On The Road To Find Out

Entertainment Weekly - "...His best moments have grown in stately beauty and clarity..." - Rating: B-

On the Road to Find Out is the first multi-volume package to comprehensively examine the artistry of singer/songwriter Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam). In addition to the obligatory hits, this collection also includes key album tracks, as well as 17 sides that make their digital debut here. The set is broken into four segments/discs with straightforward subtitles, each of which uncovers a specific era in the development of not only the artist, but of the person. The journey begins in The City and consists mostly of material from the first two Cat Stevens albums: Matthew & Son and New Masters. Notable inclusions are the debut album's title track as well as "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "I Love My Dog." One very welcome addition is "Honey Man" -- a collaborative effort featuring Elton John -- which is being issued here for the very first time. Cat Stevens' stint with Island/A&M Records commences on The Search. The real breakthrough albums -- Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat -- are represented by tracks such as "Sad Lisa" and the achingly tender "How Can I Tell You," as well as the anticipated hits "Wild World" and "Peace Train." Of note to collectors will be "If You Want to Sing out Sing Out" and "Don't Be Shy" from the motion picture Harold and Maude, as well as previously unreleased demos for "The Joke," "Time/Fill My Eyes," "Love Lives in the Sky," and "The Day They Make Me Czar." The Hurt includes tracks from Catch Bull at Four, Foreigner, and Buddha and the Chocolate Box. Among the rarities from this era are "Crab Dance" -- a 45 B-side to "Sitting" -- as well as "Bad Penny" and "Lady D'arbanville" from the Japan-only live release Saturnight (Live in Tokyo). The final entry, aptly titled The Last, recalls a few significant contributions from Numbers, Izitso, and Back to Earth, as well three rare live tracks: "Hard Headed Woman," "Tuesday's Dead," and "Ruins" from a live show February 22, 1976, at William and Mary College on the Majikat Earth Tour. This version of "Father and Son" has added significance, as it would be the final live performance that Yusuf Islam would make as Cat Stevens. Ironically, the final song on the album is the title track from Islam's 1997 release, God Is the Light. The packaging is lavish and includes a 96-page liner notes booklet abounding with rare photos as well as essays and a track-by-track analysis from Islam himself. The discs are packaged in separate cardboard digi-packs. The sound is spectacular throughout, with the most noticeable improvement on the Matthew & Son and New Masters sides. ~ Lindsay Planer|