In 2019, Yusuf, the artist who was known in the '60s and '70s as Cat Stevens, realized that the 50th anniversary of his 1970 breakthrough album Tea for the Tillerman was on the horizon, and he began pondering how to best celebrate the occasion. He struck upon the idea of re-recording the original album's 11 songs in new and updated arrangements. With original producer Paul Samwell-Smith back at the controls and guitarist Alun Davies invited to play on the sessions, they repaired to the South of France for a week of ...
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In 2019, Yusuf, the artist who was known in the '60s and '70s as Cat Stevens, realized that the 50th anniversary of his 1970 breakthrough album Tea for the Tillerman was on the horizon, and he began pondering how to best celebrate the occasion. He struck upon the idea of re-recording the original album's 11 songs in new and updated arrangements. With original producer Paul Samwell-Smith back at the controls and guitarist Alun Davies invited to play on the sessions, they repaired to the South of France for a week of recording, and the result is 2020's Tea for the Tillerman 2. The reimagined album puts the material into a different musical context, though beyond a short, rap-influenced section in "Longer Boats" and the remake of "Wild World" that suggests a jazzy tango, this time around the songs have evolved from early-'70s folk-rock to a soft rock sound that recalls the late '70s and early '80s more than contemporary pop. The songs hold up well in their pastoral optimism and cautious tone about the state of the busy world, strongly reflecting the era in which they were written, while most of the themes remain relevant in 2020. The voice of 22-year-old Cat Stevens was strong and versatile; by comparison, the 72-year-old Yusuf sounds a bit fragile and weary, and has lost a bit of his upper range. That said, he sounds emotionally committed to the material throughout, and the elder Yusuf's instrument suggests a burnished wisdom that comes with maturity. Tea for the Tillerman 2 isn't as satisfying as the original album -- it's an enduring classic that hardly needed to be improved -- and 2009's Roadsinger and 2017's The Laughing Apple proved that Yusuf is still capable of writing fine songs and making them work in the studio. But many longtime fans will find it interesting to see the new directions Yusuf has taken this material in the 21st century. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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