because I couldn’t be sure whether he’d dislike AW because he’d find the song structures amelodic and meandering and boring, or whether he’d like it because of his whole schtick of letting the lead vocals make or break an album (let alone a BAND–Radiohead Radiohead Radiohead Radiohead Radiohead!!!!) would work out in its favor.
Probably the former. I can’t remember what all he’s said about Van over the years, but I seem to recall asking him once and what he said wasn’t positive. This was ages ago. The one page I wanted him to finish the most was R. E. M., and he never did and probably never will. For all I know, he could review this stuff and I wouldn’t know, because in spite of the fact that I never hated the guy I can’t be bothered to read his newest website. He doesn’t post on his own FB group any longer and that FB group is so dorky and autistic-ish that it makes us around 2002 look like Mensa in terms of maturity and life-purpose.
And besides, not only are you going to find nobody here who’s heard all those Van albums, but you never would have–I’d ask what people thought of his later stuff and nobody on Babble in fuckin’ 2003 or whenever had anything to say about all those albums either.

I myself have adored Astral Weeks for 23 years now and have been listening to it every year since I first heard it. Since I only thought Moondance was okay (in spite of being far more accessible) I kind of lukewarmed on doing the rest of the guy’s work. I thought Tupelo Honey and Veedon Fleece were okay, mind you, but I still haven’t bothered with the rest of the 1967-74 albums, let alone any of the jillion albums he put out afterwards. In addition, the guy is regarded these days as a curmudgeon at best and a totally unpleasant dick at worst, and probably always has been (old interviews with him from back in the day make him seem mumbly, distant and borderline autistic, not “mysterious”) and that little anti-lockdown controversy he got into back in the COVID days was the most press he’d had in years. I heard him do some Astral Weeks songs live as an old guy too and they were fucking awful, him mumbling his way through the songs with no energy or verve whatsoever.

Oh well, Van–we’ll always have Cyprus Avenue.