Jump Up! (Rm) [Original recording remastered, Import]

Elton John had started the 80s with a huge hit called Little Jeannie from a solid album called 21 At 33. He followed that album with the similar but lukewarm The Fox. Well hold on. Because on this outing, Elton John wakes up and hits the ground running. If you thought he was down and out, he was preparing his fans for a release that was truly the jump start of his career in the 1980s.

Jump Up contains some outstanding songs. Dear John, Spiteful Child, Legal Boys, Blue Eyes, Empty Garden, Where Have All The Goodtimes Gone and All Quiet On The Western Front. The production has never been stronger with thanks to Chris Thomas for giving these songs a real shine without over doing it. The tight production on songs like Spiteful Child and Legal Boys measure up to anything that came before this effort.

Elton sings convincingly and with a self-assurance that resembles his best known work. The ache in his voice during Empty Garden, the wonderful tribute to John Lennon is moving. Elton has said he had fun making this release and it shows. He and producer Chris Thomas started to gel and while the hits Blue Eyes and Empty Garden may overshadow this album, it was a perfectly well executed album that deserves to be heard.

Amazon has two copies of this to review and I don't midn reviewing it twice. I like it a lt because it's fun but then it is also full of songs that could only be described as materpiece's. Blue eyes is his croon attempt that is probably his best vocal effort and then Empty garden is a touching tribute to John Lennon. But this album continues with the Adult-contemporary that started with 21 at 33. This is the album his late 70's early 80's adult contemporary was at it's peak. Princess is a romantic ballad that I love, then there's all quiet on the western front, a war tribute with an amazing finale where this piece of music is repeated but the drums each time are different. Legal boys reminds me of a Queen song but again, Elton's vocals. "Dear John" and "Spiteful Child" are fun and Ball and Chain is also a favourite, an uptempo country and western acoustic rocker that made the top 40 in the US apparently. I am your robot is a fun rocker too with a cute and lovable lyric. My least fave song, Where have all teh good times gone is qutie a great song too, has a great beat. A bit like "Don't go breaking my heart" I find his 80's albums interesting as they all seem to end [except breaking hearts adn 21 at 33] with a "solemn" ballad. That is quoting from the reviewer below but it's notable. In short, one of my favourite Elton John albums and will be appreciated by any of his fans at least for a few diamonds among the jewels.

The album opener is a basic light pop-rocker, 'Dear John', with simply dreadful lyrics by Gary Osborne. The piano solo (and the piano playing in general) is the only thing worth hearing in this piece, but to its shame the piano is quite buried under the dull arrangement. 'Spiteful Child' by Taupin, follows the same line of lightly-arranged pop rock. I have no reason to question the musicianship of Elton John or the musicians involved, but no amount of skill will make this one interesting. Next up the slightly up tempo popper, 'Ball And Chain', with again....the simplistic un-imaginative rhymings of Osborne in effect. "Hey mom! I'm gonna be a lyricist!" - said the 4th grader.... yawn.
And even more on the case of lyrics that make you go 'hmmm', well atleast the Tim Rice penned 'Legal Boys' does have a very interesting arrangement unlike the previous cuts on this album, quite enjoyable despite the lyrics. Time for some slight synth driven straight-forward rock with 'I Am Your Robot', very simple lyrics from Taupin, but a good amount of pop edge to it. 'Blue Eyes', perhaps my favorite Osborne penned tune, not the greatest lyrics but Elton's delivery is perfect for this cheesy lightly instrumented "cheeser pleaser". Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) the Taupin penned John Lennon tribute is a nice emotional piece in its own right. Allergic to tribute songs ? don't worry, this one's actually good. Perhaps the lyrics do not 'open' to the casual listener immediately, but sparing you from my interpretation, this is a good one. Back to the simple un-imaginative Osborne cheesers, with the ballad 'Princess', Elton's vocal performance is rather good, but this song simply isn't. 'Where Have All The Good Times Gone', brings back some slight orchestral strings to the mix after being spared from the overused idea for most of this album. With rather miserably poor lyrics from Taupin, this song swims in the same sea of indifference and muzak as most of this album. 'All Quiet On The Western Front' is a real snoozer, again from Taupin. Elton's vocals and the simply tiresome sluggish arrangement of this piece do not make it any more enjoyable. And before I notice, the album is over. Where have all the good songs gone ?

So what is 'Jump Up'....to me below average pop with mainly rather poor lyrics and again, those few brinks of some proper food, this time with the ....well, cheesy pop hit 'Blue Eyes' and the Lennon tribute 'Empty Garden' but besides these, there's nothing I'd really want to listen to too much on this album. A fan should buy it to decorate the house..erhm...seriously.