boy was i wrong... i loved this album from the very first time i put it on the stereo.

i would recommend that this be the first late era coltrane cd that you purchase if you're not versed in abstract/avant music. why? because it's just as complex as coltrane's releases that surround it, but it's easier to get initially get into.

how can that be? i mean, how can something be just as complex, yet more accessable? it's because of the feel of the record. with Ascension and Interstellar Space, the music was not only insanely complex, but also almost harsh on the ears. the volume and the (i hesitate to use the word) harshness of those records provided the listener with an additional barrier they had to break through before they could get into the record. here, that barrier is gone.

the music, while complex and abstract, has a very soothing feel to it. the title is very befitting, as coltrane's notes sound as beautiful and natural as stars in the sky. his wife, alice, plays piano here, and her spacey, beautiful contribution complements the music perfectly. even when the music is impossible, the sound is always inviting. that's what i love about this - it sounds natural, beautiful and complex. for those who have been hesitating to get late era Coltrane, this is the place to start.

gorgeous.