Coinciding with Stevens' U.S. tour, his latest LP is a beauty in melody and understatement, thanks to superb arrangements and production. "Sad Lisa," "Longer Boats," "Into White," "Where Do the Children Play" and "Hard Headed Woman" should enjoy considerable airplay and create consumer demand.

- Billboard, 1970.

Bonus Reviews!

It's evident that solo artists are the vogue today. Time and Newsweek have devoted coverage to the future of rock, and it seems their verdict is "soft rock" and that the solo artist will take over the lead in the '70s.

I'm quite skeptical about this, because rock will evidently take and progress into various forms which will include all departments of musical endeavors.

But in the field of soft rock, Cat Stevens should be one of the guiding lights. This album is quite flawless in the sense of individual tracks and as a complete overall product. Stevens' voice seems to be naturally made to complement and work with his lyrics. A really beautiful album, period.

- Bob Forward, Hit Parader, 11/71.

My big problems with this record are no doubt why it's a hit: the artificially ripened singing, which goes down like a store-bought banana daiquiri, and the insufferable sexist condescension of "Wild World." B-

- Robert Christgau, Christgau's Record Guide, 1981.

Tea for the Tillerman is like a musical collection of children's tales by Stevens. The delicacy of the arrangements, Paul Samwell-Smith's brilliant otherworldly production, and Stevens's entrancing melodies and images easily make this his best work. "Wild World" was a huge hit, but emotive tracks like "Father and Son," "Where Do the Children Play?," and the haunting "Into White" and "Sad Lisa" make this a must-own for fans of singer/songwriter pop. * * * * *

- Rick Clark, The All-Music Guide to Rock, 1995.

Even though he'd had a few hits, Tea for the Tillerman blasted Stevens into international superstardom. "Wild World," "Father and Son," "Where Do the Children Play," "Hard Headed Woman" and others made Stevens an album-rock radio staple. The album's cartoon cover art and the innocence expressed in the songs were perfect for the flower child ethos. * * * * *

- Lawrence Gabriel, Musichound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, 1996.

Further reading on Super Seventies RockSite!: Album Review: Teaser And The Firecat Album Review: Buddha And The Chocolate Box Album Review: Greatest Hits Cat Stevens: In His Own Words Cat Stevens Lyrics

Perfect to curl up with on a rainy day, this fine, thoughtful album brings back memories of a gentler time when hippiedom ruled and Cat was a favored son. A lost teller of tales, he wrote wistful melodies punctuated by playful tunes, leaping from "Wild World" to the melancholy "Sad Lisa." While some wonder why he left music to become a Muslim cleric at the height of his career, cynics suspect the clues were all here in this "icky treacle." * * * *

- Zagat Survey Music Guide - 1,000 Top Albums of All Time, 2003.

With its chamber-pop arrangements, Tea for the Tillerman is one of the British folkie's most ambitious albums. Both the hit single "Wild World" and the bleak ballad "Hard-Headed Woman" find him condemning his ex, Patti D'Arbanville -- who later shacked up with Mick Jagger.

Tea for the Tillerman was chosen as the 206th greatest album of all time by the editors of Rolling Stone magazine in Dec. 2003.

- Rolling Stone, 12/11/03.

London-born Cat Stevens (a.k.a. Steven Georgiou) had scored hits since the late 1960s, but with Tea For The Tillerman, his fourth album, he became a global star.

Previous LP Mona Bone Jakon (featuring hit single "Lady d'Arbanville") had seen Stevens emerge as one of a new breed of reflective singer-songwriters. For ...Tillerman, he preserved the same core of musicians (Alun Davies, guitar; Harvey Burns, drums; John Ryan, bass) and the producer (Paul Samwell-Smith), maintaining the uncluttered prduction of Mona Bone Jakon.

Apart from Stevens' ear for a great melody, what caught the listener's attention most was the sensibility of his lyrics and his readiness to address pressing issues of this time -- notably the search for spiritual direction that underpins "But I Might Die Tonight" and "On The Way To Find Out." "Father And Son" was written at the heels of massive explosion of youth culture, but the song is all the more poignant for the lack of recrimination between the eponymous pair. (The album's sleeve, painted by Stevens, picks up on the subject of youth and age.) The album's melodic appeal and gentle charm saw sales soar and it garnered a gold disc. Seven years later, Stevens became a Muslim, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and abandoned the music business to practice the spirituality yearned for in his songs. Since then, his work has rarely approached the tuneful simplicity of this much-loved album.

- Liam Pieper, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 2005.

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