Astral Weeks is a singular album in Van Morrison’s discography and indeed in the pantheon of classic rock albums in which it is often included. Owing little to the blues and soul that have often defined Morrison’s sound, here he instead uses a palate of Celtic folk and jazz to weave a hypnotic soundscape of the earthly and the divine driven by the excavation of memories of his native Belfast. This was Morrison’s first record for Warner who had purchased his contract from his previous label Bang. Stipulated in the fine-print of this deal was a clause dictating that Bang would receive fifty percent of the publishing royalties for any Van Morrison singles released in 1968. This, perhaps, is why there are no singles from Astral Weeks. Instead, it is often referred to as a song cycle and indeed, the rich textures of each song are only enhanced by their inclusion in the tapestry of this album. Morrison’s vocals here are so expressive, sometimes pained and sometimes jubilant; sometimes rooted in nostalgia and often wordlessly channeling the strange mysticism that inhabits Astral Weeks. Van’s wayward guitar strumming and the violins and flutes that drift in and out all pivot around the mesmerising bass playing of Richard Davis to create an atmosphere that feels a thousand years old. Key moments include the title track and Madame George but this record is strongest as a whole. As Van sings in Astral Weeks’ opening lyric, let him venture in the slip stream, through the viaducts of your dream.
Pete Whelan 