Fox [Original recording remastered, Import]

Elton John | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 12, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: Universal I.S.
• ASIN: B00008ZPDK
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,020 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Remastered reissue of 1981 album, his first for Geffen, that's out-of-print domestically. Ten tracks including four co-written with Bernie Taupin & the hit, 'Nobody Wins'. Features new sleevenotes. Rocket. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Songs of Days Gone By...A Fogotten Gem, June 19, 2003

By 

Keith T. Pells (Fort Myers, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fox (Audio CD)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fox: A Sly, Slick, Underrated Elton John CD., September 8, 2003

By 

James J. Peters (Orlando, Florida, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fox (Audio CD)

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!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Remastered Version Makes A Huge Difference!, July 15, 2003

By 

Marty From SF (San Francisco, Ca.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fox (Audio CD)

This collection from 1981 has nearly gone unnoticed, probably due to the lack of input from Bernie Taupin. It is filled with great uptempo, complex arrangments like, "Breaking Down Barriers" and"Fascist Faces". "Just Like Belgium" is one of Elton's most upbeat romantic songs since the mid-seventies and "Carla/Etude/Fanfare" (which runs into) "Chloe" is a testament to Elton John's creativity. However, the best song on the album and the only single, "Nobody Wins" beats out the rest for arrangment, lyrics and heartfelt tearjerking. Amazingly, this single is omitted from all collections. I wish someone would explain this mystery to me.