Al Stewart - Modern Times

Was it really so long ago?

Ah, the Dr. Strange-in-the-background cover restored at last!

The reference is more than half serious, because that cover sums up the times & tone of this album, especially in the elegiac title track. Quite a few songs from the beginning of the 1970s had that "end of an era" flavor, a sense of summer flowers faded & a weary, wary, even bitter autumn coming on soon. And Al Stewart's albums at the time, with their awareness of history & the passing of years, really captured that feeling.

And yet, if it's specifically shaped by the end of the 1960s, it's also a timeless album. Who hasn't reached a point of looking back in reflection & bewilderment, wondering when you lost track of old friends, old dreams, old ideals? How strange that in my early 20s, childhood already seemed so distant; now, more than 35 years later, those memories seem both embarrassingly naive & frighteningly prescient.

That's the beauty & power of these songs. They not only go deeper than run-of-the-mill pop songs (although a couple here could easily have been top 40 hits), they encourage the listener to pause for reflection, to examine one's own life a little more. You immediately feel that you're hearing someone who understands your secret, inner life -- he's obviously felt & gone through a lot of the same things you have, and knows how to express them.

Whether you're discovering Al Stewart for the first time, or rediscovering him after too many years away, you can't do much better than this album. It isn't as well-known as "Year of the Cat" or "Time Passages," but I think that's to its advantage now, in that it won't seem as timebound by the hit songs we've all heard over & over again. Highly recommended!
July 24, 2008

On The Way Up

Even though I have been an Al Stewart fan since the release of Past, Present, and Future oh so many years ago, for some reason I never bought Modern Times until recently. Now with the purchase of this, I own recordings of all of Stewart's albums.
None of Stewart's early releases deserve the title of "best album", but I guess which one does depends on what you are looking for in the music. That goes for Modern Times as well. Although it is more even in overall quality than its predecessor, it lacks a tour de force like Roads To Moscow to make it stand out.
It seems unanimous that Carol and Apple Cider Reconstitution are good songs. I also favor What's Going On, The Dark and the Rolling Sea, plus the bonus tracks Swallow Wind and Willie the King.
Stewart completeists will have to have this reissue of course, because two of the bonus cuts were not previously released. The CD comes with a skimpy folded cover insert that contains a short essay about Stewart and how this album came to be. Modern Times finds Al Stewart on the way up, but it doesn't even come close to being his best album. That one comes later... July 3, 2008

Oh, Al

I have reviewed other Al Stewart albums so if my appraisal looks familiar, it may be. The fact is that I like Al Stewart's music a great deal. This may be my single favorite album, not just Al Stewart album. The old "if you were stuck on a desert isle" type thing.

Well, I had a house fire a few years ago. The first CD that I re-bought was "Modern Times" (the second was "Argus" by Wishbone Ash if you're curious.)

My best friend from college introduced me to this album. Somehow, as I listened to the title cut, I felt that I was listening to a story about Bill and me. We have not seen each other since college. The song was very much about us.

"Carol" is a great lilting song about a "cocaine holiday." The lyrics, as with a number of Al's songs, contrast so much with the music that half the time it's almost cynical in itself.

"Apple Cider Reconstituted" is a great song about a railway station falling in disrepair, again with a top 40ish musical accompaniment. It's truly a wonderfully written song.

"What's Going On?" is a song that reflects the confusion of growing up.

The other songs are just as strong lyrically and musically. If you appreciate great music, I strongly suggest this CD.
November 26, 2007

Lost Classic from Al Stewart

This is a brilliant lost classic from Al Stewart's mid 70s output. It is easily the equal of his more well known "Year of the Cat" but with less of the over polished pop sensabilities of that album. The remastering retains all of the great sound of the original Alan Parsons produced vinyl version, but with added clarity. I took away one star because of a botched fade between the songs "Not the One" and "Next Time" but overall this is a highly recommended remastered addition to Al Stewart's catalog. Get it!
September 23, 2007

One of his best albums

This album is sandwiched between the heavy historical content of "Past, Present and Future" and the more pop content of "Year of the Cat" and "Time Passages". Songs like "Carol" and "Apple Cider Reconstitution" could have been big hits but Stewart just wasn't that well known yet. This is an excellent album with a preview of the hits to come as well as a nod to his past. It's taken a long time for this to reach CD but this is definitely one of his best. There are 3 bonus tracks on the Cd that are good also. July 3, 2007

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