This is one my favorite Cat albums, probably because it was one of the first I ever listened to and because it contains the song Katmandu. I remember being around 6 or 7 and sneaking my sister LP and putting it on my turntable. Katmandu is probably my all time favorite song, it that it just takes me away. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I hear the first notes of that song and I imagine myself overlooking the Himalayas from a snowy Tibetan monastery. It's freaky, I feel as though I'm literally transported there. It's a very powerful feeling coming from a hauntingly beautiful song, and it's been that way for 30 years.

There are the other standouts - Trouble, I Think I See The Light, and Lady d'Arbanville are my overall standouts (Funny thing about that last one - it was about Cat's girlfriend at the time. Apparently she was really excited that he wrote the song about her and she loved it until she really paid attention to the words. "Hey - I'm Dead!" Apparently she didn't take to kindly to being dead in the song...)

Anyway, I can see how some of the other songs can be dated. They are good, but I have never really been over impressed with them, especially with Lilywhite. However, Katmandu alone is worth the album, and since ever a mediocre Cat song is better than 99% of the garbage on the airways today, you really can't go wrong.

I really love Cat Stevens' early work such as Tea for the Tillerman and Catch Bull at Four. When I found a Mona Bone Jackson LP in a yard sale I thought I was in for a real treat. However when I listened to it for the first time I thought it was so bad that I immediately threw it into the garbage.

Although he began his career earlier in Englad, this is the beginning of the Cat Stevens most American's knew. Well written lyrics and music.

My favorite Cat release - like most, I got into Cat because of the film Harold & Maude - and several of the tunes are here, including the haunting 'Trouble' The rest of the album is also wonderful - the only filler would be 'Rock Star', but even it grows on you. Sad that this album was not better represented on his popular 'Best of' release. This is the best of Cat along with the 'Tillerman' album.

I can't give anything with Lilywhite on it less than 5ive. Those last four sogns fit in with the back cover art-work. Things that are serene yet mind-boggling, like faling leaves and water momentarily suspended in mid-air. Great stuff! Lilywhite, one of my all time favourites, is beautiful, relaxing, yet overwhelming, almost incomprehensible. Fill my eyes is beautiful, Katmandu is relaxing, "I wish" is the start of his search and Trouble is perhaps one of his all time best songs, while it and the dirty little title track are all time faves as well. I've always liked this more than the following two albums. I can't help it!