Album dossier / 1983

Too Low for Zero

Elton John · Pop Rock

A genuine comeback record after five commercially soft albums, Too Low for Zero reunited Elton John with lyricist Bernie Taupin (writing all the lyrics for the first time since 1976's Blue Moves) and the core of his early-1970s backing band -- Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone -- plus percussionist Ray Cooper and Kiki Dee. Produced by Chris Thomas and written and tracked in roughly two weeks at AIR Studios Montserrat with overdubs at Sunset Sound Hollywood, the album marked John's first significant synthesizer use on record, and the original LP's die-cut cover with color-smear inner sleeve became a notable pressing detail. It went platinum in the US and UK and spent over a year on the Billboard chart. 'I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues' features a guest harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder, one of the few instances of the two icons appearing on the same track. Producer Chris Thomas -- who had just come off the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks and would go on to produce The Human League's Hysteria the following year -- became Elton John's most frequent studio partner of the decade, also helming Jump Up! (1982) and Breaking Hearts (1984).