Customer Reviews

Majikat

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cat Stevens, now Yosuf Islam, is slowly making it back into the public eye - carefully. One way he is testing a new phase of life is to release this life CD (previously released as a DVD). No wonder he is willing to risk an entrance back into a more public life - this work stands the test of time. Back in the 70's Cat Stevens' music was thought of as either highly charismatic and musically tight (Teaser and the Firecat, Buddha and the Chocolate Box) or a bit shallow and sentimental (Numbers and Izitso). This collection shows his work to be charismatic, melodically rich, and performed with something close to studio precision. The strongest songs - King of Trees, The Hurt, The Wind, Moonshadow, have no trouble standing on their own as excellent pop songs. The songs that aren't quite as melodic are performed so well that they contribute to a sense of a coherent body of work captured with grace on this live album. How did they get this thing to sound so good given that it is almost 30 years old?

This CD is taken from the very same concert shown in the previously-released Majikat DVD, also released by Eagle. Although I am not usually a fan of concert films (my only other favorite at this time is Pink Floyd at Pompeii, original version), I remained absolutely riveted while testing out the DVD (ending up viewing the whole concert). Early favorites have not lost their sparkle, and (at the time) recent cuts were made even better! (Listen to Banapple Gas, which has transformed itself live into a joyful tune to which one can easily dance!)

My sole gripe is that this concert cannot be heard in complete on one CD alone. They've removed "The Hurt" (originally from my favorite CS album, "Foreigner") as well as "Ruins" (originally from "Catch Bull at Four", as well as the theme song "The Doves", co-written by Cat and keyboardist Jean Roussel (although you can get these last two, as performed during this same concert, within the "On the Road to Find Out" box set). One interesting observation, however: to place "Wild World" (the actual concert encore) at the very beginning of the CD speaks volumes about that song's popularity in the Cat Stevens canon.

The only anomaly one can register from the actual concert is the tempo fluctuations within songs to suit Cat's whim. This is far from a setback, however, as new life breathes into songs that suddenly seem too static in studio LP performances.

If you have a DVD player, do yourself a favour and buy the DVD instead. It's barely a dollar's difference in price if you look around, and there are so many bonuses on the DVD (rare clips and animation, as well as a three-part interview with Yusuf Islam), not to mention seeing Cat Stevens as he was in 1976, buoyant, nervous, enthralled, emotional, the relunctant entertainer caught up in ecstacy.

I was very lucky to have seen Cat Stevens during the Majikat tour in 1976. Since then I have always wanted to have a way to recapture the memories of that great concert. The DVD and this CD of the Majikat tour are perfect! Outstanding sound quality, great songs passionately performed. For those who have Cat's CDs, this is a wonderful addition to your collection. For those just getting into Cat's music, a great way to see and hear the "majik" of his music. Outstanding!!!

I learned to play guitar by imitating early Cat Stevens music. This recording fills me with both joy and sorrow. Joy that this wonderfully lyrical and tightly arranged music stands up well to the test of time. Sadness that such a considerable musical talent has been silent all these years. We are impoverished.

This is a terrific live recording, played with studio precision and energy. Some songs seem a bit rushed compared to their studio versions (especially "Oh Very Young"), but this was typical of Cat Stevens in live performance. The DVD is equally impressive. If you want one, definitive Cat Stevens album, this would be the one.

In the DVD release of this positively riveting concert, Yusuf notes that he was a self-absorbed jerk by this point in his pop-star trajectory, focusing his disdain on the moment in the film when Cat rebukes someone for something they did with the mic stand. Having seen Cat on the tour before this, it was clear to me that he had had it with the adulation. The whole experience was profoundly unsatisfying and the trappings of commercial success were suffocating him. A friend of mine had tossed onstage a toy his girlfriend had given him and Cat ridiculed it. It had a nasty edge to it that showed a guy clearly fed up with his life and what it meant.
Inspite of that, the music had such an incredible power that you, he and everyone else could remove themselves from the existential annoyances and disruptions and find something only Music itself could deliver.
Those same essentials are delivered here in spades. While at times, Cat seems to be rushing through some of it, at other times he acknowledges the reverence for his muse and delivers performances almost any artist would give their eye-teeth to be worthy of. This is, for its warts and pimples, one of the greatest performers in music delivering the goods. To the hip-hop pop crowd of today, the message in the songs would be clearly lost. Heaven knows , the message is clearly lost on W and the fascist Chriztian right who had Yusuf falsely arrested and deported back in the summer of 2004. (Orwell warned of this, Yanks, you are not paying attention). Here is a man bringing forth is song the questions that Socrates asked, and as the dangerous Greek once said, an unexamined life is not worth living. Hmmmm, when you consider W doesn't examine, he just believes.....
Stevens, a noble spiritual son of the most important of all Western spiritual masters, bared his soul and presented his Ruminations as few before or since have. The entire experience is well presented in the DVD and it sounds positively great on this CD. There had been a LIVE IN TOKYO record towards the end of his career, I think the year after this tour. Cat had the masters destroyed. Rightfully so, they were horrible. That he found these and after all this time is willing to reconsider the persona of who Cat Stevens was and what he had on offer is a treat for anyone who examines their life. For all this philosophy, this is an evening of great music. Enjoy. And cast a cold eye on those who would tell you such poets are a dnager to our society.....

Being a long time fan of Cat Stevens I find this live event to be a good snapshot of his early career. Though I would like more improvisation during the concert I know his music isn't too versatile by it's nature (except for maybe Foreigner Suite). I have his box set also and plan on downloading more of his music as I felt the box set left a lot out. But this live set is a good supplement when I just want to hear the highlights of his early career.

I had always thought of Cat Stevens as being a pop-folk singer for teenage girls in the 70s, never thinking his music had much substance. But ever since I bought his 'Very Best of' CD that came out a few years ago, I have been addicted to his music. It is full of a mature yearning for spiritual truth and a deep compassion for humanity, as well as a strong sense of humour (all wrapped up in great melodies).
This album, recorded on his 1976 tour, is the perfect encapsulation of his talent. Full of both hits (Wild World, Moonshadow etc.) and wonderful album tracks like the Hurt and Ruins, every performance is strong. Cat is vocally in great shape and his band is crack.
Overall, this is a perfect introduction to the music of Cat Stevens, and serves as a wonderful supplement to the box set.

I spent hours editing my wav files to eliminate annoying crowd lead-ins and fades..... and cut out Cat's insipid remarks.... Cat needs to stick to just music.... overall, my album is 8 minutes shorter and eminently more listenable.... the music is great.... sound quality is great... wish I could have been there....