Surely one of the most unlikely hits of 1976-77 was Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat."  An atmospheric tale of romance in a faraway place with Casablanca name-checks of Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, the song propelled the British singer-songwriter to the top of the pops: No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and even higher, No. 4, in Cash Box) and No. 8 AC as well as No. 31 in the U.K., his only chart appearance there.  Following its expanded reissue late last year of Stewart's 24 Carrots, Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings arm has recently released the Year of the Cat album in expanded Deluxe (2CD) and Super Deluxe (3CD/DVD) editions.  Melding folk-rock with progressive pop, it remains a stylish and sophisticated statement from start to finish.

1973's Past, Present, and Future and 1975's follow-up Modern Times both set Stewart on the path to Year of the Cat.  The former found Stewart expanding his lyrical purview with every one of its eight tracks focusing on a particular period, event, or historical personage.  On the latter, he and producer-engineer Alan Parsons expanded his sonic horizons, too, with greater advantage of overdubs and studio wizardry plus a heavier emphasis on guitars.  Past, Present, and Future made the U.S. Billboard 200 for the first time (No. 133) and Modern Times impressively peaked at No. 30.  Stewart and Parsons regrouped for Year of the Cat with an A-list bunch of musicians including Tim Renwick on guitar, Peter Wood on piano, and George Ford and Stuart Elliott of Cockney Rebel on bass and drums, respectively.  Sessions began in London, with final overdubs recorded in Los Angeles after Stewart had finished writing lyrics to the newly-recorded backing tracks.  While this method might not be ideal for every artist, it yielded some of Stewart's finest writing, including "Year of the Cat."

While not a concept album, each song ultimately transported the listener to a new time and place including the opening pair of nautically-themed tracks.  Taking his cue from the historical dramas of Past, Present, and Future, Stewart opened Year of the Cat with "Lord Grenville," based on the exploits of Sir Richard Grenville (1542-1591) who "attacked an entire fleet of Spanish ships and got sunk for his troubles," per the songwriter.  Andrew Powell's string chart lends a cinematic sweep to the story as warmly sung by Stewart.  The urgent "On the Border" touches upon both the Basque separatist movement in Spain and the struggle for independence in Rhodesia, an unrecognized state in Southern Africa today known as the country of Zimbabwe.  Stewart's portrait of his narrator is empathetic as he reckons with both natural and manmade phenomena changing his life moment to moment as he stands "on the border" - both physically and metaphorically.  Musically, the song is anchored by Peter White's lovely Spanish guitar while bassist Ford and percussionist Elliott lock in an insistent, moving rhythm.

"Broadway Hotel" conjures a liaison in a seedy (?) inn, highlighted by Bobby Bruce's delicate, tension-building violin.  Even more evocative is "One Stage Before," a beguiling paean to the ghosts that occupy every theatre.  Stewart's songs rarely build in expected directions, often introducing a concept and then extrapolating on it in the mode of a jazz musician improvising on a theme.  Mark Powell's liner notes reveal that "Midas Shadow" was inspired by the disparity between the wealthy rock stars and the hotel staff serving them at the Continental Hyatt House (colloquially, the Riot House), but after a first verse referring to the "hotel keys," "overnight bag," and "Spanish maids pick[ing] up the sheets," the lyric veers into a broader if impressionistic exploration of wealth, success, and lack thereof.

The breezy "Sand in Your Shoes" and wordy, uptempo "If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It" showcase Stewart's pop leanings as does the pretty, romantic "Flying Sorcery" with its enigmatic but undeniably effective aviation references to biplanes, the tarmac, the hangar door, the runaway, the compass, and more.  Stewart is using airplanes losing each other as an extended metaphor for lovers parting, set to an inviting melody and arrangement buffed to a sheen by producer Parsons.

Metaphor and simile both play a role in Stewart's lyrics throughout the album, the latter most notably on the tour de force title track: "You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre contemplating a crime," "She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a watercolor in the rain," "Her eyes shine like the moon in the sea..."  The dazzling, enigmatic wordplay is matched by the lithe (and yes, cat-like!) melody line and shimmering, smooth production that roots the song in the decade in which it was recorded.  It was Parsons who suggested the now-signature alto saxophone solos by Phil Kenzie; the song had already featured guitar solos on both acoustic (Peter White) and electric (Tim Renwick) instruments.  From its first notes played on piano through those solos and the prominent, moody strings, "Year of the Cat" had the air of mystery and intrigue as it shifted effortlessly from pop to rock with dashes of jazz and the feel of a film soundtrack.  (Note that pianist Peter Wood shares co-writing credit; the melody evolved from a riff with which Wood had been experimenting during a live soundcheck.)  The epic song was visually translated by Hipgnosis for the striking album artwork.

Esoteric's reissue has been remastered by Dave Donnelly from the original tapes to fine effect, but those who love this album and have surround capabilities would do well to purchase the Super Deluxe Edition.  Its NTSC Region Free DVD offers the original stereo mix in 96/24 high resolution and a new 5.1 surround mix by Alan Parsons in DTS.  Parsons' mix is tasteful but happily not subtle; he takes full advantage of surround capabilities rather than concentrating on the front channels.  The music envelops the listener with instruments and vocals clearly and discretely separated across the front and rear speakers.  It's a very different experience than the familiar stereo mix and a wholly worthwhile one.  Parsons knows the ins and outs of this album, and it shows.

Both expanded editions also feature a Stewart concert recorded at Seattle's Paramount Theater on October 29, 1976, the same month Year of the Cat was released in the United States.  (It arrived in July in Stewart's native United Kingdom.)  Guitarist Peter White, who had played on the album, was on the tour, too.  The 2CD edition offers nine highlights on one disc while the box has 15 songs on 2 discs.  Stewart eschewed his first four albums and understandably emphasized his new material.  "One Stage Before," "On the Border," "Broadway Hotel," "Sand in Your Shoes," "If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It," and "Year of the Cat" - the latter with a lengthy backstory introduction - were all featured in the setlist.  Past, Present, and Future ("Soho (Needless to Say))," "Post World War II Blues," Roads to Moscow," and "Nostradamus") and Modern Times ("Apple Cider Re-Constitution," "Carol," "Not the One," "Sirens of Titan," "The Dark and Rolling Sea") were both almost as well-represented.  Stewart and his band were in fine form, enjoying the freedom to stretch out and improvise while remaining largely faithful to the warm sound of the album.  Paschal Byrne has mastered the concert from the original stereo master tapes, and the quality is solid if not studio album level.

One other bonus track has been appended to the album, the previously released outtake "Belsize Blues." Unfortunately, the single edits of the 6-1/2-minute-plus "Year of the Cat" - the 4:32 edit still played on U.S. radio today and an even shorter edit of about 3:23 in length which eliminates the famous instrumental introduction - are absent from this otherwise-excellent package.

The design by Phil Smee is top-notch.  The 2CD set is housed in an eight-panel digipak with a 28-page booklet featuring reissue producer Mark Powell's essay plus photos and memorabilia images.  A foldout poster of an album advertisement is also included.  The more lavish, slipcased 3CD/DVD set has the poster plus four postcards each with a detail from the feline-themed cover art as well as a squarebound 68-page, copiously-illustrated book.  Powell's comprehensive essay drawing on new quotes from Stewart is accompanied by lyrics and galleries of sheet music, the master tapes, and an array of international singles and picture sleeves.  (Too bad the misspelling of Bobby Darin's surname as "Darren" wasn't caught.)  The four discs are held in slots within a separate folder.

Al Stewart went on to score another big hit with "Time Passages" and smaller ones with "Song on the Radio" and "Midnight Rocks."  But Year of the Cat remains a high watermark in his career and his signature achievement.  He released his sixteenth and final studio album to date in 2008.  In the years since, Stewart's vivid, often haunting style of musical storytelling hasn't lost any of its potency.  2021 may well be the new Year of the Cat.

Al Stewart, Year of the Cat: 45th Anniversary Editions (RCA Victor (U.K.) RS 1082, 1976 - reissued Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red, 2021)

3CD/DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD/DVD

1. Lord Grenville
2. On the Border
3. Midas Shadow
4. Sand in Your Shoes
5. If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It
6. Flying Sorcery
7. Broadway Hotel
8. One Stage Before
9. Year of the Cat
10. Belsize Blues (CD-Only Bonus Track)

CD 2

1. Apple Cider Re-Constitution
2. The Dark and Rolling Sea
3. One Stage Before
4. Soho (Needless to Say) (*)
5. Not the One (*)
6. On the Border
7. Broadway Hotel
8. Roads to Moscow

CD 3

1. Nostradamus (*)
2. Sirens of Titan (*)
3. The Post World War II Blues (*)
4. Year of the Cat
5. Sand in Your Shoes
6. Carol (*)
7. If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It

(*) exclusive to 3CD/DVD box set