Reviews (page 12 of 13)
If you only had to purchase one Elton album... this one encapsulates his tremendous catalog. Save your money buy this.
I've expressed my feelings about EJ in earlier reviews. That said, this is my favourite of his albums. It's a bit too long, but it's still the one I'll return to if I'm ever in the mood.
Some good songs, a bit much at times
A lot more instrumental and piano than I was expecting. This one requires a second listen, but I enjoyed it.
Toen de intro opdoemde, imagineerde ik de opening van de Toppers bij Vrienden van Amstel Live, of iets dergelijks. Wat een walgelijk begin, en met schoenen gevuld met lood tot aan de enkels stond er nog een hele kluif te wachten. 1 uur en 16 minuten, godscriminelen. Ik wilde stoppen, maar ik heb me kranig verweerd tegen die instinctieve drang. En wonder boven wonder, het opvolgende trio - 'Candle In The Wind', 'Bennie And The Jets' en de titelsong - zorgde zowaar voor de ommekeer, en begon ik mezelf zelfs stiekem te vermaken (niet doorvertellen). Zo'n ballad als 'Candle In The Wind', die vooral bekend is van de live uitvoering bij Diana's uitvaart, is me vaak iets te kitscherig, en je bent direct bang dat de hele plaat vol staat met soortgelijk gejammer. Maar dat deed het niet, hooguit in mondjesmaat. Aandoenlijk nummertje, moet gezegd worden. De piano-driven 'Bennie And The Jets' is vintage Elton John. Een lekkere jam, die aanvoelt als Supertramp in z'n betere dagen. Die piano is natuurlijk weer de lijm die het album bijeen houdt, zoals vaak bij Elton John, maar het album heeft wel wat meer te bieden. De grootste kracht is de energie van het menneke, die eigenlijk tot het einde van het album aanstekelijk is. Op een aantal momenten na, zoals tijdens het ronduit smeerpijperige 'Jamaica Jerk-Off'. Het niveau daalt sowieso een beetje vanaf dat moment, en het had het album goed gedaan als er minimaal één kantje was geschrapt. Maar zoals ik al zei, ook tegen het einde levert hij aanstekelijke poprock, zoals in de rock & rollers 'Your Sister Can't Twist' en 'Saturday Night's Alright'. Die tweede is voor mij het hoogtepunt van het album, en heeft de kwaliteit van een Stones hit uit de 80s. Ik weet niet of het een objectieve beoordeling is, of dat het komt doordat ik de eerste 5 minuten een teiltje had vol gebraakt, waarna er een miraculeuze wederopstanding plaatsvond, maar het beviel me eigenlijk best aardig. Interessanter en vermakelijker werk dan op het reeds beoordeelde album van Elton Sjon. 7,5/10 Highlights: Bennie And The Jets Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
Liked it quite a bit. Hadn't really listened to Elton John before that much, so it's something new Liked especially on this album: "the Ballad of Danny Bailey" and "All the girls love Alice"
benny and jets hits home
This improved my opinion of Elton John. While I recognize his talents, I have always been bothered by his grand affectation. But the rocking parts of this album are hard to deny. The consistent mention of “dirty little girls” and “tender young Alice” set of alarm bells for me. Different times I suppose.
some of the lyrics are questionable but the instrumentals are gooood and i like this sound so i can half forgive it
Bennie and the Jets and a few other tracks are here, but nothing else stands out.
What the heck even was “Jamaica Jerk-Off”??? Pretty decent album otherwise.
Classics
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding was one of my favorite elton songs as a kid. The timbre of the synths and guitar in the intro sound sorta cheesy but melody is there and the overall make an epic intro to this song, and Love Lies Bleeding is great. Don't think I ever need to heard candle in the wind again. The syncopated piano chords with the one-off inversions during Bennie and the Jets gets me every time. Jamaica Jerk Off is aptly titled. Sweet Painted Lady, All the Girls Love Alice, Saturday Night are all bops. Overall felt a bit long, but even the weak songs are boosted by Elton's vocal delivery, which can be honky tonk charismatic, soulfully wailing, or just delivered with his distinct swagger.
Ok album. Knew a number of the songs. A good listen...
A straight forward set of pure 70’s pop.
Talented, competent, but it just doesn't touch me - something like Queen. Happy to acknowledge it as a milestone album though
Never listened to an Elton John album before. Skipped the hits which halved the listening time. Quite enjoyed the rest. Like the way Grey Seal rocks out towards the end. 11 minute opening song is ballsy. But then I guess Elton had license to do what the hell he liked by this point. Rock Opera at its finest if that’s your kind of thing. Jamaica Jerk Off indeed……
That it's a double album opening with an eleven minute proggy song is a sign of when the album was made, but it was likely still a gutsy choice for Elton John. The song takes time to develop and is not bad per se but it is also not the reason this record is a classic. I wonder how many people just put the needle on the record starting with track 2 back then because the following 2-3 tracks are absolute smash hits. In fact after these, the rest of the album is good but in an uneven, meandering pastiche kind of way. Kind of like the 70s itself? Maybe the first song is both the decade and the record in miniature in its own way. Honestly, I think once he committed to a double album it led to some bloat that would've otherwise been avoided in a different era. For me, I would prefer to cut out songs like "Your Sister Can't Twist", "Social Disease" for release in some other format. I'd wrap up with "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" immediately followed by "Harmony" as the mellow closer.
pros-lots of variety of music/lyrics, he is a very talented musician. cons-album is pretty long & so are several tracks. his voice is ok, I've never been a huge fan & this album did nothing to move me in that direction.
Iconic. Ive seen Sir Elton live but it's not a vibe and it's replayability is low.
I like Elton John, but in smaller doses. Maybe I’ve just been over exposed over the years. I can easily listen to this album, but I probably wouldn’t choose to do so.
Thought I loved Elton John, but I now know I only loved the hits; and harmony.
Lots of ups and downs for me on this record. I've never been an Elton John fan. I'm also good if I never hear Candle in the Wind again. But some of those other singles are really catchy. So maybe a 3.
Listened to this twice in the past few months and can never remember if I really enjoyed it. So certainly does not have staying power in my brain. I’m thankful that it gave us Biz Markie’s ‘Benny and the Jets’.
I have to admit, this one was way better than the last Elton John album I had.
good listen, a lot of hits all on the same album
It has some hits. It has some filler. Could be a single album if a few got shaved in length or cut out. Still not too long a double disc at 1.25 hours. Benny and the Jets always hits. I like use of guitar on some of the songs song it does not seem like the piano is the lead. Probably the best full album by Elton.
Chalky
Was aight
Such great musicianship - I can’t help but think there’s an amazing ten song album here, but the bloat doesn’t help.
Very famous album I enjoyed it but there’s a few songs on their I don’t enjoy
Starts out really good. Has lots of classics on it but it's too long and there's some really weak tracks
Tvöfaldar plötur eru rúnk, þessi ekki undantekningin. Smellirnir smella. Á skilið aðra yfirferð. 3,5.
Nice
Much better to listen to than Madman Across The Water. Very dated-sounding intro, though, and you do wonder what on earth he was thinking with Jamaica Jerk-Off.
I feel like I’m in a western musical or sumin 🔥🔥 intro track the best
Too much fat on this steak. And cheese.
Love the first song. Some great songs but got a bit boring.
Aight
Some very high highs on the beginning but it kinda does taper off towards the end. Still very enjoyable but probably won’t return to some of the later tracks
Music isn't bad here, but I'm a little turned off by the weird sexual undertones. Too many references to 16 year old kids and other songs with overt double entendres. Not my cup of tea. Fav tracks: Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
It wasn't a bad album, I think I needed more time with it. This song has no title was my favorite track, but again I think I needed more time with it to form an opinion.
Some good songs and gorgeous production on here. Jamaica Jerk-Off is really bad.
7/10
Some great jams on this one. The title track is a personal fave. I never get tired of hearing it. That said, I think a double LP is too much EJ for me in one sitting. And I like him! It just felt like a lot of the same sound. I could hear echos of Benny and the Jets in several other songs. 3.8
It's good but gets long -- they could've gotten it down to a tight 2 sides. Some solid radio hits and decent others. 3.8
I wish I liked this one more than I do.
Some undeniable big hits, but a lot of skips for me.
Was just okay. In my head, some of the lyrics to the MST3K theme song fit to 'Jaimaican Jerk Off,' which was fun. 3/5
Some bangers on here I'll admit but homie is way too obsessed with sixteen year olds
pelado
Sounds like a typical big production 70s rock album. Very piano driven which is nice. Stand out tracks are “Bennie and the jets” and “Dirty girl.” The rest is pretty so so
3.23per track.
I appreciate the energy and craftsmanship of this album, but I have a hard time getting around the fact that listening to it once was enough. I also had a difficult time understanding many of the lyrics because of the reverb effect on his mic for most of the album. Generally speaking, I preferred the tracks without it more. While it's clear this album isn't for me, I fell like it's unfair to give it a 2: it's a 2.75, far better than many other two. So, it gets a lovely rounding up to 3.
On the whole, this album is too long. There's a whole bunch of stuff that, in 2024, does not hold up well to my ears (and maybe half this album has always been filler). That said, "Saturday Night" still slaps 50 years later.
A few bangers, but honestly drags on for a while
Some bangers and some misses
Better than expected. Enjoyed Saturday Night's Alright.
This was quite pleasant without really rocking my world. I knew a few of the tunes from radio play and so on and, other than Candle in the Wind which is so associated with mass hysteria bullshit, there's nothing on there that isn't OK. With more time spent listening to it I imagine I'd like it more.
Not his best work
a classic 70's album where there are like six or seven amazing songs and then a shit ton of bullshit dated shit. first four song run and the back little bit are 10/10.
Yes, there are some great songs on here but a double album of Elton John is just too much.
It's good and I can see why a lot of people love this album. I'd like it more if it was shorter and it rocked a bit more. Maybe 20-30% more? Another good candidate for 3.5 stars.
6.5/10
Fun eclectic album.
Hmmmmmm some great songs, some did not click. Might have to listen again. Great artist in general.
First full Elton, another album where I'm happy I've heard it, I enjoyed it, it has some great moments, but ultimately isn't strong enough at its core to lift it into great territory. Like obviously he's got killer pipes and he draws you in easily and the piano is real crisp and nice, but I expecting a little bitta transcendence given the hype and didn't quite get there. Given how strong a couple tracks on here were, I can't help but feel this would been better with a bitta trimming. Light 3.5 Fav track: Benny and the Jets or I've seen That Movie Too
There's some bangers on here for sure, but I don't think Elton's ever really been my speed. His voice is killer and charismatic, but the tunes are mostly a bit jangly for me. And some are really gross? Maybe I missed the point? Two and a half. Fave track: Bennie and the Jets
I’ll circle back to this one again in the future because I expected to like it more than I did on first listen. I was expecting it to be a 4/5, and hoping for a 5/5. What I found was once beyond the “hits” the deeper tracks all kind of had a similar feel. That’s not great with an album of this length, as the songs on the back half started to blend into each other.
It was ok. I wasn't blown away. I haven't listened to a lot of Elton John and this wasn't the one to convince me to listen to more. I expect, though, that more will come. Standout track: Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
I’m surprised by this. I would consider myself an Elton John fan but I didn’t love this album aside from the tracks on his greatest hits. Bennie and the Jets is an all time great though.
the 70’s were wild. 3.5 stars.
Tiene algunas que si otras que no
S'écoute très bien, quelques très bonnes mélodies
I adore many Elton John songs and his performances but I've never found an entire album I love. He was a recording artist in an era when quantity meant more money, and he and Bernie cranked them out. This album is a bit long but the first half rips. Unfortunately overall I still file it under Elton John's quest to make money (not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Meget lang... Et par gode sange ind i mellem.
Was only able to hear half.
Was a lot better than I expected after listening to the Madman across the Water. First song was really good, prog rock which I did not expect. It did have some bad ones on it, it was a little all over the place. But the good songs were a very nice surprise. Will I listen to again: 70%
The album with his best song: benieuwd and the jets
I would never of expected tracks like Jamaican Jerk Off, and Social Disease from Elton John, but they are on there and need to be heard to be believed. Couple of good well known tracks but overall it suffers from too much confidence. sometimes you need to think 'is this shit?' and care
Nice
Album has a lot of class John tunes on it. Kind of loses a bit in the middle but overall a pretty good album. 3.5/5 Might listen again
solid could i write poetry to this? n
Surprisingly but really enjoyed listening 3/5
Hm. Kann man hören, ist jetzt aber auch nicht bemerkenswert für mich
I enjoyed his voice but most of the songs were mixed so I couldn't hear him or understand what he was saying. The songs were a little slow for my taste but I did enjoy a few of them and I knew 2 of them and I didn't even know it!
My friend Rachel had this album and we listened to it a lot c 1982. Sad that Candle in the Wind got so over-played after Diana’s death. I had to hold my skippy finger back. Favourite track- I’ve seen that movie too
A few bangers but omg so long
Not bad. Few good ones
Nice tunes, but don’t get the hype as one of the greatest. From the movie knowing his process of getting lyrics from his partner and then putting music to it, cool to think of these as coming out of that process. I like song without a name
not that into the ballady vibe or the man with piano genre but love the opening synths of 'funeral for a friend' and enjoyed some tracks like the classic 'benny and the jets' or something like that
It's not bad I just didn't enjoyed it really much. 6.5/10
Some great pieces in here, he has a very distinct sound, sometimes it’s to my taste, sometimes less so.
Better than I was expecting, but a very long album. I enjoyed it but some began to feel samey after a while. All the Girls Love Alice was a pleasant surprise. I can see myself coming back to this with my good headphones, when I have time to properly appreciate it
Might be one of the best examples of music being subjective because Elton John's cool, but doesn't really move the needle for me. The songs are great, he's great, but I never put on his music and that's pretty much my entire opinion of his entire artistic output. I'd rather listen to Queen?
Very top heavy, gets boring after the first free songs
Liked this more than I had expected, some great 70s vibes but also some big misses (Jamaica Jerk Off, what the hell is going on there? Must've been a shit load of drugs for someone to sign that one off)
Better than most Elton John albums. It has a couple of good songs in.
Better than the other Elton John albums we've had on the list. I had a good old singalong to the hits. What was going on with Jamaica Jerk Off? bit bonkers!
more of a greatest hits fan
Yeah it’s alright!
This album is extraordinarily easy to listen to. There are some bad tracks (lookin at you Jamaican Jerk-off) but also some all timers (Bennie and the Jets, etc) and the mixing is really good. I like but don't love Elton John, but this is a well made album.
Great song! Wait, wtf, this is an album?
Classics are classics for a reason. Very musical in the arrangement.
This album is full of so many hits and also some amazing songs that should have been hits!
Already know this album, not new to me.
A nice little album but not something I'd go looking for
Very seventies, sometimes good, sometimes not..
He is an icon for a reason.
3.5
I felt that it started off pretty strong, but there was some tracks that were pretty nothing to me. Probably could have been trimmed down? Oh well. I liked it more than the other Elton John album I got, so that's good. My favourite song was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
pleasant but nothing is jumping out at me
good album and a few classis, but not my favorite EJ songs. 3.4/5
Starts of really strong with the first 4-5 songs, but it does fall off a bit after that. The songs are still good, but the album is a bit long and gets a bit boring sometimes.
Elton is a remarkable singer with flair and there’s some entertaining tracks on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I have no idea what the fuck Benny and the Jets is even about. Saturday Night’s Alright is a banger, Jamaica Jerk-Off is weird but I’m ok with it, same with Your Sister Can’t Twist. There’s something about Elton that just keeps me from getting too into the music though and this album is too stretched out. 3 stars
Surprising, when i think of elton john i think of piano balads. This had piano balads but also more stuff. Quite nice if in the mood for some whimsical showrock
Personally think that Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the best song on the album. I think as a whole, this album is very average apart from the 4 singles.
AJ: that boy good!
Гуд албум бат ту мач факин филлер, вай со мач Айм тайред афтер листенинг, ватафак из зис шит 6/10
Pretty chill music, but nothing really stood out to me as amazing.
Surprisingly dreadful at points. Candle in the Wind is mawkish and silly, even before the Diana nonsense. I find much here unmoving and occasionally irritating. I prefer his earlier honkier tonkier stuff
Not for me
Must listen all the way through again
Great album not my thing but o do appreciate it
Me: oh yay, Elton John, I know a lot of his music, I’m going to enjoy this album. Reader, apparently I do not know a lot of his music. Still enjoyed the album though.
Standard rock band executed very well. Good to listen to but hard to stand out as an album other than Smoke on the Water obviously
Funeral for a friend/ love lies bleeding 8.8 Candle in the wind 8.6 Bennie and the jets 9.2 Goodbye yellow brick road8.8 This song has no title7.8 Grey seal7.7 Jamaica jerk off6.5 I've seen that movie too 6.6 Sweet painted lady 6.8 The ballad of danny bailey 7.1 Dirty little girl 7.6 All the girls love Alice 5.9 Your sister can't twist 6.2 Saturday night's alright for fighting 8 Roy rogers 6 Social disease 7.1 Harmony 5.8 3.5 stars
Particular tracks stand out very strong, however the album as a whole loses me frequently, and the second half all begins to sound the same.
Never really got into Elton John. I mean I like the songs I do know of his, just don't ever really actively seek him out. This first track is 11 minutes long. It's called a funeral for a friend. Sounds cool. wow, 1973! Bennie And The Jets is on this album. Nice. The song Goodbye Yellow Brick Road just came on. I love this song. I never realized it was Elton John though WTF?! lol. It was aight. I give it 3 stars.
I realize now that I foolishly expected this album to be much more rock and roll (as with Saturday night is alright) when that was the outlier and it is much more overproduced singer songwriter (as in candle in the wind)
3/5 Not my style
Some very good tracks (my favourite one being the track with the same name as the album), some decent ones, and some that were snoozefests. Nothing that was straight up terrible, though.
honestly not that great
Surprisingly decent start with Funeral for a Friend. Went surprisingly quick for an 11min song by someone I dont really like. Could never get away with Elton John, still dont like his voice but this is clear he’s more than just a voice. Candle in the Wind is the typical Elton John I expected: a bit pompus, a bit self indulgent, and just a bit boring for me. Same goes for a few others like Benny and the Jets and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are belters though. There were a couple where I though ‘ah this aint too bad’, but nothing really stood out. Grey Seal was shite, and I’m not sure what he was thinking with that faux reggae track. He even did the accent. I genuinely couldnt be arsed with this but I quite enjoyed it all things considered. Still not a fan, and wouldnt return, but a lot better than I ever gave him credit for. He seems like a lovely man too, and does a loooot for smaller bands. Always has his finger on the pulse with things. Would like to have a pint with him providing he doesnt bang on about Lady Di
Elton John is great at what he does and this album sailed along given the runtime. That said I wouldn't say I'm a fan, it's very theatre musical-y and I'm not sure I'd ever choose to listen myself, even to the hits. Its inoffensive but not in a bland way, which is basically the key to his worldwide success.
The album opens with an amazing 11min track that just flies by. Unfortunely, it brings you back to down to earth with the awfully boring Candle in the Wind. This album has some big peaks and trophs but overall I liked it. I'll probably listen to the highlights again but the album is far too long and should have been trimmed down. Highlights: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding Bennie and the Jets Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Obviously know his hits, but never listened to an album before... The opening track was not what I was expecting at all. Thought I might have got him all wrong.... Then candle in the wind came on, which was played to death in the 90s and is crap. I can't say I enjoyed too much more of it Goodbye yellow brick road is ok I guess. Saturday night's alright is half decent. I appreciate it's put together well, and he's got a good voice and is pretty good at piano.... But not really for me. Although, I bet singing along with a huge live crowd would be amazing Funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding was my favourite though and it catfished me into thinking the rest of the album would follow suit... It didn't. 2 feels harsh so 2.5
Good album. Great opener track! A few good highlights but quite long...
The last minute of Bennie and The Jets is one of the worst sounds I have ever heard in my life. Rest of the album was fine
Feels a little bloated and this is around the stage in his career where Elton and I part ways -- much prefer the earlier stuff
highlight of this album for me is the first song, the next 4 songs or so are pretty good then it becomes mediocre. also the reggae song is just bad
Genres: Pop rock Formed: London, England in 1967 Run time: 17 songs, 1 hour, 16 mins The seventh studio album by the English singer, pianist, and composer. Spotify: Least popular song: >2.8M Most popular song: >392M plays. I don’t really like Elton John’s stuff. There are a couple of tracks on this album that I like: “Bennie And The Jets” and “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)”. In general his work is well written, but for some years it’s been a bit “same old, same old”. I have to admit, I enjoyed more of this album than I thought I would. A lot of it is good old Rock ‘n’ Roll. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
Yeah not too bad, liked the songs i already knew
Some really great songs on here. Elton with a strong start, and a weak finish. This album is way too long.
Given how many unnecessary British albums are on this list, I am surprised it has taken this long to get an album by Elton John. This was a good album. Lots of great songs but really needed the fat cut off. Speaking of that, why is there a reggae song in the middle of an Elton John album?
A handful of classic great songs wrapped in a meh sandwich, and that sandwich is one of those fucking sandwiches made for a corporate function that's like 15ft long.
Elton John has very tight musicians and well produced, good variety of tunes, even some Caribbean(ish)
This goddam website won’t let me correct spelling mistakes in my previous reviews so now I look like a dumbass. Fuck autocorrect. But this album is pretty sick. The opening is grand and powerful, like an operatic overture; indeed, it feels like is Bellini had to write a pop/rock album. That being said, the interesting opening is kind of undercut by the Meatloaf adjacent sound of the music that follows it, which is just not my jam. But there are a few nice tracks I enjoy. If this were playing at a midnight diner it would be the perfect vibe, but I can’t envision listening to this on my own time. Superb craftsmanship, just not for me.
I was pretty impressed by this, which I know is a silly thing to say about such a well known album. A lot of the songs deal with some pretty dark subject matter, but always with wit and humor.
3-4
Nothing I was shocked by
Wish this was the album with "I'm still standing" He is really pushing it with the first track being 11 minutes long. Bennie and the Jets make up for it tho so I will allow it. The first half of the album is a better than the seccond half which is much slower. It's an alright album, but I got tired of it after a while a strong 3/5
Eh
Dobre, ale myślałem, że będzie trochę lepsze 3.5
Personal Enjoyability (out of 40): 16 Consistency of Quality (out of 25): 17 Keeps Interest (out of 25): 11 Album Flow (out of 10): 6 Overall 50/100 ★★★ Quick Review: Not my cup of tea - I enjoy some Elton John songs but they are much catchier than this selection. Usual issue with a double album too - too much filler.
I enjoyed this but didn’t love it.
We used to listen to Jo’s copy of this a lot. Early Elton is definitely better. 3*
Candle in the Wind slaps. I’m sure this album was huge and special at the time, but it didn’t do too much for me tbh.
I was a little underwhelmed... Some great stuff, but not all of it was
Surprisingly okay, a little too upbeat for my taste. First song had some really good parts.
I am glad that this album was suggested to me. I never really knew Elton John's works (except the Lion King's and Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word). My wife likes it tho - after she watched Rocketman. I enjoy listening to this. Good job lol. 3/5
Some really good tunes here but also quite a lot of filler songs
Always love Benny and the Jets and, hell, even the title track, but for me this pretty much fizzles out after that
Album was kinda carried by the hits and even those weren't Elton's best
never actually listened to this album but recognize a lot of timeless classics within it. Pretty solid
Overall a poor showing IMO, i knew a handful of songs off it and it turns out theres a reason why, none of the rest are particularly great
Started strong, loved funeral for a friend. Benny and the Jets is a classic. I feel I started falling off in the back half though. Very good overall.
Who knew I’d like Elton John? Not me. But this album had some banging tunes. Fav track: Bennie and the Jets.
The man is talented, I can’t deny him that. I just really don’t care for Elton John, save for a handful of songs. This was a long 75 minutes.
Wasn’t too crazy, a few good songs. 6/10
Not really a big Elton John fan and not at all a fan of double albums.
3.25/5 I enjoyed many more songs from this album than the first one. But one thing is clear: Elton is kinda obsessed with Cowboys and Indians. I wondered if the yellow brick road was a gay reference as in a Friend of Dorothy's. I'll revisit the hits probably.
Okay so not as bad as the first album I reviewed of his (and the very first album I reviewed for the project full stop) but I think it's safe to say I'm not an Elton John fan so much as a person who enjoys his hits or greatest hits albums. There WERE some of those on here which was nice - unlike the previously mentioned entry - but nothing that blew my socks off.
This was pretty fun, overly long and not very cohesive I feel. I think it would be a solid 4 at 40 minutes or so, but as is... I don't see a lot of this growing on me. This is the sorta thing I raid for the singles and probably never listen to front to back again. You never know, could change my mind on that, but for now it's a 3.
This is a decent album that starts very strong but I feel got a bit lost halfway through. Still a fun listen but besides the most known hits I don't think I'll revisit this one.
The songs are very well written and arranged. But I just really do not like his voice at all. Pretty difficult to make up that balance. The songs about women are especially funny though considering *gestures in his general direction*. Overall though, the talent is very apparent, and he's a legend for a reason. Just not for me. Favorite track: Saturday Night's Alright
7/10
Some funtunes.
Bra!
I like Elton John, but have never really listened to a full album of his, as much as I can remember anyway. This album is kind of hit or miss, some really great stuff, and some pretty mediocre stuff, it probably suffers from being too long with too many songs. But definitely a classic and a fun listen.
Some great songs
This is a difficult one to review. The first track is pretty good, but I cannot express in words how much I hate Candle in the Wind. All I can do to brighten my mood after the mere mention of that track is to picture a bunch of rugby lads trying to light their own farts. The rest of the album just seems like Elton John. I'm sure that many people really love this, but I do not. It's just meh, meh and thrice meh.
A classic album! Some great hits, but some forgettable songs as well.
Good solid 70s tunes, couple of serious bangers, but also quite indulgent. Enjoying the spotify post album shuffle more
3.7 - I like the big hits on here but I don’t think this album quite lives up to its hype. I feel ambivalent about deeper cuts like “Grey Seal.” As a whole this record probably works best as upbeat background music but it’s not one I’d give another close listen. Still love Elton John as a hit maker, though.
Great pop album
dorothy?
The good songs are really good, the mediocre songs are really mediocre and of course... It's. Just. Too. Damn. Long. Some trimming of the fat would've helped a lot because as stated before, their are some really good songs here.
I liked this better than I thought I would. I know some songs from this but overall I wouldn't say i'm too familiar with his body of work. Its a bit too long. If trimmed down, probably would be a a solid 4.
Elton kuulostaa nykyään coolimmalta, kuin ennen.
Alku oli hieno, mutta kävi tää vähän pitkäksi. 40 minuuttisena olisi neljä tähteä, nyt kolme.
I'm being generous by giving this 3 stars because I'm sure that Elton John is talented, I just find his music to be unpleasantly corny.
The number of hits on this album is outrageous. The Jamaica song was pretty odd though. I think I’m for Greatest Hits Elton more than album Elton.
Listened to this a few weeks ago as part of my album play through. The main memory I have is that Jamaica Jerk-Off did not age well. Otherwise it's Elton doing what Elton does best
Big opening! That bass guitar is in your face, man, love it! Aaaarghhh no, it's the Princess Di song!!!!! (I know it was originally about Marilyn Monroe). This version isn't quite the sentimental shite it turned into. The piano riff on Bennie and the Jets is really cool. Nice bit of flute on this one (I think). This album was mixed and mastered by a bass player, tell me I'm wrong!!! Elton can even reggae, he does the lot, haha. He's got a good voice, I wasn't too sure it fit quite right with the music, but it definitely grows on you and makes sense. Every song has been a banger so far, really strong songwriting. He did just say he hadn't had a bath in a year!! Elton goes Beach Boys now! SATURDAY. Well, that was marvellous, a bit too long, but what to cut? 3 / 5 stars.
Goodbye, Norma Jeane Though I never knew you at all You had the grace to hold yourself While those around you crawled They crawled out of the woodwork And they whispered into your brain They set you on the treadmill And they made you change your name You cant deny that there are some catchy tracks, but its not a 4 star album. 3/5
Some classics here but gets slightly repetitive after side two.
A lot of 5/5 songs and it’s all quality. But by the end of the album i was kinda fatigued of all the piano ballads that were starting to sound the same. If I listened in smaller chunks maybe that would’ve been better
ok album
Ein solides Album mit typischen Elton John Klang. Objektiv wohl eher eine 4, aber subjektiv 3,5 Sterne. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Board" und "All the Girls Love" sind meine Favourites.
A bit of a baffling record. The long tracks sound long - like the mammoth opener, which masks a really great rocker behind some extremely bad 70s synthesisers - but the short tracks start to sound even longer, especially towards the end. Definitely could have chopped this album down to one record, and to be honest the best/worst tracks are the ones you already know. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” is the only one I can tolerate. The rest is just the inconsequential banalities of a vapid pop star.
this is a 3.5 from me. some very interesting ideas shining through songs like Funeral for a Friend and I've seen that movie too. for others however, it's not offensively bad or anything just kinda forgettable.
Didn't love it as much as I thought I would, definitely some great songs but didn't love the album as a whole
Not my usual thing, but surprisingly good
1973.. Ensimmäiset minuutit. 5 Tähteä. Uskomatonta. Seuraavat 5 minuuttia (sama kappale edelleen) Uskomatonta. 5 Tähteä. Jumalauta. Työvitutus ja rappuset alkaa. Toinen biisi kuullostaa paskalta. Kriittinen kuuntelu paljastaa ettei todellakaan ollut. Neljänen biisin jälkeen tulee objektiivinen paska housuun. Tällöin albumi alkaa olemaan oikeasti paskaa. Albumi on neljännen biisin jälkeen toisteikas, tylsä ja kolmiportaisen luettelon kolmas. EN KEKSINYT TÄHÄN HÄTÄÄN!! Huonoin biisi Jamaica jerk off OMD - Enola gay ekat sekunnit.. Eka biisi funeral for a friend alku samanlaine ku wish u were here Kolmas biisi Pink Floyd animals Roger🗿, Oikeestaan parempi esimerkki: Bennia and the Jets 1:06 Have a Cigar 1:47 Pinkki bändi kopsannu niin vaan birusti näköjään.. https://www.google.com/amp/rockandrollgarage.com/elton-john-opinion-on-pink-floyd/amp/
Some massive tracks but also a heap of filler
Acho que esperava mais genialidade, mais músicas... Ainda que tenha duas musicas que gosto bastante, não foi nada de surreal.
It was ok. Not as good as people seem to make it out to me.
grovy
Decent tunes
Прослушано! Вообще мимо, скучный альбом.
Good
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, beautiful piano work and such elegant song writing Favourite song: Track 4 - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: not really I appreciate this is a very good album but it really doesn't do a lot for me
Some great moments but like a lot of double albums would have made a superb single album
Pop, Rock, Grand, Versatile, Groovy, Eclectic
Un disco con el estilo propio del compositor. Piano a bordo y pop con ritmo. Canciones elegantes y con buen timbre de voz
11 minute opener with 5 minutes of intro instrumentals? Yes please! Delightful start to the album. Excited for the next hour. A lot of really great songs on this albums with a few duds (Jamaican Jerk Off is a weird song for the album).
Elton John’s magnum opus, as I’ve heard. I never really paid too much attention to Elton, but I respect his artistry in the pop music scene. This album has some great songs. It may be a bit long, but I was surprised that I enjoyed it.
I've never been a fan of EJ, though I respect his talent and influence - how could you not? I've probably been lazy in lumping his music in with other "70s big bands with too much going on at once". So I tried to give this album (which I'd never listened to, only knew the singles) a red-hot go. Amazing musicians (not least the superb Dee Murray on bass), singers, production crew. So much to admire in the details of each recording. No doubt an incredible live show. And yet, as far as my enjoyment goes...somehow the whole is still less than the sum of its parts. Shout outs for: All the girls love Alice (I wonder how this landed in 1973); Dirty Little Girl (not great, but I wonder whether it inspired Pink Floyd's "Young Lust", which I love); Candle in the Wind (which really is a great song, and which is spared some of the histrionics that plague many other songs); Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (so damn catchy)...and whoever remastered this in 2014 and left the massive dynamic range intact!
I'm embarrassed that I didn't know a few of these were Elton John songs but it was fun
Great recording. The novelty songs are kinda weird (what the hell is "Jamaica Jerk-Off"?) and the sappy songs ("Candle in the Wind") aren't my thing at all. More mid-70s pastiche. What was happening with pop music during this time? More than a few of the filler songs on this double record sound way older than the release date suggest. Billy Joel did it. Paul McCartney did it. But why?
I like Elton John but the album didn't capture me that much. Out if his hits, Benny and the Jets just isn't my favorite. The first track was lovely :) and the blues was fun.
My first real exposure to Elton John came in a fast food drive thru (I think it was Burger King?) in 1994. They were giving away copies of his Greatest Hits CD, and I quickly became infatuated with it. I listened to it on a loop as I drove from Arizona to Alaska that year. Good times. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road.
Good
Prefer his upbeat tunes this was a bit bleh for me, but candle in the wind is a classic
Preferred the other one we had, the one with Tiny Dancer, but this was good.
I thought it would be better
Madman across the water is far better, not my preferred Elton john
I didn't give this album the listening time it deserved. Only listened to it once during a car trip. Didn't mind it.
this is one of his best albums. heard it many times. just not a huge fan
some great tunes but something about it just rubs me the wrong way
funeral for a friend / love lies bleeding - kinda sad. mild crescendo in middle and gets happier with lyrics. rock moment near the end. 7/10 social disease - very country-like. gets louder as you go on. probably one of my favourites. happy and upbeat. 8.5/10 grey seal - happy and upbeat. one of the faster ones in the album. love the instrumental at the end. 8/10 saturday night's alright ( for fighting ) - fast. postive and has a lot of electrical guitar. nothing special. 7.5/10 your sister can't twist ( but she can rock n roll ) - very fast and upbeat. danceable. loving the hype. 8/10 the ballad of danny bailey ( 1909-1934 ) - meh. variety of instruments. idk how to feel about this one. 6.5/10 i've seen that movie too - bluesy. think it's meant to be sad. love the classical instrumental. emotional. 8/10 roy rogers - very similar to "i've seen that movie too". sad but not very moving. 6.5/10 this song has no title - a lot of piano. it's alright ig. kinda like it. 7/10 sweet painted lady - nice laid back beat. 6/10. goodbye yellow brick road - one of my favs and the most memorable. really good ballad throughout. love it. 8.5/10 all the girls love alice - like the rock-y start. when it gets to the chorus it's soft and the rest is upbeat. love the vibe. 8.5/10 harmony - harmonious. quite slow but steady. 7/10 candle in the wind - kinda like a soft memorial song. i like the endings. 7.5/10 bennie and the jets - bit slow and repetitive. 7/10. jamaica jerk off - like the jamaican style. reminds me of "pass the douche pon the left hand side". 7.5/10 dirty little girl - steady. nothing special. 6/10
This album has some real gems, but also has some carnival music that gets a bit well, overexuberant. Elton is one of the highest grossing musicians of all times, but not all of it is great. Candle in the Wind, This Song has no Title, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and I've seen that Movie Too are all songs I can listen to fairly often. The rest I've got no patience for. Solid middle of the yellow brick road 3.
I can appreciate a fantastic album, and I do like a bit of Elton. Not something I’d choose to listen to often but when he’s good, he’s damn good.
p300. 1973. 3 stars All the evidence you need to prove that Elton John is best as a singles artist. When it's good, it's very good but... most of it is filler, and do we really need a 5 minute instrument as the opener? The production hasn't aged well - one listen and you know it was recorded in the early 70s. This could have been a stunning single album - just needs the fat trimming off.
Happy but hard to hear vocals sometimes with funky volume
A strong double album usually considered EJs best. Some massive singles and some weaker filler tracks... solid and bears a lot of repeated plays...I wonder if a double was too ambitious 3.5.
A lot of good songs but it was also quite long
3/5
Vasta viime vuosina oppinut kuuntelemaan Eltonia. Perushyvä levy vaikkakin vähän turhan pitkä.
Pop no piano fluiu bem mesmo sendo LP duplo.
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is an incredible album opener. Candle In The Wind is what it is, Bennie And The Jets is good fun, along with Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting), and I do enjoy Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. But there's some other songs on here that I just can't get onboard with so not a 5, but also not really high on my list of next in the queue, so 3 it is.
Not sure what makes thos must hear. Could have cut half the tunes and still not sure. There are a few good tunes but...
Meh
A few good songs with some filler. Not a cohesive album IMO
I appreciate many of these songs for the classics they are but in the end, with all due respect, I just don't enjoy Sir Elton John very much - at least I don't choose to listen to him, if someone else put's it on it's fine. 76 minutes of that.
Listen, I know this is an iconic album and 4-5 songs are classics. But, as an album it has too much. In terms of style it's not really my thing either. I could give it a 4 star if it was like half the length.
Too long (as all double albums are) and a little bland in places, but some amazing tunes on here. I could also live my life without hearing another string orchestra backing - musical space makes things interesting.
Plenty of familiar songs, always enjoy Elton, though opening track doesn't work for me, too long.Lots of unfamiliar tracks on this album too though, ends with a classic.
So more great songs, some competent rock n roll. If it were 20 minutes shorter I would have enjoyed it far more.
I love this album, and I love Alice
BENNIE AND THE JETS <333
It's okay, like funky tunes but not quite what I was after.
Grey Seal, a few hits
I like Benny, but the rest not so much. Deserves a few more listens though.
Bennie and the jets Saturday night alright All the girls love Alice sympa comme album mais bcp de chansons pas ouf aussi dedans!
I'm slightly torn with this one. It has some absolute classics on it, no question. But also a few that made me go meh. I feel slightly bad saying that.
see, the thing is...i just hate elton john. i mean, not as a person - i'm sure he's quite nice - it's just that i've never, ever been able to stand his music for very long. the big hits remain annoyingly overly familiar, even after not having heard them for decades - and probably never having *willingly* heard them. i will say jamaica jerk-off was pretty funny, though
Strangely I like Elton!
I liked quite a lot of it but some songs felt either quite filler or cringe (Jamaica jerk off)
ogni tanto Elton ci sta, però ogni tanto
Good solid album with well known hits from Sir Elton. Should've been a single disc, lots of tracks on this album follow John's signature sound and get repetative. 3.5
I enjoyed the album
Harmless, sad there weren't any Elton bangers on here.
Så där men 5+ för låt-titlarna!
Some filler, but the good stuff is great. I don't feel the need to ever hear it again, but I'll be happy if I do.
Man, I loved this album when I was a kid and it first came out. Granted, I didn't have much to compare it to, but I spent hours listening, staring at the cover, reading every word in the gatefold. I lost my interest in Elton John as I grew up, but there are a lot of great songs on this album, and the best of them still hold up.
6/10
This album spins just fine, most of the songs I've heard on the radio, the others I have not. Very adequate.
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" was an unexpectedly rockin' opener. I think of Elton John's music as very piano-centric. However, even "Candle in the Wind" had more guitar than the version in my head does. Following "Love Lies Bleeding" there are a short run of big hits that hold up very well, but it is still a slow but steady downward progression until the album hits the low point of "Jamaica Jerk-Off." Then rebounds a bit. "I’ve Seen That Movie Too" has a slow start, but picks up too little too late at the end, and then there is a decent little run that ends with "All the Girls Love Alice." Overall, the right songs were the hit singles with the exception of the opener. A 4/5 star album needs more consistency. This doesn’t have it.
I used to be somewhat of a Fuel (1990s - 2000s rock band) super fan. I went to their album release party for Something Like Human which started at midnight in Harrisburg just to give you an idea. Fuel’s most popular single, Hemorrhage (In My Hands), uses the line “love lies bleeding” several times, which happens to be half the title to the opening track here. I believe this is not a coincidence because Fuel used to cover Daniel quite a bit. So I know they have a thing for Elton John. Unfortunately, I love Fuel way more than the opening song, which feels like Elton’s attempt at an epic rock song a la Dylan’s Desolation Row, The Doors’ The End, or Pink Floyd’s Sine On You Crazy Diamond. Those examples are masterpieces while Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding feels aimlessly over indulgent. There are some obvious classics here: Candle In The Wind, Bennie And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting. I had heard all those before, knowing the greatest hits. Jamaica Jerk-Off is just weirdly out of place. All the rest of the songs are nice enough, but nothing I feel like I’ve been missing. It’s tough for a 76 minute album to carry excellence from beginning to end, especially having put out another album several months prior and another the next year. If Sir Elton had cut this down to a 40 minute album, I think he would have had something truly special. I’ll stick to the greatest hits.
Seeing Rocketman last year made me realize that there's more to Elton John than Nikita and the other schmaltz from the eighties I mainly know him from and made me eager to explore his earlier work. As a first step in that direction, this is a bit of a disappointment. Yes some of those punch-y songs from the movie are there - Bennie and the Jets, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - but also so much other stuff. A dramatic instrumental ouverture, seagull noises, a simplistic Beach Boys pastiche, a sort of ska-y(?) song and most of all too much florid piano playing for me to process on one day. 5/10
Primer disco de elton jhon que escucho, aunque es muy famoso nunca he escuchado nada suyo a propósito. Divertido pero creo que la clave de este tío está en las letras 🙃
Bloated? There's some great tracks here, like Saturday Night's Alright, Sweet Painted Lady, and Benny and The Jets, but at 1 hr 16 mins, it does drag on. What's more, bits of it feel a bit twee and contrived. The banjo on Social Disease sounds insincere to me, and Jamaican Jerk-Off feels borderline problematic. It's still Elton John, so it's still pretty damn good - the singing and performance is mostly on the money. But if you're looking for an Elton John album, in my opinion, you can do better.
3.5/5 some cool ones, rockier
Wreszcie udalo sie przesluchac plyte sir Eltona Johna, a z moim szczesciem trafilo na jego najbardziej zhajpowany album, co ja pisze podwojny album, ktory w godzine szesnacie serwuje siedemnascie kawalkow wszystich stworzonych w duecie John - Taupin, tak jak w przypadku wiekszosci popowo rokowych wydan w prace nad plyta zostala zangazowana potezna ilosc studyjnych muzykow i ludzi od produkcji, co niestety slychac, jak dla mnie niestety, bo najbardziej przypadly mi do gustu kawalki o prostej kompozycji skupiajacych sie na klawiszach eltonowych i na liryce bardziej niz na wodotryskach na kanalach, bo z kanalami i poziomami glosnosci mam osobny beef, na kawalkach jak seal sa momenty gdy gitarki sie wsciekaja, perkusja daje po talerzach, a do tego dojda jeszcze bongosy i czlowiek jest wrecz zmuszony zmniejszych poziom glosnosci, co jak dla mnie na materiale z szescioma kucharkami jest nie do pomyslenia, ale moze kawalki byly tworzone z myslia o radio plejach, a nie jakis sluchawkowych odsluchach, bo to jednak muzyka popularna, ktora ma leciec dla jak najszerszego grona sluchaczy, wiec przewazaja up beatowe kawalki czerpiace z brzmienia synthowego, ktore elton klika, cale szczescie ze jest to podwojna plyta i obok mocno popowych bangerow znajda sie odpowiedno wywazone blizej balladowe traki, nie wiem czy nazwac laczeniem stylow mozna nazwac traki jak jamaica jerk off, ale z pewnoscia celuje on w klimat wyznaczony tytulem z jakims skutkiem, jak dla mnie troche komicznym, ale moze taki byl zamysl, wiec przed tym poteznym odsluchem bylem pod wrazeniem eltonowego glosu, jak u goryli sie pojawil rok temu na ktoryms tam z kolei singu i nadal mial to cos, co tutaj rowniez czuc, wczesny eltonowy glos kojarzy mi sie z billym joelem, zwlaszcza na wolniejszych i powzniejszych kawalkach jak ihave seen that movie too czuje sie jakbym sluchal czegos z piano mana, a po odsluchu tej plyty nabralem rowniez szacunku do sira jako artysty potrafiacego stworzyc tak sluchalny podwojny album napisany wokol swoich klawiszy, z ktorego jest co wylowic na plejke, ogranicze sie do czterech kawalkow zeby dodac zarowno cos dynamicznie hitowego jak i cos co najbardziej mnie urzeklo podczas odsluchu, wiec social disease, sweet painted lady, candle in the wind, a z drugiej strony spektrum saturday night is alright (for fighting), cos czuje ze jeszcze nie jeden raz sie przewinie przez liste tworczosc Eltonowa, bo przeciez wyspiarstwo sie zgadza, rokowosc popularna sie zgadza, wiec czego chciec wiecej od pozycji listowej
From the get-go it's clear this is John's 70s album. Borrows influence from prog all the way through tropicana and injects them with his typical bombast to make each track uniquely its own. Whether the LP holds together as a cohesive whole is dubious, but each track is a great ride in and of itself even outside the well-known hits.
never been my thing, but that's not really the album's fault, is fine. though i could never hear "candle in the wind" again and it would be too soon :-P
Some real anthems, but also some duds. Not essential, but enjoyable.
More surprising and adventurous than I expected. The hits are gems.
2 liked songs - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - This Song Has No Title
Genomgående bra. Även väldigt höga toppar där jag tycker man hör kvaliteten i hans röst och i andra låtar dras man med i det upptryckta tempot i hans pianospel. Tyckte även att öppningsspåret var väldigt intressant. "Funeral for a friend / Love lies bleeding". En 11a minuter lång resa som tar olika skepnader. Den typen av koncept är jag svag för. Bäst: "Goodbye yellow brick road"
Very pretty album with some great piano work, however it’s just a bit too long - boring at times
Some cuts could have been made, but an enjoyable listen overall.
Clearly a classic. Absolutely stacked album. Just not for me
*Alvin and the Chipmunks announcer voice* ELTONNNNNNNNNNNNN
So far I'm not blown from the songs and would give a 3/5.
Ach ... als Album echt nicht schlecht
Haven’t really liked Elton, and enjoyed this album more than expected. A few throwaway songs but some great ones too.
Tonnes of classic songs but I've never been a huge fan of Elton John. An undeniably great album, but not something I'd listen to often personally
It was designed to be a blockbuster and it was. Prior to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John had hits -- his second album, Elton John, went Top 10 in the U.S. and U.K., and he had smash singles in "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel" -- but this 1973 album was a statement of purpose spilling over two LPs, which was all the better to showcase every element of John's spangled personality.
Elton on a downbeat
Would listen again. Opening 5 minute instrumental was excellent.
Not bad
Standard Elton
On another day, this could easily have been a 4 or 5 star.
Few well known classics on this record with some great easy listening album fillers. Convinced myself this was a strong 4/5 album until I heard the song ‘Roy Rogers’ towards the end of the record. The country music vibe didn’t sit well with me and I then failed to listen to the remaining tracks. 3/5 stars. At a push.
Meh. I like a lot of Elton tunes but none were on here. First track was cool mind
Geen groot fan, maar mooi album en toffe nummers. Duurt wel een beetje lang.