Astral Weeks

Sometimes these ideas don't quite work, even if Rolling Stone raves about them. It is great to hear Pet Sounds played live for the first time despite a medicated Brian Wilson. But it still was not sublime. So what about Van Morrison deciding after all these years to play Astral Weeks live.

Astral Weeks was the first album Van Morrison got to produce. After all these years, my version has gotten muddled through replays and possibly the bad mix of yesteryear. This album was the first of the plunges into the mystical Celtic funk that came out in albums like Hymn to the Silence.

Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl works wonderfully. The Van Man is in a groove, his phrasing at the top of his game. His backup band is perfect for the materials. Most importantly, the mix is clear and crisp. At a few points, Van Morrison slightly bends lyrics that may have sound great on days when you're stoned. And what's better yet, the album was cheaper than the original cost me almost a generation ago.