#60 Van Morrison, 'Astral Weeks' (1968)

Previously #19

Van Morrison’s second album is quote unlike his first. For a start, there’s nothing on it like ‘Brown Eyed Girl,’ and that’s what the world was expecting. The found of Bang Records, the label he was signed to had unexpectedly died. His widow blamed Morrison as the two had been arguing over the direction of his new music. Bert Berns wanted Morrison to head to a more pop orientated sound, but Morrison wanted to explore new terrain. Following the death, Morrison was blocked from recording. Warner Brothers, who subsequently signed Morrison helped him out of that deal (that’s a story on its own). Morrison set to work on recording a Folk Rock masterpiece, a stream of consciousness record with music a mix between Folk, Blues, Jazz and even Classical music.

Opening with the title track, he sings "If I ventured in the slipstream, between the viaducts of your dream/ Where immobile steel rims crack, and the ditch in the back roads stop." Just sublime wordsmith. He also references Lead Belly, whom he carried a poster of wherever he went and hung it up on the wall. The record only features 8 songs but each is special and unique to what he had released before. The showcased his true mark as a songwriter. ‘Sweet Thing’ is probably the close you’ll get to a single from these selection of songs, alas there were no singles received, in fact Warner Brothers didn’t give it any promotion and was not a success on release. Over time it has come to be revered as a classic; one of the greats. Glen Hansard, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and even Martin Scorsese have all been greatly influenced by ‘Astral Weeks.’ It’s a record you might not get on the first spin, but give it time and close attention and its brilliance will be revealed.

#rs500albums