Is this the greatest record ever made? Some would argue that it is. It's really hard to argue otherwise. It's a masterpiece, pure and simple. But, it took me a while to get into it. For one thing, I came to it later, after I was already familiar with the ten records that followed it. I remember being a little disappointment when I heard it, and I am not sure why. Perhaps it was because there wasn't an obviously joyous tune, akin to Moondance or Domino or Wild Night or Jackie Wilson Said or Wavelength or even Cleaning Windows.
I have a Canadian pressing from 1979. The first UK pressing goes for a pretty penny.
The record was not initially successful, but has later achieved accolades.
Astral Weeks' critical standing eventually improved greatly, however, and it has since been viewed as one of rock music's greatest and most important records (a reputation Morrison himself has dismissed). It is sometimes referred to as a song cycle or concept album. Critics laud the album's arrangements and songwriting. Morrison's lyrics are often described as impressionistic, hypnotic, and modernist. 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 during two Hollywood Bowl concerts in November 2008; this performance was later released as a live album. [source]I have a copy of that live album on CD. There was a vinyl issue, but the price is stupid now. Unless it's repressed, I am out of luck.
No comments:
Post a Comment