"This album is a radical departure from any of Elton's previous offerings. Much more of a "rock" album (as its title suggests) with some great guitar riffs and a powerful rhythm section. A major influencing factor in this change of tack is the almost total revamp of Elton's backing band. Out go long serving stalwarts Dee Murray (bass) and Nigel Olsson (drums) to be replaced by Kenny Passarelli and Roger Pope. The band grows in number with an additional guitarist, Caleb Quaye and keyboard player James Newton-Howard being added to the lineup. An American reviewer at the time described Elton's vocals as "sounding like he'd swallowed a goldfish". A tad unfair perhaps, although Elton certainly gives his vocal chords some punishment on Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future) resulting in a gravelly (almost grating) sound; very different from the melodic balladeer to which we had become accustomed. "Island Girl" was a minor hit as a single followed by "Grow Some Funk of your Own" (a total flop in the American singles chart). Looking back on this 25 years later - a very interesting album - the first 5 tracks having matured very well over the years and highly recommended if you want to clear the cobwebs out of your sub-woofers! Many see this album as signalling the end of Elton's "golden era" and mourn the demise of the band who had contributed to so many classic albums during the preceding years."

--Patrick Christiansen