The 1981 Listening Post - Elton John - The Fox

 Elton John - The Fox

#188

May 20 1981

Elton John

The Fox

Genre: Elton John

1.75 out of 5

I’ve seen Elton John in concert. There was absolutely no reason for this except that the girl I was dating really wanted to see the Elton John/Billy Joel tour and I was wooing. 

Elton was blown off the stage by Billy who just seemed to be having a good time. 

I also sat through that Elton biopic from last year. You know what? Oh, it’s awful, but it also has a couple great moments of Ken Russell inspired surrealism in a musical. 

And there was a point where I almost went ahead with a complete Elton retrospective and I would have done it but we were moving and I just got lost in that experience. But I was completely mesmerized by just how great some of those early albums were. 

This is not one of those. This is 21 at 33 John. This is the middle of his tailspin of mediocrity. I’m not sure he really ever recovers. But, he keeps plodding on.
What does it say that the most engaging track is not written by John? It’s by Jean-Paul Dreau and Gary Osborne (who co-wrote most of this record with John). And while, “Nobody Wins” is probably the best song here, it’s the production that saves it not the song writing. 

The first part of “Carla/Etude/Fanfare/Chloe” is lovely, though. And it makes me wonder, did John ever do an instrumental classical album? You don’t really need to answer unless it’s really good. Which this album is not. He gets close to, say, “The Bitch is Back” on “Heels of the Wind” but that’s just pilfering his own work. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-fox-remastered/1440661861

the 1980 Listening Post - Elton John - 21 at 33

Elton John - 21 at 33

#186

By Hector Marin

Elton John

21 at 33

Genre: Pop Rock

Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Hector’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Allen’s Highlights:

Little Jeannie 

Elton John's 21 at 33 could easily have just been called "B sides" Or let’s jam 21 albums down your throat in a short period of time. The fact that he was on his 21st album by the age of 33 lends to the belief he was just churning out albums to satisfy a record company but not his fans. Elton has been brilliant with many of his songs over the decade, but tis fell short , by a lot. I couldn't even find one song worthy of hearing a second time. The melodies were unmoving and the lyrics pedestrian. We are lucky to know this was not his norm. I would be more forgiving if this was just him being experimental with his style and going outside his comfort zone, but again, to me this seemed like the B side of his more enjoyable hits we've grown to love and appreciate. Rating it a 2. I found not one song worthy of being distinguished as the best of the album

https://open.spotify.com/album/6di4cgOMxTkS0tUx5l07WW?si=J3i1BzhVSiecHnNfO4xnQQ

The 1986 Listening Post - Elton John - Leather Jackets

Elton John - Leather Jackets

#488/2137

November 3 1986

Elton John

Leather Jackets

Genre: Contract Fulfilling Garbage Music

2.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Angeline

I’d always known that there was a deep connection between Queen and Elton. I think Freddie joked that he wanted to start a band called Teeth, Hair and Nose with him and Elton and Rod Stewart 

What I didn’t know was that Roger Taylor and John Deacon lent their talents to sitting in on a mid-80s Elton track, “Angeline” and it is probably the only song on the record that has any pop. It’s the second best song about someone named Angeline. ;)

These songs all sound like Elton if he wrote new music for an appearance on American Idol. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/leather-jackets/1443784825

The 1985 Listening Post - Elton John - Ice On Fire

Elton John - Ice On Fire

#442/1077

November 4 1985

Elton John

Ice On Fire

Genre: Rock

2.25 out of 5

Why does Elton John sound like he’s trying to be INXS? Who wrote this??

Take a listen to “Cry to Heaven” and see if you hear what I hear: That this is exactly what mid-80s Queen sounded like. Like this could’ve fit on A Kind of Magic in a heart. It’s no secret that Elton was close with Freddie. The two of them joked about starting a band with Rod Stewart called something like “Teeth, Nose and Hair”. 

This is just like what Queen was like in 85: Big, tired and coasting. 

(I wanted to highlight “Nikita” but, damn, that song is like 9 1/2 minutes long of the same, droning, island music thing.)

https://music.apple.com/us/album/ice-on-fire-remastered/1440912795

The 1984 Listening Post - Elton John - Breaking Hearts

Elton John - Breaking Hearts

#153

June

Elton John

Breaking Hearts

3.25 out of 5

At this point in time should we just be grateful that Elton & Bernie come up with anything listenable?

“Slow Down Georgie” “Who Wears These Shoes” “In Neon”. 

These are the kinds of traditional JohnPin tunes that it feels like are penned on plane trips to the Bahamas or en route to a summer home in Baja. 

It kind of makes me wonder how or why the buying public settled on “Sad Songs” (Sasson) for the hit single. What’s up, America? Thinking about that song, the fact the Queen and Elton were close and the former had a hit this year about how much they love Radio 1984 feels like a lot of old people losing touch and control and wishing things would stay the same. And by old I mean 35. 

Interesting the British hit single, “Passengers” with its South African consciousness and musical bed. Again the Brits prove that Paul Simon was the late entry to this game. 

The decision to play the title track as a ballad is fine. I think it could easily be a rocker. It’s perfectly serviceable and that how I feel about the whole record. Like they are checking off boxes. Rocker. Rocker. Ballad. Single. Rocker. Ballad. Repeat. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/breaking-hearts-remastered/745489640

The 1983 Listening Post - Elton John - Too Low for Zero

Elton John - Too Low for Zero

May 1983
Elton John
Too Low For Zero
3.5 out of 5

Highlights:
I’m Still Standing
I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues
Crystal
Kiss the Bride

It’s been a long ass time since Elton had a good album. Jump Up! was a better than it should’ve been return after some really crappy records. 2L4Z follows that upswing. It’s not earth shatteringly great, it’s not awful. It’s right where he belongs: MOR.