ELTON JOHN
Empty Sky
DJM Records 1969
www.eltonjohn.com

What’s the 4-1-1?
Elton John's first album is a far cry from the wildly popular records that would come just a few short years later. And the album is different in an excellent way, too. Don't get me wrong, I love ALL of his music, but this album is on a plane all its own. This is long before the man started commercializing his music, trying to win over a big crowd. Even back in this era, John was already collaborating with songwriter Bernie Taupin, and from the very beginning the stuff they were writing together was excellent.

Being that this album was released at the end of the sixties, the album has that sixties-rock sound to it, and occasionally a touch of psychedelia is present. Although there are no hit singles to be found on this record, there is not a weak track to be found. Elton John's early sound was an awesome one. It's almost a shame he didn't build on this sound on later records. To make things even sweeter, the CD issue of the album features rare bonus tracks!

Nothing really worth noting is wrong with this album. Admittingly, people looking for something in the vain of Madman Across The Water or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road may be disappointed to find something that differs quite a bit. Personally though, I think most fans will like the flashback to this earlier sound rather than dislike it.

The Verdict
If you're a fan of seventies Elton John (and who isn't?), his early formative sixties material is well worth listening to. It's amazing to listen to his early material and see how much he evolved. It also makes you wonder what he would have sounded like if he'd kept this sound his whole career. Debut albums generally fall into one of two categories - a scattershot mess of underdeveloped music, or an underrated masterpiece of an album released before the artist went mainstream. I think you'll agree Elton John's debut is the latter.

Did You Know?
Elton John's real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Likewise, although this album was released in England in 1969, it didn't get an American release until 1975.

Rating: out of 5

--Darth Kommissar