"Feel your forehead flush with heaviness"

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, City Pages' Jerard Fagerburg wrote about an activity that I am sure many readers of this blog have partaken in: listening to Astral Weeks while enjoying a few adult beverages. The article, titled "The Drinker's Guide to Van Morrison's Astral Weeks," recommends a particular wine, beer, or spirit for each of the album's eight songs. For example, Fagerburg suggests that listeners sip a Pinot noir or Cabernet Sauvignon during the title track. "Hear the pastoral flutes as an extension of the wine's oaky vespers," he writes. "Feel your forehead flush with heaviness. Exhale."

The article is pretentious yet reverent—I don't know whether to giggle uncontrollably or nod repeatedly. Writing about your passion can turn your prose purple; writing about two of your passions can make your words sprout flowers. But in this case, I am cool with it. I may adore booze and Astral Weeks more than this particular dude.

So read, drink, listen. Slainte.