Too Low For Zero Kentucky

Too Low For Zero

Elton John

MCA Records, 1983

REVIEW BY: Jeff Clutterbuck

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 08/31/2005

Summer should be a time for floating in a pool, enjoying a gameof basketball with some friends and enjoying a book outside. Itshould not force one to spend the entire day inside because it's 95freaking degrees out. Seeing as how that was the situation todayhere in the lovely state of Wisconsin, I figured why not dosomething productive and listen to Elton John?

By 1983, Elton John was nowhere near the giant he had been inthe early and mid '70s. His records still sold reasonably well, andJohn managed to get at least one single into the Top 40 every yearafter his fall from the top. That is what made Too Low For Zero such a surprising return to form. This isnot only Elton's best album of the 1980s, but when speaking interms of his entire canon, it holds its own.

When one looks at an Elton John album with a critical eye, theyusually look at the singles. If they are inspired, the rest of thealbum usually follows suit. This is most certainly the case with Too Low for Zero, with the two big hits, "I'm StillStanding," and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," easilytopping anything Elton had put out in the preceding years.

The former track finds Elton in rare rocker form, as he spitsout rapid-fire lyrics to match the driving beat. If it's balladsyou're looking for, "…Blues" delivers handily. Elton reallyshows off his keyboard skills, putting forth a fluid, bluesyperformance while the protagonist of the song mourns over hisseparation from his love.