Astral Weeks

iTunes Review

One of the finest recordings of the rock era, Astral Weeks remains a singular achievement, blending elements of jazz, folk and blues into a literate eight-song cycle that traces the arc of life from spiritual rebirth to death. Nothing else sounds quite like it. From the opening pulsing notes of the title track, Morrison is in the zone, twisting notes, repeating phrases, finding his inner rhythm amongst the mostly improvised backing of jazz veterans: stand-up bassist Richard Davis, guitarist Jay Berliner and drummer Connie Kay. Romance lingers in the air with the twenty-something Morrison at the peak of his interpretive powers, his voice never sharper. “Beside You” and “Sweet Thing” capture the euphoria of youth and the discovery of physical and spiritual love, while “Cyprus Avenue” confronts the prospect of aging. The Sinatra jazz of “The Way Young Lovers Do” offers a brief ebullient respite from the emerging fates, however, the nine-plus minutes of “Madame George” find a world turning colder. The vague narrative adds a twist of intrigue, but it’s the little spots — Morrison singing “Rainbow ribbons in her hair” or “On that train from Dublin up to Sandy Row” — that make this 1968 release a timeless classic.