Elton John
Rare Masters

The classic collection of B-Sides, rarities, and various delicacies is a must for all singers/bands who have reached a certain level; it is not denied to anyone, not even Vasco Rossi, and when done well, it becomes an interesting opportunity to get to know a particular musician more deeply: such as this double CD by Elton John, "Rare Masters" from 1992, which is considered, in all respects, the third release in significance and importance of the EJ of the '90s, after the albums "Made In England" and "The One." In a journey that lasts from 1968 to 1975, this collection brings to light a good number of gems otherwise destined to remain confined in the limbo of rarities for collectors; indeed, there are also some insignificant leftovers and some noteworthy exclusions, but in a decade where the artistic path of our artist stumbles among trivialities like "Circle Of Life", totally and completely useless collections ("Love Songs"), and highly questionable reissues of "Candle In The Wind", an operation like this is pure gold, both from the historical and musical interest perspectives.

In strict chronological order, "Rare Masters" opens with the first single released under the name Elton John, "I've Been Loving You": entirely written and composed by Elton, this song with its typically 60's orchestrated melody is catchy, engaging, and communicative without too much pretension and perfectly arranged; practically a clear example of how pop should be, as well as a prelude to a career destined for the brightest outcomes. "I've Been Loving You" opens the way to a handful of tracks from the "Empty Sky" period, which retain the special charm veiled with subtle bitterness and the vaguely rock/psychedelic tones: "Lady Samantha", "Just Like Strange Rain", and "It's Me That You Need" are little masterpieces both lyrically and compositionally; it takes some courage to call them outtakes; only "A Dandelion Dies In The Wind" is inexplicably and unjustifiably excluded to complete the portrait of this very first Elton John, as underrated as he is interesting and inspired. But the journey through time continues with a triplet from 1970, which includes the biting orchestral rock of "Bad Side Of The Moon", already immortalized in the live "11-17-70" and "Rock And Roll Madonna", as well as the original version of "Grey Seal", which in my opinion, in this less emphatic and arranged guise, better renders the dreamlike and nonsensical atmosphere evoked by the lyrics compared to the version on "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

The second part of the first CD is entirely occupied by a collector's rarity never reissued except in this format: the soundtrack of the movie "Friends" (1971), composed together with Paul Buckmaster. This interesting experiment, alongside episodes that are quite self-contained if taken individually like the 11-minute instrumental suite "Four Moods" and others not exactly memorable ("Can I Put You On", "Honey Roll"), presents some beautiful songs like "Friends", "Seasons", and "Michelle's Song", melancholic ballads where the warm and expressive voice of an Elton John at the top of his form is masterfully complemented by the smooth and enveloping orchestrations of Paul Buckmaster, thus perfecting a collaboration that would soon give birth to an album of the caliber of "Madman Across The Water".

And it is precisely from "Madman Across The Water" (the song) that the second CD of "Rare Masters" begins, offering a substantial version of almost nine minutes in length characterized by a long solo, originating from the "Tumbleweed Connection" sessions, as well as "Into The Old Man's Shoes", a refined and melancholic orchestral ballad completely immersed in the atmospheres of its album of origin, and the rhythmic and engaging "Rock Me When He's Gone", which presents almost honky-tonk sounds like many other tracks of this second CD; the original version of "Slave", much more energetic and effective than the final one, "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)", "Let Me Be Your Car", originally composed for Rod Stewart, and the very short (1:51) but equally amusing "Jack Rabbit". A moment of great energy and historical value is undoubtedly "I Saw Her Standing There", a Beatles cover performed live at the MSG in New York in 1975 together with friend John Lennon, who is also honored with a fine cover of "One Day At A Time", from the "Captain Fantastic..." period, as well as the intriguing "House Of Cards", which would have looked great in such a masterpiece, as well as, and even more so, the melancholic ballad "Planes", a notable exclusion from "Rock Of The Westies".

On a lower level are "Screw You", "Sick City", and "Cold Highway", good-quality songs but clearly below the average of their respective albums ("Don't Shoot Me..." for the first, "Caribou" for the other two), the mawkish "Sugar On The Floor", composed for Kiki Dee, and especially the Christmas single "Step Into Christmas" (1973) and its B-side "Ho! Ho! Ho! Who'd Be A Turkey At Christmas", songs without particular substance that turn out to be silly after a few listens, especially the second with its rather irritating laughable chorus.

The title of icing on the cake of this collection undoubtedly goes to the alternative version of "Skyline Pigeon" (1973), where the piano replaces the original's harpsichord, eliminating its baroque nuances and revealing the song in all its heartbreaking simplicity. But as I said, "Rare Masters" as a whole is undoubtedly one of the happiest and most intelligent ideas of the '90s Elton John, who here shows himself in his chameleonic golden period like never before, mastering the art of composing Pop (with a capital P) music with absolute confidence and mastery.