Customer Reviews

Tea for the Tillerman [Vinyl]

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Tea for the Tillerman" still beckons to be heard, a rare feat for any popular recording that has aged beyond 30 years. Cat Stevens completely transcends the self-conscious trappings that plague many musicians and delivers a sparkling testimony about the life of a seeker.

Though undercurrents of melancholy run through many songs, Mr. Stevens does not give in to sadness and depression. Instead, the theme of love lost in the classic Wild World absolves his lost lover and warns her about the ways of the world. He confronts dying with an unflinching resolve in But I Might Die Tonight and appeals to the ideas of Zen in the muscular, celebratory Miles from Nowhere. Mr. Stevens raises the eco-flag in Where Do the Children Play, which still sounds relevant despite a few archaic (at least to current American sensibilities) words such as "lorry."

He visits the quest motif more than once---perhaps an indication of his own state of mind at that time---in the jaunty On the Road to Findout and the plaintive dialogue that captures the essence of the generation gap in Father and Son. In Sad Lisa, he confronts a quest of a different sort, chronicling the narrator's efforts to deal with some form of mental illness, though it's not entirely clear if Lisa is real or an apparition only the narrator can see.

Mr. Stevens also delves into the possibly related themes of contacts with UFOs in the metaphorical Longer Boats and experimentation with psychotropic drugs as he catalogs images and experiences that merge Into White.

The stellar band that supply the musical textures here are in fine form, especially second guitarist Alun Davies, long the unsung hero on the best of Cat Steven's recordings. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Davies interweave melodies and ideas so seamlessly that it's almost impossible to separate one from the other. The rhythm section here ranges, whether nearly muted or unleashing torrents of energy, never intrudes but always anchors the songs. The strings on "Tea for the Tillerman" sparkle like moonlight on the ocean, offering subtle relief and counterpoint without choking out the music as they do on some of Mr. Steven's later recordings.

Mr. Stevens made many excellent recordings, some good ones, and one transcendent one, "Tea for Tillerman." I hope that he has found the peace he sought and am thankful for this gift he left us before entering the life of contemplation and devotion that beckoned him.

This is one of the few albums I've ever owned that does not have at least one weak track- this is truly a collection of gems.

It's Stevens at his best, predating the self-consciousness that perhaps shaped some later offerings. Gentle but never sappy, easy to listen to but never the dreaded "Easy Listening." The intelligently constructed songs and eloquent, spiritually-tinged lyrics are the perfect vehicle for Stevens' soft-spoken delivery.

"Into White" has always been a favorite, but there is not a song on here that is not remarkable. If you only own one Cat Stevens album, take this over a "greatest hits" collection anyday.

You've probably heard the songs "Hard Headed Woman," "Wild World" and "Father and Son" and if you like these songs, be prepared for even more inside this awesome CD. Cat Steven's music is best-defined as folk music, but Yusuf (that's his name now) has a gift for creating much deeper emotions from his music. I thought maybe it was just me, but I know a lot of other people who feel deeply moved by his works. Although it has been a while, I remember listening to Cat Stevens underwater onboard a dreary U.S. Navy submarine. It was the only thing that kept me sane. Although two other Cat Stevens CDs (Teaser and the Firecat and Footsteps in the Dark) are about as good as "Tea for the Tillerman," this CD stands out as my favorite. If you come to love Cat Stevens as much as I do, I highly recommend watching "Harold and Maude," a perfect blend of Cat Stevens music to a great movie.

To differentiate the truly great CDs, I have only given 15 CDs a 5-star rating. Click on my name above to see them. Maybe your musical taste is similar to mine and I can lead you to other awesome music.

This is his finest recording, especially Father & Son, Into White, and On The Road To Find Out. This CD is better than his Greatest Hits and his music has more of an edge than other singer/songwriters of his time. A pity that he gave up recording but even if he never does another album, I'm thankful we have this.

it all started when i saw "Harold and Maude". then i was so obsessed with the songs that my dad pulled out his old Tea for the Tillerman record and i fell in love with it. it is sooooooo good, i really recommend it to ANYBODY.

After returning from illness Cat Stevens produced 3 magnificent albums, with this, his second, being the defining moment in his career. At his peak with songs like "Hard Headed Woman", "Where Do The Children Play?" and "Father and Son", Cat Stevens's star burned brightly for two years on the strength of this album and "Teaser and the Firecat".

Even now those two discs represent music which has seldom been approached for its poetic lyricism and melody. The gentle instrumentation, perfectly recorded and mixed by ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith, adds to the ethereal atmosphere.

I was a little skeptical having read on forums mixed views on this disc. I have the MFSL gold disc and compared it to this SACD. No question that the SACD is warmer and has more presence to it. I listened to both discs several times and am really glad I purchased the SACD. Here's hoping that Analogue Productions remasters Teaser and the Firecat :)

I have listened to the MoFi edition for years, and have always loved their transfer. It was warm, spacious, and had great transients and dynamic range. I was looking forward to this edition, but find myself somewhat perplexed.To my ears it is, at times, brittle and edgy. I am not sure if I am hearing an accurate transfer of what are realistically decades old master tapes, or has this been tricked-up for today's ears. I always had the sense that the original sessions were minimally miked, and had relatively few overdubs. This remastering gives odd perspectives, and a sense of roughly layered dubs.
I have played it a number of times (which I find, against any logic, actually seems to burn a SACD in), but find I have to force myself to sit and listen. So, I am not sure what I am hearing. My system, by the way, is definite hi-res, with filtered mains, quality cabling etc.
One other observation. As a format, I love well done SACD, it is non fatiguing, and does not harden, no matter how loud you choose to go.Very organic, full rich timbre, great timing.
I would like to know what others think, of this edition, and SACD in general.
I would love to hear MoFi return to their masters and do an SACD of Al Stewarts' YEAR OF THE CAT?
Further more: several days later,
Several listens down the track have done little to alter my perception that the new SACD edition is seriously 'off'. All the rich color of the recording has been sucked out on the SACD leaving the architecture/skeleton of the music behind. it is like going from a color Ctype print, to newsprint black and white.
I have played it back to back, track by track with MoFi vinyl edition. The MoFi features guitars that sound like real plectrums on steel strings, and sound very real and in the room. The string bass sounds elastic and full, again, believably real. But the killer is
Cats voice. On the MoFi, even with the occasionally overloaded mikes, his voice is textured, breathing and emotionally present, and at all times communicative.
The Sacd may be an accurate transfer of aged tapes, but what we are given to believe is the ultimate transfer, gives instead, brittle and edgy vocals, thin and tonally absent guitars, and little sense of communicated emotion.
The MoFi I want to play again as soon as it is finished. the SACD I may never play again.
I can only hope that MoFi retained their masters and have a go at it with their current release schedule of SACDs, nearly all of which are excellent.

Just finished listening to this one, as I just got it today in the mail. A++++ I was tempted to get the vinyl, but went with the SACD. Not sure how they compare, but the SACD is gorgeous sounding.

This Cd is amazing. I really don't know how to describe it. I think very highly of every song on here....I really like the pacifist viewpoint that Cat (Yusuf) displays. The songs "Wild World" and "Sad Lisa" are some of his best. I really consider this album a greatest hits album...there is really nothing i can say about this album except if you want to hear something other then Corn and groups like that, you can go get "Tea For the Tillerman" (I know some people still have the LP they can blow the dust off of) off the shelf, clean your record needle and listen to the sounds of Cat Stevens (Yusuf)