This is where Bonnie Hayes gets her artistic dignity back. Although the San Francisco-based singer/songwriter had gotten a fair amount of notice in the early '90s for writing the best songs on Bonnie Raitt's Grammy-winning Nick of Time (including "Love Letter," included in a superior version here), her last release on her own had been 1987's mostly dismal major-label debut (and swan song) Bonnie Hayes. (It's not hard to read the opening "My Brave Face" -- not the McCartney/Costello song -- as being in part an apology for that artistic debacle.) Empty Sky is several hundred times better, and almost ranks with her first two indie albums, 1982's Good Clean Fun and 1984's Brave New Girl. Those albums' producer, Steve Savage, returns for this set, and his simple, unaffected production style suits the personal songs beautifully. The songs are remarkable in themselves, particularly the jazzy "Hieroglyphics" and the soaring "The Moment of True Feeling," one of several songs that come across as nakedly autobiographical. The simple, lovely "Bottomless," an ode to Hayes' young daughter Lily, is possibly the most beautiful song Hayes has ever written. The songs are so good, in fact, that the inclusion of a fine but pointless cover of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" is something of a mystery. The arrangements feature Hayes' keyboards and vocals (both of which sound better than ever) supported by a basic rhythm section and the unobtrusive guitar of Hayes' younger brother Chris, guitarist and songwriter for Huey Lewis & the News. After the over-produced Bonnie Hayes, Empty Sky is a revelation and a more than welcome comeback. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
Keith Jones (Bass), Chris Hayes (Guitar), Bonnie Hayes (Assistant Engineer), Paul Davis (Guitar), Joey Burns (Design), Kiki Ebsen (Synthesizer), Benny Reitveld (Bass), Mark Slagle (Assistant Engineer), Alvino Bennett (Drums), Jimmy Rip (Slide Guitar), Jim Pugh (Organ), Bonnie Hayes (Piano), Huey Lewis (Harmonica), Michael Johnson (Assistant Engineer), Kiki Ebsen (Vocals), Dave Burns (Arranger), B.A. (Assistant Engineer), Vicki Randle (Vocals), Bernie Grundman (Mastering), Christian Jones (Assistant Engineer), Bonnie Hayes (Keyboards), Munyungo Jackson (Percussion), Juliann French (Violin), Steve Savage (Producer), Annie Stocking (Vocals (Background)), Vicki Randle (Vocals (Background)), Joe Buissink (Photography), Bonnie Hayes (Engineer), Dave Burns (Producer), Bonnie Hayes (Vocals), Bonnie Hayes (Synthesizer), Kiki Ebsen (Vocals (Background)), Bonnie Hayes (Producer), Kevin Hayes (Drums), Steve Savage (Mixing), Mark Agostino (Assistant Engineer), Gia Ciambotti (Vocals), Chris Hayes (Guitar (Acoustic)), Bonnie Hayes (Mixing), Sachi Patitucci (Cello), Paul Davis (Guitar), Andrew Picken (Viola), Gia Ciambotti (Vocals (Background)), Skip Sitkin (Technical Assistance), Bill Ortiz (Trumpet), Annie Stocking (Vocals), Steve Savage (Engineer), Dave Burns (Design), Dave Burns (String Arrangements)
Empty Sky is the debut album of Britishsinger/songwriterElton John, released in 1969. It was finally released in the United States in 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after Elton's fame had been established internationally. Elton plays every Keyboard instrument in the studio. It would be the last time until Too Low For Zero that he'd do it again. This is the only album in the early part of Elton's career not produced by Gus Dudgeon.
While the instrumental accompaniment in Empty Sky could be classified as mildly psychedelic rock, Elton's flair for pop melody is obvious even at this early stage. [1] Elton adds to the unique sound of the album by playing harpsichord on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon", which Elton has described as being "the first song Bernie and I ever got excited about."[citation needed]
Elton closely collaborated on the songwriting, an innovative approach at the time when Beatlemania was just winding down. He later recalled that he was "unsure what style he was going to be... [maybe what] Leonard Cohen sounds like."[1]
