Cat Stevens bounced back from the lackluster
Numbers with an album of pop/rock songs that brought his usual rhythmic folk-rock into contemporary style with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, a snappy
Dave Kershenbaum production, and lots of synthesizers. Most of the songs were unusually lightweight, but the autobiographical "(I Never Wanted) To Be a Star" explored
Stevens' ambivalence about being in the music business, an attitude that would find him dropping out and finding religion after one more album. In the meantime,
Izitso produced a final Top 40 hit in "(Remember the Days of The) Old Schoolyard" and a singles-chart entry in the instrumental "Was Dog a Doughnut." As a result,
Stevens returned to the Top Ten LPs list with a ninth straight gold album, his last.