Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam

         Cat Stevens is a British singer/songwriter, perhaps the most influential British Muslim of our day.  Cat gained monumental fame early in his music career while producing numerous hits through the 60's and 70's.  After years away from the music scene do to numerous personal situations, Cat Stevens, now Yusuf Islam is back in the mix.  An Other Cup is the new album his website promotes.  Yusufislam.com is an extremely user friendly website with so much to offer, with links that can send you straight to videos of Yusuf, a biography of the artist, a discography, and even a link to help you catch up on any recent Yusuf Islam news.  I had never really heard any music from Cat Stevens until I checked this site out, I must say that not only was the music good but the website alone kept me entertained for nearly an hour.  The theme of the webpage is set up as if the viewer is sitting in a living room or den, the room is decorated with numerous objects many of which you can click on to activate a link or bring up a new window.  

         Yusuf has lived an extremely interesting life, anyone that has come to close to death as this man had got to have some interesting perspectives.  These perspectives became the catalyst for his new music.  "When I picked up the guitar again it was like a floodgate" one quote from the websites biography mentions Islam saying, "ideas and melodies floated in without effort,” he continues.  Though he hints as if the project that is An Other Cup came together rather effortlessly, the complexity is illustrated within each track.  I recommend not only this album to everyone, but definitely the website, if your not go out and buy the album, at least first check out the website before counting it out completely.