Astral Weeks  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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Astral Weeks is the second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was recorded at Century Sound Studios in New York during September and October 1968, and released in November of the same year by Warner Bros. Records.

The album's music blends folk, blues, jazz, and classical styles, signalling a radical departure from the sound of Morrison's previous pop hits, such as "Brown Eyed Girl" (1967). The lyrics and cover art portray the symbolism equating earthly love and heaven that would often feature in the singer's subsequent records. His lyrics have been described as impressionistic, hypnotic, and modernist, while the record has been categorized as a song cycle or concept album.

Astral Weeks did not originally receive promotion from Morrison's record label and was not an immediate success with consumers or critics. Its standing eventually improved greatly, with praise given to Morrison's arrangements and songwriting, and the album has been viewed as one of rock music's greatest and most important records (a reputation the singer himself has dismissed). It was placed on numerous widely circulated lists of the best albums of all time and had an enduring effect on both listeners and musicians.

Forty years after the album's release, Morrison performed all eight of its songs live for the first time at two Hollywood Bowl concerts in November 2008; this performance was later released as Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl.

Tracks

1. "Astral Weeks" - 7:00
2. "Beside You" - 5:10
3. "Sweet Thing" - 4:10
4. "Cyprus Avenue" - 6:50
5. "The Way Young Lovers Do" - 3:10
6. "Madame George" - 9:25
7. "Ballerina" - 7:00
8. "Slim Slow Slider" - 3:20

Personnel

Musicians

• Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Jay Berliner – classical and steel-string acoustic guitars
• Richard Davis – double bass
• John Payne – flute; soprano saxophone on "Slim Slow Slider"
• Warren Smith Jr. – percussion, vibraphone
• Connie Kay – drums
• Larry Fallon – string arrangements and conductor; harpsichord on "Cyprus Avenue"
• Unknown – flute on "Beside You" and "Cyprus Avenue"
• Barry Kornfeld – acoustic guitar on "The Way Young Lovers Do"

Production

• Lewis Merenstein – producer
• Brooks Arthur – engineer
• Ed Thrasher – art director
• Joel Brodsky – photography
• Steve Woolard – reissue production
• Kevin Gray – reissue remastering
• Neil Schwartz – audio engineer