Teaser and the Firecat [Remaster]

Performer: Cat Stevens
Artist: Rick Wakeman
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Even as a serious-minded singer/songwriter, Cat Stevens never stopped being a pop singer at heart, and with Teaser and the Firecat he reconciled his philosophical interests with his pop instincts. Basically, Teaser's songs came in two modes: gentle ballads that usually found Stevens and second guitarist Alun Davies playing delicate lines over sensitive love lyrics, and up-tempo numbers on which the guitarists strummed away and thundering drums played in stop-start rhythms. There were also more exotic styles, such as the Greek-styled "Rubylove," with its twin bouzoukis and a verse sung in Greek, and "Tuesday's Dead," with its Caribbean feel. Stevens seemed to have worked out some of his big questions, to the point of wanting to proselytize on songs like "Changes IV" and "Peace Train," both stirring tunes in which he urged social and spiritual improvement. Meanwhile, his love songs had become simpler and more plaintive. And while there had always been a charming, childlike quality to some of his lyrics, there were songs here that worked as nursery rhymes, and these were among the album's most memorable tracks and its biggest hits: "Moonshadow" and "Morning Has Broken," the latter adapted from a hymn. The overall result was an album that was musically more interesting than ever, but lyrically dumbed-down. Stevens continued to look for satisfaction in romance, despite its disappointment, but he found more fulfillment in a still-unspecified religious pursuit that he was ready to tout to others. And they were at least nominally ready to listen: the album produced three hit singles and just missed topping the charts. Tea for the Tillerman may have been the more impressive effort, but Teaser and the Firecat was the Cat Stevens album that gave more surface pleasures to more people, which in pop music is the name of the game. ~ William Ruhlmann Following in the tradition of his previous effort, with a similar cover design and feel, Cat continued his painful journey through life. Even then, there was a sadness linked to his happy songs such as "Moonshadow," "How Can I Tell You" and "Tuesday's Dead." Our favourite school hymn was also given the treatment - how did he manage to make such a happy verse sound so sad? The answer, as we have all seen, was in himself; he was a rare songwriter but he was mostly a very troubled soul, something he seems to have resolved through his conversion to the Muslim faith. He won, we lost him.

Rolling Stone (12/9/71, p.54) - "..there is "Moonshadow", a simple, unadorned song whose beauty lies in its mystery...He has an unmistakable style, a unique ability to combine sophisticated, commercial melodies with personal, almost primitive lyrics..." CMJ (7/24/00, p.24) - "...Classic folk-pop....brilliant...gorgeously remastered...breathing new life into tunes...while remaining faithful to the albums' original majesty..." Record Collector (magazine) (p.96) - 5 stars out of 5 -- "Stevens' work had become ever more complex since he left his 60s pop persona behind and TEASER represented the perfect fusion of his earnest delivery and songs, which increasingly reflected his thoughts on life's deeper meaning."

Cat Stevens's debut single found its way to the U.K. charts while he was still in his teens. He became an international star with 1970's TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN, which showed an evolution in his style. With his distinctive voice, memorable melodies, and sensitive, socially conscious lyrics, Stevens typified the singer-songwriter aesthetic of the early '70s. His records from that period were incredibly successful, familiar to anyone growing up at the time. Over the years, his music grew a little less accessible, and by the end of the '70s he had converted to Islam, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and retired from pop music. A 2006 comeback album, recorded under his new name, was a lovely return to form.

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