With the release of his seventeenth studio album “King of a Land”, Yusuf / Cat Stevens wants to bring hope to the modern world. To do so, the British songwriter aims to take the listener back to less troubled times with song that, throughout the course of his career, have been described as stories and poems. “King of a Land” is no different and, with twelve songs to choose from, the musician has picked a selection that wonderfully fits his blueprint.
More than ten years in the making and the culmination of six decades of life experiences for the British musician, the journey begins with the artwork depicting a young boy and his cat imagining his perfect land tying in with the title track of the album. The album itself starts with the gentle rolling of “Train on the Hill” before the aforementioned title track before the tempo picks up pace in the form of the rockier “Pagan Hill” a song which, lyrically, delving into his own personal experiences.
Elsewhere, another of Stevens favourite subjects, religion, weaves into his stories particularly apparent on “Son of Mary”. “The Boy Who Knew How To Climb Walls” finds Stevens exploring more of his personal experiences as he recalls the tale of two friends growing up in pre-war Palestine. It makes for emotional listening but, given the way the musician delivers his stories, “King of the Land” has some truly captivating moments.
Blending frustration with the modern world through tracks like “All Nights, All Days” and tracks like the title track where Stevens delves into happier times, this is an album which effortlessly feels both timeless and modern. This clearly comes from a man who is writing from six decades of life experiences with the album containing twelve songs he states are “as close as you can get to being inside my head.”
So, if you’re looking for an album whose music is quite rightfully labelled as timeless, or one that ebbs and flows through a lifetime of provocative, personal stories, “King Of The Land” is the kind of album which will tick the majority of those boxes.
The album is available on green vinyl in a gatefold format with a 36 page booklet featuring illustrations by Peter Reynolds. The CD also features a booklet illustrated by Peter Reynolds – order here.
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