Search - Elton John :: Honky Chateau

Elton John's Classic 1972 album sounds better in SACD format

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 10/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Honky Chateau" is yet another essential Elton John album whose sound quality has been enhanced via the 5.1 mix SACD format used by long-time Elton John associate Greg Penny - who co-produced the album "Made in England" with Elton - working directly from the digital masters compiled by the late Gus Dudgeon, this album's original producer. In the new SACD format, Penny has truly produced a genuine "wall of sound" with each of the instruments heard distinctly, though - and I think correctly - the balance is emphasized for Elton and his piano. From a historical perspective, "Honky Chateau" is memorable for four reasons. First, it gave Elton his first major hit with the song "Rocket Man". Second, this is the album in which the original lineup of the Elton John Band was established finally, with drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray joined by guitarist Davey Johnstone, and, on "Amy", percussionist Ray Cooper. It's also the first Elton John album that doesn't have orchestral arrangements composed by Paul Buckmaster. Finally it would be the first of several Elton John albums to be recorded at Strawberry Studios, located in a medieval chateau outside Paris, of which the most memorable was of course "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".



I regard "Honky Chateau" as a brilliant classic Elton John album merely because it was his - and Bernie Taupin's - most refined exploration of country and folk-influenced rock and roll music in the early 1970s; a trend that had started with their earlier album "Tumbleweed Connection". Both the melodies and lyrics sound as vividly fresh as when I had heard them originally back in the early to mid 1970s; the songs are some of Elton's most carefully crafted melodies wedded to some of Bernie's best lyrics during this early stage in Elton John's career, covering gospel and blues influences in addition to the aforementioned ties to country and folk music.



"Honky Cat" is a rollicking bluesy bluegrass/country rock and roll song which still remains among the more popular hits in Elton John's oeuvre, at least amongst his devout fans such as yours truly. "Mellow" is a splendid country ballad about a young woman wooed and loved by Elton, accompanied by spirited violin playing by legendary French jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty (I suppose that if Elton had recorded "Honky Chateau" today, he might have opted for a more acoustic sound, relying on such magnificient musicians as the great Irish-American Celtic violinist Eileen Ivers, the notable bluegrass/country folk violinist Jay Ungar, or the relatively unknown, but still quite brilliant, bluegrass/country violinist Dotty Moore, an old friend of mine and a fellow Brunonian too; however, I think that Jean-Luc Ponty's spirited, fiery playing on "Mellow" and "Amy" is most appropriate with the slightly hard-edged folk rock melodies of both songs.). "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself" is another classic Elton John folk rock ballad devoted to teenage angst, with a memorable lyric about a suicidal teenager's wish to have Bridget Bardot visiting him every night, featuring a tap dance solo by Larry "Legs" Smith. "Susie (Dramas)" is another funky folk rock song with some memorable guitar solos from Davey Johnstone. "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" is the John/Taupin songwriting team's memorable ballad devoted to space travel and middle age loneliness; it was truly the first of the many great hits which Elton John had in the early to mid 1970s, featuring some splendid synthesizer solos from David Hentschel and superb melodic drumming from Nigel Olsson.



"Salvation" is one of my personal favorites on this album; it is a bluegrass-flavored religious ode featuring memorable background vocals from Nigel, Davey and Dee, featuring Elton at the piano and Dee and Davey playing their string instruments. "Slave" is a bluegrass-tinged folk rock ballad about a black slave in the pre-Civil War South seeking deliverance from his harsh treatment by his white masters, which is replete with elegant banjo playing by Davey Johnstone. "Amy" is the album's tune that is closest to hard rock and roll, sounding reminiscent of some early Rolling Stones, with yet again a memorable electric violin solo from Jean-Luc Ponty, and with Ray Cooper making his first appearance with the Elton John Band playing congas. "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters" is a bluegrass/country ballad in praise of dirty, grimy New York City, featuring great mandolin playing from Davey Johnstone (Many may recognize it from the soundtrack of Cameron Crowe's film "Almost Famous", which also includes "Tiny Dancer" from the "Madman Across the Water" album.). "Hercules" is a rollicking folk rock and roll tune from Elton John and Bernie Taupin that includes a memorable rhino whistle solo from producer Gus Dudgeon. "Slave (Alternate Version)", which is the bonus track not on the original album, is a hard rocking honky tonk version of the song at a faster beat with Nigel Olsson drumming vigorously; clearly both Elton John and Gus Dudgeon were quite wise to use instead the much slower, almost laconic, bluegrass/country folk version of "Slave" in the original album."

Sounds great but too aggressive 5.1 mix

Impetigo | Baltimore, MD | 08/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This SACD sounds great, it's hard to believe it's such an old album it sounds so good. I don't love the 5.1 mix though. I've bought 4 different EJ SACDs and they are all mixed similarly. The center channel has only vocals, no music, and the surrounds channels get discrete, but distractingly loud, audio. On 'Honky Cat' it's especially noticeable, with a very loud banjo only on the right surround channel, overwhelming the front channels unless the volumes are adjusted. Instead of creating great 'surroung ambience,' I think it becomes distracting and feels 'gimicky' and kind of detracts from the experience. You can't not imagine the banjo player right behind you to your right. A little more bleeding into the other channels would have been better. Wish it were more like the Dark Side of the Moon, Avalon, and Strange Beautiful Music 5.1 surround mixes. Those are nearly perfect surround mixes in my opinion. But overall, the album sounds great, with just a bit too aggressive a 5.1 mix."