General Rating: 2

Introduction

ALBUM REVIEWS:

• Empty Sky
• Elton John
• 11-17-70
• Madman Across The Water
• Honky Chateau
• Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player
• Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
• Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
• Rock Of The Westies
• Blue Moves
• A Single Man

Where and when was the last time you saw the Gran Maestro Of Cheesy Mainstream Adult Pop? Was it giving a lukewarm performance at the one hundred and ninety second beneficiary concert for the sakes of Timbuctu illiterates? Maybe working at a soundtrack to yet another million-making, brain-washing pseudo-Disney cartoon threatening to throw Titanic off the shop racks? No, I know - probably singing 'Candle In The Wind, take two' at Princess Di's funeral. Whatever choice you prefer (and the selection is fairly limited at best), I bet you all wrinkle your nose in disgust and are ready to echo the immortal words of Keith Richards: 'the only talent he's got is writing songs about dead blondes' (sorry if I didn't get the quotation right).
Nowadays, Elton John (...errr... excuse me... Sir Elton John...) is a really, really grand person. He's entered the honourable 'Royal Albert Hall Club', gleefully sharing the role of 'reverend old fart' with Sir Paul McCartney and mostly performing in the company of such old washed-up bags as Phil Collins, Sting, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton (sorry Eric, but this is the sad truth). The strangest thing is that all of these guys used to be good! Funny how time works for some old rockers who manage to age gracefully (the Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Pete Townshend) and condemns others. Ever heard that last Clapton album or some of Knopfler's solo work? Atrocious! And I didn't even mention Phil Collins, but wait, it's Elton John we're talking about.
The sad truth is that Reginald Kenneth Dwight used to be good. Not just good - he used to be a genius, frigging great genius. In the early Seventies, along with David Bowie, Elton was probably the best stuff glam rock (or 'glam pop', I don't give a damn 'bout this stupid terminology) ever had to offer. But where Bowie was thoroughly insincere, not always funny, and sometimes downright disgusting, Elton always had something much more distinguishable and artistically valuable about him. He started out as a simple piano rocker, following in the path of Jerry Lee Lewis, and his earliest stuff is raunchy, hard-hitting and hot - if you haven't heard 'Take Me To The Pilot', you'd be missing a great deal in Elton's development. Not to mention the lyrics - Bernie Taupin, Elton's constant partner, may not be a great poet, but he usually knows what he means, and at least he rarely provided Elton with banal thematics - misogyny and homosexualism occupy a far vaster part of Bernie's mind than love ballads. Somewhere around 1971-1972, however, Elton metamorphosed into a pretentious, almost 'intellectual' philosopher taking interest in a vast bag of musical styles and theater-show elements, creating some of the best albums of the epoch. Luckily, these immaculate hits are still played on the radio, and not everybody knows Elton as the author to the Lion King soundtrack.
Later on, though, Elton started to mellow out. The process was not immediate - his mid-Seventies and late Seventies albums still show traces of greatness, but he was finally ruined by the 'modernizing' tendencies, which actually meant setting most of his songs to dull synth patterns and drum machine beats, and when he got out of the pit at the end of the Eighties he was basically spent. Since then, all of Elton's career has been directed at rehashing the old classics and trying to recapture at least some of the ancient magic. Some of these efforts are more or less successful (Made In England), others horrendous (The One). But the main thing is, I simply have no interest at all to review his vast Eighties/Nineties catalog - I know what I like, and I don't like what I know! My advice to everybody who's interested in Elton's career: grab all the early albums, but think carefully and decide where to stop. My personal place where I definitely get off the train is 1978's A Single Man, probably the last decent album Elton ever made. Everything from 1979's Victim Of Love (an awful load of disco shit) should be dismissed. Well, nearly everything - I wouldn't want to make a statement that since 1978 Elton hasn't penned a single good song. Some of the later hits are good, and 'I'm Still Standing', 'I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues' and especially 'Sad Songs' are among my favourite Elton tunes. But they're mostly small, temporary speckles in a sea of trash, and I don't see any reason, except for completism, why I should prefer miriads of hogwash-filled 'albums' to a trusty old hits collection.
That said, there's not too much offensive stuff I could pour on Elton for his first ten years' output. The big problem is that some of his tunes conceal a significant lack of melody under a barrage of incoherent piano chords, and an even bigger problem is that 'dem all sound da same', right? But there you are - you're warned and you simply have to get over it, because that's part of Elton's schtick. At least he had a unique style. And voice - people tend to neglect his singing abilities, but tell me who on the white scene could oversing that glass-eyed shortie around 1971? And he could play damn well, too! Here are the reviews then.

What do YOU think about Elton John? Mail your ideas

Your worthy comments:

Richard C. Dickison <[email protected]> (04.08.99)

Man, here is a hard artist to deal with, either Elton John was a musical genius or an over the top, self destructive, bald drama queen with a really good revolving back-up band and a self involved, woman hating, song writer and a wardrobe only Imelda Marcos could pull off.
I find it difficult to tell sometimes, there are whole albums that I can love and hate at the same time namely Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Madman Across The Water. And then I'll listen after some time and forgive all of Elton's faults for some beautifully twisted line sung just the right way with the most perfect music.
I still like Madman Across The Water best though except for one song on each side, take a guess which ones. This guy got way too much air time on the radio to be underrated in any category.
Any way your stopping at A Single Man is understandable, I might even have stopped before that one, but Too Low For Zero might be worth including.
That album and the one that followed it made me think he was coming back.
I was wrong thou, with the later cra-- I mean albums.

<[email protected]> (11.02.2000)

Elton has become rather bland in the past...oh 20 years. He was once a great songwriter and performer, but today he seems rather washed up. To bad!

Bob <[email protected]> (19.02.2000)

Nowadays, Elton writes ballad after ballad after ballad. And he writes great ballads, but you can't have a nutritious diet with only one type of food. He has just forgotten how to ROCK! Nowadays, his very few latter day upbeat tunes, such as "Pain" and "Made in England," are severely lacking in energy. But, in his late 70's heyday, he could do it all, and one had to admire his willingness to try anything at least once, even if he fell flat on his face. But, nonetheless, he hasn't totally cheesed out, as, for example, Phil Collins has, and his work will always be listenable. Just don't expect to do aerobics to it.

<[email protected]> (19.02.2000)

Your wacked out dude, get help! Elton John has more talent in his thumbnail then many bands ranked as 5's or 4's. The Moody Blues in front of EJ? Get real. I'm a Moody Blues fan but no way would they rank ahead of EJ. The man can fill arenas with a band or without a band. Talent drips from his piano playing finger tips. As a piano player myself, this man is still mesmerizes me with his keyboard talents!
[Special author note: the Moodies could fill arenas, too, both in their prime and after it. And doesn't talent drip from Mike Pinder's Mellotron playing finger tips as well?]

Josh Fitzgerald <[email protected]> (23.03.2000)

This might sound really pathetic, but Elton John is definetly a genius. A little weird, but genius. He definetly does have talent dripping from his fingertips. It's really hard to believe that 30 years after his first hit, Elton John STILL manages to make more hits (not saying that a Disney movie is the greatest career move, but hey, if it worked for Elton, it'll work for anyone!). Yes, there was a lot of crap in the 80s, because the hits were really the only good songs, but he still has done a diversity of music. I mean look at Yes, they've been around for 30 years, but I highly doubt they'll keep up their old success. Same for The Moody Blues, and I can keep going and going, but I won't bother. The only thing that holds him back is like the gay and drug controversies, and of course, we can't forget the divas concert, but it's still amazing!

<[email protected]> (24.03.2000)

Dont get too excited, I did like elton's stuff from the seventies, a little anyway, but something about him just doesnt do it for me, maybe I have to be gay, I dont know!? But man, PHEW, does he stink now, just and I am more and more convinced that he is great but nothing to shout about, not even in the seventies...by the way to the person who wrote that Elton is a genius because he fills arenas and so forth...so do WWF wrestling events, and they certainly dont rule do they!
But the you, George, dont get too excited, because I dont know when I will agree with you again....

Bill Fortnum <[email protected]> (31.05.2000)

I like his songs!

Richard Savill <[email protected]> (01.09.2000)

I agree! The last album I bought was Single Man! There was a real genius there. So what the hell happened? Well, Elton John went the showman route early on and broke away from his writing of proper works, thus artistry in the writing was lost. I consider him today as an artist who lost his paintbrush. He was once known as 'The Prince of Rock', but that title has long since died along with his music.

Chris Gonzales <[email protected]> (07.11.2000)

One of my very first albums was Tumbleweed Connection, and with that I became a disciple. Days ago I bought the CD and I am still convinced that it is near perfect, the only weakness perhaps 'Love Song' ( the only non-bernie lyric).
I think it's difficult to reconcile subjective impressions among people, but I would mention a couple of things. My perspective often leans toward listening to the piano in Elton's stuff (I play a little). On many songs that seemed initially quite silly, I would later put on ear phones and find amazing piano work. Songs like 'Teacher I Need You' and 'Teenage Idol' from Don't Shoot Me come to mind. For a long time I was able to find something surprising in Elton's work, even when the masterpieces were few and far between.
I did not consider Elton's music to be 'pop' until I heard 'Island Girl' and I new the end was in sight. To me 'pop' means formula, with no surprises. To call Goodbye Yellow Brick Road a pop album to me is absurd. When I listen to 'Bennie and the Jets', I can easily imagine a young Elvis Costello doing it.
I also find Bernie's lyrics (at least thru say Captain Fantastic) to be equally creative. But he is not Dylan. Where Dylan was a profit, Bernie more a dream weaver. Dylan instructed, Bernie transported. Misogyny? Oh please. Bernie has openly admitted that 'Take Me to the Pilot' is essiently nonsense poetry. Not all dreams should be interpreted. Certainly not in some "politically correct" context. Bernies lyrics are surrealistic...the starkly realistic floating among the absurd. Go along for the ride.

Year Of Release: 1969
Record rating = 8
Overall rating = 10

Probably Elton's most rocking album ever - although it's not a compliment, rather just a statement of fact.
Best song: WESTERN FORD GATEWAY

It's a difficult question to say whether this debut album, that passed totally unnoticed back in 1969 and is even now known only to hardcore Elton fans (for most people his career only began with Elton John a year later), already represents Elton in his trademark form or if he's only trying to find his style. I lean towards the first answer. Yes, the percent of filler on this album is rather large - but let's face it, few Elton John albums can pass without filler, even the best ones included. More important is the fact that all the key elements of the classic Elton John musical style are already firmly established: his swinging piano chords that dominate most of the songs, his magnificent, high-pitched singing voice, Bernie Taupin's pretentious, but not entirely meaningless lyrics, and even guitarist Caleb Quaye, Elton's best and most significant musical partner for most of the glory years. Add to this the youthful exuberancy, the urgent wish to be loved by the listeners (you can practically feel Elton screaming 'Look at me! Just LOOK at me!' all the way through the album), and the sharp, clear and intelligent production (courtesy of Gus Dudgeon, who really did an outstanding job for such a petty shrimp - at least, back in 1969 Elton really was nothing but a petty shrimp), and the record will prove to be much more interesting than you could suppose it was.
Actually, the first side is nearly all prime stuff - if you're familiar with classic early Seventies material, you won't find any terrible surprises, but you'll find some pleasant stuff. The title track is a great head-banging rocker (of course, you must always make the correction that Elton rockers are mostly piano-driven, which is not what everybody usually expects of rockers) that turns itself into a moody, ominous jam halfway through. You might detest the jam, but it sounds really fresh and captivating, and Elton's impression of a Mick Jagger doing 'Midnight Rambler' near the end is dang funny! Good song. Then there's 'Val-Hala', a pretty, almost beautiful echoey Viking-style ballad performed in Elton's epic style that was so goddamn entertaining and innovative at that time and that began to sound unbearable in the Eighties and horrendous in the Nineties. Here, it's okay. (Of course, if you can't tolerate it and think that Elton was a pompous ass right from the beginning, you're well advised to stay away and not read further). 'Western Ford Gateway' is the most rockin' song on the album - well, 'Sails' is also a tough rocker, but it's kinda stupid, while 'Gateway' is a really clever song. Elton delivers his vocals with such a ferocity you'd think he was pulling a John Lennon (which he probably was), and if you can get the refrain out of your head within a couple of hours after you've taken a good listen, get up and go get some Led Zeppelin or at least some ELP instead because your conscience is not adapted for an Elton John treatment.
Indeed, I'd say that this album is primarily notorious for the vocals - there's a strong tendency of the song being good when Elton delivers the 'articulation goods' right and vice versa. Thus, 'Hymn 2000' that closes the first side is good because Elton cares, and the refrain about collecting submarine numbers is downright funny. However, the big problems start on the second side - just when you thought Elton can really do no wrong, he strikes you with a series of three very unimaginative and frankly boring songs. 'Lady What's Tomorrow' is an unmemorable attempt at a pseudo-love ballad, punctuated by strangely clumsy lyrics (something about a missing clover, if I remember right) and nothing else. 'Sails', on the other hand, tries to rock out, but fails, unlike the superior attempts on the first side. Despite having the biggest share of rhythm/lead electric guitar on it (and Caleb Quaye is good), its beat is so banal and unimpressive that it's certainly a far cry from the invigoration of 'Saturday Night's Alright'. Finally, 'The Scaffold' is an almost confusingly weak folkish shuffle, totally pointless and out of place on an album like that - after all, even in 1969 you couldn't mistake Elton for a folkie at any distance.
Thankfully, some steam is regained on the breathtaking ballad 'Skyline Pigeon', the first in an unending series of Elton's gut-wrenching, radio-friendly popsters that's hit-oriented and artistically valid at the same time. Its mood is similar to the one of 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road': pseudo-sincere, but emotionally hard-hitting pomposity without being bogged down in one's own ambitions (whoah, how did I end up with a formula like this one?), anyway, I raise my thumbs up.
And of course, there's the ridiculously weird lengthy ending track that begins as another boring ballad ('Gulliver'), then goes on as an unexplainable jazz/bebop instrumental ('Hay Chewed') and finally turns into 'Reprise' where you get to hear short fragments of all the preceding songs on the album fading into each other. I don't quite get the aim of this idea. My best bet is that, in the view of high hopes that Elton had for this record, it is a wise trick that should make you take the record off your turntable with all the songs activated in your memory. If this is indeed so, he really hits the mark - some of the more forgettable numbers really get refreshed that way. The problem is that if a number is weak it'll always be weak, regardless of how many times you repeat it! All the same, here's an important trivium for you - the first revolutionary element that Elton John introduced into rock music. Heh heh.
Get this album. I know, it's no great shakes, and it doesn't deserve more than a 'good, but flawed' rating, but if you ever wanted, but never dared to buy this because you were told it sucked, well I reassure you that it doesn't. And the 'rocking' efforts could please you even if your hair stands on end each time you hear the word combination 'Elton John' or the first sounds of 'Suckrifice' or 'Diana Scandal In The Wind' on the radio. That was another Elton John. You probably don't even know that guy.

Lady what's tomorrow? Maybe I'll get some mailed comments?

Your worthy comments:

Bob <[email protected]> (22.02.2000)

Correction: Gus Dudgeon did not produce this album. Rather, the album was produced by DJM flunky Steve Brown. Whose inexperience shows -- the production is quite crude stereo, even by 1969 standards. The tunes are solid, though, but once in a while, the production does undermine a track - -such as on "Western Ford Gateway" (sorry, George). What's with that vocal fading in and out on the verses?
Of course, one has to get past 19-year-old Taupin's spaced-out lyrics to even get into the record. But although he's quite embarrassed by them today, I find the naivete behind them charming. (By the way, the lyric in "Lady, What's Tomorrow?" goes "Now there's concrete/But no clover" -- the city takes over the country). I pretty much agree on the fact that he hasn't quite found his vocal style yet. On tracks like "Tomorrow","The Scaffold" and "Vallhalla", he sings in a sort of Dylanesque style, which doesn't quite suit him.
But I do agree that there are two standouts: the title track, an overlooked classic rocker -- even it is heavily influenced by "Sympathy for the Devil." Love that screaming psychedelic guitar that comes careening in. And, yes, "Skyline Pigeon" is the first of Elton's "hymns," as he himself puts it -- beautiful music and the most straightforward lyrics on the album.
The CD reissue also contains the two (bomb) singles which preceded the album, "Lady Samantha"/"All Across the Havens" and "It's Me that You Need"/"Just Like Strange Rain." "Need" is another lovely, highly commercial ballad which I bet would have been a hit if Dudgeon had produced it. The others are more psychedelic pop songs which sound a bit dated but are also early indicators or Elton's knack for a great melody.