Perhaps the jewel in the crown is the new “ Father and Son” that sees Yusuf duetting with his 21-year-old self. Some songs have been re-envisioned through a contemporary lens and others are total departures from the originals such as the desert blues version of “ On The Road To Find Out” - watch a striking visual collaboration between Yusuf and directors Kimberly Stuckwisch (Billie Eilish, Thundercat, MØ) and Melora Donoghue of Invisible Inc here - or the Argentine tango twist that has been put upon “ Wild World.” Yusuf was in a confident mood and fine form as he decisively directed the ensemble towards his clear and defined vision. The atmosphere was charged with a palpable electricity as one-by-one the classic songs were lovingly revisited like deeply cherished memories. The team was completed by veteran session men Jim Cregan and Peter Vettese as well as Kwame Yeboah and Eric Appapoulay, mainstays of Yusuf’s live band for the last decade. The sun bleached stones of the large farmhouse turned studio were bathed in the same hazy late-summer golden light that inspired the Dutch master as Yusuf drew from his vivid sonic pallet, conjuring images and moods to once again enrich the experience of his millions of fans worldwide.įor the recording of Tea for the Tillerman² Yusuf was rejoined by producer Paul Samwell- Smith and guitarist Alun Davies, who were both present the first-time round. The new album was recorded at Studio La Fabrique in the French Provençal countryside near to where Yusuf’s favorite artist, Vincent Van Gogh, painted many of his most beloved works. The result, Tea for the Tillerman 2, is a loving tribute to the original recording and demonstrates how the songs are able to transcend their own time and stay relevant in an ever-changing and increasingly wild world. 50 years on and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, as he is now known, has reimagined the album for a whole new age. In 1970 Cat Stevens released Tea for the Tillerman, a musical masterpiece that is widely lauded as one of the greatest albums of all time. That said, Yusuf worked hard to maintain the same spirit of the originals.” Billboard exclaimed, “The reinvention upends many of the familiar arrangements, while staying blessedly true to the mission of the album-to explore life and oneself fearlessly” while Forbes hailed it as “a fascinating project.” American Songwriter declared, “the unmistakable, rich, booming voice of Yusuf / Cat Stevens is in fantastic form.” In a recent career-spanning profile, CBS Sunday Morning remarked about Yusuf’s timeless song “Father and Son,” stating, “In the achingly pointing conversation between father and son, the tracks were recorded 50 years apart, and both versions are perfect in their own way.” Watch the profile here. ‘Wild World,’ meanwhile, now sounds almost like a waltz. In many cases, they are lusher than the sparse originals and some take surprising left turns, like a funkafied ‘Longer Boats’ featuring guest vocals from rapper Brother Ali. Rolling Stone enthused, “The new renditions of the 11 Tea for the Tillerman tracks are not note-for-note recreations. Mojoconfirms that there is "tangible conceptual integrity across these beefier, richly detailed new versions,” and the album is described as “a powerful way to track the passing of time" by the NME. The album, which includes previously released singles “ Where Do The Children Play?,” “ On The Road To Find Out” and latest release “ Father And Son,” is already receiving critical acclaim across the globe. Los Angeles – Septem– Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ incredible reimagining Tea for the Tillerman² is released today via UMe. “ the songs seem as fresh as ever” – CBS Sunday Morning
“This is actually great” – Record Collector 4/5 "Yusuf has now finally found just what he was looking for all those years ago" – NME “tangible conceptual integrity across these beefier, richly detailed new versions” – MOJO “a statement of intent, as pertinent today as it was when it came out in 1970” – GQ (UK) Watch the video for new single “Father And Son” Available On CD, LP, Digital and Streaming Formats Here
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