Originally slated for release in 1968,
Elton John
scrapped
Regimental Sgt. Zippo
in favor of
Empty Sky
, the LP that became his official debut in 1969. Looking back, it was certainly the right move.
touches upon the lush, arty balladry that would become one of
John
's signatures in the 1970s, whereas
is very much looking backwards -- at the psychedelic vistas opened up by
the Beatles
in particular. The very title signals the album's debt to
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band
and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" -- a song
Elton
would later cover -- is a particular touchstone. Melodies swirl through the ornate production, the lyrics are aggressively whimsical, and the recordings are intent on opening up your mind so you can float downstream. As a whole,
is a heavier affair than
Pepper
-- there are fuzz guitars and washes of organ straight out of
Procol Harum
-- and it can also get quite Baroque, as the precious "Tartan Coloured Lady" makes plain. All of this is interesting and makes for a rather interesting artifact, but there's little question it would've gotten
's career off to an unsteady start back in 1968. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine