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Rating:
THE REVIEW
With absolute ease, that synthesizer that introduces "Time Passages" seems to continue right where "Year Of The Cat," the song, ended: a refined and light melody, splendidly clear and dreamy, that develops freely, without radio duration constraints, reaching its peak with a memorable sax solo. Great artists create great albums, and sometimes from great albums come even better ones; in terms of sound richness, variety, maturity, atmospheres, "Time Passages" from 1978 is Al Stewart's highest peak ever reached. In these nine songs, there's a bit of everything: the shrewd and captivating billyjoel-esque pop rock of "Valentina Way", the emotional crescendo of a sumptuous "A Man For All Seasons", the turmoil of post-revolutionary France in "Palace Of Versailles", the dark and pressing atmospheres of a Jules Verne-like "Life In Dark Water", country-western echoes with a hint of Leonard Cohen in the melancholic "Almost Lucy", a gentle hint of sirtaki in "Timeless Skies", flamenco in "End Of The Day", and jazzy-oriented pop rock in "Song On The Radio".
This review is very brief by my usual standards, but I hope I have conveyed the idea well: "Time Passages" is art, is love for music, is the usual Al Stewart album, with the usual class, the usual beautiful lyrics, the usual seductive voice, never coarse, never arrogant. Screw genius and recklessness, perfection is achieved only with work, passion, constant refinement, humility, perfection belongs to Al Stewart. An album to listen to at any time, whether happy or not, also wonderful as a soundtrack for a highway trip, from personal experience.
"Some call on Jeowah, some cry out for Allah, some wait for the boats that will row to Valhalla, well, you should try to accept what the fates are unfolding, while some say they're sure where the blame should be falling, you look round for maybe a chance of forestalling, but too soon it's over and done, and the man for all seasons is lost, behind the sun"
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Summary by Bot
Al Stewart's Time Passages is regarded as his peak work, showcasing a variety of musical styles and polished production. From synth melodies to memorable sax solos, the album balances emotional depth and rhythmic diversity. Its rich sound and compelling lyrics make it a timeless classic suitable for any listening occasion, especially memorable as a highway trip soundtrack.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Al Stewart
Al Stewart (born 1945) is a Scottish singer-songwriter known for folk-rock and literate, history-infused storytelling. He broke through commercially in the mid-1970s, notably with the album and title track “Year of the Cat.”20 Reviews
