Rate Cat/Yusuf's comeback albums

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Mr-Beagle, May 15, 2019.

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  1. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    Apologies if this has been done before but I'd be very interested to read your responses.

    An Other Cup
    Roadsinger
    Tell 'Em I'm Gone
    The Laughing Apple
     
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  2. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    My ratings are:

    1. An Other Cup - I have a soft spot for his comeback album, something I thought would never happen.

    2. The Laughing Apple - I always wanted to hear the Deram songs shorn of their dated Mike Hurst production.

    3. Roadsinger - Some very good songs, but let down by the brevity of the closing songs on side two.

    4. Tell 'Em I'm Gone - Not a bad album, but it has a number of covers. It's good to see Yusuf release an album in his beloved Blues style.
     
  3. MidnightRocks

    MidnightRocks Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ireland
    I think I could agree with that ordering but I must give the 1st two a re-listen.
     
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  4. peteham

    peteham Senior Member

    Location:
    Simcoe County
    That’s my order, but I never really gave Roadsinger a chance. I will listen tonight.
     
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  5. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    1. An Other Cup - One of the great comeback albums. 5/5

    2. Roadsinger - More of the same and almost as good. 5/5

    3. Tell 'Em I'm Gone - Nice & bluesy. Strong covers. 4/5

    4. The Laughing Apple - Superior juvenilia. Good to have one last studio blast from Maartin Alcock. 4/5
     
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  6. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    ^ Nice marking!
     
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  7. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Cheers! :righton:
     
  8. Eiricd

    Eiricd Forum Resident

    In the order of release imo
     
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  9. Eiricd

    Eiricd Forum Resident

    On a related note: any info on possible live releases from the comeback era?

    The Australia blu ray is very good, but horribly edited.
    The cafe dvd is great, but too short. And no hd...

    I seem to recall that Albert Hall was filmed, but remains in the vault...
     
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  10. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    ^ Not that I'm aware of, but I'll check my collection.
     
  11. Regandron

    Regandron Forum Resident

    I think i read somewhere that the Shaftesbury Theatre concert was being considered for DVD release...
     
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  12. Regandron

    Regandron Forum Resident

    1. Tell 'em I'm Gone
    2. The Laughing Apple
    3. Roadsinger
    4. An Other Cup

    I enjoy all the albums, but An Other Cup feels a little stiff to me... like Yusuf had to relearn how to do what he used to do naturally. Roadsinger has it, but is rather short.... The two more recent albums feel fully committed and both sound great, so get my vote.

    I do have a concern that not enough new material is being written for a complete album of new songs, like the singing and performance have come back, but not the writing to the same degree … both An Other Cup and Roadsinger have songs which are rehashes/rewrites of earlier work, and The Laughing Apple is largely a revisiting of earlier material.

    Roadsinger would have been greatly enhanced if the single ( available on some versions of the album) Boots and Sand could be included.
     
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  13. MikeVielhaber

    MikeVielhaber Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I think I would go with this order.

    Roadsinger (really short, though it has a bonus track to tack on, but really solid and the only one that is completely new and original material)
    The Laughing Apple
    An Other Cup
    Tell 'Em I'm Gone (the covers are hit and miss for me, but I do like most of the originals)
     
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  14. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    I love "An Other Cup". That's number one for me. I like it more than most of his vintage albums even.

    I was so-so on "Roadsinger". I'm not sure why. I have the vinyl, I should give it a spin again.

    I wasn't interested in hearing him do a bunch of covers so I passed on "Tell 'em".

    Didn't check out "Apple" at all yet. I probably I should.

    I'd really like a vinyl release of "An Other Cup" please.
     
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  15. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    All good points with which I happen to agree.
     
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  16. MikeVielhaber

    MikeVielhaber Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    What on Roadsinger is a rehash? I know there's a recall to "Sitting" at the beginning of "Be What You Must" but the rest of the song is not related. I was never aware of anything else.
     
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  17. Regandron

    Regandron Forum Resident

    Thinking 'Bout You is a reworking of an earlier idea/out-take.. I think Yusuf says this in the liner notes or said it in interviews at the time of the album's release. I'll stand to be corrected if I'm wrong on this.

    In the context of the album it was the single, an important song, and there are a couple of instrumentals on there as well..... I do think Boots and Sand should have been there to add to my sense that more strong original material was being produced.. I love the album.... I just have a sense that more of it would have been better !
     
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  18. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    ^ I've checked my deluxe 2-cd copy of Roadsinger and there are no liner notes. However, The Rain is a reworking of an unreleased song.
     
  19. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    I have a dvd titled, 'Yusuf Islam - Live From Abbey Road' from 2009, that I probably downloaded from a Torrent site:

    1. Programme intro > Yusuf talk #1
    2. Roadsinger
    3. Yusuf talk #2
    4. Just Another Night
    5. Yusuf talk #3
    6. Thinking 'Bout You
     
  20. MidnightRocks

    MidnightRocks Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ireland
    I've listened back to An Other Cup for the first time since it came out thanks to this thread and I have to say it's a nice album overall. It seems very personal, and a little preachy but I suppose it is honest in that regard. The eastern flavour can also feel a little forced to me.

    The re-make of I Think I See The Light is a real low spot for me, it loses all the hook and dynamism of the original. The cover of Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood adds nothing to the song in my opinion. Otherwise this is a very solid part of the man's catalogue.
     
  21. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    I really enjoy the cover of Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. Vies with Elvis Costello to be my personal definitive version.
     
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  22. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    Roadsinger is a lovely album though very poorly mastered. The others are fine but not very memorable for me.
     
  23. klaatuhf

    klaatuhf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    The Laughing Apple (The Cat I love is back! Not even one average song as they are all quite excellent despite some remakes)
    An Other Cup (the good songs are really good and the rest are only above average..a strong comeback after so many years)
    Roadsinger (some songs are very average and a few are good but not great)
    Tell 'em I'm Gone (hugely disappointing album of blues rubbish and bad covers. Even his originals are not very good)

    I wish he would release a live album and DVD of a compilation from his last two major tours with all the songs he did live as he pulled out some real rarities and they all sounded stunning. His two previous DVD's , though very good, are lacking so many classics that he didn't do live at the time.
    We should also be due for his next studio album I think?
     
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  24. Mr-Beagle

    Mr-Beagle Ah, but the song carries on, so holy Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kent
    ^ There were rumours of a release but no date mentioned.

    Nice summary of his comeback albums although a bit harsh here and there :cry:
     
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