First off, I am an EJ fan. I own everything he's recorded. Nevertheless, I also try and be objective and this review is more for the casual/beginning fan who may not be familiar with Elton's entire catalog. That said, Empty Sky is very much an album for Elton enthusiasts. It's a sort of curio piece (or artifact) that only rabid EJ fans will find listenable. In truth, Empty Sky's only value is the glimpse it shows listeners of Elton's origins. Skyline Pigeon, is the one worthy track on this thing. From failed psycadelia (Empty Sky) to dull, cheerless, false antiquity (Valhalla, the Scaffold), this is an effort that reflects the times (late 60's) and Elton's attempt to compete with all of the other once popular (and now utterly forgotten) "time capsule", mock-atmospheric oddities such as Procol Harum or the Moody Blues. Elton was very much trying to find himself, musically, and he hadn't yet realized his true gift: the ability to pen unbelievably catchy pop songs.