TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN

Personnel: Cat Stevens (vocals, guitar); Alun Davies (guitar); John Rostein (violin); John Ryan (bass); Harvey Burns (drums). This is a limited edition digipak. Personnel: Cat Stevens (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Alun Davies (guitar); John Rostein (violin); John Ryan (bass); Harvey Burns (drums). Producer: Paul Samwell-Smith. Reissue producer: Bill Levenson. Digitally remastered by Bill Levenson (December 1999, Sterling Sound, New York, New York). TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN is one of Cat Stevens's finest albums, and a gem in the crown of early 1970s singer/songwriterdom. Stevens manages to have his cake and eat it too, simultaneously achieving pop accessibility and artistic relevance. While inviting rhythms (buoyed by Stevens's dynamic acoustic strumming) and pop hooks abound, the feel is decidedly gentle and spare. Apart from the occasional string section, Stevens is accompanied only by a three-piece band as he sings his introspective lyrics with appreciable fervor. While there are some relatively conventional love songs here ("Hard Headed Woman," "Wild World"), the most memorable moments come when Stevens's lyrics venture further afield. "Father and Son" is a poignant but realistic and unsentimental portrait of the generation gap, capable of reducing any given dad or junior to tears. "On the Road to Find Out" and "But I Might Die Tonight" reflect Stevens's existential dilemmas, and the resulting spiritual quest that would later lead him to embrace the Islamic faith. The graceful beauty of arrangements, performances, and songs makes TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN a folk-rock classic.