Review Score: (8/10)
This album and "Made In England" are a HUGE step up from Elton's 80s albums, however John & Taupin seem to have settled into a pattern with their writing. I wish Bernie Taupin wrote some lyrics about something other than relationships. The music is nice and calming, but there's no evidence of the rocking spirit of "Burn Down the Mission" or "Saturday Night's Alright." The closest thing on this album is "If the River Can Bend," but it's only mid-tempo: none of that get-up-and-dance beat you hear in some of Elton's other works. The Big Picture is still great, don't get me wrong; I just wish there was more energy in it.