3/5: Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, returns with a new album of folk-pop originals. After nearly thirty years away, he has returned in top musical form.
Twenty-eight years ago, one of the world’s most influential and successful folk musicians went silent. Cat Stevens, nearly drowning in 1975, put the acoustic guitar in its case and tucked it away in the closet.
A sense of spiritual searching always defined his music. In such hits as “Wild World,” “Moonshadow,” and “Trouble,” there is a palpable longing, a vulnerability that made his music appealing to millions of fans worldwide. After his brush with death, he decided instead to devote himself to a new faith, Islam. In the nearly three decades since that time, he has exhibited the same dedication and sensitivity, becoming one of the most-respected figures in British Islam.
Now for fans who have been longing for a new album from the artist, now known as Yusuf Islam or just Yusuf, are having their prayers answered. An Other Cup is miraculous first and foremost because it is the same exact voice, the same exact aesthetic, the same exact performer that left music oh so long ago.
The similarities are felt in the album’s first three tracks, which also happen to be the record’s strongest. “Midday (Avoid City After Dark)” allows listeners to tag along with Yusuf as he takes his afternoon walk. The melody is silky smooth in the first lines, leading the listener to think this will be one of those contemplative, tear-jerker ballads of old. However, a burst of bright horns buttress that initial gentleness with a sense of unselfconscious celebration.
The album’s second and third tracks, “Heaven/Where True Love Goes” and “One Day at a Time,” show Islam at the height of his creative powers. They recreate the easygoing and unflinching singability of his greatest hits. Simple, but beautiful harmonies punctuate throughout, while coaxing the songs to a forceful crescendo.
Unfortunately, although Islam has always been an undeniably talented songwriter, his songs have sometimes slipped across that fine line between poetic and cheesy. On this album, the short spoken word cuts such as “When Butterflies Leave” and “Whispers from a Spiritual Garden” feel cartoonish and even a bit amateurish. They come off as something teenage boys would write to impress the girls at summer camp.
Nevertheless, An Other Cup shows Islam returning to his former high-quality songwriting. Tracks like “The Beloved” will implant themselves on the listener’s mind and remain there long after the final note.
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