February 23rd, 2009

There are albums, and then there are albums. Some are random collections of songs, others are a unified whole, something greater than the sum of its constituent parts, and I’m not just talking about concept albums like Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and the Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe album. I’m talking about albums that aren’t continuous wholes, but might as well be. Pearl Jam’s “Ten” for example is much better listened to all at once. Tori Amos’ songs are kind of weak on their own, but “Little Earthquakes” is overpoweringly beautiful when taken in all at once. And “Nighthawks at the Diner” can only be enjoyed in a single sitting, it’s just too awesome to stop listening to before it’s complete. “Flood“, “Paranoid“, “IV“, “Document“, “The Eminem Show“, “The Joshua Tree“. These are all better taken as single experiences than individual songs.

Back in high school, I listened to a lot of crap. In addition to the Ozzy and Poison and Joe Satriani and the stuff that all my friends listened to, there were also bands and albums I really enjoyed that I would’ve never let anyone find out about (although, Mike Norat, if you’re reading this, I’d like to get my copy of Lisa Stansfield’s “Affection” back some day. You’ve had it for 19 years, I think that’s long enough).

Anyway, one of those albums that I’d never let my friends know about was on an old cassette (that’s a music thing we used to have before CD’s) called “Astral Weeks“. I know it was old because it belonged to either my brother or sister and they were always old. One of them left it behind when they went off to college, I foudn it, gave it a shot, and was hooked. I listened to that album thousands of times. In fact, it was the third album I ever bought with my own money (right after Pink Floyd’s “Momentary Lapse of Reason” and Guns ‘n’ Roses “Appetite for Destruction”) because I ended up breaking it.

It’s still one of those albums that I can put in at any time, no matter how I’m feeling, and listen to without skipping any tracks.

So when I heard Van Morrison was remaking it, I was worried. This kind of album - you can’t mess with the magic. It’s like Star Wars, and look how that turned out. Seriously, just step away from the mic. This is a bad idea.

But I admit, I was curious. And I didn’t want to wait for it to “officially” release. So I, um, found a copy yesterday. And I listened to it today. And I was immediately put off.

“Is this supposed to be Astral Weeks?” I asked myself. “Is that a banjo? My god, was that an orchestra hit?!”

But then “Beside You” came on, and that wasn’t that bad, even with the breathing in and breathing out. And, oddly, before “Slim Slow Slider” was over I realized that Van Morrison has done something I never would have thought possible in this post-Lucas era - he remade something beautiful and beloved and perfect, and he made something different out of it that’s just as beautiful. How this is possible, I can’t explain.

I set aside money for Killzone 2 this week, but I think I’m going to buy a copy of “Astral Weeks Live” instead, just to have a real copy.