LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

You can hear so many early ’70s British musical currents coursing through this record that it’s no wonder this album ranks as one of the period’s great lost classics (don’t just take our word for it—4 1/2 stars in All Music Guide)! John Kongos was something of a rock and roll journeyman when he hooked up with Bowie and Elton John producer Gus Dudgeon, who brought along many of the crew that made Elton’s classic “Madman Across the Water” album to these sessions. The result sounded a little like Elton, sure, but there was a definite glam element to the proceedings—“Tokoloshe Man” sounds like the prototype for Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Part 2,” and the gospel-come-rock vibe brings T. Rex to mind—and the production was nothing short of groundbreaking, featuring the first known use of sampling (of African drums in “He’s Gonna Step on You Again”). In fact, this album sounds like it could have been made yesterday; it’s progressive pop in the best sense of the word.