Buddha And The Chocolate Box

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If veteran Cat Stevens fans were nervous in the wake of the previous album's (Foreigner) sometimes sketchy experimentalism, they must surely have been gratified by the singer-songwriter's return to form here. Reuniting with producer Paul Samwell-Smith, this 1974 collection kicks off with the bracing "Music" and never looks back, managing to be both more adventurous and focused than its predecessor. Though perhaps belied by the preciousness of the hit "Oh, Very Young," there's a muscular determination to songs like "Sun/C79" and "Ready" that serves Stevens well. Lyrically, tracks like "Jesus," "King of Trees," and "Home in the Sky" give early hints of Stevens's spiritual quest, though delivered through Samwell-Smith's eclectic, if still pop-focused production. Even to jaded ears, the album still sounds fresh in 2000 and may well sound like Cat Stevens's best work. --Jerry McCulley