Astral Weeks, by Van Morrison, and regarded by many as one of the top ten records of all time, is now available on MP3 format from Amazon this month for only $5.00.

With its breathless stripped down emotional wallop, Astral Weeks, even though it’s one of Van Morrison’s earliest records, is still full of the injections of the painful, wretched brilliance that accompanied and solidified his later works. Astral Weeks remains a hauntingly beautiful record, like standing on a misty harbor in the early morning, as the quiet lift of the oceans waves sift back and forth like a hammock. Mixing sublime guitar and flute, electric bass, piquant vibraphone, and quiet haunting passages in each and every song, from the opening track — which is the title track — the unexpected rush of its power and strength hits one instantly.

Moondance, one of the standout albums in a sea of them by Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, is now available on MP3 format from Amazon this month for only $5.

Originally released in 1970, the album remains a masterful potboiler of emotional sounds and styles. Musical fabrics like somber soul, R&B, jazz and blues are deftly woven together to create a wonderful attack on the senses and soul. “Moondance,” “And It Stoned Me,” “Caravan,” and the hauntingly, achingly glass in the heart ballad “Into the Mystic” are the more well-known songs, but tracks like “Come Running,” “These Dreams of You,” and “Everyone” also keep Morrison’s musical gambit in full river deep, mountain high force. Moondance (along with a lot of other of his releases) is an essential recording for any musical taste or collection.

Browse all 1,000 albums on sale this month for only $5 each, as well as several albums on sale this week for only $2.99 each.