Cat Stevens

After releasing a series of singles as a British Invasion type, Stevens made the leap with this record to his doe-eyed singer-songwriter-full-of folky-soulfulness persona that dominated the '70s. Highlighted by "Trouble," which was featured in the counter culture classic movie Harold and Maude, and the elegant "Lady D'Arbanville."

As an admirer of "Matthew and Son" and "I Love My Dog," two rock songs we should have heard more of in 1967, I made Cat my token singer-songwriter when this came out--the melodies were memorable, the dry intimacy of the singing had a nice post-creative-trauma feel, and I liked "Katmandu," which was about the physical (rather than spiritual) geography of a religious quest. Only later did I notice "Lady D'Arbanville" (his girlfriend), "Trouble" (too much for him), and "I Wish, I Wish" (a map of his soul). (Grade - B-)