In 1981, when new wave and punk were the movement of the day, Elton John released his first album for Geffen Records, "The Fox". Having all of Elton's Cd's (including some out of print material), "The Fox" remains one of my very favorites in his catalog. Not a "party" album (think "Rock Of The Westies"), but a very stately, majestic album.

I was 21 when this album was first released (I'm showing my age), and I was blown away by the first single, "Nobody Wins". It was a magnificent, soaring piece of electronic-pop that was sweeping and dramatic. It sounded like the title track to a James Bond film. It was also released in Europe, with EJ singing the vocals in French, under the name of "J'Veux De La Tendresse".

The highlight of the album, is the majestic instrumental "Carla/Etude", which is just his piano with the London Symphony Orchestra (you can find a "live" version of this track on his "To Be Continued" box set). It is just beautiful. And as a second single, "Chloe" is just breathtaking.

Other highlights include "Breaking Down Barriers", with sweeping piano maneuvers; "Just Like Belgium", which is an ode to travel and adventure; and "Elton's Song", which touches on the uncomfortableness a young gay man feels while noticing a friend and developing feelings.

The one drawback to the remastering is that they did NOT include any bonus tracks (as they have with many of his other releases). They blew it here, because they could have included "Fools In Fashion" (B-side to "Nobody Wins"), "J'Veux De La Tendresse" ("Nobody Wins" performed in French) and even the promo-only club mix of "Nobody Wins"...which is extremely rare.

But in the final analysis, the remastering is superb and breathes new life into one of Elton John's most under-rated and under-appreciated albums of his long, wonderful career.

This CD, originally released in 1981, is easily one of my favorites of all time. And this comes from an Elton John fan who never wavered during the 1980s when others did. This underrated and ambitious CD is a rewarding listening experience. The hit single, "Nobody Wins," a treatise of divorce, is a standout that begs to be noticed. Other winning gems include the hard-rocking "Fascist Faces," up-tempo songs with undeniable hooks (such as "Breaking Down Barriers" and "Just Like Belgium"), haunting ballads (such as "Chloe"), and the mesmerizing instrumental, "Carla/Etude/Fanfare." The latter arrangement is alone worth the purchase price.

With The Fox, Elton John succeeds with his ambitious juxtaposition of hard-rockers and sweet ballads. Despite the list of impressive highlights already mentioned, the song that moves me most, the one I will always remember, the one that always elicits an emotional response from me is "Elton's Song," a paen to unrequited love. This subject has often been explored in pop music, but Elton's treatment here with his lone release to include his name is exceptional. I highly recommend this CD; you'll tap your feet and dab at your eyes. Prepare to be entertained and moved!

A few years before Elton John's career was revived dramatically due to ample assistance from producers Chris Thomas and Gus Dudgeon, Elton was working with an assortment of other album producers as well as co-producing with long-time associate, recording - and concert - sound engineer Clive Franks. I regard "The Fox" as one of the best from this period, featuring elegant songs co-written with Bernie Taupin, Gary Osborne and Tom Robinson. It includes such memorable ballads as "Chloe", the title track "The Fox", and "Just Like Belgium", as well as the minor hit - a remake of a French hit - "Nobody Wins". Musically this album is significant too for being a partial studio reunion of Elton John with his original rhythm section comprised of bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson, who had officially rejoined his touring band in 1980. Artistically, I would rank "The Fox" as among Elton's best from the 1980s; this underappreciated, often overlooked, album of his shouldn't be ignored by his diehard fans and others interested in his music.

Elton John had just decided to come back to public view with this record. The summer of 1981 saw the release of his single "Nobody Wins" met with a yawn. I was a big EJ fan. I gave the record a close listen after I'd heard Nobody Wins on the radio. I thought the song was great. I was ready to like the album before I heard it. I put the vinyl record on the turntable and played it through. The rockers like "just like begium" truely rocked and the ballads like "chloe" were breathtaking. Enough cannot be said about "Chloe". The titled intro that fades into Chloe is the finest orchestral ballad EJ had ever done. I'm serious. Just listen to it. The music is gorgeous and the tune with the vocals is truely a masterpiece. It's just that good. The fox is a nice ballsy tune. Every tune on the album is first rate elton john. Elton's song is beautiful. I saw the video, shot in 1980. The video makes the song about a young boy who is totally infatuated with the school jock. It's very touching, and the song is so strong that it stays with you all day. It's very hard to judge this album against the many Elton John masterpieces of the seventies. The eighties started a new career for Elton John and he proved to be a huge eighties' star, just like he'd been in the seventies. I recommend The Fox to everyone who likes or loves Elton's music. It may not be considered a masterpiece by many who compare it to his earlier works...still, it's a great record. Try listening to it without comparing it to the seventies or the eighties. It stands with it's head held high on its own. The Fox is a "GREAT" Elton John record. Listen to whole album, there's not a weak song on it and there are at least three Elton John Classics. The Fox, Chloe, & Elton's Song. You really can't go wrong with this wonderful record. It's truely that good.

Luis Mejia(son) - 21 At 33 represented a slight comeback to Elton John's classic compositions and light style, and then came The Fox. Although the album keeps some musical distance and poor critics, its Elton John second and better aproach to a musical breakthrough in the 80's. The Fox may contain some weak sounds and a certain lack of cohersion and creativity, but still the album keeps a more recognizable piano rock basis, an experimental techno pop movement, a fancy, intelligent interest for beautiful orchestrations and a bit of a piano balladry, classic style. The Fox is mainly focused on detached, mellow moods among the album. It starts with Breaking Down Barriers, a common piano rock song with a mellow use of piano; later comes the suburban, guitar crafted Heart In The Right Place, a correct, potent composition. Just Like Belgium is the first track in the album being co-written by Bernie Taupin, and luckily it assembles an obvious sensitivity and a focused interest in its lyrics, the song I most recommend in this album. Nobody Wins was released before as a single, and its a techno pop song, although very strange to see Elton releasing techno, this song possesses some awesome mellodies. Fascist Faces may be a recognizable composition because of David Bowie pronounced phrase, although its a rock, urban, stylish song. And here comes a big surprise nobody expected in one of Elton's lost in the map 80's albums, a beautifully structured, orchestrated classical composition, Carla/Etude/Fanfare, with the London Symphony Orchestra, which connects with the most beautiful song in the album, Chloe. Heels Of The Wind is a song that would had fit perfectly in 21 At 33, mainly because of its strong similarities with Two Rooms At The End Of The World. The controversial Elton's Song actually is a great composition, although it possesses explicit gay content, people got so scared with this song that even some countries banned it in the radio, I guess is just an exagerated warning to Elton for not going on with that kind of personal material. Finally, the title song, The Fox, is a pop rock, piano based balladry very enjoyable and familiar with Elton John past works.

Regarding some of the album's highlights, James Newton Howard explosive keyboard performance gives an original touch to the album, and the definitive return of the band's original lineup gives new hopes and expectations. The Fox may be a little bit controversial, but still keeps a memorable, correct popcraft.