Yusuf

Although he has a different stage name now, this should really be merged with Cat Stevens. This review takes into account his whole career.
When ranking albums of an artist feels like ranking your children, it's a sign of a good artist. Cat's albums Teaser and the Firecat and Tea For The Tillerman are both so brilliant it's hard to place one above the other, and Mona Bone Jakon isn't far behind.
Cat's brilliance lies in the way his style of songwriting matches perfectly with his voice. His often mysterious lyrics create magical imagery, and often kindle feelings of assurance and sentimentality that we haven't felt since we were children. Pair that with his campfire-storyteller voice that carries a wisdom and timbre beyond his years, and the result is music that conjures up emotions we cannot otherwise articulate, and which few others artists can express in the same way. When his music is happy, it comforts you, and when his music is melancholy, it still comforts you.
His albums Buddha & The Chocolate Box, Foreigner, Roadsinger and Catch Bull At Four seem to be extremely underrated on this site at least, although are better recognised elsewhere.