the greatest album ever or the most influential album ever, but for me it stands as the most magical album ever as well as the greatest example of the pure artistic talent of Van Morrison.

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