Al Stewart-Past, Present And Future (1974)

“Past, Present and Future” was the last album of the first phase of Al Stewart's career, a period in which acoustic sounds permeated his folk style with subtle hints of rock. While his three previous albums had already begun to electrify his style with the collaboration of some of the best instrumentalists of the time, such as Jimmy Page, Rick Wakeman, and John Paul Jones, this fifth album saw him almost entirely abandon those influences to delve into sophisticated, electric arrangements with a refined style of elegant folk rock. This album features several of his future regular collaborators, such as guitarist Tim Renwick and keyboardist Peter Wood, as well as other prestigious musicians like Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, B.J. Cole, and Queen drummer Roger Taylor, among many others. Recorded during the first months of 1973 at Trident Studios in London, it was released on different dates: October 1973 for the British market and May 1974 for the North American market. Created as a concept album, “Past, Present and Future” revisits almost every decade of the 20th century, showcasing the Scottish musician's remarkable skill as a historical storyteller. Tracks like the beautiful “Old Admirals”, the catchy “Soho (Needless to Say)”, the Beatles-esque “Terminal Eye”, the melodic “The Last Day of June 1934”, and the beautifully arranged “Roads to Moscow” and “Nostradamus” propelled the album to overwhelming success in the ever-competitive North American market.