Al Stewart appreciation thread

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

Any Al Stewart -enthousiasts around? 
Most of his songs have a progressive feel.
His main aim was pop-folk, but he had some decent rocksongs aswell.
He was more popular in the US than in Europe, hence his american sounding platinum-selling Year of the Cat and Time Passages.

Especially his pre-Year of the Cat-albums have a distinct progressive character. Long songs, lush instrumentation and non-basic songwriting and arrangment, like on songs as News from Spain, The Dark and the Rolling Sea, Nostradamus, Road to Moscow and 18 minute epic Love Chronicles.

On his albums played a variety of famous musicians including Jimmy Page, Rick Wakeman and producer Alan Parsons.

Favorite albums:

1. Modern Times
2. Year of the Cat
3. 24 P/Carrots
4. Last Days of the Century
5. Time Passages.

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Kingsnake Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 03 2006 Location: Rockpommelland Status: Offline Points: 1578	Topic: Al Stewart appreciation thread Posted: September 26 2016 at 02:02
	Any Al Stewart -enthousiasts around? Most of his songs have a progressive feel. His main aim was pop-folk, but he had some decent rocksongs aswell. He was more popular in the US than in Europe, hence his american sounding platinum-selling Year of the Cat and Time Passages. Especially his pre-Year of the Cat-albums have a distinct progressive character. Long songs, lush instrumentation and non-basic songwriting and arrangment, like on songs as News from Spain, The Dark and the Rolling Sea, Nostradamus, Road to Moscow and 18 minute epic Love Chronicles. On his albums played a variety of famous musicians including Jimmy Page, Rick Wakeman and producer Alan Parsons. Favorite albums: 1. Modern Times 2. Year of the Cat 3. 24 P/Carrots 4. Last Days of the Century 5. Time Passages.

Intruder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: May 13 2005 Status: Offline Points: 2206	Posted: September 26 2016 at 06:13
	Strange - I've had Al in my head since waking this morning.....possibly 'cause I nabbed a $1 copy of Past, Present and Future in the bins over the weekend. Al was a slow grower.....didn't dig it as a kid - bit too twee, but I've since gone back to his earliest stuff and I dig everything up to and including Modern Times. Still can't get into the overproduced mid-career stuff, but his latest albums have been excellent.....and, if you're in the US, he's always popping up at clubs and theaters across the country. Fun shows - Al is a great songwriter with a flair for adding history (and wine!....and the history of wine!) to his songs. 1. Zero She Flies 2. Love Chronicles 3. Bedsitter Images 4. Orange 5. Past, Present and Future If you can find a copy of his latest album - 2008's Sparks of Ancient Light - dig it!
	I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....

Kingsnake Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 03 2006 Location: Rockpommelland Status: Offline Points: 1578	Posted: September 26 2016 at 07:07
	Indeed, I did forget his latest albums. Those were (again) excellent folkpop albums. Al had a broad linguistic knowledge. I learned about a lot of writers and their works, through his songs.

Cambus741 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 12 2015 Location: Chelmsford Status: Offline Points: 1223	Posted: October 17 2016 at 06:40
	I love all of his albums apart from Zero She Flies, 24 Carrots, Modern Times and Orange Seen him live 8 times

Cambus741 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 12 2015 Location: Chelmsford Status: Offline Points: 1223	Posted: October 17 2016 at 08:01
	Conspicuous by its absence from your favourite albums list is Past Present and Future which is probably the most progressive of all his albums. And probably of most of his fans. It is certainly the album which was responsible for getting me into Al Stewart. And now he is my joint favourite singer songwriter. (Along with Adam Ant) I also consider Al Stewart to be the best lyricist in rock music.

Kingsnake Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 03 2006 Location: Rockpommelland Status: Offline Points: 1578	Posted: October 17 2016 at 08:38
	^ If the list would be longer, Past, Present, Future would be in the list. I guess the 5 albums I mentioned, are more my personal favorites.

tszirmay Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 17 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6673	Posted: November 07 2016 at 19:00
	Big fan, being a historian ! Last Days of the Century really makes my day , great bass playing by tim landers
	I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.

Kingsnake Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 03 2006 Location: Rockpommelland Status: Offline Points: 1578	Posted: January 12 2017 at 05:27
	Today I decided to give one my favorite artists a chance to shine. Today I'm playing Year of the Cat, 24 Carrots and Last Days of the Century Great productions, great lyrics, great quasi-proggish music.

Cambus741 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 12 2015 Location: Chelmsford Status: Offline Points: 1223	Posted: January 12 2017 at 06:20
	I like all of his albums apart from; Zero She Flies Modern Times 24 Carrots Orange

Intruder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: May 13 2005 Status: Offline Points: 2206	Posted: January 15 2017 at 10:08
	Cambus, man, except 24 Carrot - which along with Time Passages and the studio stuff on the double live album are at the bottom of my list, the records at the bottom of your list would be far and away tops on mine. He may have grown as a songwriter over the years, but the wordplay, whimsy and - surprise, surprise - the musicianship on the first four records.....maaaan, far and away my favorite AS albums.
	I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....