There have been some excellent reissues of the music of Elton John lately. The focus has been on marking the 50th anniversary of his earliest albums that built and further developed the beginning of his peak reign in the early 1970s. 1972 marked the release of John’s fifth studio album, Honky Chateau. It was actually only his fourth release in the States, with his UK debut Empty Sky didn’t come out stateside until 1975.
Honky Chateau came out the year after John was launched in the US at his famed Troubadour club shows. It came after his self-titled US debut in 1970, which was followed that same year by Tumbleweed Connection, which was the release that reflected the enormous depth of the Elton John/Bernie Taupin songwriting juggernaut. Those two 1970 releases were followed the next year by the even more majestic Madman Across the Water, which upped the ante even further.
Honky Chateau, released in 1972, had echoes of the thoughtful singer-songwriter feel of the Elton John album, the conceptional country dustbowl of Tumbleweed Connection, and the lush epic nature of Madman Across the Water in spots. However, in many ways it was a break from the past, as the album was propelled by the mega-hit “Rocket Man” and was recorded outside of London at the legendary Château d’Hérouville recording studio, not far from Paris, and which was the place that inspired the album’s title. This was at a time when British groups like Traffic, Fleetwood Mac and others were seeking out places to record outside of the noise and distractions of London, for a more rustic, communal, and laid-back vibe.
One could almost replace the word honky with funky, as Elton was easing into his pop-glam period, which would fully flower in 1973. In fact, 1972 proved to be ground zero for the glam/glitter explosion with the self-titled debut album from Roxy Music, Davie Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Mott the Hoople’s breakthrough All the Young Dudes (produced by David Bowie, who also wrote the title song), The Slider from T.Rex (a good, but not great follow-up to his classic Electric Warrior from 1971), and the first two Lou Reed solo albums, both recorded in England—his self-titled debut and Transformer, which included “Walk on the Wild Side.”
The Honky Chateau album was very much transitional, but really strong. John’s diversity as a writer of music was in full display and Taupin was beginning to write the kind of modern teen dramas that defined the next few albums. The opening title cut was the introductory musical salvo of this period, with its jaunty, funky feel. Taupin’s songs “Susie (Dramas)” and “Amy” took teen love stories to a new sophistication for the time, and the music by John had just the right confused, youthful angst and pop-rock that conjured up images of platform shoes and faded bell-bottomed blue jeans. “Mellow,” the massive hit “Rocket Man,” and the majestic “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” brought the John/Taupin big ballad into a whole new place.
This new reissue sounds excellent and the record was pressed in Germany. Tumbleweed Connection, Madman Across the Water, and Honky Château are all wonderful recordings with a lush sound (particularly on the first two), but they are ultimately very simple and organic sounding, even the tracks with orchestration. John would transition out of this period and his next album would feature more stylized recordings with a pop sheen and shiny glitter veneer.
The demos disc offers a few insights, including how much more country some of these songs were in the demo stage and the presence of a more jazzy feel in spots. Most of the demos are quite close to the final tracks, false starts and all. There’s also some very humorous studio chatter. The two-LP vinyl records were pressed on 180-gram vinyl, and there is a beautiful eight-page book, all housed in a gatefold jacket. Like some of the earlier Elton John reissues, there are lots of previously unreleased photos and a healthy amount of record sleeves, tape boxes, posters, adverts and more. These historic sessions are chronicled in a detailed and welcomed timeline and there’s even a musical family tree.
This is a well-done reissue and Elton John fans may be treated to two 50th anniversary reissues this year, as both Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were released.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A
