The album that Cat Stevens called “brilliant”

He has an incredible class of peers. He emerged on the folk scene during what is considered its most exciting period, the 1960s and 1970s. But when it comes to the musician he most admires, he has looked beyond his own genre to find important inspiration elsewhere.

This is especially important when it comes to renewing creativity. By the early 1970s, after releasing a string of popular albums and hits like “Wild World” and “Father and Son,” Stevens was artistically burned out. The demand on musicians to constantly create more and new material must become exhausting, forcing them to act like machines and requiring a constantly flowing source of inspiration and production. When he found himself stalling in his songwriting, he turned to an artist and an album for help.

“Audiobook blew me away when I was having a dry spell with my writing,” he said, referring to Stevie Wonder’s 1972 album. “I heard Stevie Wonder and thought I couldn’t top what he did, he’s such a genius!” he said. “I just fell in love with it, it was black soul music from that era but sounds totally, totally like today.”

The music of Stevie Wonder and Cat Stevens cannot be compared. They both operate in completely different genres and have sonic worlds between them. Wonder dominates the realm of soul-inspired pop and R&B, while Stevens is an iconic folk figure. However, both have constantly pushed the boundaries of the genres they have been assigned to, constantly searching for new sounds, instruments or styles to adopt. During a period of songwriting difficulties, Wonder’s development evolved to Audiobook was inspiring.

Audiobook is largely considered a turning point for Wonder. It marked a moment of greater artistic freedom, as he relied less on his Motown label and began to forge his own path. The album also featured more use of synthesizers and keyboards, which would come to shape his sound. With the obvious skill and training in his playing, coupled with the funky rhythms he masters, the album is a perfect blend of technique and energy.

Stevens noted this too when reflecting on the album’s impact. “One of the things he developed was preserving the funk through the electronics of synthesizer, keyboard and vocals,” he said. “I think Sly was a big influence on Stevie at the time too,” he added, pointing to Sly and the Family Stone as another very influential act.

In 1973, when Stevens returned with Foreignerit was a chance for tempo. After a run of four consecutive platinum and gold albums with Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four, he found his sound too predictable. But thanks to the influence of Stevie Wonder, his comeback was something new and fresh, harnessing the influence of R&B and a dose of boldness that came with Wonder’s own love of experimentation.

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