The Very Best of Cat Stevens

by

Cat Stevens

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This is a very comprehensive review of songs from throughout Stevens' career. Unlike his two "Greatest Hits" albums, this compilation does contain some of his mid-60s British hits before proceeding to the great songs from the early 70s that made him a world-wide superstar. It is also a treasure to have a "new" track in the never before released "I've Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson..." It is notably not on the same scale as the other songs, however. But this does not diminish its worth. As far as his most recognized work, it's very well covered. Many folk oriented singer-songwriters from the 60s and 70s can sound dated, but songs like "Moonshadow" and "Peace Train" still sound crisp and relevant. This is mostly due to the strength and beauty of Cat's voice and the emotion he is able to convey. Finally, this compilation is smart enough to include at least one track from each of his lesser known but more spiritual albums of the mid to late seventies. This adds a completeness and also gives the listener a biographical sense of just where Cat Stevens was as a person when he chose to stop being "Cat Stevens". I definitely recommend this as a first step to rediscovering an artist who still ranks at the top of singer-songwriters to emerge in the last half of the last century.