To Whom It May Concern

Like many others, I first discovered Al Stewart in college, with ' The Year of the Cat'.. Elegant as Y.o.t.C is, it really doesn't capture the depth of his work. I remember saying to my roommate, " I think he's the first serious , adult musician that I've heard." Al Stewart has a realness, and an empathy almost unheard in music, then , or now. Al hadn't really found his voice on his first albums, but the spark was there. ' The Carmichael s' is written in the voice of the lover of a married woman. Although involved outside the marriage, he is in full sympathy for the husband. ' Bedsitter Images relates to Al's first years in London, and how determined he was to make it, and become self- sufficient. ' Swiss Cottage Manocuvres' tells the maybe true story of picking up a girl in a bookstore on Charing Cross Road, and Al's mistaking her for being of age. Finding her a schoolgirl, he graciously turns into a big brother.'Pretty Golden Hair' got him not a recording contract , because of its controversy. Al's boarding school has a story of a nameless graduate who left his mundane job for gay prostitution, and later committs suicide.'Samuel, OH How You've Changed!' was written about the sister of a friend who also committed suicide. ' Beleeka Doodle Day' is his take on Procol Harum, who he auditioned for, in their first incarnation.' Lover Man' is his cover of an Incredible String Band song. ' In Brooklyn' is his fantasy of making love with a woman he met in NYC, working as Paul Simon's bodyman, and carrying the guitar.'Old Compton Street Blues' concerns his first apartment after leaving Judith Piepe's church basement, where she took in homeless folk singers. The building, then, and now, is 50% prostitutes, and 50% young families.' Cleve to Me' is Shakespearean,' Cliifton in the Rain' relives taking the infamous Mandi to one of his favorite venues- the now closed Troubadour, in Bristol. Disc Two includes Al's first historical song, although he doesn't call ' Manuscript' historical, but personal, as it concerns his paternal grandparents during the good summer of 1914. This also includes the infamous breakup with Mandi - in the songs ' You Should Have Listened to Al',, ' Love Chronicles', also the Peter Morgan poem- song , ' My Enemies Have Sweet Voices '- which always reminds of a beatnik, dressed in black, and playing bongos. Al considers the first four albums his apprenticeship, and ' Past, Present, and Future' as his graduate thesis. This compilation takes you to where Al is in the present, and how he got there. I don't love every song, but as a long-time fan, this matters.

Al Stewart - To Whom It May Concern 1966-1970 This 2 disk CD contains 31 songs by the well-regarded English singer-songwriter Al Stewart (born 1945). For the record Al wrote 28 of the songs. The importance of this collection for admirers, collectors and music students is that it contains the recordings from Stewart's first three albums released between September 1967 and March 1970. The album names and release dates are as follows: "Bedsitter Images" October 1967 - "Love Chronicles" September 1969 and "Zero She Flys" April 1970. I have in my collection Stewart's album "Time Passages" (1978) an album I have played many times and admired greatly. I purchased this album out of curiosity to hear songs from the beginning of his esteemed career. I was not disappointed even though his musical delivery and song themes have evolved since her early recordings. A worth addition to your music library if this item is of interest to you. Included is a very informative booklet about Al.

This is not Al Stewart's best stuff. His 1970s work is his best, including Orange, Past Present & Future, Modern Times, Year of the Cat and Time Passages.After you've purchased the above works, you may wonder what Al Stewart to listen to next? I like this two CD collection better than any of Al's post-Time Passges albums that I've listened to. This collection has a folk rock sound to it that's completely lost in Al's more polished but less interesting later works. It reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel.

THis has Al STewart's first three albums all on 2 discs.. Wonderful.I am an Al Stewart fan, and I enjoy all his work. I always felt that he was an under-valued song writer. If you, like I am ,are an Al Stewart fan, then getting his first three albums in this set is like a great present at Christmas! Enjoy!

Very interesting to hear Al Stewart's early work, at a bargain price.

The first three plus a couple of bonus nuggets - love it! Mr. Stewart demonstrates that he was always the master wordsmith. Just as enjoyable as the first time I fell in love with his music.

Newborn baby gift

finally found this cd. great.

Al Stewart has always been an inventive and creative folk artist. His early work represented here is a bit too introspective at times, but I guess that was the 60s, "man".

Great music excellent service

Così così... mancava il booklet, che esiste, anche se magari non è molto corposo. Non mi pare che fosse avvertito nella descrizione

Al Stewart is a disciple of Bob Dylan but as often happens this pupil caught up with the master.He should have been massive in UK. WHY ISNT HE ??......I simply don't know -poor marketing I suspect!This man writes consistently excellent songs , has a so pleasant voice and you rarely find someone so INTELLIGENT and INTERESTING He has maintained superb standards for 33 years,This is his early stuff (first 5 years) but contains gems like " On a christmas cake day one Friday in August " and the consummately clever 'Love Chronicles'This is one to listen to before you depart......................

Everyone knows him from the hit The Year Of The Cat. This a collection from his first LPs. Maybe better than the hits. Just listen and find it out.