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Sparks of Ancient Light | 
| Artist: Al Stewart
Label: EMI
Category: Music
List Price: £15.99
Buy New: £9.78
You Save: £6.21 (39%)
New (23) Used (2) from £7.50
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 1895
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5099923487024
ASIN: B001BDZHVC
Release Date: September 15, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Lord Salisbury | | • | Child's View Of The Eisenhower Years | | • | Ear Of Night | | • | Hanno The Navigator | | • | Shah Of Shahs | | • | Angry Bird | | • | Loneliest Place On Map | | • | Sleepwalking | | • | Football Hero | | • | Elvis At The Wheel | | • | Silver Kettle | | • | Like William McKinley |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Catchy and Hummable November 3, 2008
This is probably Al's most commecial release in many years. Hardcore fans have complained in some of the other reviews here that this somehow makes for an inferior product. It most certainly does not!. Many of the songs - particularly 'Eisenhower' and 'Hanno' will stick in your head and you will find yourself humming them as you go about your business!
When you listen to what masquarades as music (even on Radio 2 ) it always makes me wonder why Al was not more commercially successful. If his record company made a serious effort to 'plug' this album I truly believe that 'Eisenhower' could be a successful single.
 Sadly rather bland October 30, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Firstly let me say that I am a hugh Al Stewart fan and as such I think he has recorded some of the best acoustic guitar based albums ever. Sadly however, this is not one of them. In parts, derivative of some of Stewart's earlier music but without the humour and spark, in parts simply bland and uninspired.
I can't help feeling that Al could do so much better and that he is really rather poorly served by releasing this album - perhaps with a bit more work it could have been stronger. It ploughs the same furrow of historical connection of much of his more recent work - but without the energy, musicality and lyrical inventiveness that his best work exhibits. For me there really aren't any stand out songs - all rather forgettable.
Finally - if you are new to Al Stewart do buy one (or more) of his albums; Time Passages, Orange, Modern Times, Between the Wars - in fact pretty much any of them apart from this. My personal favourite is the Rhymes in Rooms live set with Peter White.
A great album one of Al's Best! October 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Al is another of those artists who seem to have an endless supply of great songs. Although not big commercially for meny years, Al has put musical intregity over commercial success for a long time now. This latest album is a gem through and through, and takes Al back to his folk roots.
I got my copy while Al was here in Seattle, signed by him and we had a nice discussion about many things. Al is a very prolific and talented songwriter who can write a song about anything. Because he loves history, this venture takes the listener on a musical voyage through ancient and modern history, with alot of tongue in cheek humour. It was a blast to get to see a man who has had such an extensive music career, he is a true talent not to be missed.
However, while you are waiting to catch Al live, get this album. For anyone who remember's Al, then, as well as now, this is Al at his best. See for yourself.
Great for 63, but... October 2, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Let's be blunt here. I love Al's music and have just spent the last few days listening to 24 of his CD's on the bounce in the car. If anyone is inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt, it's me. I really wanted to like this album and I do - but not a lot.
We shouldn't criticise Al at 63 for not writing the sort of songs he wrote when he was thirty but his historical folk songs -Roads to Moscow, Palace of Versailles, Lord Grenville, Old Admirals etc - were what he did best, in my opinion. He seemed to find his stride in a 6-8 minute song and developed his ideas better in such a format. He has, since Famous Last Words in 1993, favoured a shorter, more mainstream pop-type format and although his ear for a good tune and Laurence's ear for a catchy arrangement is flawless Al seems to be happy with the quick shot of an espresso rather than the deeper, more complex rich roast of a long-percolated brew. There are some catchy songs here but I want more than that: I want "Somewhere in England 1915" or "Lindy Comes to Town" or "Trains" or "Russians and Americans" or "Fields of France" but instead we have a daft song about football (where Al sounds quite of his depth with the whole idea of the game let alone the language), a strange song about Elvis seeing Stalin's face in the clouds that's all over in 3 minutes, and a silly bit of nonsense about Lord Salisbury.
I will go on playing this album until it clicks. The quality is there but the ideas are only half-formed and none of the ideas is quite good enough for a rattlingly good Al Stewart song. It's a shame to say it about any new release from Al but this CD will never be anyone's favourite Al Stewart album. I meant to give it three stars but the system won't let me change my mind now...
 Emperor's New Clothes September 25, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Before I get shot down by a certain element of Al's fans, I must stress that this is only my opinion and with a fan base as diverse as his, it would have to be an outstanding CD for everyone to agree on it's quality...............or a massively poor one for that matter!
Like most of the other reviewers, there is a loyalty associated with Al that spans very many years. I am no exception and for anybody who cares to see my other Al Stewart reviews, they will find that I have only praise and admiration for such a cerebral and unique talent.
So, you're probably thinking, what is this leading to?
Well, honesty for one thing. I would have to agree with G Connor's thoughts on this latest release. Having heard this CD a number of times I have been trying my best to give it every chance of pulling me in. Sadly, it didn't and ironically, when searching for one word to explain why, the answer is to be found in the title. It simply hasn't got the spark required to ignite the fire inside.
The association with Laurence Juber was refreshing when it started out; I thought the "Between the Wars" CD was superb. Jaunty, intelligent and inspiring. However, I now find it a bit bland and in truth, blunting Al's more creative side.
If I compare this with other celebrated works of Al's, I would have to say I miss the sense of the dramatic, almost cinemascope pictures that he used to write. What I wouldn't give for a Tim Renwick solo or two to punctuate the songs in the way they did on earlier classics like "Modern Times".
Sometimes in life, the journey is better than the arrival. Having waited patiently for this release since I last saw him in Worcester a few years ago, I'm afraid the anticipation was in fact more exciting than the end product.
Having said that, it is not a poor package, just simply not of the standard that I have come to expect from him. He wrote a song once called "Paint by Numbers" on a CD called 24 Carrots. This I'm sorry to say is a little bit like Al writing by numbers. Not bad, not good........just mediocre........which is still better than what a lot of other artists can put out.
On the positive side............. "Silver Kettle" is one of the best things he's written for a long time. This could have sat alongside the tracks on "Modern times" effortlessly. Also "Like William McKinley" & "Hanno the Navigator" are excellent offerings. However, the others are not really of a standard.................." Angry Bird???" I don't think so!
"Shah of Shahs" and "The loneliest Place" are ok without being startling.
So, will this stop me buying future releases or turning up at concerts? Absolutely not.
Maybe a return to more inspiring subjects will fuel a return to form next time around. I also must say that I am not a fan who lives in the past as I'm already on that journey of expectation that leads to the next release. Let's hope I arrive at some wonderfully inspiring destination!
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