NJC Our Musical tastes, Van in particular

[Blair Fraipont]

YEs, Ofcourse I feel that Astral Weeks is a masterpiece. I was supposed to be a concept album of some sort and the only continuing thread I can find in the music is the music itself and the 'stream of concsciousness" lyrics. All of those songs make me want to cry for the beauty of the album truly pulls me in. WIth this album, all the forces are working together, the music, the pseudo-spirituality, the lyricism, all as one moving for the listener. The album is unlike any other Van album, and he has many masterpieces or great albums, Moondance (1970), ITs too late to stop now (1974), Veedon Fleece (1974), Into the Music (1979), COmmon One (1980), Beautiful VIsion (1982), and runners up, Tupelo Honey (1971) and Avalon Sunset (1989).
Common ONe is another favorite for the same reason I love Astral Weeks, for in that musical gesture he makes on both albums is oringinal and never repeated again in his oeurve. Common one sounds at first though, like an attempt to go back to Astral Weeks, but after a listen, it is nowhere close. It exists in its own beautiful scintillating space.
My aunty, who just passed away turned me on to Van, and I have been cherishing his music for the last 6 years and it breaks my heart that I have no one to talk to about Van the Man anymore.
My favorite song on Astral Weeks is "Slim Slow Slider". It captures Van's innovative style of mixing the blues (the lyric format of repeating the first line of each verse twice) with a folk sentimentality, (the lone guitar and earthy hush of his voice) with Jazz (flute and acoustic standup bass).

Blair
NP: Slim Slow Slider

If there's anyone out there who agrees with the assertion that Astral
Weeks is some kind of masterpiece, I'd love to know why you think that way.


I would say that Astral Weeks is a masterpiece. It was recorded in a period of two or three days, and much of it was very "of the moment", very fresh and somewhat raw sounding, in a good way...the first two songs, Astral Weeks, and Beside You, are probably two of my favorite Van songs of all time. It has very much a stream of conciousness feel to it...I feel that is very unique unto itself, and it really hits his style and manner of singing, right on the nose. Ballerina, is another outstanding song that I often cover in performances...I love singing his material because you can express so much passion just in the singing...they are just so much fun to sing.

Perhaps it is more the sound of the album as a whole than every individual song that makes it such a wonderful album...you really have to lose yourself in time and space and just listen to it all the way through.

Victor

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail