Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, though incomplete, August 19, 2004
Al Stewart is practically peerless; there really isn't anyone else who does quite what he does musically and lyrically. He is as brilliant a songwriter as has been produced in the past 40 years and his distinctive nasal whine cuts clear into the consciousness of the listener; not painfully, but certainly memorably. When one hears an Al Stewart song, whether from the late 1960s or from a more recent vintage, one knows immediately that it is Al. This CD makes a valiant effort at capturing Al's best work...sadly, with Al's various record company adventures over the decades, it's a virtually impossible task. Still, it makes a nice introduction to Al Stewart for the casual fan. The great, radio-friendly hits are here, as well as classic album cuts like "Roads to Moscow," "On the Border," and "Merlin's Time." I was pleasantly surprised to find "Last Days of the Century" included here from Al's late 80s Euro-pop album of the same name...but I was curious as to why the radio hit "King of Portugal" from the same album wasn't included. Other songs that could have been included are "Life in Dark Water," "Russians and Americans," "Nostradamus," and "Indian Summer." Of course, that's just one fan's subjective opinion. One day, we could look forward to a comprehensive box set that collects Al's best work from all of his various eras...especially some of his incredible material for Mesa with Laurence Juber. Until then, check out this CD.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Satisfying Collection of Classic 70's Folk-Rock, September 13, 2004
Like many Americans, I first heard of Al Stewart after the release of "Past, Present and Future", which featured his majestic story-song of the WWII Russian campaign, "Roads to Moscow". And a legion more of us knew of him after his biggest smash, "Year of the Cat". So it's a joy to be introduced to some of his earlier works in this collection, as well as to hear the old favorites again after two or three decades. Though, as with virtually all one-disc collections, there are puzzling omissions (no "Nostradamus"?) this is a well-conceived collection (as most Rhino collections are), perfectly remastered, and very reasonably priced. Stewart's albums were always lushly produced (thanks in no small part to Alan Parsons), and his sweet, sunny vocals were always easy on the ear. Add to that his estimable songwriting skills, and solid studio support by everyone from members of Fairport Convention to Tori Amos, and you have a collection of songs that satisfies from beginning to end. I always liked Al Stewart, but this release exceeded my expectations.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
New "Tabby Cat" of Al Stewart's work., July 1, 2004
This "greatest hits" album does not follow the usual toll of the bell that sounds the end of an artist's career. Rather it is a collection of tracks from early and obscure works combined with his most popular tunes. As a previous reviewer has stated there is nothing new here for any Al Stewart fan who is familiar with previous recordings. It is a great CD for people who have not followed Stewart closely and are unfamiliar with his work outside of "Year of the Cat" and "Time Passages". For almost 30 years now you can still hear those two tunes and perhaps "Songs on the Radio" being played in Supermarkets, Drug Stores, Doctor's Offices and Elevators. Al's work still gets public attention, but he is really an unrecognized genius whose best work lies in previous releases prior to "Cat". The new "Border" CD contains more serious displays but this should satisy the general public as a "generic" Al Album suitable for play anywhere. Includes the famous "Roads to Moscow"! (Thank God) Keep Al on the Air!
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by Al Stewart 
