Best Ever Albums

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

nrs182 — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 21:29:20 GMT

Author: nrs182

Posted: 12/04/2011 02:29

Mr. Shankly wrote:

nrs182 wrote:

I bought the live version at the Hollywood Bowl recently, and I expected it to be sick. I was dissapointed, I actually regret buying it for the very first time, in my whole life I regret buying a record. For some reason I didn't liked it as much as the studio version, not even close. :(

Was that recorded recently? If so, Morrison's voice might not be what it used to be.

Yes indeed, it was recorded in 2009 I think. But still i've never liked Morrison's voice that much, I don't think is terrible but the instrumentation is what I love from "Astral Weeks", but in the live album there was something weird, I don'k know but i really didn't like it.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Mr. Shankly — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 21:09:56 GMT

Author: Mr. Shankly

Posted: 12/04/2011 02:09

nrs182 wrote:

Was that recorded recently? If so, Morrison's voice might not be what it used to be.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

nrs182 — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 21:07:53 GMT

Author: nrs182

Posted: 12/04/2011 02:07

I bought the live version at the Hollywood Bowl recently, and I expected it to be sick. I was dissapointed, I actually regret buying it for the very first time, in my whole life I regret buying a record. For some reason I didn't liked it as much as the studio version, not even close. 🙁

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Bork — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 21:02:01 GMT

Author: Bork

Posted: 12/04/2011 02:02

This is the first Van Morrison album I bought, probably some 20 years ago by now. I found it then, and still do, a very good album but I do think it has something of a dull quality to it that keeps it from ever getting anywhere over very good no matter the number of listens. Moondance and Tupelo Honey are Van the Man's two greatest albums and they are both masterpieces. I would also list His Band and Street Choir as well as Saint Dominic's Preview above this one. Still, as said, a very good one.

Overall ranking: #188
Best tracks: Sweet Thing, Astral Weeks, The Way Young Lovers Do.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Mr. Shankly — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 20:31:22 GMT

Author: Mr. Shankly

Posted: 12/04/2011 01:31

Listening to this album for the first time is like going to see some major tourist attraction like The Grand Canyon or the first date with the love of your life. I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I first heard it. I was skipping class and hanging at the coffee shop near the community college I was attending at the time. I was at the bar drinking coffee and eating a toasted bagel with cream cheese and jam. The barista was playing Astral Weeks on the stereo. About half way through the first or second track I went into kind of a state of reverie, absolutely lost in the music, and I thought, "Oh my God! What is this? This is amazing!" I had never heard anything quite like it before and come to think of it , haven't heard anything quite like it since. Astral Weeks is a truly special album. �'�

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Anonymous — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 11:11:53 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/03/2011 16:11

great love songs about loneliness.

I would argue that Newsom's 'Only Skin' (at least) is more emotionally loaded and better written than anything on Astral Weeks though

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Anonymous — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:56:32 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/03/2011 14:56

hairymarx1 wrote:

This album, alongside Trout Mask and Velvet Underground and Nico, had an incredible impact on me like nothing else before or since after I first heard them. This album is a masterpiece of life-changing proportions. It's stream of consiousness and 'Joyce-ian' poetic style is something similar to Joanna Newsom's 'Y' in the contemporary sense.

But Astral Weeks bleeds more emotion and beauty than Newsom's classic. If as a music enthusiast you are unfortunate enough to go through life not having heard this, you would be a lesser human being for having done so. This album is literally one of the artistic milestones of the 20th century.

So what did it do to your life? In what way did it impact on you?

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

hairymarx1 — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:43:39 GMT

Author: hairymarx1

Posted: 12/03/2011 14:43

This album, alongside Trout Mask and Velvet Underground and Nico, had an incredible impact on me like nothing else before or since after I first heard them. This album is a masterpiece of life-changing proportions. It's stream of consiousness and 'Joyce-ian' poetic style is something similar to Joanna Newsom's 'Y' in the contemporary sense.

But Astral Weeks bleeds more emotion and beauty than Newsom's classic. If as a music enthusiast you are unfortunate enough to go through life not having heard this, you would be a lesser human being for having done so. This album is literally one of the artistic milestones of the 20th century.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Hayden — Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:22:46 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/03/2011 14:22

nrs182 wrote:

This is some weird album. The first time I heard it I thought it was kind of boring but still I knew that it had something incredible. I gave it a few more listens and god this thing is magic, I think is one of those albums that are only for certain moods or you'll never understand it.
By the other hand "The Way Young Lovers Do" is my top favorite song and it was the only song that striked me from the very first time, I really can't understand why other people don't love it, it's amazing.

This combines what I said about Kid A, with what Pam said about 'moods' 😄

Maybe we're both right! 😁

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

nrs182 — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 22:41:55 GMT

Author: nrs182

Posted: 12/03/2011 03:41

This is some weird album. The first time I heard it I thought it was kind of boring but still I knew that it had something incredible. I gave it a few more listens and god this thing is magic, I think is one of those albums that are only for certain moods or you'll never understand it.
By the other hand "The Way Young Lovers Do" is my top favorite song and it was the only song that striked me from the very first time, I really can't understand why other people don't love it, it's amazing.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

nrs182 — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 22:41:55 GMT

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

mooseboy101 — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:30:31 GMT

Author: mooseboy101

Posted: 12/03/2011 02:30

This album changed the way I think of music. You guys are picky.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Necharsian — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:27:51 GMT

Author: Necharsian

Posted: 12/03/2011 02:27

I'm with Hayden. This album just never did anything for me.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Anonymous — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:26:49 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/03/2011 02:26

Hayden wrote:

Polythene Pam wrote:

Hayden wrote:

This is album has a "Kid A" effect to it. You have to listen to it a couple dozen times before you'll like it.

Except, it's a bit blander 😕

Madame George is a good song that I enjoy, but I can do without the rest :|

That's nonsense

This is straight away incredible

I agree with Le_Samurai

....

Maybe I just don't like it 😐

I always hear such good things about this one too 🙁 . Maybe one day.

Maybe try listening to it when you are really miserable, it's one of those albums

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

M Hurley — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:20:49 GMT

Author: M Hurley

Posted: 12/03/2011 02:20

@Hayden You really should get to know it better. It has an extraordinary healing power.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Hayden — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:01:52 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/03/2011 02:01

Polythene Pam wrote:

Hayden wrote:

That's nonsense

This is straight away incredible

I agree with Le_Samurai

....

Maybe I just don't like it 😐

I always hear such good things about this one too 🙁 . Maybe one day.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Anonymous — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 20:47:02 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/03/2011 01:47

Hayden wrote:

That's nonsense

This is straight away incredible

I agree with Le_Samurai

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

sgraham1990 — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 17:42:02 GMT

Author: sgraham1990

Posted: 12/02/2011 22:42

Currently #8 on my chart.

Absolutely mesmerizing album...

And that is all I am going to, and able, to say about that.

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Hayden — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 16:49:33 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/02/2011 21:49

This is album has a "Kid A" effect to it. You have to listen to it a couple dozen times before you'll like it.

Except, it's a bit blander 😕

Madame George is a good song that I enjoy, but I can do without the rest 😐

Re: Album of the day (#384): Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Applerill — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 16:42:37 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 12/02/2011 21:42

Oh boy. I've been waiting for this AotD.

This is one of the most mind-numbingly boring albums I've ever listened to.

Here's how I like to interpret the lyrics to the title track:

Could you please not find me?
Would you kiss-a my eyes?
To tase me now
In death come early,
BEA-Porn Again
BEA-Porn Again

On a side note, my brother is named George, and he doesn't even like "Madame George".

EDIT: Guys, I don't want to make a bunch of people mad or anything, but really, what's the deal with this? I guess I just don't like this kind of music. It's like Lateralus for octogenarians.