To Be Continued
Elton John has been a force in pop music since the mid-'60s. This extravagant and colorful box set presents, in chronological order, his hit songs through 1990. Designed to accommodate a large booklet and the four CDs, which when placed side by side present a likeness of Elton, the package indicates the care and expense this huge-selling artist commands.With the exception of some very early work withLong John Baldry, the music is exclusively focused on the songs Elton wrote in conjunction with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Their songwriting method--whereby Taupin submits lyrics to John, who gives them musical shape--is discussed at length in an insightful interview with the two men. This method has produced  a truly astonishing number of hit records, particularly throughout the '70s.  Discs 2 and 3 contain all the monster hits--"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,"  "Daniel," "Bennie and the Jets," "Crocodile Rock"--as well as many others. The  combination of John's pliable and emotive voice, Taupin's well-wrought words,  and strong production values led to megastardom.The '80s were a period of transition and growth for Elton John. Disc 4 has a  number of hits from that period--"Sad Songs," "Sacrifice," and "You Gotta Love  Someone"--as well as featuring several live performances before a full  orchestra, including "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." His voice and stage  persona both reflected a maturing Elton John.This box set, compiled by Taupin and John themselves, was completed in 1990 and summed up Elton John's career to that point. The title ofTo Be Continuedhas proven to be more than just wishful thinking, as he continues to maintain his vitality in popular music to this day.--Wally  Shoup