Van Morrison - Best 60s/70s Album Poll!!

I would have chosen MOONDANCE if I were asked 20 years ago, and VEEDON FLEECE if you asked me 10 years ago. Right now the insinuating charms of ST. DOMINIC’S PREVIEW get my vote. “Redwood Tree” is indeed a real choker. DOMINIC’S has some of the mysticism of ASTRAL WEEKS and the soul of MOONDANCE and an atmosphere that’s fairly seductive and pulls you in.

Props too for A PERIOD OF TRANSITION. “Heavy Connection” is a brilliant song.

 

I burned out on ASTRAL WEEKS and MOONDANCE even though their greatness is undeniable. They’re really the two sides of Van: the spiritual/mystical and Caledonia soul.

 

Moondance, with Into the Music second.

 

Astral weeks
Moondance
Too late to stop now
Into the music

Close misses
Tupelo honey
Band and street choir

 

I voted for Blowin' Your Mind just to promote it - besides Brown Eyed Girl and beneath the silly title, half of it is a precursor to Astral Weeks. TB Sheets, He Ain't Give You None and Who Drove The Red Sports Car are some of my favorite Morrison tunes. Along with Joe Harper Saturday Morning and Beside You which appeared on later Bang releases.

 

Hard Nose The Highway....followed by A Period of Transition

I know I t doesn't comply but the material from this period on The Philosophers Stone is a highlight also for me.

 

Well it's predictable because it's one of the most amazing albums of all time, no? Lots of members of this forum won't pick the obvious choice in polls like this because they don't want to pick the same as everybody else and pick the likes of A Period of Transition (alright, who was it?) just to be contrary.

As for the track Moondance, yeah it probably doesn't deserve to be overplayed as much as it is, but it crosses over very well to TV, jazz clubs, weddings, muzak, etc. It's like do I never want to hear Won't Get Fooled Again, er, again, because it's a TV theme song and and car commercial and who knows what else?

 

1-Moondance
2-Astral Weeks
3=Tupelo Honey
3= His Band & The Street Choir
5-Veedon Fleece
6-Saint Dominic's Preview
7-It's Too Late to Stop Now
8-Hard Nose the Highway

 

I had Astral Weeks and Moondance as the only Van albums in my collection for decades (because fellow record collectors said I should) and thought they were "fine but they did not make me want to delve beyond them. As these were the pinnacles, what was the point?

For some reason I picked up Hard Nose The Highway, Veedon Fleece and Period Of Transition one day, and from these 3 albums I finally got what all the fuss was about. Love the mix of Van & Dr John on P.O.T.

 

Great show last night at Yoshis in Oakland. He sounded great and played lots of sax

 

Astral Weeks but the 70’s was a run of classic albums that is almost unmatched.

 

I’d stick my neck out and choose "A Period of Transition". A record, so disappointing at the time that continues to improve with age. Terrific racket and a great-sounding LP.

 

Oh, FFS! Just one?

In which case it has to be Astral Weeks, although if it didn't exist then Moondance or ITLTSN or St Dominic's Preview or...

 

I though i was the only one....

 

Tupelo Honey.

 

Veedon Fleece from Into The Music. Both mighty classics and Top 5 Van albums. Always think the 70s are a greatly over appreciated decade compared to what came after.

 

For me it's Veedon Fleece by far. Although i have most of his Albums i wouldnt consider me as a huge fan.

 

The Angry Young Them.

After the 2 Them albums,
it would be Astral Weeks for me.

 

side one of 'moondance' is just perfect. had to vote for it based strictly on the brilliance of side one.

 

Gone for "into the music" too, just so heavenly!

 

~"Moondance"

Most Honorable Mention:
"Astral Weeks"
"St. Dominic's Preview

Honorable Mention:
"Veedon Fleece"
"Into The Music"
"It's Too Late To Stop Now"

 

Astral Weeks is the acknowledged classic and it's a little surprising that Moondance is leading over it, but Veedon Fleece is my favorite by far on the list.

 

It's hard - no, it's impossible - to pick just one. Into the Music is probably my favourite (and most played) studio album on the list. Astral Weeks isn't in my top 10 Van albums (I much prefer Moondance of the two). In the end I voted for ITLTSN to represent the first half of the 70s. It's cheating a bit as it includes some of the best tracks from the studio albums (by no means all, of course) and it is one of the best live albums of all time...