"Catch Bull At Four" by CAT STEVENS - September 1972 UK 6th Studio Album on Island Records (August 2000 UK Island 'Remasters' 1CD Reissue - Ted Jensen Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I'll Tell You Everything I've Learned...

And Love...Is All He Said..."

Arriving onto a panting public in September 1972 - Steven Georgiou's sixth album (his fourth for Island Records UK, A&M Records USA) has always had something of a poor man's relationship to the two absolute joys that preceded it - "Tea For The Tillerman" (November 1970) and "Teaser And The Firecat" (September 1971). I can recall despite its huge-selling No. 2 and No. 1 status in the UK and USA, it wasn't critically well received and only a few years later - always the Cat Stevens album that got sold in first when cash got tight.

Well in 2019, "Catch Bull At Four" is a whopping 47 years old and I would argue that its one to return to for three good reasons - there are enough great songs to savour, the December 1999 audio transfer is absolutely gorgeous (eventually released globally in August 2000) and its still cheaper than a Nigel Farage milkshake. "Can't Keep It In" indeed - here are the bullish details...

UK released August 2000 - "Catch Bull At Four" by CAT STEVENS on Island IMCD 271/546 886-2 (Barcode 731454688628) is a straightforward transfer of the 1972 album Remastered onto CD and plays out as follows (39:40 minutes):

1. Sitting [Side 1]

2. The Boy With The Moon & Star On His Head

3. Angelsea

4. Silent Sunlight

5. Can't Keep It In

6. 18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare) [Side 2]

7. Freezing Steel

8. O' Caritas

9. Sweet Scarlet

10. Ruins

Tracks 1 to 10 are his sixth studio album "Catch Bull At Four" - released September 1972 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9206 and October 1972 in the USA on A&M Records SP 4365. Produced by PAUL SAMWELL-SMITH - it peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 on the US LP charts.

CAT STEVENS - Lead Vocals, Piano, Synthesiser, Diamond Organ, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Mandolin

ALUN DAVIES - Acoustic (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) and Spanish Guitar (Track 4)

JEAN ROUSSEL - Organ and Piano

ALAN JAMES - Bass (Vocals on Track 3)

GERRY CONWAY - Drums

Guests:

Linda Lewis - Backing Vocals on "Angelsea"

Del Newman - Strings on "Silent Sunlight" and "18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)"

Andreas Toumazis - Bouzouki on "O' Caritas"

As with all of these 'Island Remasters' CD issues, the 12-page booklet reproduces only the original LP artwork (the lyrics that were on the inner gatefold, the players pictured, Cat Stevens rear photo etc) with no new liner notes - which is a shame. The see-through spine has a cover artwork montage of the nine Island/A&M Records LPs issued between April 1970 through to January 1979 - "Mona Bona Jakon" to "Back To Earth" as well as two Greatest Hits sets (all now part of the 'Island Remasters' series of CDs).

But the big news here is the TED JENSEN Remaster from original two-track analogue master tapes done at Sterling Sound Studios in New York in December 1999. Jensen has managed to instil new life into these recordings – the acoustic led numbers like "Ruins" and particularly "The Boy With A Moon & Star On His Head" sound glorious – clean too – but not supressed – while band-led tunes like the synth-led "Angelsea", the pop single "Can’t Keep It In", the Side 2 opener "18^th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)" and the house of "Freezing Steel" electric guitar chugger are now bursting with revelatory audio.

For sure Side 2 is weak - "Sweet Scarlet" and "O' Caritas" still underwhelming and even odd – but the I’m on my way song "Sitting" and the album sleeper "Ruins" feels like rediscoveries waiting for you in the digital ether. But for me the album’s masterpiece has always been the moving and beautifully simple acoustic melody of "The Boy With A Moon & Star On His Head" – surely one of prettiest songs and those final lyrics always manage to floor me every time – I’ll tell you everything I’ve learned – and love is all he said – indeed.

Cat Stevens would give us the sophisticated but misunderstood "Foreigner" album in July 1973 that itself would go up to an impressive No. 3 in the USA and UK respectively (check out the stunning Side 1 Foreigner Suite collection of connecting songs). In the meantime check out the gift that someone left, the basket by the door, the man with the cool hat and nice smile on the rear cover urging you get a guiding wheel...(will do Cat)...