Down in the Cellar

by

Al Stewart

Edit

After listening to this CD numerous times a couple of expressions come to mind "not of this world" and "speechless". I know this saying quite cliché in light of the emphasis of most of the songs, but like an expensive fine wine Al Stewart has aged very. I own just about everything Al's has done over the years and have seen him in concert numerous times. I can truthfully say that I have yet to be disappointed at any engagement or with any CD he has ever produced.

"Down in the Cellar" is a crowning work of achievement with the music and words being so fresh and alive you can connect in some way with about every song. I particularly liked "Turning into Water", "Millie Brown", "Under a Wine Stained Moon", and House of Clocks". But my favorite track of all is No.: 9 "Franklin's Table". Without a doubt, the music industry has never seen or will ever see a song writer with the talent Al Stewart again. I only wish Amazon allowed for more than 5 stars as this would surely get 10. This is a fascinating and incredible piece of music well worth the years of waiting. BUY THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will not be disappointed.

By the way, I have read some reviewers who claim that Al creativity dried up after "Time Passages", with "Russians and Americans" being a major disappointment...Oh REALLY??? I am by no means an expert, but I really take offense with that statement. Some of Al's best work can be found in some later works, specifically Russians and Americans, Between the Wars and Famous Last Words. His insight and creativity with weaving historical events into songs are unparalleled. In particular, listen to the words and music in "Trains" and "Three Mules" off "Famous Last Words" and "Between the Wars".

I have been a fan of Al Stewart for more than thirty years and will generally buy his new releases without hearing them first. But in the last decade, his offerings have become more outre.

I am a connoisseur of fine wine as Al is, and I am happy we share in that, but this CD is, shall we say, a little bit corked.

The trouble with theme albums is that though a concept might look great on paper, something is often lost in the execution. And so it is with Down In The Cellar.

The music is good, if uninspired, and Al's voice has lost nothing over time. Its just the sheer lameness of some of the lyrics which induce a wincing cringe. Good examples of this can be found in Waiting For Margaux, Millie Brown, Under A Wine-Stained Moon, and the jejune Sergio.

Not all is negative of course, after all, this is Al Stewart.

Stewart's storytelling shines in The Night That The Band Got The Wine and in Franklin's Table. Instrumentally, the best work is on SoHo and House of Clocks.

Overall, the album is decent and listenable, but not of the level we've come to expect from Al. If you are a hard-core Stewart fan, then you will like this regardless, but if you are a casual fan of both Al Stewart and good wine, you'd be better of drinking your wine while listening to a different Stewart album.