An innovative album! A great album!

"An Other Cup" (2006) was for all fans an unexpected and pleasant surprise, but it's basically just a typical Cat Stevens album.
"Road Singer" (2009) was a superfluous rehash and I think the album is still boring.

With "Tell 'em I`m Gone" succeed Yusuf / Cat something incredible and unexpected: When set, the age of 66 he wrestles his music from new facets, namely the blues.
The album consists of six new original compositions, mostly in typical Cat Stevens-style (including "Cat & The Dog Trap", "I was raised in Babylon", "Doors") held and 4 cover versions (including "Dying tolive" "You Are My Sunshine")

After a few negative and subdued "Amazon" -Rezensionen I was skeptical at first, but one look at the Produzenten-- is the legend Rick Rubin, who has Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond successfully missed a musical makeover hat-- made me already positive before the first hearing.
Who brings a Neil Diamond back on its feet, which succeeds with Yusuf Islam / Cat Stevens.
And this expectation was not disappointed.
Rubin manages to give Yusuf / Cat new impetus.

R & B can not Yusuf / Cat ???
I disagree. One can the Blues interpreted differently, and Yusuf / Cat's voice fits perfectly.
These elaborate arrangements that make him sound more rock than before.

His voice has suffered?
She has changed, what is the age normal - even the voices of Neil Diamond and Elton John have changed, but still remain powerful and unverwechselbar-- but not to its detriment.

The old Cat Stevens fans will be disappointed with the album, and the "real R & B fans" also ??
Then both you approach the album with the wrong expectations.
Rick Rubin has also managed with Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam, what distinguishes the "American Recordings" (Johnny Cash) and the two Neil Diamond albums ("12 Songs", "Home Before Dark"): It gives a new pop legend gloss and combines the new with the typical Cat Stevens sound.
A successful Sythese.

"Tell 'em ..." is certainly the most untypical Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islamic Studies album, but that's what makes it interesting and worth listening to.
Who zoom goes without blinkers on the album will quickly learn to appreciate its quality.