Today we have Elton John’s fifth studio album Honky Château. Released in 1972, the album is the first to feature his touring band on more than one track for an album. It is also the first album since his debut Empty Sky that doesn’t feature orchestral or string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster.
The rock backing fits Elton’s songs well and I for one hope it stays. The funky “Honky Cat” would have been unmemorable with a string arrangement, but here the saxophones and other brass instruments help it stand out as one of the best songs. “Rocketman” is Elton’s best song yet and Taupin’s lyrics throughout the album highlight his strengths as a writer. Most impressive about this album though is that John is able to turn the tongue-in-cheek “I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself,” about a bratty teenager, and “Slave,” about slavery, into head nodders. A-
