Astral Weeks by Van Morrison: Folk/Jazz/Blues. This album is essentially a love letter back home to Northern Ireland. Van the man released this after the success of Brown Eyed Girl and threw everyone off with its improvised blues and almost stream of consciousness lyrics. The songs range from the rambling to the short and sweet. All of them are amazing. It’s a thrill to hear what two days in a recording studio with an acoustic guitar, stand up bass, drums and a horn section can produce. TWH: Astral Weeks; Sweet Thing; Slim Slow Slider

Grade: A*