It is Yusuf's first Western pop album since Back to Earth, which was released in 1978 under the name Cat Stevens.

"[citation needed] Craig Kallman, the chief executive officer of Atlantic Records, described the new record as speaking to "the essence of all the great Cat Stevens albums of the past", adding: "It was a chilling experience sitting in a very tiny rehearsal room as he was working through all the new material.

Additional guests, Alun Davies and Jean Roussel, two of Yusuf''s long time friends, who both played in his band as Cat Stevens from 1970 in Davies' case, during the time he was writing and recording Mona Bone Jakon, and 1973 for Roussell during Stevens's Catch Bull at Four, album and tour.

Davies remained as a guitarist with backing vocals as he had done for so many years in the days of "Cat Stevens", and still performs with Yusuf as part of his new, tight-knit band.

[4] The full album was first available to hear exclusively in the 'Mes Amis' Members Area of Yusuf's website, until it was released as a CD.