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While I'm not a major fan of Al Stewart's, I've always found him pleasant.

However, I'm quite a big fan of the Love Chronicles album, shamefully out of print and nearly impossible to find on CD. Page is inspired; working out some of the textures he'd eventually explore on Led Zeppelin III. And the pseudonym-ed Fairport Convention are great on it, too.

"Time Passages" was one of my first 'favorite' songs, when it was new in 1978.

Great work, nice depth on a neglected artist.

Hi Natalie thank for the wonderful writing about Al Stewart. I have been a b-i-g fan since "Year" enjoying his and Peter White's releases ever since.

Thank you.

I'm going to commit blasphemy among Al Stewart fans, but somehow having been acquainted with his work since being in utero makes me feel sufficiently educated to make the following assertion:

Love Chronicles is the blandest, most uninspired record of Stewart's career. Especially in context: the beautiful and luxuriant Bedsitter Images right before it, the raw and vaguely bluesy Zero She Flies right after it. It's a blemish on his wonderful career and I make sure to program LC out when I listen to To Whom It May Concern.

You, however, Ms. Davis, have done a great job here. I loved reading this and picked up a lot of stuff I didn't know. Thanks!

Thanks, Mr. West. Opinions can vary as to the relative value of each album, so your assessment of LC is as valid as anyone's.

BI, for instance: Al ultimtely decided that its production was overblown and had the album remixed. I happen to quite enjoy the original chamber-backed version. Oh well.

At one point, Al took a dim view of all of his first four albums, though he has since reconsidered, IMO, wisely. There is some incredible stuff on those albums, including LC (I happen to prefer ZSF too).

Perceptions are individual and can change over time. Favorite LPs change all the time, and that's OK: This week, it's PPF for me, but last week it was Between the Wars and next week it may be something else. That's cool. And it's just as OK for a fan to say that something in the catalog isn't quite his or her cup of chai.

Since in utero? My kids had the same experience.

I have always had an affinity for Russians and Americans, myself. But lately it's been Modern Times--especially the title track. The lyric is so bittersweet, but the instrumental ending just flows over you like a summer evening breeze.

In utero indeed, Ms. Davis, and good on ya for giving your kids the same. When I was a toddler, my mom kept Time Passages and Modern Times (the US cover, with the mansion and the greenish dusk sky) in heavy rotation. So I would tell people my favorite records were "the Blue Al Stewart and the Green Al Stewart."