I don't get Astral Weeks

"Pet Sounds" and "Forever Changes" and "Astral Weeks" have a lot in common, in my opinion. Weird, singular works that never came close to being matched by their creators. Works of intense beauty and drama and sadness. Records indelibly stamped with genius, and I think that one of the marks of genius is that there is strictly dichotomized opinions of them (check out the reviews on Amazon, generally five stars or only two stars, little inbetween.) What's remarkable about all three of these works is that the recognition of their genuine inspiration and remarkable qualities didn't take a long time to be appreciated in historical terms. All of their primary creators are still alive and playing, miraculously. The fact that all three records more-or-less bombed on release, that all three feature a loose "suite" of songs and that all three are generally considered the most 'personal' works of their respective creators are other similarities. Not to mention the fact that all were released within a couple of years of each other.

Of the three, I imagine "Astral Weeks" is the hardest to 'get.' I first heard it when I was driving in a car with a some well-known Rough Trade Records musicians in the early '80s. They were all enthralled with it and sat for the duration with zombie-like visages of sheer bliss. I thought it was the biggest piece of crap I'd ever heard, but knew better than to try to put a different cassette in.

Years later, I bought it on CD as a that-period-of-Van's-career completist. Listened to it, didn't dislike it. Played it several times one week and I was hooked; it just clicked all of a sudden. I agree with the assessment that it's best heard late at night while you're paying attention (and maybe a little stoned!) It's definitely a looser thing than most of Van's records and its magic, I believe, is that it exists on a purely muso vibe, a jazz kind of thing - unlike "Pet Sounds" and "Forever Changes," both of which sound more "composed" by comparison.

 

"So all you gotta do
Is ring the bell
And step right up, and step right up
And step right up
Just like a ballerina, yeah, yeah
Crowd will catch you..."

 

I still don't 'get' the Love album.

 

Never have, never will. Someone tell me what I am missing.

 

One of the five or ten best albums ever...IMO.

If I've learned one thing from posting and reading these threads, it's that taste is mercurial and dynamic, and everyone's is different.

I wish I had liked ASTRAL WEEKS as much as I do FOREVER CHANGES --it would have been great to have a "new" album I liked listening to as much as FC or PS--but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. All AW is ever going to be for me is remarkably, astonishingly, stultifyingly...Not Bad. Alright. Non-sucky. Not rap. And I know how sacreligious that will sound to some.

We aren't all going to like the same things. And that's okay.

 

I keep hearing that, and I keep thinking maybe I need my head squeezed in a vise or something, cuz I just don't hear it..... but to each his own.

 

Yeah, me too. I like "Forever Changes" and think it's good, but no where near the top 10 ever.

But, on the other hand, I *adore* "Astral Weeks" and won't hesitate to say it is in the top 10 ever.

 

which I have triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiied to like, and it just refuses to click for me .

 

Seeing this thread made me listen to Astral Weeks last week, in what I imagine was my first listen in about ten years! Am pleased to report that not only is it still a mysterious masterpiece, I believe I like it better now than ever... in other words, it holds up. (Also made me go out and buy His Band And The Street Choir, which I'd never actually heard except for the singles, and while it's sure a fun little R&B-inspired record, it ain't Astral Weeks). Silly to compare I s'psose since they're both so different in every aspect.

Now I guess I need to go and get both Pet Sounds and FOrever Changes, two other albums I've never heard all the way through. Something to look fwd too.

 

The closest Van Morrison came to ASTRAL WEEKS is, I think, VEEDON FLEECE. VEEDON FLEECE, though, is piano based, where ASTRAL WEEKS was acoustic guitar and bass.

 

That would be liike telling someone how they're missing KIND OF BLUE, or A LOVE SUPREME: unless you latch on to the vibe of either, you're just not gonna get it. Case closed.

But, Dave, that's your problem, unfortunately, just as mine is, I guess, never to understand the merits of 2Pac... Can't go for that, no can do, you know....

 

I don't understand the purpose or usefulness of this thread. Okay, so there are a few classic albums that many listeners like to put up on a pedestal and you don't care for them, or at least don't see why people are falling all over themselves to praise them.

So you ask why this is and prompt people to explain why these particular titles touch some people's souls but not yours. Then you say you don't get it and never will... so why ask people to try and explain why? This just seems like an exercise in futility if you ask me.

Maybe you don't "get" Astral Weeks or Forever Changes, but I sure as heck don't "get" this thread. Is it simply to find some level of confirmation? If at least one other person doesn't "get it", what part of your psyche does that confirm?

It's a pretty safe bet that for any particular album you don't like, no matter how popular, you're going to find others who agree with you on this one, infinitesimally minor detail of your existence. So, like, what's the point?

 

Compared to a *lot* of threads around these parts, it makes a lot of sense.

But for me, because of some other well-written posts, I feel I need to hear an album like Forever Changes. And with any luck, I might just *discover* a new album that I'm glad I have. That's pretty worth while.

As with much in human discussion, who knows what sort of info will be revealed.

 

Yeah, stupid me. I should have started a "best cd hub texture" thread or "My butt noises vs Pet sounds".

 

That ridiculous statement comes nowhere near to addressing my questions.

 

I agree completely. Good points.

 

It's a joke, but if you just don't get it, you might want to start a thread asking people what you're missing.

 

meee-owww, guys!

OK, I'll start: my favorite cd hub texture is that smooth light gray you get on some of those import cases, followed by that dimply Ryko-green stuff. Plain ol' black is soooo 1987!

 

Those Ryko-green CD jewel cases sucked. Every one I bought had a crack or the CD would fall out of the case when I opened it. I hate them worse than lift-lock cases.


Astral Weeks and Forever Changes are in my all time Top 10, sometimes Top 20 depending what else I'm listening to. I don't like Pet Sounds nearly as much but it's in my Top 500 for sure.

 

Hmmmm...I only have three of those, but I always harbored a secret desire to switch out all my CD cases for those. Green is my favorite color, and Ryko green is such a nice shade .

 

You think THAT was ridiculous?
I am wearing pajama bottoms that don't match my pajama top! How's THAT!

 

Really? And here I thought he was being serious. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

I'm into those see-through tinted jobs, myself....

Seriously, though, remember gang, it's just an album...you can love it, hate it, dismiss it, ignore it, not get it...but one thing's certain: you might be able to convert, but more likely is that you won't change many minds, if any....I think AW is a work of genius, and I 'got it' right away, but there are albums I really don't get, but that's for another thread....which I won't be starting, BTW....