This album is a high watermark for early 1970s singer/songwriters. Always a popular one with the cheesecloth wearing fraternity - and not just the ladies - Cat Stevens seemed to hold many of us in his spell for a few years. This is technically better than "Mona Bone Jakon" but the songs on that previous album, for me, are superior. It must have been the (first) near-death experience. However, having bought this recently on CD has allowed me to drive along singing along happily. There are not that many albums from 1970 that I can more-or-less remember all the words to! Maybe that shows how strong the songs are. I don't actually think that the songs are too airy-fairy or hippy. Some of the songs such as the opener "Where Do The children Play?" stand up well today with its anti-pollution lyrics. I was also struck by the amount of mentions of the "Good Book" (sic) and the lyrics to "Miles From Nowhere" mention, "Lord my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end", I guess he wasn't quite so convinced as the seventh wave approached.
It's great to have an absolute classic on CD all sparky bright and sounding great (lending vinyl out in the early 70s was a dangerous hobby)and songs like "Father and Son" and "Wild World" are worth a lot in these days of trite Beatles rehashes. However, I think that if you enjoy this you should explore "Moan Bone Jakon" too.