Day 84: Van the Man

Album 256/1031

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (1968)

All tracks written by Van Morrison.

Part One: In The Beginning
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Astral Weeks"	7:06
2.	"Beside You"	5:16
3.	"Sweet Thing"	4:25
4.	"Cyprus Avenue"	7:00

Part Two: Afterwards
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Way Young Lovers Do"	3:18
2.	"Madame George"	9:45
3.	"Ballerina"	7:03
4.	"Slim Slow Slider"	3:17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_Weeks

Golf's verdict: Have tried and failed to get into this album a number of times over the years. I've owned the CD at least a couple of times, but it's never really caught. This time I rather enjoyed it, which may be an indication that my tastes are still continuing to develop. It's still got a long way to go before it gets into my all time top ten (where it often sits in the overall 'greatest of all time' polls), but it's a start.

Maire's verdict:  Not a fan of his voice so was never going to be a great review. 'Okay' is about as far as I can push it.

Album 257/1031

Paul McCartney - McCartney (1970)

All songs written by Paul McCartney.

Side one

1. "The Lovely Linda" – 0:43
2. "That Would Be Something" – 2:38
3. "Valentine Day" – 1:39
4. "Every Night" – 2:31
5. "Hot as Sun/Glasses" – 2:05
6. "Junk" – 1:54
7. "Man We Was Lonely" – 2:56

Side two

1. "Oo You" – 2:48
2. "Momma Miss America" – 4:04
3. "Teddy Boy" – 2:22
4. "Singalong Junk" – 2:34
5. "Maybe I'm Amazed" – 3:53
6. "Kreen - Akrore" – 4:15

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCartney_(album)

Golf's verdict: First solo offering from Macca and it's a bit of a stumbling one. 'Maybe I'm Amazed' is the only track that would threaten a Beatles tune.

Maire's verdict: What the hell is going on in the last song? All in all, though, not as bad as I was expecting (I may have been imagining multiple versions of 'Mull of Kintyre'....).

Album 258/1031

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture & Morality (1981)

All songs were written by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The New Stone Age"	McCluskey	3:22
2.	"She's Leaving"		3:28
3.	"Souvenir"	Humphreys, Martin Cooper	3:39
4.	"Sealand"		7:47

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Joan of Arc"	McCluskey	3:48
2.	"Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)"	McCluskey	4:12
3.	"Architecture and Morality"		3:43
4.	"Georgia"		3:24
5.	"The Beginning and the End"		3:48

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_%26_Morality

Golf's verdict: 'Joan of Arc' and 'Souvenir' like many of their other most well known hits, back up the assumption that OMD are always a synth band, but this proves they have more in common with The Cure and Joy Division/New Order than The Human League.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! How had I forgotten about OMD?? Brilliant album.