Out of all of the singer-songwriters in my music collection I think that my absolute favourite would have to be Cat Stevens. The songs that he wrote in the seventies are just as relevant today as they were back then. Much of this is because he wrote about subjects that are timeless. A good example of this is, ‘Father and Son’. This song is sung from two different viewpoints; that of the father and that of the son. But it does not end there. There is also a sadness that the two cannot understand one another; no matter how hard they try. It is about the values of two very different generations and how they both have their good points.

Today’s music scene has got some great acts and some very good songwriters but there is nothing that matches the depth and sensitivity of Cat Stevens’ songs except, of course, for Cat Stevens himself…

Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) is back and has now released two excellent albums of new material. However, for me it is somehow not quite the same. All of his old songs were about finding an answer; of searching within yourself for what you were looking for. Yusuf Islam is a man who did that searching and found his answer. Now his songs have certainty in them. They are no longer stories of a personal journey but of a personal discovery.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a very great respect for Yusuf and his faith. He is a good man who practices what he preaches. If you asked him, he would probably say that he is now complete and that it was Islam that made him a better person. Personally, I prefer the open-endedness of his old songs. With these you came to your own conclusions.

For Yusuf the answer was Islam but for others it is something else. Some of us find it, while others never will.

Before I forget, I have exciting news, I was talking to my sister the other day and she just got this great new job at a London PR firm. We went out for drinks last night and she was going on and on about all of the amazing perks that comes with the job. I mean, I am sure that it is a rather exhausting job and sometimes you have to work insanely long hours, but think of all the contacts! Regardless, well done Abigale!