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A Beach Full of Shells
 
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A Beach Full of Shells

~ Al Stewart
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
Price: £10.88 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
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Frequently Bought Together

A Beach Full of Shells + Sparks of Ancient Light + Between the Wars
Price For All Three: £32.84

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  • This item: A Beach Full of Shells ~ Al Stewart

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Sparks of Ancient Light ~ Al Stewart

    In stock.
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    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Between the Wars ~ Al Stewart

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Product details

  • Audio CD (20 Jun 2005)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: EMI
  • ASIN: B0009A21G2
  • Other Editions: MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 10,134 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

Samples
Song Title Time Price
Listen  1. The Immelman Turn 4:39£0.69
Listen  2. Mr. Lear 3:00£0.69
Listen  3. Royal Courtship 4:10£0.69
Listen  4. Rain Barrel 4:00£0.69
Listen  5. Somewhere In England 1915 6:56£0.69
Listen  6. Katherine Of Oregon 3:07£0.69
Listen  7. Mona Lisa 4:26£0.69
Listen  8. Class Of '58 4:11£0.69
Listen  9. Walked Out In The Snow 2:51£0.69
Listen10. My Egyptian Couch 2:18£0.69
Listen11. Gina 3:49£0.69
Listen12. Beacon Street 2:20£0.69
Listen13. Anniversary 2:53£0.69

Product Description

Album Review

Al Stewart has always had a distinctive vocal style, making his radio hits like "Year of the Cat" immediately recognizable, while also possessing a knack for writing tuneful pop songs. A Beach Full of Shells qualifies as his first release since 1995, and both his vocal style and craftsmanship remain intact. It would be a mistake, however, to view Stewart as no more than the maker of pop confections specially designed for a mass radio audience. The cover of A Beach Full of Shells offers the first clue of a playful mind that enjoys the weight of words: there are two types of shells on the beach, one from the sea, the other for use in a gun. The complexity of his approach is best experienced on "Somewhere in England 1915," a lengthy song (nearly seven minutes) with shifting dream imagery. Weaving fantasy with brief references to World War I, the narrator eventually wakes up 90 years later to find himself on the edge--the song seems to suggest--of yet another war. Stewart accomplishes all of this without ever being obvious, giving the song a subtle quality as it reveals its surprises to the listener. This, however, is only one of many moods on A Beach Full of Shells. "Katherine of Oregon" is as light as air, a pleasant, flowing ballad with nice acoustic guitar and light percussion, while "Mona Lisa Talking" shifts through a number of intriguing chord changes to offer a little common sense advice. A Beach Full of Shells probably doesn't spell Stewart's return to the Top 40, but it is a solid effort that will certainly please fans. --Ronnie D Lankford, Jr, All Music Guide

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Still strong at (nearly) sixty, 24 Jun 2005
By R. Kay "omniphiliac" (Dorset) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Al Stewart makes hip hop reggae dancefloor album! No, that's never going to happen, is it? After 40 years of music making and heaven knows how many albums (I've got `em all..), Al's latest is everything you would hope for and yet it still delivers surprises. Melodically robust throughout, lyrically imaginative and witty at every turn, beautifully produced without tricks or contrivances, I think this album is as good as his most famous effort, Year of The Cat. Al is 60 in the autumn, but his voice sounds just as it did on Zero She Flies in 1970 and his creative well is still overflowing.

As others reviews have suggested, every song is so strong that it is hard to pick a favourite. There are inimate but lively love songs (Katherine of Oregon, very clever title), achingly beautiful wistful reminiscences that Al has always done so brilliantly (Somewhere in England 1915), lush acoustic magic (Mr Lear), cod Rock'n'Roll (yes, really, on Class of 58 - not the 15 minute long version he did on tour last year, alas, but great stuff in 4 minutes anyway), evocative vignettes of a girl in Chelsea in the swinging 60's (Gina in the Kings Road) and an intriguing little beauty called Royal Courtship that manages to use the words "majordomo", "amanuensis", "plenipotentiary" and "vizier" all in the same song without strain or pretension.

I am a massive fan of the man and, in my mind, he can do no wrong and has never made a poor album. But on this record, I can honestly say that Al is at his creative peak and I'm off to enjoy it once more and play it again. It'll be the third time today and it's not even 10 am yet...

Magnificent in every conceivable respect. Can't wait for the autumn tour.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Assured, 17 May 2006
I bought this album when it came out last year and enjoyed it but thought it easy going and fairly commercial-not quite up to "Between the wars" standard.
However I have just started replaying it again and I have found my enjoyment increasing with each play.
Again Al demonstates his incredible writing ability-with intelligent and engaging lyrics with a variety of styles that never fail to impress and tunes that stay fixed in your mind for days afterwards-and again all of the songs deserve the time and care lavished on them as they all stand independently of each other-you always get quality with quantity with Al!-and again the album is produced by Laurence Juber who continues to play sublime guitar throughout the album-He is surely one of the all time greats on the guitar-but then Al always seems to attract brilliant musicians to work with him.
Al shows that at age 60 he has lost none of his song writing ability as exemplified by a "Royal Courtship"-which is worth the cost of the album on its own-totally innovative-no chorus-lyrics that captivate and impress and a haunting melancholic backing that brings out the best in Laurence Jubers acoustic playing-brilliant!
Several of the songs would be hits, especially if covered by other artists with a more commercial eye to the charts,but all in all an excellent album-more variety in style but quality throughout.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Keep Listening, 3 Jul 2005
By Graham Sutherland (Chester, Cheshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
If only Al would tour again with a full band! This album delivers all that any Al Stewart fan could ever want.The melodies are sensational, the lyrics incredible and Al's voice gets better and better. Immelman Turn has everything; clever lyrics, a great hook and when Al sings "why, why, why" I get goosebumps from the sound of his voice. "Gina" is a classic and "Somewhere in England" is a true Al Stewart story with a memorable guitar solo.
The great thing, however, is that with every listen you hear something new. So keep listening
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Beach Full of Beauty"
As someone who has almost everything that Al has ever recorded, this is up with the best. Don't underestimate Laurence Juber's contribution, both in production and sweetest... Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2007 by M. G. Matheson

5.0 out of 5 stars A CD Full of Brilliance
Up until listening to this album I would have said that Past, Present and Future was Al Stewart's best, but now I rate A Beach Full of Shells equally. Read more
Published on 21 May 2007 by Michelle Webb

4.0 out of 5 stars if you like any other Stewart album you'll like this one
Very simply, if you like any other Stewart album you'll like this one also. Al stewart has not changed that much since 1975, beautiful melodies, beautiful guitar and the same... Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2006 by www.MoisBenarroch.com

5.0 out of 5 stars The master does it again
As an Al Stewart fan since I first heard him back in 1975, I probably have all of his work on CD and vinyl- and still listen to it on a daily basis. Read more
Published on 28 Jul 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars You should listen to Al
Al has made another mesmerizing record. From the plight of an ill-fated pilot to Gina the party girl, Al paints pictures like never before. Read more
Published on 5 Jul 2005

4.0 out of 5 stars Not his best
I have to say that this is not his best album. I really like Al Stewart and have all of his albums, but was a little disappointed with this album. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2005 by Nigel Charman

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
After the disapointing Down In The Cellar, Al is back in top form. The Immelman Turn is sort of an inside joke, as Al wanted to use the phrase "A Perfect Immelman Turn" in his... Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2005 by Stephen L. Spero

5.0 out of 5 stars AL DEFIES TIME'S PASSAGES
WITH VOICE STILL VIBRANT, MELLOW, AND SOOTHING, AL'S NEWEST IS AT ONCE A REASSURING AND CONSISTENT MEASURE OF HIS 30+ YEARS OF ARTISTRY WHILE ALSO EXPLORING SOME NEW MUSICAL... Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2005 by David J. Stash

5.0 out of 5 stars The many moods of Al Stewart
One of the first things you may notice about A Beach Full of Shells is the variety it contains. Some songs are fast and happy (like "Class of '58", others are quieter and less... Read more
Published on 10 Jun 2005 by Kim Dyer

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