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Nov 14, 2023 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

With his early singles, Al Stewart’s melodic rock and memorable arrangements blew something fresh into the pop and rock airwaves of the ’70s, with the 1976 single “Year of the Cat” taking him into U.S. Top 10. Songs on the Radio: The Complete U.S. Singles 1974-1981 collects both the A- and B-sides of his U.S. singles from the period of his commercial peak.

After his start in the London folk scene that included Cat Stevens and Nick Drake, Stewart began to attract widespread attention with his fifth album, 1973’s Past, Present and Future, and its historical themes. Though it didn’t chart, the single “Nostradamus” pointed the way forward for Stewart’s artistic direction. For the three albums that followed between 1975-78, his association with fellow wine-aficionado friend Alan Parsons as producer set the stage for Stewart’s most successful period, with singles that included “Year of the Cat,” “On the Border,” “Time Passages,” and “Song on the Radio.”

In a limited edition of 2500, Songs on the Radio presents these singles in their original versions, most of which are making their CD debut here, with the UK single version of “Year of the Cat” added as a bonus track. For those whose budget can’t quite cover 2022’s 50-disc The Admiralty Lights box set, Songs on the Radio offers an excellent overview of Stewart’s contributions to classic rock and pop during his early heyday. (www.alstewart.com)

Author rating: 7/10