Yesterday, I noted how much like a fairy tale Cat Stevens’ Tea for the Tillerman seemed. It’s ironic then that, while it shares a name with a children’s book written by Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat lacks the easy, story-like quality of its predecessor.

This album is rather the disappointment of growing up. The narrator has left his parents’ arms and is now walking on his own, and he’s quickly being jaded by what he sees, all the while fighting to stay hopeful. Nowhere is this more clear than on the closer, the legendary Peace Train, which serves as a thematic microcosm for the rest of the record. In different verses, he sings “I’ve been smiling lately, thinking about the world as one,” and “I’ve been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is.” These two lines encapsulate the whole of Teaser and the Firecat, as Stevens, no longer a child, comes to terms with the world around him.