(Not that his other stuff isn't _good_, but it's mostly not of the same quality -- though portions of _Catch Bull At Four_ come within inches of it. I don't have much patience with "fans" who tell us that the rest of us aren't "true" fans if we find "Foreigner Suite" to be much ado about nothing and don't especially care for _Izitso_. If we have to suspend our powers of discrimination and uncritically adore everything an artist emits, who wants to be a "true" fan of _anybody_? And what genuine artist would want such "fans"?)

Since this album is so solidly written and produced (and its quality, in my opinion, more evenly distributed than that of _Tea_), it's hard to single out any highlights; besides, it's been one of my absolute favorite albums for about thirty years, and who can be objective after that long? Heck, I learned to play the guitar from Cat Stevens, James Taylor, and Jim Croce, with some help from Lightfoot and Fogelberg and CSN+/-Y and a handful of others. I can't step back now and pretend I'm hearing this stuff for the first time.

But like all of its longtime listeners, I have my personal favorites. One of these is "The Wind," which is just about the most perfect "spiritual-seeker" song ever written in all of human history. (Hey, I said I wasn't going to be objective.)

His take on the old hymn "Morning Has Broken" is just stunningly gorgeous. If you even _know_ this hymn, he's probably responsible at least indirectly; it enjoyed an amazing popular resurgence in the liturgies of the 1970s after he turned it into a hit. And "Moonshadow" also made quite a few appearances in religious programs during that same decade -- not to mention around campfires in various altered states of consciousness. (Moreover -- voice of experience here? you guess -- the song is sufficiently simple that it can be played convincingly in almost any of those states.)

But my real favorites are some of the less popular cuts. "If I Laugh." "Changes IV." "Tuesday's Dead." "Bitterblue." And the great "Rubylove," a challenge in seven-eight meter and one of the man's few recorded nods toward his Greek heritage. (After he converted to Islam and adopted the name "Yusuf," i.e., Joseph, I fell briefly into the not-quite-nice habit of referring to him as "Bouzouki Joe.")

Which reminds me -- here's a little history for the uninitiated:

"Cat Stevens" was the stage name of Steven Georgiou, who was born in the U.K. in 1949 of a Cypriot father and a Swedish mother. Something of a musical prodigy, he released his first two albums well before he was twenty years old as was on his way to becoming a "pop star." He then fell victim to a terrible case of tuberculosis. When he returned to singing and songwriting, he had taken a decidedly more reflective turn and found himself delivering absolutely beautiful stuff with no apparent commercial potential. That was fine with him; he was no longer particularly interested in commercial success. But, perhaps ironically, his delicate confessional songs and his deliberate avoidance of "commercial-ness" turned him into a huge international star.

Well, he eventually (1977) became a Muslim and adopted the name "Yusuf Islam" (after the biblical dream-interpreter Joseph). At that time he also left the music industry. He has since recorded a couple of albums about Islam, but his last collection of commercial music was _Footsteps In The Dark_ (ostensibly a second volume of his "greatest hits," but in fact a set of lesser-known favorites and a handful of tunes not available elsewhere).

You can feel safe in ignoring the comments from people who think he has become "rigid" and/or "intolerant." The simple fact is that nearly every Cat Stevens album (the exceptions being his first two) are filled with "spiritual seeking," and he eventually found what he was looking for in Islam. His "recent" (actually, 1990) remarks on Salman Rushdie were not what you probably think they were (and in particular he didn't call for Rushdie's death). He's no more "rigid" or "intolerant" than the rest of us; he's simply a religiously observant Muslim, that's all. There's a problem here only for people who think seekers should never get around to finding, or that traditional religion is more "dogmatic" than irreligion.

_Tea_ and _Teaser_ are still great albums, and they don't need to "transcend" their creator in order to be great; there's no need to run down Yusuf in order to elevate Cat. And since these albums _were_ written during his "seeker" stage, they're suitable for everybody -- future Muslims or not.


Aah..the memories this album evokes   January 7, 2002
Sean M. Kelly (Portland, Oregon United States)
23 out of 26 found this review helpful

Like many children born to the so-called "hippie" generation, I was bred on the songs of the 70's singer/songwriter genre. At any moment in my home, the music of Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, James Taylor, Carole King, and many others, could be heard. Among the most played songs in my home (and on any radio) was the anthemic "Peace Train," and through it came my formal introduction to the world of the former Cat Stevens. I loved his songs then, and cherish them even more now that I am in my early 30's. The music he created resonates as well now as it did then.

For my money, "Teaser and the Firecat" was, and remains, Cat's most perfect statement. From the opening strains of the uplifting and prophetic "The Wind" to the final pluckings on "Peace Train," Cat welcomes the listener into his world and you find all facets of the human condition talked about with ease and grace. How many of us can't relate to the sound of the embittered lover in "If I Laugh," or to the possibilities of love in "Ruby My Love," or to the heartfelt dealing of death and love lost in the emotionally charged and poignant "How Can I Tell You?" Very few, I'm sure. The pure outburst of emotion on these songs alone make the lp a keeper.

Many people of my generation will dismiss Cat as an idealistic hippie after listening to "Peace Train", "Moonshadow," or "The Wind," and perhaps that was true to a degree, but one can not deny the optimism that Cat Stevens brought to his music, and through it, to countless fans (myself among them- not a day goes by without listening to this lp at least once). In the wake of recent events in the US and abroad, the time has never been better to (re)introduce oneself to the music of Cat Stevens, and see what the fuss was about when he was at the peak of his popularity. For me personally, the lp hearkens back to the days before innocence was lost forever- to the simple pleasures of being a child, singing and dancing to music because it made you FEEL (and feel good, too). The world needs more such outbursts. Perhaps then we can all ride the Peace Train as Cat hoped for us to do.

While a few of the tracks can be deemed "dated" or "products of its time," "Teaser and the Firecat" is still an amazing album that holds more than its own in 2002. Find out why. Indispensible listening.


Fantastic   July 31, 2000
Katie Rice (Ohio)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

When my mom bought Cat Stevens best hits, I liked it so much that I dug around our basement to find old cassette tapes of his. I discovered "Teaser and the Firecat" and started playing it in the van I drove every day. I loved it so much that I bought the CD and I have listened to it hundreds of times. Every song on this album is great, and I am definitely going out to buy more Cat Stevens albums before I leave for college in a few weeks. Cat Stevens is a very talented artist and every word of his songs has a special meaning.


Stevens teases with his songcraft and melodies   June 1, 2000
Wayne Klein (My Little Blue Window, USA)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful

Cat Stevens. Most folks remember him today for "soft rock", his devotion to the Muslim religion and little else. Which is sad. Stevens at his peak was one of the finest singer-songwriters to emerge during the 70's. He had his pretentious moments (Foreigner Suite from Foreigner) and his intellectually challenged songs as well (anything from Izitso)but most of his material has aged gracefully.

Teaser along with Mona Bone Jakon, Catch Bull and Tea for the Tillerman is among his best gems. Although it misses the whismical undercurrent of Tea and Mona, Teaser more than makes up for it with sharply constructed songs. The melodies throughout are rich and when the words get in the way (as happens on a couple of tunes), the rich production and music more than make up for it.

So how's the sound quality? Quite an improvement over the previously issued edition but not a huge difference from the last couple of anthologies that were issued. The sound quality is stunning with plenty of sonic detail. The remastering by the ubiquitious and talented Ted Jensen manages to capture both the warmth and depth missing from the previous version. Jensen doesn't sacrifice anything to achieve a better sounding CD.

The packaging varies a bit as there is a limited (numbered) edition with tries to duplicate the original LP art(which will probably be around for at least a little while). Then there is the standard CD version with the booklet. It doesn't really matter which one you get as they're about the same.

This reminds us about the life Cat Stevens had before he changed his name and gave up pop music. He moved on at the right time as he was pretty much a spent force musically by the time of Buddah & The Chocolate Box. Teaser has aged well and still charms with its percolating rhythms and rolling acoustic guitar sound.

Highly recommended.


Opinion of a Cat Lover   October 3, 2000
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

I wasn't even born when this album came out, but I grew up listening to the timeless tunes of this prolific genius. He poured his heart out onto every song and this is evident in "Bitter Blue" and "The Wind". He was on a search to find the meaning of life, one of which many of us never embark, let alone attain. It is very sad that he gave up this beautiful gift from God, but if you know what he went through to get to where he is today, you'll know why he gave it up. I don't like that many people disapprove of his choice to become Muslim, but he is happy. Even though this musical master's career was short-lived, we'll be able to enjoy his creations for a lifetime and beyond. If anyone likes folk-music, this is definitely a piece for your musical collection.