The Rockologist: Remembering Two Of Al Stewart's Best Albums, And The Time He Stole My Date
Published May 14, 2007
So I was pleased to hear about the reissues of all of Al Stewart's old records in remastered, new CD editions. I immediately picked up copies of my two favorites. Love Chronicles is one of Stewart's earliest albums, and one that I remember having to buy my first vinyl copy of as an import.
Love Chronicles original six tracks include several recorded with Richard Thompson and the rest of Fairport Convention performing under pseudonyms due to some contractual deal with the record companies involved. As a result, many of these tracks such as "You Should Have Listened To Al" and "The Ballad of Mary Foster" have a decidedly folky sort of feel serving as a backdrop for Stewart's adept way of storytelling.
But the centerpiece of the album is the stunning title track. Stretching over some eighteen minutes, the song "Love Chronicles" so stands out on it's own that it just as well could have been another record all by itself. Over the course of this epic track, Al Stewart basically runs down every romantic encounter he has ever had from his adolescence to the then current day.
This was of course before he ever met my darling "Kathy".
As a pre Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page provides some very uncharacteristically tasty guitar riffage to the mix, Stewart pours over every painstaking detail of these encounters, wrapping each of them around the repeated phrase "it was no sense at all, but too much sense, that took me to the bridge of impotence." This is just some incredible songwriting here. And as coarse as a line like "it grew to be less like fucking, and more like making love" may sound here, in the context of this song it makes complete sense. Al Stewart makes losing your virginity sound every bit like the emotional rite of passage it is.
The three bonus tracks included on the new remastered version are "Jacksaw," "She Follows Her Own Rules" and "Fantasy." None of these have been previously issued on a commercial release.
So my other favorite Al Stewart album was Modern Times, which is the album that was originally sandwiched inbetween Past, Present & Future and his real American breakthrough album, the smash hit Year Of The Cat. This is hands down my favorite Al Stewart album, and one I even continued to listen to during my personal boycott of his music after he stole my date.
Produced by Alan Parsons, this album has the sort of pristine sound and crystal clear production that are Parsons trademarks as a producer. It's also a bit more rocking than a lot of Stewart's other work, with tracks like "Apple Cider Reconstitution," "Carol," and
"Sirens Of Titan" all containing the sort of bouncy groove that radio programmers love. Stewart's longtime guitarist Tim Renwick also is mixed more out front than on previous releases, and the fret work here is some of the tastiest sounding of his career.
- The Rockologist: Remembering Two Of Al Stewart's Best Albums, And The Time He Stole My Date
- Published: May 14, 2007
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Acoustic, Music: Folk, Music: Original, Music: Pop, Music: Recording
- Part of a feature: The Rockologist
- Writer: Glen Boyd
- Glen Boyd's BC Writer page
- Glen Boyd's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Sorry about the date... I know how that must have felt.
Nice article. Just listened again to "Modern Times."
I'd forgotten about how nicely that closes.
Minor nitpick... it's "Jackdaw" not "Jacksaw."
I met Al a couple of times in the last decade - if I'd known his past, I'd never have introduced my date, Emily. :)
Best,
Rj
No worries RJ, I got over it years ago. To this day, it still makes a great story though. Thanx for the comment.
-Glen
P.S. Modern Times really is a great record isn't it?
I remember you telling that story some time ago. So glad you decided to share it (in fact, I heard about it, which is why coming by to read it was a must-do).
Re: #1 -- Al is touring constantly. He was recently in Maryland and on the East Coast, and he's doing a lot overseas as well (plus on the Left Coast, where he lives). AlStewart.com has all the latest Al news, including his itinerary.
NR,
Nice to hear from you again. So I guess it's safe to reveal you as my "reliable source" that Al has gotten all of that skirt chasing out of his system then? Anyway, I do really love the reissues, and thanks for the comment.
-Glen
Perfectly OK to reveal that. The reissues are awesome, aren't they? You have to see him live now. And yes, your dates are thoroughly safe.
Hey, Mr. West. Been busy. Quite, lately -- trying to become the next public radio host. Check it out!
Glen,
Yes it is, as is YotC. As an Alan Parsons fanboy, he can do no wrong, but Al is truly a unique and under-appreciated artist. His live shows are so entertaining as Al tells stories, screws up and starts over without making anyone feel anything other than they are seeing a really honest artist.
His guitar playing is amazing and has only gotten better over the years. And Al is quite witty - his shows are not to be missed.
Thanks again for making me revisit Modern Times. I'll definitely be buying all the reissues.
Best,
Rj
OK, I'll bite - my goodness, what aural planet do you live on? Jimmy Page and "uncharacteristically tasty guitar riffage" do not remotely belong together in the same sentence, much less "VERY uncharacteristically." I mean I know taste is subjective and all, but, honestly... that this record exists should give you an inkling. Other than that, amusing article, and I'll be buying "Love Chronicles." But mainly because Page is on it.
al is indeed touring, got to see him in montreal (can't travel anywhere else atm which is incredibly sad...), fucking brilliant
I wonuldn't have been so forgiving, Glen - I likely would have taken this opportunity to trash talk Stewart........ ahh, who'm I kidding? If my girl liked Al Stewart, that'd be her problem - I'd let sleeping dogs continue to put me to sleep. Stewart's music never did anything for me anyways.
Oddly enough, I always associate Al Stewart with Walter Egan. I know they have nothing to do with each other, so there's some kind of sublminal connection going on here. But I don't think Stewart ever had a song as good as Egan's Magnet & Steel.
I have seen Al two times, both great concerts. Once was in the 80's, when he had a full band with him. We saw him in a very small convert venue (had my beautiful girlfriend with me, so I guess I am glad I didn't have any kind of backstage pass :-)
The second time was maybe 5 years ago, at a free beach concert (I am in Tampa Bay area FYI), where Al was listed as part of a string of bands. Turns out, it was him alone on stage, with basically a whole beach of a thousand people who all came to see the other groups. I had dragged along my beautiful wife (same girl, fast forward 15 years and 3 kids later!) and 3 kids, and I remember being the loudest cheering maniac on the beach. Al did a lot of songs, all himself on guitar, and it was BETTER than the first time I saw him!!! He is terrific.
The reason I write this is I just had been scanning the web for any concerts, and was amazed to see he is going to be at EPCOT September 28-29, 2007. Some sort of concert series included in your normal ticket. You can bet $ I will be there. For one thing, he appears to tour clubs and concert halls, but very sporadically. I also would think that they are paying him soem good $$ so maybe he will have a band too? In any event, I hope some of you can come too, so it isn't just me (my very beautiful wife + 4 kids - yes another) clapping and my head off with a million disinterested EPCOT visitors wandering by. Maybe we could all ask for backstage passes :-)
"perspective" no
"prospective" yes
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I love Al Stewart as well. "Cafe Society" is one of the best pieces of music ever written, and there is something really precient about "The world goes to Riyahd" in the middle of "Nostrodamus" when he warns "be careful how you choose your friends now". I hope he intends to tour again. Thanks for the heads up about the new realeases.