For me, it is deeply enjoyable for the vibrancy and vitality of Van and his selected musicians on this one. Finally, for a recommendation for after 1991 work, I offer What’s Wrong With This Picture? on Blue Note. In other words, it deserves all respect it’s due, but I don’t listen to it often. Astral Weeks tops critics lists, and I can’t argue how unique and astounding it is, given the recording story, but it’s not as accessible for me (don’t hurt me!). When in a pensive, introspective mood, I agree with others you mentioned like Common One.

So yes, when in an upbeat, celebratory mood, there’s not much higher you can go then Into The Music or Moondance. I’d only add that with Van it’s often about what mood I’m in as his work is so strong in feeling and “mood”. Hello, I enjoyed your top 5 of Van’s catalog of work and agree for the most part. Van Morrison’s Five Best Albums of the 1980sĭo you have a favourite Van Morrison album? Or a favourite song?.My favourite Van Morrison song isn’t drawn from any of those albums – it’s the title track from 1971’s Tupelo Honey. Dedicated Van Morrison fans tend to gravitate to his more insular, atmospheric albums like 1980’s Common One and 1986’s No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. These five albums are among Van Morrison’s most well-received, although placing the acclaimed Astral Weeks at #4 is unconventional – it would be a lot stronger without ‘Beside You’ as the second track. It’s slickly produced and loaded with backing vocalists, strings, saxophones, and other adult contemporary paraphernalia, but for these joyous songs the sensory overload approach works beautifully, like being swept away by a wave of intertwined sexual and spiritual power. Into The Music is a blue-print of the adult contemporary direction than Van Morrison would pursue during the 1980s, but the song writing is so sharp that it’s his best album.

Van morrison songs like astral weeks