13-01-2017, 08:09
Elton John - Empty Sky
For a debut album, I think this is astonishingly good.
I first got on board with Elton John via his self-titled album, which was the first one released in this country, and I still think that one is possibly his best, certainly in the top 3.
Empty Sky, by comparison, sounds quite raw, with a few dodgy aspects in the production, most of which seem to have been corrected in later CD pressings. Having said that, some of these songs show astonishing originality. You have to remember that Elton's trademark style of singing the melody over piano chords, which is heard everywhere these days in popular music, was rare at that time; indeed I would go so far as to say he instigated it.
The more melodic songs on here - Val-Hala (sic), Lady What's Tomorrow, Gulliver - sit well alongside much of his later work.
There are also a couple of really energetic rock numbers: Sails, and the song Empty Sky, which is quite unlike any other song of Elton's that I know, with its conga drums and grungy guitars.
Then there is Skyline Pigeon - the original harpsichord version - which I consider a piece of pure pop perfection, not one note too short or too long.
The album also has the oddest ending of any album in my collection.
Worst track (by a long way): The Scaffold. A rather lame melody, and nonsensical lyrcis.
Best track: Skyline Pigeon
Overall rating: 8/10
The title track:
[video=youtube;K6l9lIq7xyo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6l9lIq7xyo[/video]
For a debut album, I think this is astonishingly good.
I first got on board with Elton John via his self-titled album, which was the first one released in this country, and I still think that one is possibly his best, certainly in the top 3.
Empty Sky, by comparison, sounds quite raw, with a few dodgy aspects in the production, most of which seem to have been corrected in later CD pressings. Having said that, some of these songs show astonishing originality. You have to remember that Elton's trademark style of singing the melody over piano chords, which is heard everywhere these days in popular music, was rare at that time; indeed I would go so far as to say he instigated it.
The more melodic songs on here - Val-Hala (sic), Lady What's Tomorrow, Gulliver - sit well alongside much of his later work.
There are also a couple of really energetic rock numbers: Sails, and the song Empty Sky, which is quite unlike any other song of Elton's that I know, with its conga drums and grungy guitars.
Then there is Skyline Pigeon - the original harpsichord version - which I consider a piece of pure pop perfection, not one note too short or too long.
The album also has the oddest ending of any album in my collection.
Worst track (by a long way): The Scaffold. A rather lame melody, and nonsensical lyrcis.
Best track: Skyline Pigeon
Overall rating: 8/10
The title track:
[video=youtube;K6l9lIq7xyo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6l9lIq7xyo[/video]