Al Stewart LPs

 Al Stewart LPs

top: Time Passages (1978) and 24 Carrots (1980), center, Year of the Cat (1976) and Live / Indian Summer (1981), bottom, Modern Times (1975)

If you are a Baby Boomer than you undoubtedly are familiar with the music of Scotsman Al Stewart (b. 1945). While Stewart's first album, Bedsitter Images, was released in 1967, he really became prominent following the release of the LP Year of the Cat in 1976. Its eponymous track was perfectly made for the FM, Album Oriented Rock radio stations of the 1970s. 

Successive albums saw heavy airplay for the tracks 'Time Passages' and 'Midnight Rocks'. Stewart released studio albums all the way up to 2008 and continues to tour the UK.

Stewart's albums from the 1970s and 1980s are readily available at used record stores and websites, for quite affordable prices. These LPs feature his distinctive lisping voice and impeccable musical accompaniment and production (check out the flamenco guitar on the track 'What's Going On'). They are AOR at its most polished, and the musicianship is the antithesis of modern-day Algorithm Pop. Certainly well worth a listen to, now that vinyl firmly is back in fashion.