Elton John (June 15, 1974) – NME Caribou Album Review

NME reviews Elton John’s new album Caribou with the headline “Take a holiday, Elton. Take two” in the June 15, 1974 issue.

Publication: New Musical Express (NME) Date: June 15, 1974

Country: United Kingdom Location: London Section: Albums (Page 8)

THE STORY

Charles Shaar Murray delivers a highly critical review of Elton John’s album Caribou, describing it as one of his most disappointing releases since Madman Across The Water. The review criticises the album’s lack of inspiration, weak songs, and over-reliance on formula, while acknowledging a few stronger moments like “The Bitch Is Back”. A separate short review of Kevin Coyne’s Blame It On The Night also appears on the page.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

Caribou was recorded quickly at Caribou Ranch in Colorado. This NME review reflects a period where critics were beginning to question whether Elton’s rapid release schedule was affecting quality, even as he remained one of the biggest commercial stars in rock.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS 

Event: Album review

Era: 1974 (Elton John Caribou era) Tone: Harshly critical / disappointed Photography: Large black & white photo of Elton John wearing oversized white sunglasses and a decorative jacket

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Bold headline: “Take a holiday, Elton. Take two”

• Detailed critical review by Charles Shaar Murray

• Striking studio/live photo of Elton John

• Side review of Kevin Coyne’s album on the right column

RELATED MATERIAL 

This review appears in the same June 15, 1974 NME issue featuring Steve Harley, Mott the Hoople’s “Foxy Foxy” advert, and other news pages.

For other relevant posts, see the tags at the foot of the page.

All magazine scans, photographs and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.