A Beach Full of Shells

Knight Ridder Newspapers syndicate, June 2005
"…Finessed with his distinctive, old-world sound and history-minded imagery. B+"

Product Description
For a singer and songwriter whose work is suffused with history and detail, Al Stewart follows no creative timetable. It’s been 10 years since his last US CD of new material and almost 30 years since his "Year of the Cat" single and album became unforgettable international hits.

"A Beach Full of Shells," Al’s Appleseed debut and first new US release since 1995’s "Between the Wars," finds Stewart in timeless form, presenting 13 new songs that span centuries and continents, autobiography and fiction. As he nears the 20-album mark, Stewart remains a distinctively literate and vivid storyteller, time-traveling and teleporting from World War I battlefields to Sixties bedrooms, from ships to airplanes to ice floes, from the specific to the mysterious.

Musical settings that encompass electric folk-rock and acoustic ballads, colorful dabs of classical and Eastern music, and even a touch of Little Richard-style piano pounding, are as varied and imaginative as Al’s subject matters. The CD’s producer, Laurence Juber has enhanced Al’s elegant Scottish drawl, nimble acoustic guitar-work and keyboards with his own Grammy-winning guitar playing, string arrangements and percussion and a flexible rhythm section.

"The Immelman Turn" kicks off the CD in a style reminiscent of Fairport Convention, with spirited violin and barbed electric guitar sweeping us into the tale of a doomed pilot’s last flight. Then we fall down the genteel rabbit hole of "Mr. Lear," a tribute to the 19th Century nonsense poet, before landing in the veiled intrigue of "Royal Courtship." Elsewhere and elsewhen, we are taken "Somewhere in England 1915"; into the freezing bleakness of "Out in the Snow"; to visit party girl "Gina in the Kings Road"; to the frenzied rock ’n’ roll past of "Class of ’58" and a peaceful, nostalgia-filled old age in "Katherine of Oregon." And that’s just part of the tour on "A Beach Full of Shells."

A Beach Full of Shells

A Beach Full of Shells,Al Stewart,Appleseed Records,Literate and intriguing folk rock on the hit-making ("Year of the Cat," "On the Border") Al Stewart's first US CD in a decade.,Pop,Pop Vocals,Pop/Rock,Rock/Pop,Singer/Songwriter,Soft Rock

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A Beach Full of Shells

Average customer rating: Lyricist, Novelist, Poet A good Al Stewart album... Al Stewart's Best Album Ever. This one calls for 6, maybe 7 stars Pass this one up......sorry Al

A Beach Full of Shells Al Stewart Manufacturer: Appleseed Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: Down in the Cellar Last Days of the Century Time Passages Past, Present And Future To Whom It May Concern, 1966-1970 ASIN: B0009K8L8O Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

1. The Immelman Turn
2. Mr. Lear
3. Royal Courtship
4. Rain Barrel
5. Somewhere in England 1915
6. Katherine of Oregon
7. Mona Lisa Talking
8. Class of '58
9. Out in the Snow
10. My Egyptian Couch
11. Gina in the Kings Road
12. Beacon Street
13. Anniversary

Album Description

For a singer and songwriter whose work is suffused with history and detail, Al Stewart follows no creative timetable. It's been 10 years since his last US CD of new material and almost 30 years since his "Year of the Cat" single and album became unforgettable international hits.

"A Beach Full of Shells," Al's Appleseed debut and first new US release since 1995's "Between the Wars," finds Stewart in timeless form, presenting 13 new songs that span centuries and continents, autobiography and fiction. As he nears the 20-album mark, Stewart remains a distinctively literate and vivid storyteller, time-traveling and teleporting from World War I battlefields to Sixties bedrooms, from ships to airplanes to ice floes, from the specific to the mysterious.

Musical settings that encompass electric folk-rock and acoustic ballads, colorful dabs of classical and Eastern music, and even a touch of Little Richard-style piano pounding, are as varied and imaginative as Al's subject matters. The CD's producer, Laurence Juber has enhanced Al's elegant Scottish drawl, nimble acoustic guitar-work and keyboards with his own Grammy-winning guitar playing, string arrangements and percussion and a flexible rhythm section.

"The Immelman Turn" kicks off the CD in a style reminiscent of Fairport Convention, with spirited violin and barbed electric guitar sweeping us into the tale of a doomed pilot's last flight. Then we fall down the genteel rabbit hole of "Mr. Lear," a tribute to the 19th Century nonsense poet, before landing in the veiled intrigue of "Royal Courtship." Elsewhere and elsewhen, we are taken "Somewhere in England 1915"; into the freezing bleakness of "Out in the Snow"; to visit party girl "Gina in the Kings Road"; to the frenzied rock 'n' roll past of "Class of '58" and a peaceful, nostalgia-filled old age in "Katherine of Oregon." And that's just part of the tour on "A Beach Full of Shells."

Customer Reviews:

Lyricist, Novelist, Poet.......2007-06-10

I write novels for a living and so does Al Stewart. The difference is that he sets his to music. Lyrically and melodically beautiful, full of evocative imagery and significant allegory, "A Beach Full of Shells" is one of Al's best efforts to date, an amazing accomplishment given his already impressive body of work. If you're a fan of Al already, rejoice in this dazzling achievement and the stunning realization that the man's talents haven't dissipated even one iota over his long and brilliant career. If you're not a fan, give a listen and discover what you've been missing. You won't be disappointed.Devil's Brew

A good Al Stewart album..........2007-02-13

...if not quite up to the standards of his classic albums from the late '60s and early '70s. One of the things that impressed me most is that Al's voice has really not changed or, significantly, diminished over the years; the same cannot be said of all singer/songwriters or lead vocalists in one band or another. He has the same pleasant, smooth timbre he's had since his first album, 1967's Bedsitter Images.

That said, the songs are good, if not the most remarkable of his career. Unlike an earlier reviewer, I quite liked "The Immelman Turn"--after all, how many songwriters do you know can put together a decent song about barnstorming and its dangers? "Katherine of Oregon" has the nice lyrical twists that Al Stewart does so well with his customary dry humour. I'll agree about "Class of '58"--it's not bad, but not terribly memorable, and the change from a ballad to a '50s style rocker midway through doesn't really work. On the whole, however, it's a nice Al Stewart album, and when it was released in '05, it was the first he'd released over here in a decade (2000's Down in the Cellar was not given a Stateside release, probably because few American listeners really wanted to hear a concept album about wine [one of Al's favourite subjects], beer-drinking nation that we are), so it was welcome for at least that reason.

Lastly, if you get a chance next time he's on tour here, go and see Al live. I witnessed his performance at the Flye Point Festival in Maine last summer, and while he does tend to spend a lot of time between songs on stories, they are certainly no less than entertaining--plus he performed such classics as "Soho (Needless to Say)," "In Brooklyn" and, of course, "Year of the Cat"...solo acoustic, yet.

Al Stewart's Best Album Ever........2006-08-14

Yes, it is better than his landmark albums Year of the Cat and Time Passages. Who would have thought that someone could put out his best work nearly 30 years after falling out of the industry's consciousness? 1992's Famous Last Words was a masterpiece, proving that Al Stewart was still a great songwriter and performer, just as good even if not as popular as he was in the late '70s. But now he has topped everything else he has ever done. If you like ANYTHING by Al Stewart, you have got to get this album. It is sheer genius.

This one calls for 6, maybe 7 stars.......2006-07-22

Ever wake up in the middle of the night, delighted, or agitated, by a song going around in your head? Here's a dozen of them for you. Ever have a hard time cozying up to a new CD, only to wind up loving it, wall-to-wall, by the 5th or 10th listening? Ever roll down the windows and cranked up the volume like some kid? Well, here you go.

Ever wonder why rockers don't write 'em like that anymore? Turns out, they do... at least, Stewart does. Is this a rock album? Not predominantly, but if you foot-shuffle or neck-roll to Wilson Pickett, Duane Eddy, James Brown, Jerry Lee... I can think of several dozen reasons, any one of which would cause you to laugh off any 2-star reviews for this masterpiece you might come across, but it's already been said, below. Here's what I will say, though: go do yourself a big favor: buy this CD.

Oh, and one other thing... if you have young children, play
"Mr. Lear" for them. It'll work magic on both of you.

Pass this one up......sorry Al.......2006-04-21

With all due respect to all the Al Stewart fans out there, this CD is simply awful. As of Al's loyal fans since 1973, I can say with all due respect that this one is well below what he has done in the past.

I found the music largely unremarkable and the lyrics to most of the songs uninspired.Take a listen to the "Immelman Turn" and "Class of 58" and you can't wait for them to end. The lyrics are repetive and the music just boring and very simple. I did enjoy "Katherine of Oregon" but to me this was simply the best of the worst. To my ears, these songs sound like someone is just trying to pay the bills.

By all means sample some of the cuts before you buy. Better yet, pick up his "Between the wars",or "Russians and Americans". Almost any of his works are far better than this. What a disappointment.

Average customer rating:

A Beach Full of Shells Al Stewart Manufacturer: EMI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0009A21G2 Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

1. Immelman Turn
2. Mr. Lear
3. Royal Courtship
4. Rain Barrel
5. Somewhere in England
6. Katherine of Oregon
7. Mona Lisa Talking
8. Class of '58
9. Out in the Snow
10. My Egyptian Couch
11. Gina in the Kings Road
12. Beacon Street
13. Anniversary

Album Description

Al began incorporating historical data, elements of film, literature and current affairs into his lyrics from an early stage in his career. 'Beach Full Of Shells' is no exception with the tracks like 'Katherine Of Oregon', 'Mona Lisa Talking', 'My Egyptian Couch' & 'Somewhere In England 1951 he carries on the tradition of troubadour with his natural flair taking the listener through lyrical journeys. Details TBA. EMI. 2005.

Album Details

2005 Brings Many a Milestone for Al Stewart. The Rock Troubadour Has, in his Opinion, Penned his Finest Work to Date Entitled, 'a Beach Full of Shells'.

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