It’s easy to forget that, before he became known as a sensitive singer-songwriter at the dawn of the 1970s, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens first emerged in a London scene steeped in folk, blues and R&B. And while he wasn’t overtly influenced by those musical forms, he has recently been speaking about his “hidden” blues side which he says he has “suppressed” over the years.
On his first album since 2009’s Roadsinger, he revisits some of those early musical inspirations, combining them with songs more reminiscent of his classic era. Containing five covers, five originals and production from Rick Rubin, this is a stripped-down, organic, rootsy album – a sonic treat with adventurous sounds and textures. And with guests including Richard Thompson, blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and Malian “Tuareg” group Tinariwen, it’s also a musical and instrumental tour-de-force.
A couple of acoustic guitars (Delta-blues style) backdrop the opener, ’I Was Raised In Babylon’ in which he explores his spiritual journey from West to (Middle) East. A fuller arrangement benefits a steaming, incendiary version of Jimmy Reed’s ‘Big Boss Man’, which is easily on a par with some of Robert Plant’s recent work while ‘Gold Digger’ could be an outtake from Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album. The autobiographical ‘Editing Floor Blues’ is another convincing electric blues workout, while the title-track, featuring Tinariwen is infused with dusty African textures and rhythms.
Meanwhile, his world music take on ‘You Are My Sunshine’ transforms it from supper-club staple to a more mystical vehicle of expression. A gorgeous reading of Edgar Winter’s ‘Dying To Live’ (with just piano accompaniment) blends gospel, soul blues and a heartfelt vocal from Stevens. The gently strummed ‘Cat & The Dog Trap’ harks back to a simpler pop folk template and contains the kind of memorable melody that could have easily sat on what is arguably his greatest album, Tea For The Tillerman.
OUT NOW.