Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman (22 tracks) +Album Reviews

Get this and Teaser and the Firecat and treat yourself right

Richardson | Sunny California USA | 11/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Along with "Teaser and the Firecat" this album represents the first half of the greatest one/two punch a singer songwriter has ever released. Recorded in around 1970 ...the spare instrumentation and wonderfully timeless songs still hold up today!

The remastering was excellent on the previous edition so that isn't the big deal here...its the bonus CD. While not as exciting as the Bonus disc for Teaser which featured many solo demo recordings by Cat Stevens...the bonus tracks on this....mostly "live" versions of the album tracks are still a welcome addition to the collection of any Cat Stevens fan...and I'm not ashamed to say I am and have always been. The singular Demo...the classic "wild world" by Cat on acoustic guitar is worth the price alone for me....the booklet that comes with it features some nice pix and an intro written sept '08 by Cat and notes from his producer and guitarist..

a very nice presentation of one of the greatest albums of all time!

Enjoy...."

Double Tea for the Tillerman short on extra cuts

Peter Neski | New York, NY United States | 12/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Is a Fantastic album (why No SACD?) as for the Extras on this

set ,theres no extra tracks on the first cd ,even though theres room

Any Cat Stevens fan would eat up any bonus tracks they give us,But

compared with other Universal Deluxe Edition this set seems only good

in terms of Extras,Why in earth do we need cuts from the three dvds?

The Teaser Set is a lot better in terms of Demo's,even if they can't even

include the B-side of the single"

...NOT NEW - NOT IMPROVED...AVOID...

Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 06/23/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"When you put a CD-Album or CD-R into a Mac or PC linked to the Net, it automatically seeks out the Gracenote Media Database to get the track list and classification details. If you've already altered it before and are looking at it again - your computer recognizes the disc and any alterations you made - it remembers it - and shows you those details next time you put it in. Common practice all over the world for millions of music lovers using iTunes as a database...

So imagine my astonishment when I put in the 2008 supposedly new remaster of Cat Stevens' "Tea For A Tillerman" into my computer after I've unwrapped the shrink-wrap and up comes my OLD DISC with its altered details! Why? Because this is NOT an improved version as indicated on its packaging and in adverts, but the 2000 version all of us already have. The tracks timings are exactly the same (36:46 minutes) and there is NO NEW REMASTER.

And if that's not bad news enough - when I opened the other Cat Stevens DELUXE EDITION "Teaser And The Firecat" which I also bought this morning - it's NOT CHANGED EITHER. They are exactly the same as the old versions - NEITHER is any improvement to discs you can purchase on line for peanuts.

When I then turn to the packaging and booklet to find an explanation, there are three references to 'remaster' - first is on the sticker, second is Page 7 of the booklet which tells you it was 'recently' remastered by Ted Jensen (no date) and last on Page 27 which again mentions his name (but again no date). It slyly and deliberately doesn't mention "when" it was done...in short, this is an old disc masquerading as a new one and is deliberately deceptive about it.

But there's worse - I bought this DELUXE EDITION of Tillerman on the strength of a track on the recent 3CD Island Folk-Rock Box set "Meet On The Ledge". Track 2 on Disc 2 is Tillerman's "On The Road To Find Out" which has been given a 2009 remaster by DENIS BLACKHAM - and the sound is ASTONISHING - a huge improvement over the 2000 version. When you hear how good this 'whole' album could have sounded, it makes this deceptive lazy rip-off even more difficult to stomach.

Disc 2 doesn't make up for much either (36:49 minutes). While the bonus tracks on "Teaser" (see separate review) are excellent, these aren't. Admittedly there is two indispensable gems on here for fans - the demo versions of "Wild World" and "Miles from Nowhere" - they're beautiful. But the rest of the live tracks are poor man's filler. Any why weren't these demos put on the initial release in 2000 in the first place...

I don't know to what level Yusef was involved in this, but it is surely not in keeping with his beliefs or commitment to his fans to have this rip-off in the marketplace. The DELUXE EDITIONS of "Tillerman" and its companion "Teaser" should be withdrawn by UNIVERSAL and replaced with proper 2009 remasters.

What a disappointment and what a bad taste left in the mouth... AVOID."

"Tea for the Tillerman" Gets Deluxe Treatment

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By the 1970 release of TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN, Cat Stevens had been an active performer in his native England for more than four years. He had his first UK hit ("I Love My Dog") in 1966, and had developed a reputation as a major songwriter. [P.P. Arnold had a UK hit with "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1967 (as would Rod Stewart ten years later), and the Tremeloes first U.S. hit was "Here Comes My Baby."] Following a bout with tuberculosis in the late sixties, Cat Stevens left behind the pop-oriented sound of his early work and emerged with this collection of more sensitive and introspective material.

Longtime fans of Cat Stevens already know the magic of these songs' simple arrangements. Stevens is backed by Alun Davies on second guitar, John Ryan on bass, Harvey Burns on drums, and John Rostein (occasionally) on violin.

This Deluxe Edition offers a second disc of live and demo recordings--some previously unreleased. [Previously released tracks are noted.]

"Wild World" is a stunning solo demo version that in some ways is even more powerful than the studio version.

"Longer Boats" and "Into White" were both recorded live at the Troubadour in 1970. Alun Davies provides guitar and backing vocals.

"Miles from Nowehere" is another 1969 solo demo with Stevens playing guitar on piano.

"Hard Headed Woman," "Where Do the Children Play?" and "Sad Lisa" are all live performances from 1976 with a full band; the first from Japan, the others from the Majikat Earth Tour. ["Where Do the Children Play?" and "Sad Lisa" previously released.]

"On the Road to Find Out" is live at KCET-TV in Los Angeles in 1971. Stevens is backed by Alun Davies (guitar) and Larry Steele (bass). [Previously released.]

"Father and Son" and "Wild World" are 2006 live recordings from Usuf's Cafe. Amond the band members is Alun Davies on guitar and backing vocals. Thirty-six years after they were first recorded, these songs retain their impact in these new performances. [Previously released.]

"Tea for the Tillerman" is from a 1970 BBC Radio 1 transmission.

While this Deluxe Edition is a bit pricey (I got mine for $10 from a record club), serious fans will want this just for the bonus material. Also, the 28-page booklet contains a brief essay from Yusuf Islam himself, track-by-track comments from both producer Paul Samwell-Smith (formerly of the Yardbirds) and guitarist Alun Davies, as well as complete lyrics. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [Disc 1 - 36:44; Disc-2 - 36:47]"

The extras are sublime...

H. Brown | London, UK | 04/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There's an urgency and spiritual yearning to Cat's performances on the second half of this (deluxe) album that are very compelling to me. The demos and unreleased versions are even better than the final cuts, in my opinion. As an example, listen to the demo of 'How Can I Tell You", arguably one of the best love song lyrics ever penned, and in this version absolutely heartfelt with no gloss. The bonus material has an honest and soul-nourishing delivery. Thanks Cat."

Search - Cat Stevens :: Tea for the Tillerman [Deluxe Edition]

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