Remember those childhood books we all loved? Bernstein Bears, Curious George, various psychedelic Dr. Seuss works, and so on. But one book never made it into our childhood memories, the story of a young boy Teaser and his clumsy pet, Firecat. Before Cat Stevens’ best selling album (#87 on Rolling “Sold Out to the Man” Stone Magazine’s
Top 100 Selling Albums of the 1970s) came Stevens’ children’s story book, “Teaser and the Firecat”. That’s right, Madonna
didn’t do it first. The story is about Teaser and the Firecat trying to put the moon back into the sky after it falls down onto a barn. Fortunately, the album has nothing to do with the story besides its name and album cover, because that would have been one crappy concept album. The [url=http://airship.home.mchsi.com/Teaser/Teaser.htm]book[/url] has been out of print for thirty years, but
Teaser and the Firecat is still hot hot hot!
Like its predecessor
Tea for the Tillerman, the majority of the songs are crafted with the acoustic guitar mingling of Cat and second guitarist Alun Davies, but the song moods and structures is where they differ. Though the soul seeking anthem
The Wind that opens the album may suggest a whimsical, introspective, serene album like
Tea for the Tillerman,
Teaser and the Firecat is more playful. The mood is more upfront, and less mysterious. This is where Cat Stevens seemingly decides to make a concise, focused album, as if he were ready to become a big superstar. There’s more pop thrown into the mix of acoustic guitars, handclaps, and pseudo-hippiedom. Ironically, his monkeying around was his downfall in the future.
As said before, the album does have moments that are quiet, and full of folk, but aren’t as magnetic as on previous albums. Most noticeably
Morning has Broken, a piano laden song adapted from a hymn. It’s a pretty song, with an
A Day in the Life quality in the piano, slowly bursting into the song with a sense of jubilation, but is mostly a forgettable song with a good piano hook.
How Can I Tell You has the same quality, while it’s a pleasant, and earnest song, but it’s much too long for its own good. The folksy songs that do shine are indeed the shorter, the afore mentioned
The Wind, and
Moonshadow, one of the best beaming melodies and lyrics Stevens has written.
The standouts on the album are on the jangly foot-tappers, like 80s REM in an unusually happy mood. Still employing some folk sensibilities, but mixed with campfire chants, claps, and sparingly employed drums. The buoyant feel of songs like
Bitterblue and
Changes IV is what makes this album so inherently popular. That and of course, the album’s closer,
Peace Train, which incorporates the bubbly, innocent tone, somewhat typical of Stevens at the time. Though most of the focus is on Stevens and the crisp, folk guitars, sparse, but warm string arrangements make their way into some of the songs. Stevens’ lyrics are as optimistic and cheerleading as the song, but still retain a Zen-like quality that remained a characteristic in all his albums.
Teaser and the Firecat may be the main reason why Cat Stevens is rolling around in piles of money today, but it’s not why he’s one cool cat. Thank albums like
Mona Bone Jakon, and
Tea for the Tillerman for that. Still, the album is cool enough, and is one to get for people wanting to check Cat in “Let’s sing cheerful campfire songs” mode. Stevens’ interest in world music also keeps the variety and allurement, like the Greek tinged
Rubylove. The album is overrated in some ways, but still a great listen. He’s no Dr. Seuss, but Cat’s melodies are as memorable as any of those silly rhymes.
All aboard the peace train! Choo choo!
