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Time Passages

 
Album Review: Time Passages

  • Artist: Al Stewart
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1978
  • Total Time: 43:22
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Year of the Cat brought Al Stewart a genuine worldwide smash with its title track, and for its successor, he did make a few concessions. These, however, were slight -- just a slight increase of soft rock productions, an enhancement of the lushness that marked not only Year of the Cat but also Modern Times. These happened to be welcome adjustments to Stewart's sound, since they increased the dreamy continental elegance at the core of his work. And that's why Time Passages is the equal of Year of the Cat -- it may be more streamlined, but the adjustments to his sound and the concessions to the mainstream just increase the soft grace of his eloquent historical pop epics. It's possible to view this as too precious, because it is pitched at an audience who believes the common-day concerns of pop are piffle, but this is exceptionally well-crafted, from Stewart's songs, where even three-minute songs seem like epics, to Alan Parsons' cinematic arrangements and productions. This added concentration on the texture of the recording, ensuring that it was clean, spacious, and gentle, with a welcoming surface. Of course, this means that Time Passages can work very well as background music, but it also reveals much upon concentrated listening -- enough to make it stand proudly next to Modern Times and Year of the Cat as one of Al Stewart's very best albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Time Passages (Lyrics) Al Stewart, Peter White Al Stewart (6:39)
Valentina Way (Lyrics) Al Stewart Al Stewart (4:02)
Life in Dark Water (Lyrics) Al Stewart Al Stewart (5:46)
A Man for All Seasons Al Stewart Al Stewart (5:45)
Almost Lucy (Lyrics) Al Stewart Al Stewart (3:41)
The Palace of Versailles Al Stewart Al Stewart (5:20)
Timeless Skies (Lyrics) Al Stewart Al Stewart (3:31)
Song on the Radio (Lyrics) Al Stewart Al Stewart (6:20)
End of the Day (Lyrics) Al Stewart, Peter White Al Stewart (3:08)

Credits

Al Stewart (Guitar), Al Stewart (Keyboards), Al Stewart (Vocals), Al Stewart (Main Performer), Peter Manning Robinson (Organ), Peter Manning Robinson (Keyboards), Peter Manning Robinson (Piano (Grand)), Peter White (Guitar), Peter White (Accordion), Peter White (Guitar (Electric)), Peter White (Keyboards), Tim Renwick (Guitar), Tim Renwick (Guitar (Electric)), Andrew Powell (Strings), Andrew Powell (Arranger), Andrew Powell (String Arrangements), Chris Blair (Engineer), Chris Blair (Assistant Engineer), Jeff Borgeson (Vocals), Jeff Borgeson (Vocals (Background)), Hugh Brown (Art Direction), Steve Chapman (Project Assistant), Chris Desmond (Engineer), Chris Desmond (Assistant Engineer), Lindsey Elliott (Conga), Stuart Elliot (Drums), Stuart Elliott (Drums), Mark Goldenberg (Guitar), Mark Goldenberg (Guitar (Rhythm)), Dan Hersch (Remastering), Brian Huddy (Vocals), Brian Huddy (Vocals (Background)), Bill Inglot (Remastering), Phil Kenzie (Saxophone), Phil Kenzie (Sax (Alto)), Krysia Kristianne (Vocals), Krysia Kristianne (Vocals (Background)), Robin Lamble (Bass), Robin Lamble (Vocals), David Pack (Vocals), David Pack (Vocals (Background)), Jeff Porcaro (Drums), Cheryl Pawelski (Project Assistant), Al Perkins (Guitar (Steel)), Joe Puerta (Vocals), Joe Puerta (Vocals (Background)), Peter Robinson (Organ), Peter Robinson (Piano), Peter Robinson (Keyboards), Peter Robinson (Keyboards), Peter Solley (Synthesizer), Peter Solley (Keyboards), Art Tripp (Percussion), James West (Vocals), James West (Vocals (Background)), Peter Wood (Keyboards), Allen Zentz (Mastering), Pat Stapley (Engineer), Pat Stapley (Assistant Engineer), James Robert West (Vocals (Background)), Alan Parsons (Producer), Patrick Milligan (Reissue Supervisor), Nancy L. Hopkins (Art Direction), Nancy L. Hopkins (Design), Hipgnosis [Design Group] (Design), Hipgnosis [Design Group] (Photography), Hipgnosis [Design Group] (Cover Design), Steven Chean (Project Assistant), Julee Stover (Project Assistant), Steve Woolard (Project Assistant), Emily Cagan (Project Assistant), Luke O'Reilly (Producer), Luke O'Reilly (Executive Producer), Thane Tierney (Liner Notes), Lindsey Elliot (Conga), Ginger Dettman (Project Assistant), Arthur III Tripp (Percussion)
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Wikipedia: Time Passages
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Time Passages
Studio album by Al Stewart
Released September 1978 (US), November 1978 (UK)
Recorded June 1978 at Davlen Studios, Los Angeles
Genre Rock
Length 44:38
Label RCA (UK), Arista (US)
Producer Alan Parsons
Professional reviews
Al Stewart chronology
Year of the Cat
(1976)
Time Passages
(1978)
24 Carrots
(1980)

Time Passages is the eighth album by Al Stewart, released in 1978. It is the follow up to his 1976 album Year of the Cat. The album, like its predecessor, was produced by Alan Parsons. The album's title track (which, when edited, reached #7 on the Billboard charts) and "End of the Day" were both co-written by Peter White.

A digitally remastered version of the album was released in 2004.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Time Passages" – 6:41
  2. "Valentina Way" – 4:04
  3. "Life in Dark Water" – 5:49
  4. "A Man for All Seasons" – 5:50
  5. "Almost Lucy" – 3:43
  6. "The Palace of Versailles" – 5:20
  7. "Timeless Skies" – 3:34
  8. "Song on the Radio" – 6:22
  9. "End of the Day" – 3:11


Historical references

"A Man For All Seasons" - Sir Thomas More, statesman in Henry VIII's reign

"The Palace of Versailles" - The French Revolution, starting with the storming of the Bastille in 1789, through the Reign of Terror, the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat, and the military coup of Napoleon Bonaparte

"Life in Dark Water" - about the loneliess of a submariner;[1] references the Marie Celeste

Charts

AlbumBillboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1978 Albums 10

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1979 "Time Passages" Pop singles 7
1979 "Time Passages" Adult contemporary 1
1979 "Song on the Radio" Pop singles 29

References


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Time Passages" Read more

 

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