...Or Words To That Effect

...Or Words To That Effect

First I have to say Van Morrison is an artist that needs a lot more damned recognition than he’s had so far. The man is a genius. His new album on Warner Bros. — Reprise called Astral Weeks is a masterpiece of words and music. In my mind his greatness has no comparison (except to say he is England’s Feleciano with 100% more originality and power.). His words and music bring about a feeling of emotion, of love lost, and of love found. He is fantastic and I can’t say half enough about him or his album because I don’t know * enough praised to spout or write, nor do I feel I ever will.

When I first listened to the album I honestly didn’t know what to expect at all. Afterwards I was moVed; surprised to say the least. This was not the Morrison I remembered, but yet it was the Morrison who sang with the ‘Them” and with the “Belfast Gypsys”.^ Then after getting screwed around with by Bang Records, putting out commercial tunes (that I dug because he sang them). He finally got a break I , guess, I can’t say for sure but I think he’s doing what he wants now and I tbink that’s great. AnyWay, I opened the album, took; it out of it’s jacket dhd turned on myself as well as the stereo, sat back to listen to Astral Weeks,

Astral Weeks first cut, sjde one ^ (or should I say’part onej.js^the

"start the tune with violins panning in and out in th^ background. A nice guitar plays through out and flutes enter as he;,. sings. The production on this cut; as well as most on the album, is great. You have to listen to the words, they’re ^so great it’s unbelievable. This cut is so beautiful I could go on forever but the song is beautiful. I’ll leave it at that. When you hear it you’ll know then.-.

The next cut, Beside You,(the 1 first cut fades* into this one) has quite a bif of nice (great) guitar and fiie flute player is really great. Morrison’s lyrics are of the -■ ramblin’, Dylanish type and yet come/ over with more beauty. His voice is so pleading and yet so demanding, so soft and yet so harsh. The arrangements are fantastic ... yOu have to hear them to realize what I’m trying to,say.

Sweet Thing starts With some soft drums and cymbols (brushes no bass). A flute is also floating in and "out constantly with perfect orchestration as a companion. The lyrics, man, the lyrics! Violins fading to the end ...

And so on to the last cut on part one. The guitar starts it and on your left a harpsicord ever so softly, the flute seeps in and violins just keep drifting around. The bass is also heard doing great things. Once more the lyrics , must be listened to. The presence of the harpsicord is felt more and more; towards the end. As~ the tempo changes the song fades. WOW. That’s the end of part one ... got to get "up and turn the album over.

Happily I did so to hear Young Lovers Do, the first really up-tempo with brass, a xylaphone, drums, and ever so faint violins in the background. Suddenly a trumpet y occurs accompanied by a flute and then . we return to the brass -to Slowly fade into the next cut.

This happens to be a certain Madame George that a Triend told me to listen to'especially well (our editor to be exact). A slow, beautiful ballad : with a lilting melody that is so beautiful 1 can’t describe it. You just have to hear it yourself. Violins and cellos exist in the cut. So good to listen to when someone you love’s around within Teach. Towards the end it picks u]p a bit of off-beat tempo as it fades%away.

And so to Ballerina, with Some "xylaphone brushes, violins, and a mandolin. The arrangement is fantasitc as are the lyrics again and again. It slowly picks up more and more of a beat and then loses it only to build up agjain throughout the song. Like all the songs on the album it’s beautiful. Near the end horns begin to be heard from afar and liis voice pleads with someone to step right like a ballerina.

Now On to Slim Slow Slider. This number starts Out with sopie strange bass line and a bit of soft guitar accompanied by a dominant flute with Morrison’s voice overpowering as always. More Windwoods now join in. The song keeps building until the end when everything breaks up and goes jazz. You then hear tablas beirig flailed wildly.

Saddened was I to find this the last cut on the" album, a beautiful album that is unreal in its beauty. An overpowering and yet soothing

album. Music to love by, to be loved, to listen to, and to learn from. Beautiful music ... I can’t say , enough so l’ll stop trying and just turn the album over again and, again and listen^and listen and keep on listening for a long time yet to come.'

Eric Jaggers