Yusuf (a.k.a. Cat Stevens): An Other Cup Transcript

UMC.org Music Review

Yusuf (a.k.a. Cat Stevens): An Other Cup
Label: Ya/Atlantic
Sound/Style: Adult-oriented pop, combining acoustic balladry and world music influences

By Steve Morley

(UMC.org)--Well before he traded a life of stardom for the Muslim faith and the name Yusuf Islam, British performer Cat Stevens had been treading the path of a spiritual seeker. The search was evident in songs like "On the Road to Find Out," in which he concluded "the answer lies within." He scored massive hits with songs of peaceful intent ("Peace Train"); one was even borrowed from the classic Christian hymnal ("Morning Has Broken"). His song "Jesus" compared the journeys of Christ and Buddha, indicating the openness with which he pursued his own trek towards enlightenment. On An Other Cup, the former pop icon--now billed simply as Yusuf--rekindles past glories and demonstrates that his artistic objectives haven’t significantly changed since abandoning the secular pop world in 1978.

As a Western-born Muslim and a member of the ‘60s generation, the singer’s dream of peace and social justice still appears in songs like "Maybe There’s a World" that is free of the intolerance associated with radical Islamic believers: "I have dreamt of an open world, borderless and wide/ Where the people move from place to place and nobody’s taking sides/ Maybe there’s a world that I’m still to find." The gentle delivery on this track is a pleasant throwback to the artist’s early ‘70s prime, when he alternated delicate vocals with a grainy, sometimes affected growl. That pinched urgency has mostly mellowed away, presumably due to age, relaxed attitude and Yusuf’s dismissal of the rock star persona that once encumbered his spiritual journey. When he displays a bit of grit and rock-styled aggression, as he does on a couple of cuts, the effect is that of a fully revitalized Cat Stevens.

The slinky worldbeat groove that propels "I Think I See the Light" is even more pronounced on the South American-flavored "Midday," in which Yusuf gratefully observes the simple pleasures of the world but distances himself from the temptations associated with a night downtown: "I love to feel the wind blowing in my face/ But avoid the city after dark."

While ethnic hues appeared regularly on Cat Stevens’ palette, the dominance of global and especially eastern elements is the most notable new wrinkle on the disc, supposedly the result of Yusuf’s longstanding immersion in his Muslim faith. While his songs and the CD's artwork are informed by Muslim culture, he doesn’t use his platform to promote Islam per se. His stated goal is rather to emphasize similarities between Islam, Judaism and Christianity, hoping to build a bridge between adherents of these differing doctrines. To that end, his references to God are often broad, even universal, as on "The Beloved," which features stirring vocal cameos from the Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour: "His mercy stretched from east to west/ To every man, woman and child/ He was born to be the Beloved/ He was born to guide."

"In the End" deals with divine judgment, and its lyric contains as bold and uncompromising a statement as one might expect to hear wrapped in breezy pop garb, be it secular or not: "You can’t bargain with the truth/ ‘Cause one day you’re gonna die/ And good’s going high/ And evil’s going down in the end." A verse like this one begs the all-important question of salvation, but the subject is not examined--not closely, at least--on the record.

The image of liquid refreshment that adorns the CD cover is fitting in several ways: For starters, the musical experience is a mostly savory one that ends sooner than you might wish. The brimming china cup is also a deliberate connection to Cat Stevens’ classic Tea for the Tillerman album. The comparison is not too much of a stretch, though the soil tilled here is lighter and airier. Finally, the act of sipping tea with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs can still provide a pleasant and informative exchange, providing that grace is also served, as is the case on Yusuf’s well-brewed An Other Cup.

Audio Clips

"Midday (Avoid City After Dark)"

"Heaven/Where True Love Goes"

"Maybe There's a World"

"One Day at a Time"