He opted not to include the band Morrison had recently played with, instead choosing a whole different group of musicians. Music producer Lewis Merenstein orchestrated the three studio sessions. Some of the songs on Astral Weeks were in regular rotation and were essentially being fine-tuned by Morrison. Leading up to these sessions, Van Morrison performed shows in venues across New England with local musicians. Morrison recorded Astral Weeks in 1968 over three recording sessions in New York City. How Long Did it Take to Record Astral Weeks? So maybe it is a concept album after all since we detect common themes woven through the songs. Musicologist, Charlie Gillett, described Astral Weeks as having “meditative songs that combine themes of nostalgia, drama, and Morrison’s personal mysticism.”
However, since its release, music critics have identified certain themes throughout the album. This is why some people might not consider the record a concept album. He mainly wrote them as individual pieces without intending to create links between the songs. Morrison wrote the eight tracks on Astral Weeks over five years before finally recording the album in 1968. This album is musically intricate, with beautiful lyrics that can reach down into your soul. If that’s the only song you know from this talented songwriter from Ireland, listening to Astral Weeks may surprise you. Many people know him as the singer of the pop hit Brown Eyed Girl, released in 1967.
However, listeners of Astral Weeks may get the sense the songwriter is describing the cycle of life throughout the record.Ĭan it then be considered a concept album since some might identify a theme throughout the songs? Let’s find out more about this album and see if we can answer that question.Īstral Weeks is Van Morrison’s second studio album. Van Morrison didn’t purposely write the songs on this album to fit together in any specific way. This is where the debate about whether Astral Weeks is a concept album or not comes into play. Sometimes, albums may seem to be telling a story through the sequential tracks, even if that wasn’t the writer’s intention. The lyrics were composed to flow from song to song, creating something similar to a story script. As a result, they tell a story from beginning to end.Įxamples of a concept album include The Who’s Tommy and Pink Floyd’s The Wall.įrank Sinatra’s 1946 album The Voice of Frank Sinatra is considered by many to be the first concept album. The composition and placement of tracks on the album are intentional. Musicians often create concept albums as a whole piece, writing the songs specifically to be recorded together. The Merriam-Webster definition of a concept album is “a collection of songs about a specific theme or story.” Recurring characters or ideas are woven throughout the songs to reveal an overarching concept. Let’s take a deeper look into this recording to see if we can figure out the answer to that question for ourselves. Some have said that Astral Weeks is a concept album due to the common threads found within the songs. The musical arrangement of each track adds to the beauty of this masterpiece. The eight songs recorded for the album speak of dreams, love, mystic imagery, and nostalgia. It’s inspired countless musicians since its release in 1968. Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks is considered one of the most impactful albums in music history.
0 kommentar(er)
