STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - AL STEWART - YEAR OF THE CAT

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Good Tuesday morning to you all and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again. We hope your Labor Day celebration afforded you much rest and relaxation. Speaking of yesterday, (09/05/22), it was also the 77th Birthday of Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician, Al Stewart. Happy belated Birthday Al ! With him in mind, we spotlight his seventh studio album, Year Of The Cat. The LP was released in July (UK) and October (US) 1976 on the RCA and Janus labels and produced by Alan Parsons. It peaked at #42 in Germany, #31 in the UK, #13 in Canada, #10 in Australia, #5 on the Billboard 200, #4 in New Zealand, and #2 in the Netherlands. Three singles were released from the Platinum selling disc ; the title track (#31 UK, #15 New Zealand, #13 Australia, #8 Canada Adult Contemporary, US Adult Contemporary, Hot 100, ## Canada RPM), "On the Border" (#47 Canada RPM, #42 Hot 100, #23 US Adult Contemporary, #8 Canada Adult Contemporary) and "Sand In Your Shoes" (#6 South Africa). The album cover with it's a depiction of a cat obsessed woman was designed by  Hipgnosis and illustrator Colin Elgie . 

Side 1

"Lord Grenville" – 5:00

"On the Border" – 3:22

"Midas Shadow" – 3:08

"Sand in Your Shoes" – 3:02

"If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It" – 4:28

Side 2

"Flying Sorcery" – 4:20

"Broadway Hotel" – 3:55

"One Stage Before" – 4:39

"Year of the Cat" (Stewart, Peter Wood) – 6:40

Al Stewart - vocals, guitar, keyboards

Peter White - spanish guitar ("on the border")

Tim Renwick - guitar

Peter Wood - keyboards

Don Lobster - keyboards

George Ford - bass

Stuart Elliott - drums, percussion

Andrew Powell - string arrangements

Bobby Bruce - violin

Marion Driscoll - triangle

Phil Kenzie - alto saxophone

David Pack - backing vocals

John Perry - backing vocals

Tony Rivers - backing vocals

Stuart Calver - backing vocals

Graham Smith - harmonica

Technical

Hipgnosis, Colin Elgie - cover design

Rob Brimson - back cover photography