Great tracks No3: Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

Released in 1968, such a great opener on such a great album. Beautifully scored with the minimum of instrumentation, acoustic (rytham) guitar, upright bass, flute, maracas, and a slewing string section. Lyrically said to be going head to head with Dylan at the time but criticallt reviewed as 'impressionistic' and even 'stream of conciousness' this 43 years later sounds as contemporary as the come. Within a five to six years and after the release of St Dominic's Preview it was all downhill for Van the Man.
A must for anybodies album collection.