Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat

I first heard Al Stewart when I was about 10 years old (as of this review, I am 24). My father owned a ragged cassette tape of songs copied from the Year of the Cat vinyl LP, which we played in the car and at home quite extensively. Even at such a tender age, I could feel the genuine emotions conveyed through his songs…the sympathetic lamentations of “Lord Grenville,” the seclusion of “Broadway Hotel,” and the haunting remembrance of the title song. As I grew older into high school age, I went through a phase of musical exploration one might expect of someone at that stage of adolescence, seeking much more aggressive and noise-oriented forms of musical expression to placate the confusion of discomforts stirring within me, and thus I ignored the auditory pleasantries of childhood. But when I entered college and came to know myself more maturely, I started feeling a yearning for certain nostalgic facets of my past, and this album was one of them. How wonderful it was to find the CD here on Amazon.com!

Even as I listen to it now, I still find previously unnoticed nuances, instrumentation, and emotional gradations. Aside from the brilliant music contained on this album, I have also come to recognize how incredible the production was for its time (1976), as well as the usage of rather advanced synthesizers for gentle melodic support. The music itself is quite amazing in its atmosphere and timelessness, compared to what was then more popular. The guitar solos still ring true with clarity (not to mention the transporting drum work and bass lines), never meandering away from their purpose, and Al’s to-the-point style of singing is comforting like an honest friend.

There are so many exceptional songs on this album, covering many places, moods, and even time periods. As a child, “Lord Grenville” was always my favorite, but now that I am a singer myself, I have grown partial towards “One Stage Before.” Its candid lyrics and dream-like vocal effects speak clearly to a musician’s heart. He is truly a modern troubador, exploring love and sadness in equal measure.

Year of the Cat is a classic on so many levels, and while my college peers are content to surrender themselves to more contemporary sounds (as am I when the mood strikes me), it is unfortunate that many of my generation will miss out on this treasure of songs simply because of its “antiquity.”

1. Lord Grenville
2. On the Border
3. Midas Shadow
4. Sand in Your Shoes
5. If It Doesn’t Come Naturally, Leave It
6. Flying Sorcery
7. Broadway Hotel
8. One Stage Before
9. Year of the Cat