Customer Reviews

Year of the Cat

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Year of the Cat" has nine songs, and I think seven of them rate five stars, and the other two a mere four stars. I won't tell you which ones, because every listener will have a different preference. This is a stronger disc overall than "Time Passages" although the title song on that one is even better than "Year of the Cat". Al has many great songs scattered through his other releases, especially the historical sagas, so in his case, I do recommend "Greatest Hits" or "Song on the Radio" as the starter kits, with "Year of the Cat" a third choice as one's introduction to Al. If you like your initial dose of Mr. Stewart, then you are ready for songs such as "Road to Moscow" and "Nostradmus" and "Ryiad." Look them up and give them a chance. Al was filling a need in the '70's and '80's, combining a folk feel, with rock underpinnings, but writing lengthy sagas about obscure historical moments which had intellectual appeal. It's probably a love him or hate him kind of encounter, but a friend introduced me to his work around 1985 and it was love at first listen.

Years ago, Arista & Mobile Fidelity released Al Stewart's "Year Of The Cat" on CD & I purchased the MF version. Over the years I've played the two hits from this album ("On The Border" & the title track) but due to what I was doing at the time, the other tracks were passed over in favor of playing another CD or to do something else. When I learned that Rhino was releasing "Year Of The Cat" (with a sonic upgrade!), My interest in this album peaked once again so I purchased it while visiting New Jersey. One night I decided to play it as I went off to sleep. I couldn't get to sleep that night until I heard this masterpiece four times! This CD is loaded with artistic wit & creativity & I am shocked that I managed to go all this time without listening to these treasures. Rhino did a beautiful job remastering this album too. I have never heard such detail in this album as I did with this Rhino CD. When I play this CD now, I have to play the entire CD. The only way I can play the two individual tracks is if I happen to be playing a "Various Artists" CD or listening to the radio. If anyone I know tells me they have any of the original "Year Of The Cat" CD's, I will strongly insist that they upgrade to the Rhino version. Thanks to this CD (& Rhino), I am going back through all of my CD's to revisit them one track at a time. My only hope is that if I discover another overlooked treasure like this one, I hope Rhino is involved with the latest issue. "Year Of The Cat" is a stunning album! The Rhino CD sounds spectacular! I highly recommend this CD!---William F. Greco

Al Stewart's "Year Of The Cat" was one of my all time favorite albums alongside Cat Steven's "Tea For The Tillerman". Al Stewart had a way of writing beautiful songs with a style all his own. Examples of standout songs are the title track "Year Of The Cat", "Lord Greenville", "On The Border", "Flying Sorcery" and "Broadway Hotel". His unique blend of folk and rock made him a favorite among listeners of Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, and Jim Croce. Thanks to Rhino Records the remastering makes a great cd even better. Buy it and remember just how awesome the music of the seventy's was (and still is).

I loved this album back when it first came out, but I was also 13 at the time and had questionable musical tastes. In a fit of nostalgia, I picked it up recently and was surprised at how well it holds up thirty years later. Listening to it with adult and much more educated ears, I found that my favorite tracks have changed--the women in title track is no longer my ideal self, for example, but I understand "Broadway Hotel" in a way I didn't as a kid. Full of odd little twists and influenced by forgotten moments in history, it's a fantastic example of thoughtful, intelligent, '70s soft rock.

What can I say about this album except that since it's release back in the 70s, it has always been one of my favorite albums. I repurchased the album because my original copy was bad. And I guess if you listened to a CD like this one as much as I have, your copy would be bad too. I consider this album a classic of classics and highly recommend it to anyone. You won't be disappointed.

This was one of the first cassettes in my collection back in the 70's, and receiving the CD for Christmas was one of the best presents I could have gotten. It's a funny thing: there's nothing groundbreaking in the music or production, and yet it gets in your psyche, curls up in a corner that becomes its own, and becomes part of yourself you wondered how you ever lived without -- which is how cat owners often describe their pets. Another incredible mastering job by Rhino. Also: I used to think of this as Al's "Spanish" album, not because of the song styles, but because he manages to use the word "Spanish" in the first three songs on the disc, even though they're all very different from one another. Who else could pull that off?

Recently I've gotten back into vinyl. "Year of The Cat" is one of the handful of records I kept, and thank god for that moment of clarity! I'm listening to this right now on a new turntable. First time I've heard it in probably 2 decades. The music really holds up - There's not a weak song on the entire album. The recording quality is fantastic (recorded at Abbey Road in London).

Very highest recommendation.

I bought the original album back in 1977, on the strengh of the title song and On the border. But boy, I did not know the rest of the tracks were that strong! This is Al Stewart artistic (and commercial) peak. Put together a talented singer/songwriter (at the heigh of his inspiration), a fantastic back up band with only top notch musicians, tasteful arrangements and, to top it all, a Grammy awarded producer. What do you have? The Year Of the Cat! Al has always write great songs, but this time he really mastered his skills. He could be a fantastic poet or novel writer, but he still has the hability to deliver his words with fine melodies to back them up.

When I found the CD version on the market I had to have it and remember why I heard the original vinyl album until it wore out. I really love Modern Times and Time Passges, as well as the other albums he made before and after this one, but The Year Of the Cat is still his best, period. A truly masterpiece. It deserved all the success it had. wish other such great albums had the same fate...

I still have the original record of this album. However,
with the change in technology, I no longer listened to it.
For my last birthday, I asked my wife to get me the CD,
which she did.
I had forgotten how much I loved this album! Normally,
I listen to one or two tracks and skip the rest, but
on this CD, I listen to each one and frequently sing along.
If you like ballads, and song with lyrics you can hear
and appreciate, you should love this album.

I own all of Al Stewart's albums up till this one (yes - I even have The News From Spain). I'd have to say that while each album had brilliant moments, Al progressed with every album, making this his most consistent, best produced, best written, and best performed. Even though I used to think less of "Broadway Hotel" or even "On Stage Before", I've now come to believe that there is not a single weak track on it. Phil Kenzie's tormented solo on the bitter-sweet, almost over-played Year of the Cat makes it a magical climax, but my favorite is arguably "Flying sorcery": the guitar solo soaring through crashing cymbals in the middle musical interlude is still a magical moment for me, and I often like to close my eyes when I sail through those 25 seconds. "Call me if you ever need repair!" Ah, those crazy youthful years gone by. That leaves me thinking: should I buy Time Passages? I really don't know the album at all, other than the title track, which is fine, but no Year of the Cat. Thoughts, any one?