Honky Chateau - ELTON JOHN*****

Honky Cat/Mellow/I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself/Susie/Rocket Man/Salvation/Slave/Amy/Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters/Hercules

Honky Château heralds a series of albums in which showman Elton John conquers the rock and pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Includes the UK No. 2 hit Rocket Man and US No. 8 Honky Cat. (US:1 UK:2)

“Honky Chateau was the first album to finally contain an identifiable sound for Elton John. His previous albums meandered from country-rock to gospel to symphonic to hard-rock to pop, it was hard to tell just what type of music Elton was trying to sing. However, Honky Chateau defined a style that was definitely his own.”

“Elton's real commercial breakthrough into the pop mainstream came with this strong and varied set just about the time glam rock was taking off in Britain. With its concentration on commercialism and glitz, Elton certainly changed his game, moving away from singer-songwriter seriousness to the showman now writing sharp pop songs with big choruses aimed at the charts.”

“Gone is the piano balladeer and in its place was the rock artist. While he would continue to produce elegant and beautiful ballads, his up-tempo material would be more energetic than in the past and would have some musical bite.”

“This is the Elton John album where it all fits together perfectly. The hits, the ballads, the rockers, and the oddball songs roll out one after another, complimentary to one other to make it all click.”

“John's strength is in producing songs that are easily accessible, yet have an underlying musical complexity that rewards repeated listens. He was at the forefront of re-introducing the piano at a time when rock music was dominated solely by guitar work. If there is anyone left that hasn't been introduced to Elton John, Honky Chateau is arguably the best place to start.”

“Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin were reaching the top of their game, but were still willing to stretch that little further here and there to make a song truly special. This willingness to go beyond the call of duty is evident in two genuinely effecting numbers, Rocket Man and the pretty Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters. Both songs are absolute stunners and worthy of the price of the album alone.”