been polished away. It’ s hyper-literate and somewhat catchy, even if it is about as satisfying as a rice cake.“ Dear Stephen” finds inspiration from a 1984“ Get Well Soon” postcard sent by Morrissey to a teenage Nicky Wire. It’ s an interesting mixture of a tribute and a scolding( due to Morrissey’ s own recent contentious political stances) but even though it gets a few good lines in like“ I’ ve been the boy with the thorn in his side, I want you vivid in your prime,” the refrain of“ Dear Stephen, please come back to us, I believe in repentance and forgiveness” ultimately comes off as wildly narcissistic. Even treading water, this is still a great band with the potential to surprise, like on the cavernous gothic pop of“ Out Of Time Revival” and the hypnotic agro-balladry of“ Late Day Peaks.” Yet with the cliched album title of“ Critical Thinking” complete with the cliched cover art( a road with one straight lane line and one on its wiggly route … profound metaphor there), one can’ t help but think this is a low point in the storied career of the Manic Street Preachers.
- Andy Derer
5
CAT STEVENS / YUSUF Saturnight( Cat Stevens Live in Tokyo)
( Cat-O-Log / A & M / UMe)
Limited initially to Japanese release with its funds dedicated to the humanitarian organization UNICEF, Saturnight at last receives a North American release following the 50th anniversary of its creation. The live album captures a Cat Stevens performance during the“ Bamboozle World Tour” at Sun Hall Plaza in Tokyo on June 22, 1974. The concert occurred three months following the release of Stevens’ eighth album, Buddha and the Chocolate Box, featuring the pensive # 10 single“ Oh Very Young.” The folk-pop success of the 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman, with the heartbroken“ Wild World,” and 1971’ s Teaser and the Firecat, with the jangling # 7 chart anthem“ Peace Train,” had made the singer-songwriter a global superstar. All of these singles and eight other enduring songs are included on the album, along with a cover of Sam Cooke’ s effervescent“ Another Saturday Night” that showcases a top-flight eight-piece band. Soon to become a hit single via a studio version recorded in Japan, Saturnight features Stevens’ s first public performance of the soulful song. Tillerman’ s most popular tracks are present, including the gentle encouragement of“ Father and Son” and wry soft-rocker“ Hard Headed Woman.”“ Where Do the Children Play?” worries over the impact of industrial progress on the quality of life. Although fan favorites“ Morning Has Broken” and“ Moonshadow” are not present in the set list, Firecat is also represented by the wounded but hopeful“ Bitterblue,” which serves as the evening’ s closing song. The fresh songs from Buddha, including the rollicking piano-pop of“ King of Trees” and baroque“ A Bad Penny,” are delivered with particular enthusiasm. The gatefold LP package includes itinerary and photos from the tour, as well as liner notes from associates, including tour manager Carl Miller and bassist Bruce Lynch. Miller describes a trip made to Kyoto via bullet train so Stevens could meditate at a beautiful temple and visit with the attendant monks. Meanwhile, Lynch describes escapades in Tokyo with his bandmates that include accidentally setting fire to a restaurant table, disrupting a family home doubling as a makeshift pub, and attempting to joyride in a police station rickshaw.
– Jeff Elbel
8
TWO WOLF Two Wolf
( Cleopatra)
The spirit of legendary Southern rockers Blackfoot lives on with the new project Two Wolf. Featuring original Blackfoot
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14 illinoisentertainer. com june 2025