Cat's still got it - he can still write catchy melodies with thought-provoking and spiritual messages. He hasn't lost a beat, despite a 28-year hiatus from pop music. My only disappointment is that two of his best recent songs, "Indian Ocean" and "The Wind East and West" were omiited.

I am too youbg to be a cat steven fan. but after listening to the album few times and making sense of it. i will say that the mass media didnt give cats his due. this album is terrific. the message in it is amazing. its very simple and universal. the man is muslim so its natural for him to refer to his faith. i recommend this album for all

If you are a Cat Stevens fan, this is a must have. It is by no means his best album, but at the same time it is better than Back To Earth, Numbers and Izitso. It is a pretty solid effort considering he has been out of the business for so long even though it does have alot of religious under/over tones to it. He stays with his old sound that made him famous and for the most part the album works.

Just Great

Wonderful surprise. I told my wife as I was about to pop it into my CD player that I could take a little mideast twang but hoped to hear some Cat as well. I heard both and the message of acceptance of fellow man and living together is more than needed in music today and much welcomed.

Superb and have missed his music so much. Just one track I'm not sure of... otherwise inspirational

brilliant

Superb. Yusuf's songwriting has aged, like fine wine. Peaceful, sure, and deeply contemplative. He must be a Sufi!

it's been too long. i appreciate this man as a being and being full of talent that needs to be expressed and heard. his message expresses what many felt before and still feel. it is a timely return and "come back." his spirituality and positivity, yet deep introspection is apparent. it's the cat we've always loved. and still do. i look forward to seeing what comes next. let's hope it's not another 28 yrs!… Expand

Its the best of the 70's.

Yes his voice seems less powerful...perhaps his passion for singing is not as strong as it was when he was younger.....but...i have listened to this album now about 5 or 6 times now and I love it. It is uplifting, interesting and masterfully crafted.....bravo Yusuf..........I am looking forward to more new music to come from you and possibly a concert tour in the US, because I will be one of the first in line!… Expand

Wonderful

A welcome and long-awaited pleasure.

I think this is an EXCELLENT way to pick up where he left off. I really hope he makes more recordings. Now that Lennon is gone, very few artists that I know of are dedicated to peace the way Yusuf is. Glad he's back and what took him so long??

Honest, brilliant, strong

More than plesantly surprised! Yusef has matured and settled in himself and his faith since his days as Cat Stevens. The songs are well crafted, the arrangements elegantly simple, and the voice a tad worn but just as sonorous as it was 30 years ago. After ending with the frantic, frustrated "Back to Earth" and "Izitso," it's great to hear the echo of "Tea for the Tillerman" and "Teaser and the Firecat" again. This collection will grow on you fast. Welcome back!!… Expand

great

Amazing, just amazing, where where you Yusuf?

Not bad..if you're a Cat Stevens (or Yusuf) fan, you'll enjoy it as it is his first album in 28 years. If you are unfamiliar with Cat/Yusuf, your best bet is to listen to the early stuff, and only if you enjoy that, listen to this album.

The Cat Is Back!

Best music since many years. The cat is back.

Time has matured this musician like no other. This is some of his best work - his voice is not like most oldies trying to make a comeback - Cat, er, Yusuf is for real.

The best album of the year!!!! Nothing more mellow and true than Yusuf Islam's An Other Cup

While this offering doesn't rank with the best of his pre-Islamic conversion tour-de-force's "Teaser and the Firecat" or "Tea for the Tillerman," it's still heartening to hear one of popular music's most distinctive voices from the distant past give it another go at a time when it is desperately welcome. Allah knows we could use more clarity and less garbage on our cultural airwaves. Yusuf has lost nothing vocally and he still sings songs with an underlying spiritual message, as he did back in the 1970's as Cat Stevens. Of course, for that reason it won't sell a cup full of beans, because it has nothing immediate and gratifying to offer the brainwashed sheep. That and the fact that he, horrors!, now records under an Islamic name. The no-minds will probably think his royalties are going to terrorists.… Expand

Great comeback! introspective lyrics with catchy melodies here are the hallmark of Cat/Yusuf. Only this time more mature and having found himself. Shallow minded listeners of today's trash music may find the man from the sensitive seventies hard to understand.

This album a milestone in the natural progession of Cat's spiritual journey. His talent, well showcased here, is undeniable and makes his critics come to terms with their own sense of integrity. Any true Cat Stevens fan can see that it is difficult for folks to recognize good work/artistry from someone just because he is a muslim.