Reviews (page 5 of 13)
Achingly beautiful still
J’ai le vinyle Oui
Beautiful album. Some I hadn't heard before! Loved it and will add to my collection x
Beaut. Wild World is so nostalgic for me. And Father and Son is just beautiful.
I like a lot of the songwriting and production/ instrumentation, even if his lyrics can be a bit earnest. Found probably the two biggest singles (Wild World and Father/Son) to be amongst the least interesting songs.
When you’re this talented even hot nonsense becomes profound
Jake: Cat Stevens- 7.7/10 Love me some cat Stevens. Overall a solid album and incredibly wise songwriting with songs like “wild world” and “father and son” from cat who was 22 at the time! The reason I’m not rating it higher is i think the album has a pretty repetitive sound throughout(which is ok bc he has his sound figured out) but he lost me at times Greg: 8.0 The highs are high but like Jake said, very repetitive. Very soft and sentimental album i enjoy listening to before a good nights rest Annie: Absolutely loved! Cat Stevens is that girl Love me some cat Stevens. Overall a solid album and incredibly wise songwriting with songs like “wild world” and “father and son” from cat who was 22 at the time! The reason I’m not rating it higher is i think the album has a pretty repetitive sound throughout(which is ok bc he has his sound figured out) but he lost me at times
Favorite Track: Father And Son
Hidden depths on this quiet folk gem. Low 4
He has a strong, distinctive voice, the songs are good and the arrangements are simple and effective - love the double bass.
In his own gentle way Cat Stephens (/Yusuf) has a very strange voice. It makes what could be a series of straightforward ballads into something far more compelling. The writing is strong, but the delivery is what makes it shine. You’re hanging on his every word because you never quite know what’s going to happen next. The truncated title track is one of the coolest, bravest ways I’ve ever heard an artist close an album. Yusuf is showing off that he can just whack out a rich and fully developed idea with an incredible crescendo in just over 60 seconds.
So this is a good album, but I also feel like it's nothing special. Usually when that happens it means it needs to grow on me and let me realize how well placed each piece is. I don't have that kind of time. It's just good.
Gutes Album, Wild Worlds und Father and Son sind klassiker. Melancholischer Brit-Pop Rock aus den 70ern
I enjoyed this one. The songwriting was great.
Today I learned Cat Steven’s did not sing Cats in the Cradle.
Before: I do like Cat Stevens a little. I've probably skimmed though this album before but the only song I know I like is Wild World which I have ranked as my 35th favorite from 1970. During: There's some good songs on here other than Wild World. My favorites were Where Do The Children Play?, Miles From Nowhere, and On The Road To Find Out. I see a lot of people mentioning Father and Son but that one doesn't really do it for me. After : It's between 3 and 4 for me. I'll be generous and give it a 4.
this came at such an awkward time because i was just talking all weekend abt how i didnt like cat stevens, only to relisten to this album and feel a bit silly. havent even fully absorbed the storytelling this so might even get bumped up u never know......
Good to revisit this. Nice album elevated by two classic tracks.
Cat Stevens will always be associated with Harold and Maude in my head. That's not a bad thing. Far better than associating him with his support of the Salman Rushdie fatwa. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole album. Of course it has some of the Harold & Maude tracks on it, but all the others are quite good, too.
I was thinking to myself that I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to Cat Stevens before, or at least wasn’t aware of it. Then I heard Wild World and was singing along. I’m not sure where I heard Sad Lisa, but that was familiar too. And then, But I Might Die Tonight came on, and I knew that one too. And then On the Road to Out! Okay, so apparently I knew Cat Stevens really well and this is THE great friggin album that I heard it all from. I think my new favorite song was Longer Boats because I had such a Caribbean vibe to it. I think if I find this one out in the stacks it’s coming home on vinyl.
this was very nice and peaceful father and son always makes me cry
fun, pure vibes, voice 10/10, folky
Very good folk music
A pleasant listening experience. But my two favorite tracks were the two I already knew. Fave Tracks: Wild World, Father and Son, Tea for the Tillerman 3.7/5
I just need to admit to myself that I like folk.
Nice and listenable but not really mindblowing
Ok. How do I begin. It was released in 1970 - plus 1 star for this. I liked wild world and father and son. He is not pitch perfect but this doesn’t have any negative impact. However however, wild world / father and son are the topics that will always always attract me. I actually had some doubts about if it’s really this good or it’s just these topics hit me hard every time. It’s definitely not bad but is it a five? Maybe not.
A really pleasant album with several ultra famous songs. Very enjoyable.
Such a chill album and in the sweet spot for runtime. Wild World is such a classic and Father and Son is also a standout track. I hope we get more Yusef/Cat Stevens albums.
Growing up my parents would always host parties. My dad wasn't a really social guy, but he would always pull out is guitar and play near the end of the night. Everyone would gather around and listen him play through his set of songs, but the ones that always stood out to me were the Cat Stevens ones. I can't tell you exactly what is was about them but they just stuck with me. "Where do the Children Play" has become a staple in my lineup of lullabies for my kids along with other Cat Stevens songs like "Moonshadow". "Father and Son" is a perfect cap to this nostalgic album for me and my fathers relationship with music. We never really talk about it, but anytime the guitar comes out we always bond over Cat Stevens and Tea for the Tillerman.
Wild World was certainly one that I knew before this. Great voice and diction in this one. One of the last songs sounded like Genesis almost. Low, maybe mid 4
Wild World is a great song that I never knew who it was done by. The rest of the album too was great, powerful singing and very melodic instruments to back. Could listen to this album every day and not get mad
Ahh our boy Yusuf Islam! Wild World is great. Love the guttural noises at certain points. Miles from Nowhere turns into quite the jam! Knew I recognized Father and Son from somewhere, and the similarities are from Fight Test by the Flaming Lips! Seems like Cat Stevens sued them which I don't really blame him. Fight Test is the better song though. I enjoyed this one and it teeters the 3/4 line for me. Gonna go up to a low 4 because I enjoyed it enough.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Great album some great songs
This album felt like having a conversation with an old friend. Familiar. So completely 70s. Cat Stevens is a favorite artist of my favorite artist, Kimya Dawson. I really liked this.
Really enjoyed this album. Had listened to Cat Stevens before, but never a whole album. Solid songwriting all the way through. Highlights: "Wild World" and "Father and Son"
First time listen for me. Very pleasantly surprised. This album ebbs and flows like a gentle creek. Just enough variation between these tracks to keep me engaged. I was really worried this would be another acoustic singer songwriter set, with no accompaniment. The musicianship is on full display here. Fairly simple idea executed extremely well.
Folk rock with a happy/hippie bent. An enjoyable listen The up beat songs are better than the slow ones, which is odd as the two big songs from the album are of the slower variety Can veer a little into Kumbaya territory but thankfully not by a lot.
Lyrics could be a little cheesy, but you know what, we could use some peace and love type good vibes. A classic 70s singer-songwriter album, every song is good to great.
gewoon goeie plaat
baby baby its a wild world fr ik ben fameus niet zo'n fan van "zanger met gitaar", maar god dit was n lekker album. ik kende alleen wild world maar heb uitgebreid genoten van de hele plaat
very chill instrumental and comforting lyrics, i wasn't always a fan of the vocalist but i can appreciate the album regardless
Total söndagsmysfaktor. Njöt.
Such a beautiful album. Tea for the tillerman might be the best song under 1:30, so much love shoved into a tiny package.
A handful of incredible songs like Wild World, Father and Son, etc. There were no bad songs, but a lot of them didn't really keep up the momentum.
What a lovely album with sweet songs and pleasant vibes. Brings me back to my college days when I discovered Cat Stevens.
A nice and mellow album. You don’t need much more than an acoustic guitar, a little bit of keyboard, some strings and Cat Stevens’ recognizable and characteristic voice. Favourite songs: Where Do The Children Play? Wild World, Father and Son, Sad Lisa.
Goeie toeie
This has pretty much all of the Cat Stevens classics - a gorgeous listen.
Loved it say about a 4.3
Very good but not crazy good
Soft/acoustic folk music. Decent chord progressions and vocals. Wild World sounds familiar.. Sad Lisa has fantastic instrumentals Miles From Nowhere is more bluesy with even gospel elements. These are repeated on later tracks too. Later tracks do tend to blend into one, but strong start carries it through. Best track - Where Do The Children Play, Wild World, Sad Lisa 4 stars, nice overall effect
윗 세대가 아래 세대에게 전하는 인생의 우여곡절
Peaceful
Really good album.
Really enjoyed Hard Headed Woman, Miles From Nowhere, Longer Boats (which weirdly sounds like a Disney/Pixar song to me). Very catchy
Great vibe to the album as a whole. Sets an optimistic tone on darker topics
Some great songs. Father and Son never fails to get an emotional response out of me. Love his voice.
Man- Father and Son is just gorgeous. Such emotion. This is the first album I’ve listened to here that I’ve gone back to relisten to some of the tracks that were new to me. 4/5.
Have never listened to this album in its entirety until this prompt. Fantastic! On my list of albums I must possess before I die.
Great album!!! Grew up listening to him from my mom. So many songs on this album that I recognized. The obvious one would be, ’wild world’. But, this album has so many other ones just as good. For example; ‘hard headed women’, ‘miles from nowhere’, ‘ father and son’. Great artist, and a awesome story teller with his songs.
It is definitely a wild world. Great album! My first from CS. Beautiful songs from a great singer! Would listen again
A lovely little folk album. He’s got a beautiful voice and this just puts a smile on your face. Wild World will always be a fav!
7/10 – Good
A beautiful and gentle album. I get choked up every time I hear Father and Son.
Gorgeous. Even Gervais can't ruin the title track.
Intressant med klassiker som Wild World. Många modernare låtar har definitivt inspirerats av det här albumet. Lugn klassisk rock som är bekväm att lyssna till, inte så krånglig musik.
cozy
Really good folksy songs.
Een album vanuit 1970, singer songwriter volgens Apple Music. Folk Rock volgens wikipedia. Cat Stevens heb ik nog nooit van gehoord, dus dit kan alle kanten op. Aha! En dan ken ik hm dus toch, Wild World! Ooooh baby baby its a wide world... Is het 3e nummer op dit album. De vorige 2 waren in dezelfde stijl en goh ja ik geniet er wel van zeg. Gaan we weer! Ooooh baby baby its a wild world! En dan kom je aan het eind inene nog een bekend nummer tegen. Father and Son. Ook een prachtig nummer, maar van beide nooit een weet gehad dat die van ene Cat Stevens zijn. Goud zeg. Al met al was dit wel echt een typisch singer songwriter album. Fijn dat dat wel echt iets waar ik goed op ga. 4 reten
My grandfather hated the 60s and 70s pop his children liked, except that he loved Longer Boats. Lot of good reasons the boomer generation latched on to Father and Son. When I was young this was on a lot and I was able to hear it as a Beatles-y piano & acoustic guitar oriented pop. I was a big fan of Cat Stevens' singing. At some point I'd heard enough smug ineffectual folk to start finding Cat Stevens too similar to enjoy as much. I don't think that's the fault of his music, especially the performances on this one. Sometimes something good can't escape the blandness of a trend. Once again thinking about how the SNFU cover of Wild World has no business being any good but it's great. anyway sometimes you gotta give something kinda Basic 4 stars music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
Genuinely an album I want to sit with much more. I loved this and will find myself listening to this over and over again through the week
Very beautiful songs. Father & Son alone makes it a classic.
Gorgeous!
My favorite album so far.
Excellent album and amazing lyrics
8/10.
Darker than I remembered, but musically bright!
Owned . Beautiful album, love me some folk.
Already own this on vinyl, album feels like a warm cup of tea in a chipped tea cup, comforting and worn. A favourite to play when I need to slow down and be still - where will the children play.
Terrific stuff. The journey is quite nice.
First Listen; 3.5; Very enjoyable album. Folky but still very upbeat, bouncy, and driving at times. Manages to sound punchy and aggressive while alternating with soft and gentle. Favorite Track: Miles From Nowhere
Punches above it's weight. Enjoyed more than expected.
It’s a sweet album with a lot to like
Gentle and listenable, nothing musically magical or groundbreaking though.
Beautiful singing and instrumentals paired with solid songwriting. Quite cozy.
So good, need to relisten
surprisingly good
Decent
beeem anos 70, uma coisa mais fleetwood mac assim. gostei bastante, as músicas tem uma complexidade muito legal mesmo conseguindo manter um padrão entre elas. um álbum muito coeso e divertido de ouvir, amei!!
simple but not easy, inspired
Matched my mood great
A classic, really enjoyed this
Classic acoustic soft rock. I know wide world and father and son; longer boats and sad lisa stood out of the new songs. album mood ranges from soft background to if you're in the mood for a few tears.
Great album from Yusuf
Me gustó mucho, voy a volver a escuchar canciones sueltas, no sé si el disco entero. Es como un Fleetwood Mac sin tanta onda.
A lovely collection of folk-pop melodies, with lyrics that range from the hallucinatory to profound meditations on aging, spirituality and inter-generational conflict that still resonate all these decades after the record was released. While I'm not surprised to find this on the 1001 list, I do find it bizarre it's not alongside Teaser and the Firecat by the same artist.
Love the weird sound in On The Road To Find Out, But I Might Die Tonight is a rippa, Wild World will always remind me of Skins <\3
Favourite song : Father and Son
Excellent album, perfect length, some real bangers and a great unexpected choir to round it all off, only reason this hasn't hit 5 stars for me is it's a bit repetitive in style
Track 1. (Where Do The Children Play) love this vibe, totally something that I’d listen too. 7.6 Track 2. (Hard Headed Woman) not as good as the last track. 7/10 Track 3. (Wild World) 8.3/10 Track 4. (Sad Lisa) 7.2 Track 5. (Miles From Nowhere) 8.5 Track 6. (But I Might Die Tonight) 8/10 Track 7. (Longer Boats) 7.4/10 Track 8. (Into White) 7/10 Track 9. (On The Road To Find Out) 7.3/10 Track 10. (Father And Son) 9/10 Track 11. (Tea For The Tillerman) 7/10 Overall Score: 7.6/10
Enjoyed this way more than i thought i was going to. nice easy listening
Hard not to like this one
Chill pleasant, well rounded album that keeps its quality up
I really enjoy the vibe of this album but I think it’s more of a sunny day with the windows down kind of listen not a cloudy snowy dark winter day. I had no idea that wild world was a part of this album so that was a pleasant surprise. I can’t wait to revisit this in better circumstances.
I'm really enjoying the drums and pianos on this one. The ending is abrupt and made me think the app crashed both times I listened to it though. Catching themes of living and dying and being where you want to be.
Акустический рок. Слушал в наушниках, как-то ровно. Из-за болезни тяжело оценивать музыку
Its great i give it a 6/10. it gives me a chill vibe idk how to explain it. one song that literally spoke to my soullll was father and son.
Album Review 039 Tea For The Tillerman by Cat Stevens (1970) Rating 4/5 Well this was a pleasant surprise. Tea For The Tillerman isn’t an album I’d ever heard in full and whilst I expected it to be a good album, I didn’t think I’d actually like it. The songwriting and music is consistently strong, and there’s not a bad track on the album. It’s nice to be proven wrong once in a while.
Perfecto me lo he guardado 3 veces
So good, my dad loves this album
Heard it before. Love this album, it feels like a warm hug. I just wish radios would start playing the original version of Wild World instead of the shit 90s cover by Mr. Big 4/5
holyyyyy shit, i'm so into this!!! i love the guitar and how it sounds playing on my bose speaker! the importance of having good audio is really prominent rn because i feel like i am sitting in the song. - the violin on "sad lisa". WOW. - father and son. damn. ouch. THIS DAMN GUITAR AND BACKGROUND VOCALS!!! "ik.. i have to go". just looked up the genre and it's folk rock. damn it feels so heartfelt. each word is placed so intentionally within each strum of the guitar.
We love Cat
The length of this is such a boon. If this had been 10 minutes longer I’d be over it. There’s a simplicity here that I like, there’s like no ego attached unlike a Dylan where I’m like “dude I don’t care & I don’t think you’re as smart as you think you are.” This guy is just like “your dads gonna die”
Не Джоні Мітчелл, чимось помітно відгонить рускім роком, але бейбі, бейбі, ітце вайлд ворлд!!!
Was will man dagegen sagen?
Lovely album very sweet will listen more
(4.5)
This is why we know Cat Stevens. (4.5)
Like it
My first ablum was Nick Drake, and I was a little disapointed to see this come in at number 2, as I was hoping for more of a shift in tone. However, this is a fantastic sounding album that grabbed me a lot harder than Pink Moon. I forget how much I like Cat Stevens. All good songs. It's sitting right at 4.5 stars for me. Father & Son made me cry at work, which seems like a 5, but it's also just the 2nd album of the list for me. Feels too soon to be giving out marginal 5's... I guess it's 4, tough though, really good album. Favorites - Wild World, Sad Lisa, Where do the Children Go, Father and Son Less favorites (still good)- Longer Boats, Into White 2/1001+
What a great well-rounded album. Mostly guitar and voice, with a nice crew enhancing the performance. Some great folk-pop songs, perfect for a car trip. Father and Son is one of my all time favorites but I didn't find any bad songs on this album.
I've heard this a lot some decades ago. It has good songwriting and performances, but I could never really warm up to it.
I don’t know that much about jazz and don’t understand it to the fullest. Nevertheless, I liked the album, especially Track C
Absolutely wonderful
This album is perfect for weekend vibes. So relaxing yet have touching songs. Again 5/11 went straight to my playlist. Enjoyed it but would be much more nicer if I was sitting outside with tea in my hand and just watching the nature. 8/10
Cozy, good background
A surprising soup of genres rolled up into folk music.
I’ve been meaning to get around to this album, after being properly introduced to yusuf through the Harold and Maude soundtrack, I fully fell in love. Favorite song: Father and Son Least Favorite: Sad Lisa
What a beautiful album and one I would have never listened to had I not been doing this! A couple of songs I knew but never properly appreciated - Father and Son is a true all timer and will stay with me forever now. Rating dragged down by a couple of weaker songs but all in all very grateful for the introduction to Cat Stevens’ gorgeous songwriting and storytelling
so many of these songs make me tear up like a pavlovian response
Impactful lyrics for this point in my life. Felt like a cozy roadside tea party with uncle Iroh.
Heard
“Wild World” is a helluva song. And “Father and Son” isn’t far behind. On the whole, the songs are gentle and simple—in the best possible way. Only mildly saccharine.
3.5
some were a tad boring but felt very nostalgic- loved wild world, miles from nowhere, longer boats, and on the road to find out
This felt warm! I enjoyed most of it. Full of emotion and folk.
Surprisingly very good!
Good album, but I prefer Teaser and the Firecat
The lyrics are good, and you can tell Cat Stevens is a very talented songwriter; but its not really that upbeat so it wasn't that enjoyable for me.
Very dungarees, tinsel. Heard before I like it. Reminds me of 2022 and grandad. Grey purple marshmallow goo
Beautiful melodies! Very theatrical I've heard wild world before! Sad Lisa was stunning Really fun to listen to
Separating the art from the artist, I can appreciate this for being all around great, and deservedly revered as a great relic for folk rock.
Very good, upbeat music!
Great tracks!
One of the better folk rock albums on this list so far. The songs are mostly driven by acoustic guitar and piano, but his voice is very unique and easy to listen to. I really liked Where Do The Children Play and Longer Boats, as well as the two songs I already knew (Wild World and Father and Son).
My college roommate was obsessed with Cat Stevens, so this had some nostalgia for me. I already know I loved Wild World, but really enjoyed Where Do the Children Play too.
I remember my childhood listening to this. My father usually blasts Cat Stevens' songs on his component and subwoofer which made our Sunday mornings happy.
Very good
Many songs I have heard before but never knew it was Cat Stevens. A good listen
A rather lovely album
This is 70's singer songwriter nirvana. Some all time great songs--"Where do the Children Play?," "Wild World," "Father and Son"--and a bunch of really good deeper cuts. Not sure how a man who espoused peace and love later issued jihad against infidels, but this album really nails a hippie philosophy of seeking deeper love and understanding of oneself and others. And the arrangements are fantastic, perfectly complementing Stevens' voice and lyrics.
Really nice folk album. I dont absolutely love every song, but theres plenty to pick out and enjoy beyond Wild World. Father and Son gives me chills every single time, the emotion in his voice, the complexity of the feelings towards one another, it's just a really powerful song. Cat Stevens reminds me a lot of Labi Siffre, one of his contemporaries that should definitely be on this list. There's a super warm quality to this kind of folk stuff
Good
baš fino, lijepo. šteta šta je lik kasnije poludio (preobratio se na islam)
I really liked this album; it evoked a lot of emotion from me and was a very relaxing listen.
Love the title track.
Ohhh baby baby it's a wild album
This was a huge, pleasant surprise. In my mind I scoff at Cat Stevens, I don’t really know why. Just do. But I liked this!
Damn, this hits pretty hard for Folk music. I have always like what I heard from Cat Stevens. I had never listened to an entire album though. I remember being surprised when he became Muslim and denounced all of his music. It has really held up well.
Great album, easy listen, Brumar listened at camp. 8.8/10
# Playlist Track - Father and Son # Notes - Pretty pleasant throughout. "Wild World" and "Father and Son" are certified, all-time classics. - A couple of dull tracks, but nothing egregious. - Even though it's not really my tune, I did enjoy it a lot.
yeah this was a nice collection of tracks, really well written and presented and sequenced
Yay, all the songs sound like 'Wild World'! A little funny, but also comforting. I like it. Just very clear vocals, zippy but un-noisy guitar, folky vibes but the actual content is kinda fluffy. It IS a wild world. Dare I say, shades of Children's Favorites. But I wish I were having a wee nap right now and these charming lullabies aren't helping. Still I haven't given a 4 in forever, so let this be the one.
I woke up early today, put on this album, and started my day. It was perfect.
Good
Cat stevens is certified halal music.
3-4
okay bangers??
Ah man. Some great hippy dippy shit! I still cry over a few of these songs.
Damn good album really good vibes
Emotionally powerful, well-written, and well-sung. Even if I am not usually a fan of this style of music (ballads, acoustic guitar) this album is still full of bangers
Tranqui, aunque no es muy mi estilo.
A few all-timers, and a few boring or forgettable ones. Wild World, Father and Son, and Tea for the Tillerman are the natural standouts, and I liked Where Do The Children Play? too. Very well-made or crafted album. Lots to like, but Longer Boats was a bit dull. I agree that not everything lands well.
Hab mich nie mit ihm beschäftigt....aber gefällt mir sehr! Ich mag seinen Gesang. Alles sehr entspannt zu hören, super angenehm, warm, ohne langweilig zu sein, weil das musikalisch einfach sehr gut ist. Werde ich mir öfter mal geben.
Bonitinho. Eu acho que escutaria novamente, mas não me pegou tanto.
Great album
Oooooo baby baby it's a wild world - a little beauty
Rv
This was made for walking through the pdx airport
Acoustic guitar goes crazy, all time goat instrument. Favorite Track: Longer Boats
Haven’t heard Father and Son in a long time, a real heartstring tugger for anyone who’s had a nuanced relationship with their dad. Really thoughtful album and from an amazing singer-songwriter.
Определённо претендует попасть в список интересных альбомов. Слушается легко. 7 из 10.
Awesome album. So many good songs.
V nice
Cool folk jams
Soothing vocals. Easy melodies.
This was thoroughly enjoyable!
melancholic
This album would be at home in any coming-of-age movie from the 1970s-1990s. Very nostalgic and peaceful, fantastic road trip music.
A pleasant surprise. Wild world and Father & Son are the obvious standouts, but it's a really well realised slice of 70s folk rock throughout. Not quite at a level of mind-blowing - if you know the two songs above, you know what to expect. That said, for an album I didnt have high hopes for, it was very enjoyable.
Love Cat Stevens. I was introduced to most of his music by an ex gf who adored the movie "Harold and Maude". Father and Son is an all-timer.
Cat Stevens has such a sad sound. Every time I listen to his songs it sounds like he is remember a time / moment that has passed that he wanted to get back. Father and Son is good song from this album.
Rather enjoyable album. Chill and easy listening but still catchy at times. 4/5
Allez, hop, au boulot. Aujourd'hui, le Grand Livre a décidé de me tester, de mettre ma patience, ma tolérance et mon armure de cynisme post-punk à rude épreuve. Sur le banc d'essai : Cat Stevens et son "Tea for the Tillerman". Rien que le nom, on sent déjà l'odeur du patchouli, le pull en laine tricoté main et les discussions au coin du feu sur la nécessité de retourner à la terre. Pour être honnête, en voyant ce nom apparaître sur ma liste, j'ai poussé un soupir qui aurait pu éteindre les bougies d'un gâteau d'anniversaire à trois étages. Cat Stevens... Pour le disquaire que j'étais durant les années 90, c'était le genre d'album qu'on classait entre James Taylor et Simon & Garfunkel, dans le bac "Folk pour parents sensibles". C'était la musique de l'autre camp, la bande-son des babas cool que le punk avait voulu, à juste titre, trucider à coups de Doc Martens. Je m'attendais à une mièvrerie dégoulinante, une sorte de barbe à papa acoustique qui allait me coller aux tympans et me donner une crise de diabète auditive. Bref, j'étais prêt à détester, à ricaner, à écrire 150 lignes sur la vacuité de l'ère hippie finissante. Et puis... merde, il faut bien l'avouer, les premières notes de "Where Do the Children Play?" tombent et je me tais. La production est claire, chaude, précise. La voix de Stevens, douce mais incroyablement présente, se pose sur une mélodie qui, en trente secondes, s'ancre dans ton cerveau pour ne plus jamais en partir. Le mec sait écrire une putain de chanson, c'est indéniable. Et cet album, ce n'est pas une collection de chansons, c'est une putain de collection de tubes interplanétaires. On va évacuer le sujet tout de suite : oui, il y a "Wild World", et oui, il y a "Father and Son". Des monuments qui ont été joués jusqu'à l'écoeurement dans tous les feux de camp, toutes les scènes de films tire-larmes, toutes les pubs pour assurances-vie. On les a tellement entendues qu'on ne les écoute plus. Et c'est là le piège, car en les réécoutant dans leur contexte, sur cet album, on est forcé de constater la perfection de leur écriture. "Father and Son", c'est le dialogue de sourds générationnel le plus brillant jamais mis en musique. C'est simple, direct, et ça touche au cœur, que tu sois le père ou le fils, tu ne peux pas lutter. Mais l'album ne se résume pas à ça, il y a une sorte de mélancolie douce-amère, une quête spirituelle qui suinte de chaque sillon. Ce n'est pas la joie naïve et béate des hippies de 67, on est en 1970 et la gueule de bois post-Woodstock commence à se faire sentir. Stevens parle d'écologie avant l'heure ("Where Do the Children Play?"), de la difficulté de trouver sa place, de la spiritualité sans le dogme. C'est la bande-son d'un type qui se pose des questions existentielles, mais qui a le talent monstrueux de les transformer en mélodies pop imparables. La production de Paul Samwell-Smith (ex-Yardbirds, excusez du peu) est un modèle du genre. C'est organique, ça respire, chaque instrument est à sa place, de la guitare acoustique, évidemment centrale, aux arrangements de cordes subtils qui ne tombent jamais dans le pompeux, en passant par le piano délicat et la basse toute en rondeur de John Ryan. Ça sonne avec une chaleur analogique qui fait un bien fou à mes oreilles habituées aux productions rêches et froides du post-punk. Alors, comment un type comme moi, dont le panthéon personnel est peuplé de prophètes du chaos et de déconstructivistes sonores, peut-il tomber sous le charme de ce chaton persan de la folk ? La réponse est simple : le talent, le putain de talent brut car au-delà des genres, des postures et des chapelles, il y a l'artisanat. Et Cat Stevens, sur ce disque, est un orfèvre, il n'y a pas un gramme de gras. Onze chansons, trente-six minutes, et une densité de mélodies qui rendrait jaloux un Paul McCartney au sommet de sa forme. C'est un disque d'une honnêteté désarmante, porté par une voix qui, même dans ses moments les plus doux, a une fêlure, une fragilité qui la rend profondément humaine. Alors ce sera un 4 sur 5, et pourquoi pas 5 ? Parce que mon ADN m'en empêche. C'est un poil trop poli, trop... gentil pour décrocher la timbale suprême dans mon système de valeurs. Il manque l'odeur de soufre, le danger, le sentiment que tout peut s'effondrer à la seconde. Ici, tout est parfaitement maîtrisé, presque trop. C'est un disque qui a gagné sa place, il a forcé le respect du vieux con cynique que je suis. Il m'a rappelé qu'avant de vouloir tout déconstruire, il faut savoir construire quelque chose de solide. Et "Tea for the Tillerman", c'est une cathédrale de mélodies, rien de moins.
Simple, whimsical acoustic guitar vibes. I felt myself instantly relaxing into my seat while I was listening to this. Cat Stevens feels like a cozy storyteller.
I was working from home and found in this album an apt companion for the dreary day. Stevens' voice is versatile and neatly underpins the emotional highs and lows. Father and son is a beautiful song with timeless lyrics.
Album 923 of 1089 Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman (1970) Rating : 4 / 5 Today’s album was Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens. An awesome singer-songwriter who, I think, sometimes gets lost in the shuffle when people talk about great artists from his era. His voice has such a calming, distinctive tone, and his songs always carry a gentle wisdom that sneaks up on you. Ironically, when I went to Spotify to play the album, Wild World was just finishing up from being the last song I heard yesterday — a nice little coincidence to start this listen. This album is filled with beautiful, heartfelt songwriting - Father and Son, Where Do the Children Play?, Hard Headed Woman - all timeless tracks that show how effortlessly Stevens could blend melody and meaning. It’s a fine album that lets you just relax and drift for a while. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys honest songwriting and a peaceful listen.
Folky, very seventies, mellow, slightly too soft, good songs
Better than most singer-songwriter folky stuff from the same era.
I have a soft spot for Cat Stevens and there is a lovely quality to a lot of his songs, although it can tip into the saccharine. It’s all nicely produced, folksy but in an accessible way. For the sentimental out there, Father and Son is a lovely song. However, it all sounds quite same-y and despite considering myself to like a fair number of his songs it failed to fully hold my interest on a first listen. However, having revisited it charmed me more and a 3 feels criminal. Suspect the stalwarts will think it’s brilliant and the nonbelievers will think it boring.
This one surprised me in every sense of the word. I’m not generally fond of Folk and Singer Songwriter albums. They’re usually fine and well written, but aren’t my cup of tea. So, it was unexplainable to me why I ended up liking this one so much. It’s slow, it’s as Folk as you can get, melodic, and somewhat depressing. But man, that voice is angelic. Something about the sheer passion you can tell went into this just makes every song really stand out. It’s very real, and I don’t think picking a favorite is going to be easy here, but if I had to it would be “Hard Headed Woman”. The way everything comes together, builds up and just blows you away is nothing short of impressive. I would actually come back to this one. At 36 minutes, this is the perfect length for an album and does a good job of having no filler. With this album alone, I can see why this guy is in the Rock Hall. Well deserved. Pretty difficult not singing “Wild World” out loud.
A nice easy listening album.
I haven't listened to Cat since my mum dies a couple of years back. I probably should listen to him some more.
Alright, another 70s record and I am not complaining, well aware of Cat/Yusuf Stevens. 2 songs from this album I already knew Wild World and Father and Son. Yet the album opener is very nice as well. Clearly this is a good folk record, still not sure if I will only give these 3 stars or round up to 4 because for RYM I'm thinking 3.5/5.0. Listened a few times now and it seems like this def deserves 4 stars, a few songs I really love from here, but other songs do not pale much in comparison and def don't take away from the experience.
8/10
Still a beautiful album. I sometimes don't connect Cat Stevens with the actual work so I spent a lot of time going, "Oh yeah! I forgot this was a Cat Stevens song too." 4/5 album cover. Love and illustrated cover and someone understood composition!
Fun to hear the roots of inspiration to since of my favorite musicians.
Based on genres and descriptors, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but I was very pleasantly surprised. A lot of these folk-adjacent singer-songwriter albums tend to be pretty boring to me. They’re vocal-focused and put the instrumentation on the back burner (sometimes to the point of only utilizing a single instrument). They’re made for people who want to listen to calm, sensual, emotion-driven songs about the author’s personal feelings and musings. Which is completely fine, by the way, but as a person who likes complexity and much prefers the sound of instruments over vocals, not what I look for in music. This album, however, while also having the above-stated characteristics in some parts, doesn’t shy away from going loud and letting the instruments breathe. In my unbiased and scientifically tested opinion, every composition can be improved by a crescendo that is three times louder than the rest of the song—and these album has plenty. This approach to the genre is so much more satisfying to me. As someone who doesn’t like folk nor pop, a folk pop album that is written like it’s hard rock (minus the abrasive nature) is so much more enjoyable.
Entspanntes Album viel Gesang aber gibt einen angenehmen vibe banger im Hintergrund Hippie vibes und sehr cozy Best Song: Wild World Rating: 4/5
Of all the singer-songwriters that emerged in the 70s, Yusuf might have been the most earnest. He wears all his emotions in his songwriting, pressing toward a better, happier, cleaner world and always inspiring. His singing is just gorgeous, and he has a beautiful play with lyrics and dynamics that others have tried to imitate ever since. This isn’t a “complete” record by any measure, but it’s so poignant and powerful it makes up for most of its flaws. I’m a sucker for his songwriting, and he just feels like a friend in the darkness clawing toward a brighter hope.
Beautiful folk album
Going into this I only knew father and son. I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album. Not anything super amazing but just really good stuff.
Nostalgic album that I heard a lot growing up. Extra points for Yusaf coming to Chch after the terror attack - all round good guy
Almost a greatest hits album! I do find him a little over earnest at times but you can’t argue about the quality of the songs.
Nice
Quiet, calm but with bursts of urgency, it's Cat Stevens' voice that makes this album work so well. Some absolute classics here, musically augmenting both Cat's voice and lyrics perfectly. The last song on the album, the title track, remains one of my all-time favourite songs. It starts so small, with the fragmented piano piece. It feels like you're in a tiny room with Cat Stevens sitting at his piano right across from you, noodling, improvising, trying to figure out a new song. And then out of nowhere it swells into this huge, emotional burst. All in the space of a single minute. It grabs you straight away and then just keeps building until it suddenly cuts off, leaving you kind of stunned. Very close to 5 stars. Let's call this 4.5 stars.
A pleasant book to read on the train.
Great now I want to watch Extras again
Calm, beautiful folk rock ... a nice collection of songs.
Beautiful, calm, soft, several iconic songs.
Great album with Greta production for the time of its release
Pretty darn good, I don't like some of the musical ideas on the later half of the album tho
Really good, almost 5.
This one really grew on me. Bonus points for the office closing song
Great vocals and story telling. Production and music were great too! Didn’t add many songs from it but glad I listened.
Very enjoyable album, Cat Stevens continues to overshoot my expectations every time I listen to his music. No skips.
Interessant , nicht ganz mein Musik Geschmack aber für ein Klassiker sehr gut, sogar ein Lied , dass ich kannte
freaking classic
very soothing
I enjoyed the album more than I thought I would.
It's unapologetically Cat Stevens, folksy as it is. Like many albums of its acoustic-folk-rock ilk it suffers from having a few too many forgettable/unremarkable songs among its tracklist, but it's worth the listen for Father and Son alone which is a timelessly beautiful ballad to generational change so relevant at the time. Fav tracks: Father and Son, Longer Boats
Cat Stevens is not my favorite singer/songwriter of this era, but this album is a classic. Some really good tunes on this one.
Not usually my bag but really enjoyed this. Perfect album for a sunny Sunday morning.
Banger of the Album: Wild World What a great morning coffee album
Classic aber auch bisschen langweilig
Really enjoyed this. Recognised a few but even the new to me ones were a pleasure
Good, classic songwriting.
Cat Stevens is such a unique musician - instantly recognizable, with a voice that feels both fragile and powerful. I feel like everyone knows at least one of his songs, even if they don’t always realize it’s him. Tea for the Tillerman is probably his most beloved record, packed with some of his biggest hits like Wild World and Father and Son. It’s a beautifully intimate album, easy to put on and just lose yourself in the emotions. The stripped-down arrangements make it timeless, while the lyrics wrestle with themes of growing up, change, and spiritual searching. At the time, it solidified Stevens as one of the defining singer-songwriters of the early ’70s, standing alongside artists like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Decades later, it still resonates. Proof that simple, heartfelt songwriting can be as powerful as any elaborate production.
82/100. Tea for the Tillerman is a great folk-rock album, showcasing fantastic songwriting and production. The emotional depth in the lyrics makes it a heartfelt and engaging listen. With standouts like "Father and Son" and "Wild World," this album delivers timeless melodies and thoughtful storytelling. A well-crafted classic that certainly isn’t a miss.
Good background music for work. Recognized “Wild World.”
This is the definition of a comfort album. Its nostalgic, its friendly, its warm. It almost feels like it was made for children which I mean in the best way possible. "Where Do The Children Play?", "Hard Headed Woman", and "Wild World" is a pretty insane three song run. After that it kinda loses some steam but comes back in the end with "Father And Son". Overall a lovely album that was a treat to revisit. Favorite track: Where Do The Children Play?
How quaint! This album was full of surprise hits and enjoyable guitar alongside some heartfelt lyrics. Something about the album cover conveys the message of the album so well, and was such a pleasant listen. 4/5! I wish Tea For the Tillerman was longer, and a couple songs weren't as strong, but the recognition of Wild World and the songwriting of Father & Son really shone.
Super chill, laid back, easy to listen to. When I think of the sound of the 70’s, it’s pretty much this album
Lovely easy-listening folk album. Incredible vocals.
oh hell yes. edit: this was awesome. sad songs within the album, but a very enjoyable and reflective listen. i enjoyed the songs on it that i haven't heard before. and the art work! awesome.
This is a rather soft acoustic pop album with pleasing vocals and arrangements. The lyrics have a healthy bit of social commentary, but are sugar coated with good pop hooks and soft acoustic guitar.
Ma foi, pourquoi pas.
Perfectly fine, mellow and somewhat serious, but probably not as deep or wise as it aspires to be. Vocals are good but there's an undeniable meh factor going on. One always wonders how he feels about his conversion to Islam.
Not my cup of tea, but this album is mastered incredibly. The use of negative space is excellent.
Nudges a 4. I'll definitely listen again.
Ahh great old album! And one that I've not heard the whole thing of but had a very good experience listening to! I was just enthralled with it!
Lowkey kinda great. Solid buildup in every song.
Je l'écoute maintenant...
Heartfelt and sweet
An American dad, with a big beard, emotionally strong vibing and singing in his red rusted pick-up driving in a Forest of « conifères »
Fantastic.
i have never particularly liked cat stevens. his brand of melancholy really does just bring me down and i don't care for his voice. that said, i recognize this is a pretty damn good album. well done, cat stevens, you got me
Enjoyed this album. I have Cat Steven's Greatest Hits album, but this one filled in some gaps. 3.65/5 stars = 4.
A lovely album that I genuinely enjoyed. With classics like "Wild World" and "Father and Son," it’s hard not to get a little nostalgic. Cat Stevens has a way of making you feel all the feels.
Sad Lisa and Father and Son are bangers, some sub par tracks towards the end brings this from a 5 to a 4
nice
Интересно
A wonderful and emotional record that contains stupendous hits like Father and Son and pleads to be bigger than it's parts, like acres of sky
Excellent
I like it! Knew a lot more than I thought
Enjoyable ig I thought I had already gotten this
This album had just enough good stuff on it for me to give it a four. I'm not sure poor Salman Rushdie would agree though!
knew a lot of the songs already but really liked that it led me to ‘magdalena’ by the monkees
Not really my jam, but bad... will try to revisit it.
Waited the whole album for cats in the cradle, imagine my disappointment
This album has a lot of his hits, which are great, but overall I think he has better stuff. This is still a really good album, but it’s just not my favorite work of his.
Car Stevens makes a not good but not bad singer-songwriter album. 7/10
Genre: Folk Pop (Singer/Songwriter) If you’ve got a mom raised in the 70s, chances are this is one of her favorite records (I speak from experience). A warm, folksy, sweet and earnest little record, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens crafted a very wonderful album. Full of emotion and passion, this is one of those albums that will continue to sound good for years to come. Miles from Nowhere crushes me, as does Father and Son. Great stuff. 4/5
no brzdąka się na tej gitarce
I loved his voice and really enjoyed this album.
beautiful album from start to finish!
Just insanely catchy and beautiful. I've heard a few of these, but not all of them. The non-singles are pretty great too.
Playful, Painful, Authentic Beautiful folk songs whose melodies move with Brahms-like complexity. The lyrics, as tender and devastating as Celtic ballads, somehow never lose their light. This is authentic storytelling in a pastoral setting that romanticizes nature and one’s inner life from a place of admittedly answerless wisdom. Where Do the Children Play? A strong opening to the album that showcases Yusef’s lyrical subtlety and vocal power. Deceptively simple melodic turns display a musical intelligence that for the rest of the album will not disappoint. The themes may be worldly here, but this songwriting is personal. Hard Headed Woman Wonderful chord progressions, along with shifts done just right, accent the depth of these courageously simple lyrics about seeking, companionship, betterment, and blessing. Wild World The only song on the album that I was already aware of. More tender and forgiving in its album setting than its pop culture references make it seem. Father and Son Moving and relatable portrayal of the parent-child relationship. A tender song about loss, loneliness, and mutual desperation. Honest and empathetic, this narrator knows both sides. Tea for the Tillerman A short and joyful conclusion, almost like a nursery rhyme. Rectifying, as if Yusef refuses his listener the chance to walk away with any pessimism. If we take tillerman to mean farmer, this concluding song is at once a pastoral call for respite from toil, as well as an encouragement in the face of life’s continuation: the summation of the album’s main themes. For my taste, I would have preferred the overall production to have been more acoustic, paired down. The album suffers from its post-electric place in folk history.
I really like Cat Stevens's voice. Wild World and Father & Son alone makes this at minimum a 4 star album. I'd give it 4.5 if I could.
4/5
Took me back to my youth. Can definitely hear his influence in today's artists.
really really nice! unfortunately ‘wild world’ will always make me think of the episode of skins where tony gets hit by a bus and then they randomly have a musical number set to that song. *fav tracks: but i might die tonight; on the road to find out*
Surprisingly good! Expected some kind of children’s music
Looking forward to this one.
This was really good.
Really pleasant album to listen to. Lovely songwriting and some beautiful acoustic guitar work throughout. The album felt very real and pure. Classic
Easy listening, solid song writing and has Father and Son which could be one of the greatest ever written. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
Awesome album. Loved it. Almost every song built to something cool and they were just really great songs. Fave song: Miles From Nowhere Honorable Mentions: Wild World, Father and Son, and Where Do the Children Play?
*Replayable*
A whole bunch of very enjoyable tunes.
Wild
Having seen Harold and Maude 100 times, I knew Cat Stevens was a prominent feature of the film's acoustic feel, but I hadn't realised that almost the entirety of this one album was used to soundtrack the film. Felt strange - like listening to a 'best of' album, having never been properly introduced to the musician. Great melodies and lyrics throughout.
Solid
Nije moj stil muzike ali je izuzetno prijatan album sa nekim nevjerovatno dobrim pjesmama.
I enjoyed it, one or two I recognised father and son in particular. Was a different mood than I was expecting.
this was actually super nice. Every song feels super cozy and peaceful. Super Nice for the night before my birthday. :) 9/10
Somewhat similar sounding throughout, this is a nice collection of 3 & 1/2 minute folk pop songs, with a few all time classics spread throughout.