Yet another blinder from Rhino High Fidelity folks! Here’s the latest press release:
Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) welcomes two albums from Van Morrison to its acclaimed audiophile series today with Astral Weeks on vinyl and His Band & The Street Choir on reel-to-reel.
His Band & The Street Choir (Rhino High Fidelity R2R) was duplicated in real time from a 1:1 copy of the original analog master tape. The result is a master-quality listening experience that captures the full dynamics of the recording. The 15 i.p.s. half-track 1/4” tape is produced to the IEC equalization standard on premium RTM LPR90 tape stock and stored on a 10.5” metal reel. The Reel-to-Reel edition is limited to 350 copies worldwide and available exclusively at https://store.rhino.com/products/his-band-and-the-street-choir-rhino-high-fidelity-r2r?variant=51320858018038
Astral Weeks (Rhino High Fidelity) was cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at Optimal in Germany. It comes in a glossy gatefold sleeve with newly written liner notes. The album is limited to 5,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively at https://store.rhino.com/products/astral-weeks-rhino-high-fidelity?variant=51320857559286 and select Warner Music Group stores internationally.
Released November 29, 1968, Astral Weeks remains a cosmic masterstroke for the ages—a fluid, introspective exploration of youth, memory, and time. To record it, Morrison completely bypasses standard pop formulas, opting instead for an open, jazz-influenced framework. Over these intuitive acoustic arrangements, his raw, incantatory vocal performance drives tracks like “Cyprus Avenue,” “Slim Slow Slider,” and the spellbinding title track. That magic was apparent from the first audition, producer Lewis Merenstein recalls in the new liner notes: “It went right through me, and I got the poetry of it. It was just stunning, and I knew I wanted to work with him at that moment.”
Arriving two years later, His Band & The Street Choir delivered the infectious Top 10 smash, “Domino.” With Morrison producing, the album embraces a tight-knit R&B sound laced with buoyant horn lines, smooth harmonies, and upbeat rhythms. That soulful style shines on “Blue Money,” “I’ve Been Working,” and “Crazy Face”—a song that began in the Astral Weeks sessions. The result is a remarkably focused collection that trades abstract mysticism for sharp, celebratory rhythm and blues.
Dave Denyer: The Reel-to-Reel Rambler 