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Madman Across The Water
Elton John
1971
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!“Madman across the Water” by Elton John (1971) Long familiarity with this album, which I owned on cassette tape and listened to endlessly on a mono portable deck. Bernie Taupin wrote the excellent lyrics, Elton John composed brilliant melodies and performed the songs with passion, while producer, arrangers, studio musicians, choir, orchestra, and engineers put together one fine collaborative audio production. This one of the earliest albums where the mixing board becomes a musical instrument on its own (the producer, Gus Dudgeon, knew exactly when to ‘tell’ the piano to sit back and let the backing musicians take over). If it weren’t for a couple of clunkers (“Razor Face” and “Rotten Peaches”), this album could’ve been a classic. Elton John has characterized himself as a pianist: “I’m a pounder.” He’s right. He never developed his left hand, and his right hand is chord-heavy. But his piano/vocal composition, dynamic synchronization, and blend are magical. His vocal melodies are enthralling. As an experiment, try to listen to just the melody, while filtering out the vocal trills, runs, and stylings. Then also filter out the chords and background musicians, and you should touch greatness. Sequences of cascading and unanticipated intervals, always leading home to the anxiously expected tonic, frequently supplied only by the instrumentals. The melodies of “Tiny Dancer”and “Levon” will live forever. In terms of psychological horror, the title track “Madman across the Water” is profoundly angry, and fittingly under appreciated. Taupin shines (“Is it in your conscience that you’re after another glimpse of the madman across the water?”), while Sir Elton’s melody and vocal performance scares the hell out of you. And the social justice sensitivity of the sad and angry ballad “Indian Sunset” moves to tears (even if it’s tainted by a historically uninformed and anachronistic confusion of the plights of Iroquois, Sioux, and Apache cultures). I can’t listen to the line “Peace comes with a bullet hole” without a tissue. Fine album. 4/5
Man this guy can sing! Loved it, and found some songs to be way more gospel-like than I expected but I dig it
I think this may be my favorite Elton John album. Perhaps because it contains "Levon," the first track of his to ever really capture my imagination. His creative collaboration with Bernie Taupin is incredible. Elton John is certainly a very talented musician and performer but honestly I think it is the poetic imagery and mysterious fractured glimpses of implied storytelling in Taupin's lyrics that really draws me in. "Rotten Peaches" is my second favorite track on the album.
With most songs clocking in around five minutes, the record feels like a major work, and in many ways it is. Madman Across the Water begins to fall apart toward the end, but the record remains an ambitious and rewarding work, and John never attained its darkly introspective atmosphere again.
Another brilliant one in my eyes. It's no Yellow Brick Road but what a way to start the album with Tiny Dancer. I also didn't realise that Indian Sunset was the 'those who wish, to follow me' song. A fantastic tune that gives me the rising ballad feeling that I so adore. Long may the hairs stand tall on the back of my neck. I was pleasantly surprised when Levon came on after the classic opener. Straight into another ballad type song but I suppose that is the bread and butter of Elton John if we're honest. Just to confirm: I really enjoyed Levon. Only listened to this all the way through once but I will almost certainly be listening again. I enjoyed the feel of the entire album, very ballad-heavy which is right up my street; however, I was hoping for a 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting' type tune to burst out of nowhere. Despite that, really good stuff.
I enjoyed the theatricality so much more than I thought I would. A classic with a lot of sincerity, but Indian Sunset certainly does not stand up.
A fine album from Elton that contained elements of what would carry him to his imperial phase later on in the decade. The first four songs load the album with consistent hooks and catchy melodies, the middle portion is a little forgettable and the last two songs end the album out with great ease. One of the few worthwhile introductions to Elton around this time if you want to get ahold of what he was about. Favorites: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razorblade, Madman Across the Water, All the Nasties.
"Tiny Dancer" might have one of the greatest build ups of all time. Over 2:30 to get to the chorus! Unreal restraint and talent on display here. And then Elton outdoes himself and goes straight into "Levon". The record loses a little steam with "Razor Face" but bounces back with the title track, which is heavier and more atmospheric than I expected. This album almost gets a five from me for its first two tracks alone. It feels like a classic, near-masterpiece to me. "Indian Sunset" is compellingly cinematic if you can ignore the stereotypical representation of an Indigenous warrior written by a white British dude with very little in the way of meaningful perspective or insight. It's not particularly problematic, but it hasn't aged well. I can't quite bring myself to give the record a five, but it's a worthy inclusion and I really enjoy how dark and introspective Elton gets here. Especially "Goodbye". Chills. Rating: 4.5/5 Favourite tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water, Holiday Inn, Goodbye
Dammit Elton John, why don't I like you? Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of glam, even gaudy, music. But for some reason I'm just not connecting. Maybe it's your ballad structure, piano forwardness, love of california? Maybe you're too bombastic? Maybe your music feels both too sincere and not sincere enough? Maybe it's the thinness of your drum in the mix or that so many sound like You. Maybe your songs go on far too long, loitering far past their welcome? I don't know. Maybe one day I will. But not today.
Just not my thing. I find Elton John quite annoying when it’s not a song I know well. Gave up halfway through.
A bunch of random stories, album wasn't cohesive. A lot of songs sounded the same. Ghetto Gospel sampled Indian Summer Favorite songs - Tiny Dancer, Levon
On se kova! Sir Elton piti otteessaan koko levyn ajan. Levyn lopussa jo vähän hiljenneltiin, mutta niinhän se kuuluukin kunnon rallin päätteeksi. Olisi ollut huikeaa nähdä ukko joskus livenä nuoruutensa päivinä, kun meno on ollut päällä.
Didn't realise Elton John was so rock n roll (and so his appearance on Fall Out Boy's "Save Rock and Roll" feels apt). Looked it up, not only did he change his actual name but he changed his actual middle name to Hercules - what a mad lad. Every song is really good, plenty of good choices, good songwriting, incredible vocals. Won't go into further detail coz it's all great. Only criticism is that the verses can drag slightly, compared to choruses, outros etc.
Among Elton's best work. Indian Sunset is a sprawling, underrated masterpiece. Pretty much perfect!
Terrific and resplendent. God love Sir Elton John. There’s a reason they made this man a knight, because his music champions the people to a different state of mind and brings them home safe again.
Elton is solid, liked it very much. Great Songwriting, Musical Vibes but still very pop.
Me encanta este álbum, solo conocía tiny dancer e Indian sunset pero me han enamorado casi todas las canciones, no hay casi nadie q se compare con el gran Elton John.
Favorite track: Madman Across the Water. But this whole album is good. Not a huge Erin John fan, but respect is owed.
GREAT ALBUM CHOICE, I listened to this just recently. Elton and Bernie developing their more epic and experimental sound that would come to fruition on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Good times.
This has Tiny Dancer and Levon on it, two heavy hitters that I absolutely love. Yeah, five dang stars easily.
This was my first time listening to an Elton John album in full and my man knows how to make good music
very top heavy but the top is so heavy, the rest can't weigh it down Tiny Dancer - Banger vor dem Herren
Legal demais! Não conhecia o álbum e me encantei com as canções. Boas baladas, tom crítico em algumas canções e uma pegada bem característica do John. Quero ouvir outros.
Great pop album that is focusing on its strengths and not trying to be something it shouldn't be. Great variety of songs, all at a very high quality level, they all belong there
Elton at his best. Piano pop rock with his amazing voice. The songs have great lyrics, each song is composed so well, layered with nice harmonies from choirs, orchestration, and nothing out of his caliber. This is top quality pop.
Classic Elton John album, sounds as good as ever: a clear 5* album of course (and not even his best seventies album!)
I've always liked Elton John and I still like Elton John - a strong album. Tiny Dancer is one of his very best songs.
Great Elton album, start to finish. His best tracks are found elsewhere, but there are no bad tracks on this gem.
Contains two of Elton's best songs. Not sure the "Indian Sunset" message holds up, but everything on here is still super solid. Favorite tracks: "Tiny Dancer", "Levon"
Great. Love the piano work. Some songs run together. Tiny dancer is definitely the hit
I wasn't sure if I was going to be into this album, since I'm often hot and cold with Elton John, but this album starts off strong with Tiny Dancer and keeps going from there. 4/5
Contains arguably the most iconic song by Sir Elton John. But to be honest the rest of the album couldn't keep my attention.
Well, you either love him or hate him. I do love a bit of Elton, particularly since I saw him live a few years ago. Undeniable genius song writer, regardless of what you think of him
Unlike yesterday with Aladdin Sane, there were quite a few tracks on this album that I had never heard before. What an incredibly sad album! I read this entire project as a rumination on finding beauty and dignity within tragedy. I enjoy the instrumentation throughout, and can't help but feel like E.L.O. attempted to steal a lot of this sound. Tiny Dancer - The biggest 'hit' from the album, and the one I had heard the most before. Still catchy and fun to sing along with. Maybe the worst song on the album? This song is about unrequited love and holding a torch for someone long gone. SAD SONG. Levon - I had heard this one before too. I like the string riff throughout. A song about a man whose parents thought he was destined for greatness, but then he becomes a miserly balloon seller and his son hates him. A SAD SONG. Razor Face - A song about losing your former greatness. We assume that at one point Razor Face was a tough customer, but now he needs someone to help him walk. A SAD SONG. Madman Across the Water - A song about insanity. A SAD SONG. Indian Sunset - My favorite track on the album. A bit problematic today, as it uses reductive imagery of Native Americans as seen by a white british man. But also it's a sympathetic view of the American genocide of the Native American. A SAD SONG. Holiday Inn - I'm a sucker for mandolin anywhere. Second favorite track. A track about the malaise and boredom of being an under-appreciated backup musician on the road. A SAD SONG. Rotten Peaches - A song about the prison industrial complex and losing optimism. A SAD SONG. All the Nasties - A rather prescient song about people who nitpick and criticize. The critics are calloused without actually knowing anything about the person they judge. I love the choir. A SAD SONG. Goodbye - A song about feeling worthless, and giving all your energy to others. A SAD SONG. I really enjoyed this, but if I have staked Aladdin Sane as a 5 star album, then this by rights cannot be higher than 4. I may give it a 3 just to give myself room for future albums.
Almost Famous made Tiny Dancer widely known, but Levon has always been one of my favorite Elton John songs right after Rocket Man. But my all time favorite, Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Elton in his prime...
Couple songs that never get old followed by some unremarkable feel good early 70's ballads. The albums production is worth mentioning. Elton's studio albums always sounds so different from his live recordings. Its my understanding Elton usually let the other band members take over during that phase of recording. Most of the time I do enjoy the production and backing, especially on the title track and "Rotten Peaches", where it adds a lot. However on songs like "All the Nasties" and "Indian Sunset" it adds drama to an already melodramatic song. In a song like "Goodbye" it's just right which is a great closing balad.
Really lovely listening to Elton John walking around in the rain. Never realised how much of a diva he was until I watched rocket man on Netflix.
Jumps from the sublime to the absurd, but even Bernie Taupin's well meaning (but essentially racist) lyrics about native Americans can't stop this album being fantastic. Best tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, All The Nasties
love this. levon is a banger. tiny dancer is tiny dancer. i'd never heard indian sunset in its original form before and i think it's great.
Really good music. I am not such a big fan od Elton John, but afer this I am gonna give him a chance. My favorite song from him Tiny dancer is here and that's also a big plus.
Elton John's voice is sometimes too big and overpowers some of his songs which makes him quite exhausting to listen to (Tiny Dancer is a good example of this here) but there is no doubting his talent and this album is on the whole brilliant. Probably my favourite 'new' album that I've heard since the start of this project. Can't believe I've never heard 'Levon' before, it's a pure classic. 'Indian Sunset' also boasts enough native American cultural appropriation to make even Texas State blush.
Superb. A really enjoyable listen with some really memorable tracks. Definitely one to revisit.
I’m surprised I hadn’t listened to this before. I enjoy it! Idk, it feels like it’s hard to hate Elton John?
This is the Elton John that I like. The music is great and generally robust and the storytelling is wonderful, albeit mostly sad. But the emotion is conveyed well. Several songs that were new to me received a second listen.
Very grand instrumentation. Nice pounding piano chords. That big ending part on Indian Sunset is crazy.
I was quite familiar with this album. It has a very American barroom feel. The standouts were Tiny Dancer, Levon, and the title track. Some of the songs drag a bit
A rather theatrical album. Some good songs. I love his voice! (7/10) Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Indian Sunset
Only song i was familiar with before listening with Tiny Dancer, so that was a good start (Also not having Tony Danza in a single scene in Rocket Man was a missed opportunity) To me this is a prime era of Elton John Madman across the Water is another stand out track, almost verging into proggy territory. Rotten Peaches was the only real meh track to me, rest of the album was pretty solid
Though it fades a little bit on the back half, Tiny Dancer and Madman are exceptional, with several other solid pieces, including Holiday Inn and Levon. The music doesn't sound dated, and Elton John's voice is certainly amazing in this era.
Songs I liked: "Levon," "Madman Across The Water," "Indian Sunset," and "Rotten Peaches"
Kinda hard to compete with those first two bangers right out of the gate. I love this period Elton John. Won’t say the whole album is a masterpiece, but it’s all very, very listenable. Did it have to end on such a sad note though? Sheesh. Thanks a lot, Debbie Downer.
Indian Sunset is the only blemish on an otherwise perfect album, but boy, what a blemish it is. Best track: Levon
Qué buen disco. Lo disfruté bastante y pues realmente jamás había escuchado completo nada de Elton John. Muy talentoso el cñor. 8.5/10
if you can overlook the 7 minutes of whitesplaining the native american plight, what you've got here is elton's first genuine banger of an album. nowhere near the heights he'd reach in the next few years but a great album in its own right.
Start very strong with tiny dancer. Not as many bangers later on but still a good time.
Great album by Elton. Tiny dancer is a classic. Levon is one of my favorite song by him. Indian summer is great songwriting. The album is quick and has a somber tone throughout. Starts great and ends decently. 8.5/10
Good melodies. I enjoy the band and what they are doing more than what Elton does. Very good album.
Great stand-out moments. Not as consistently enjoyable as Tumbleweed Connection, but the singles stand strong. A solid part of the collection during Elton John's brilliant string of early 70's albums.
Side 1 of Madman Across the Water is among the greatest sides of music of the singer-songwriter era, or any era for that matter. Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face and the title track make for an incredible 20 minutes of listening and helped define the mid-70s period for me. Side 2 can't help but be a let down in comparison. Nothing terrible on side 2 but nothing very memorable either. Keeps it from being a 5 star album, but shit it's close. 4.5 stars
Starts off strong with some classic Elton hits and thins out to be some of his weaker stuff.
Elton John has made himself an evergreen prince of pop but it's still good to revisit his early years, when he was just on the verge of his imperial phase. This album is full of the iconic John/Taupin piano pop, including the now legendary "Tiny Dancer". A lot of the songs feel like storytelling, whether it's Elton recounting a historic battle or the ups and downs of a heterosexual relationship. It's even better knowing that this was merely the tip of the talent iceberg.
Solid, slight point loss for the degree that the time is past for the "as a white guy, here's my perspective as a Native American" genre.
Tiny Dancer & title track are classics. Album cuts ok, but this is where Elton's voice starts to get a bit schmaltzy to these ears.
Tiny Dancer plus seven other songs that follow a similar pattern: delicate piano builds to big orchestral sections, then drops back down, and repeat. It may lack variety but it's a winning formula; and when the melodies are this good it's very difficult not to like. 4/5.
A couple of big hits. The other songs are good enough to carry it. The is probably a little less than a 4 but more than a 3.
Awesome album with Tiny Dancer and Levon on it. Madman across the Water was really good also. Got a bit weaker near the end of the album.
tiny dancer, levon, madman across the water is a cool song. Indian Sunset is also cool. Great album.
"Tiny Dancer" is such a sad song. So many Elton John songs are sad. I don't know what the song is about because I've never paid attention to the lyrics, really. In spite of that, I feel melancholy every time I hear it. It's a perfect song. Not every song on this record is THAT good. And, much like acoustic guitar-based music, it doesn't hold my interest through the whole run time. I think Sir Elton was the first "emo" singer. I'm cool with that. This record is great.
Maybe not amongst the best Elton John albums…but still a collection of solid pop songs here, performed by brilliant talenter musicians
7/10. Yeah, can't say there's much to this album besides Tiny Dancer. The singing feels really overdone, and clashes with lyrics that are typically a lot more sober. There wasn't anything that I thought was really bad, but a little disappointing.
Madman, Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Chateau are my favourite era of Elton and Tupin. This album feels a little chaotic, but also sentimental. It feels like it is almost gonna fall apart near the end, but it never does. Beautiful ballads throughout, even if Indian Sunset's storytelling is tainted by the songwriting duo's stereotyping of Indigenous Americans stories. If it wasn't for a couple mediocre tracks like Razor Face and Rotten Peaches, I would rate this album a little higher. 3.5/5 Fav Tracks: Goodbye, Levon, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water
Jumping from Tumbleweed Connection to Madman Across the Water has Elton and Bernie continuing to create an amazing consistency in output that continues on through Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Tiny Dancer and Levon are highlights, I particularly like the transition between the two songs which brings them together beautifully. The piano intro to Levon is stunning. It would be near impossible for the rest of the album to continue at the heights reached by these two songs resulting in a bit of a let down on some of the middle songs (it would be interesting to sequence this album differently and see how it feels). The song lengths, tied in with the excellent string work, makes the album feel less like a collection of songs and more like a cinematic work. I love the mandolin work on Holiday Inn and Goodbye is as great closer. Elton's muscular piano work and the production make this a great album! 4 out 5.
Starting with Tiny Dancer was baller. Piano focused of course and feels less theatrical than Bennie and rocketman. Levon is my new fave Elton jam. Beautifully written!
If this is considered pop rock in the 60’s-70’s, then honestly I’d take it over the pop we have today. I adore this sound so far. Kinda has a melancholic tinge.
Classic early Elton, country piano pop, feeling at home in Georgia, relaxing on tour with characters and stories.
Pretty nice album. Great songwriting from Elton on this one and the vocals are also really forward and passionate. 7/10
Some energy in Elton's voice and playing back in the early '70s. Sprawling arrangements, great soaring melodies and decent songs well played. Good album.
Very good album. For all the airplay on Side One cuts, Side Two is also very good. had not listened to this in a long time.
I was interested to hear some of Elton John's earlier stuff, rather than the later ubiquitous stuff that was crammed into the ear of my generation. "Tiny Dancer" was the only track I'd heard before. It was pretty fun pop rock, sure! Can see how he got to where he did. "Indian Sunset" sounds a bit questionable, mind. Fave track - "Levon", maybe, or "Rotten Peaches"...
Sir Elton was really a madman for this one. Lotta tracks start off innocent enough and then just explode into a bombastic pop-rock/orchestral symphony
Enjoyed this. A great voice and some very decent songs to match. Even snuck a 2Pac cover in there. By most accounts it's not his greatest album, which bodes well for some of the others. 3.5
Començament de l'etapa gloriosa d'Elton John, que durant 4 ó 5 anys no donaria ni un sols pas en fals. Sense singles destacats ni cançons que hagin passat a la història (com a mínim fins que 'Almost Famous' va glorificar 'Tiny Dancer'), tot el disc en sí és un exercici de pop rock brillant i consistent, sense daltabaixos. Un dels discos que ofereix motius per reivindicar l'artista
Great 1, 2 punch to start things out. Elton is nearing his creative peak with this album. Many of the songs here were new to me and remain strong pieces of work.
I hate, hate hate Elton John. I love Tiny Dancer mainly because of the scene in "Almost Famous" (movie) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qW9wqUI4Lg ) And Levon is a pretty good song. I think I can stomach early EJ easier. And I get his allure and greatness so I'm reluctantly giving it 4 stars....like a guy saying "I hate salmon, but that's good salmon." I hate EJ, but this is good EJ.
Great song writing and lyricism, as expected. Not my favorite from EJ but pretty great nonetheless.
Did not expect to appreciate as much as i did but the emotional conveyance and musicality genuinely impressed me
Enjoyed more than I expected I might. Interesting to find 'Indian Sunset' was the sample in Tupac's Ghetto Gospel.
Apart from Tiny Dancer, the title track was the standout. Think it would benefit from a second listen.
The album starts with the hit song 'Tiny Dancer'. The rest follows in that vein. Great piano-heavy ballads.
Innolla odotinkin ensimmäistä Elton John -levyä listalla. Keväällä katsotun Rocketman-leffan jälkeen sain jonkinlaisen inspiraation herran musiikkiin, mutta tuolloin kuuntelu keskittyi lähinnä hitteihin. Tältä levyltä ainoa tuttu biisi oli avauskappale Tiny Dancer. Valitettavasti tuon jälkeen taso tuntuukin menevän alaspäin reippaasti. Hyvä levy, mutta kuitenkin jonkinlainen pettymys hittitykitykseen verrattuna. Ehkä Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on sitten se levy joka saa paremmat arvostelut.
The record has the sound I would expect from Elton John. These are not yet the songs that are high on my list of Elton John songs.
Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza. This is a tough one since my first impression was "Oh, great. Elton John". But even listening to Tiny Dancer I was thinking "Y'know, this song is actually really good. It's just I've heard it so much it's lost any novelty. If I heard this the first time I would be blown away." So many details/harmonies/production things going on in this track. It's like Elton John's "Hey Jude" for me. I've actually heard more of these tracks than I thought. I can't deny that this album is very, very good. It doesn't necessarily match my tastes though.
Enjoyable album, love a bit of Elton John. I felt that every song on this sounded like each other, but with interchanging instruments taking the front of the melody. Only listened once though unfortunately.
I really only truly enjoyed Tiny Dancer from this one. Great pianist and singer, but not really my favorite songwriter.
I have never been a big Elton John fan but it's impossible to deny the cultural force of songs like "Tiny Dancer," and I enjoyed hearing it in the album context. Some good oddballs here, like "Razor Face" - never heard it but it is a fun jam. "Rotten Peaches" sounds like a parody, like they took some words and put them in an "Elton John" style. I don't know... doesn't excite me but on par for Elton John.
I like Elton John, especially his early work. Levon is one of my favorites. I would say this album has a few great songs (Levon, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water) and the rest are sort of filler. 3 stars.
I watched the Elton John movie not too long ago and did not like it. But I liked this album. I get it. Great singles. Also liked Rotten Peaches and Holiday Inn (even though Chingy did it better). All the songs sound like Elton John. It's fun.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie Almost Famous was when the band and groupies were singing Tiny Dancer on the team bus. Just a brilliant song by Elton John. Levon also shows off his excellent vocal range and Bernie Taupin’s song writing skills. This album isn’t their best but it’s still a very strong effort
This is the first time I've listened to a full album by Elton John. The hits are great, especially Levon. Both Bernie & John had their A game for that one. As for the rest, I like the arrangements and the way that some songs do a long fadeout while the (talented) band jams but the songs didn't really catch my attention.
Tiny dancer really stands out, the rest relatively bland, coke fueled ballads. Strings are good. The Indian song is hilarious
First thought - if you had no knowledge of EJ, this album cover would be quite misleading when the first notes hit on the piano 🤣
The vast majority of Elton’s tunes I’ve heard in the last decade + were songs I knew so it was unusual to listen to this album given I didn’t know most the songs. I understand session musicians were used extensively. This isn’t positive since the band seems to be missing the team like sound. It isn’t fatal since the piano man and the singer know each other well, lol , but there isn’t the natural ability to jam. Razor Face is a noticeable exception as there is a great jam in that one helped along by Rick Wakeman’s excellent organ playing. Wakeman also played keyboards for Bowie on Life on Mars around the same time. I guess he hoe’d himself out a far bit before his days with Yes. It sounds like Elton has his church choir singing back up on All the Nasties. Perhaps Wakeman introduced a few session singers from the warehouse where he stores his organ. It’s a fine album but Elton’s best was to come later so I will hold back the high ratings for later treats from Elton & Bernie.
Let the record state, I love Elton John but this album didn't entirely grab me. I think I need another listen but there were a few songs that were brilliant.
Good pop Songs, Quite interesting Piano. Not my kind of vibe but I can't deny it is a good album. 3 stars though
Decent album. Elton is clearly a great songwriter, taking the firm of a Native American, a farmer and I think maybe Jesus at certain points in the album. The issue is, I don't really like his voice and feel in the hands of a different singer, the sings could fly higher. Best tracks: Levon & Indian Sunset.
Better than I was expecting, some nice surprises but the opener is the easy highlight. Best track: Tiny Dancer
O homem compõe bem, as músicas são catitas, se algum dia for preciso um conjunto de baladas, não sei se são mas soam a tal, este álbum é bom para tal. Nota:5/10
I love the fabulousness of Elton John, the glitter and the fun and feeling, and this one had a bit of that but not all of them. Tiny dancer is a total banger though.
Interesting, obviously aware of Tiny Dancer track but a good album. Could be coming back for another listen some time soon.
This album is clearly on here because of Tiny Dancer, which makes sense. The rest of the album is good, but it wouldn't be my "go to" album in general.
Tiny Dancer is obviously an amazing opener. The rest of the album sounds very same-y though, not a lot of variety. It's definitely not a bad album, but I wouldn't actively seek it out.
Obviously tiny dancer is the biggest track on this album. However, the title track is fairly enjoyable too. Overall I’d give it a 3.5/5
Seis. Ouço enquanto corro numa praia do Pacífico. Tudo é real com o comando certo. MotA: Tiny Dancer "Blue-jean baby, LA Lady"
A few standout tracks, but I feel like most of the rest sound the same. I normally listen to Elton John via a Best Of playlist and I think I'll stick to that.
Starts strong with a classic banger, but then sort of tappers into being very forgettable
Elton John, de piano man, vriend van LHTBI-er Boy Georg. Iemand die misschien vaak onderschat wordt omdat hij een beetje een karikatuur is. Dit album begint meteen goed en herkenbaar: "Tiny Dancer". De rest is heel goede achtergrondmuziek, maar het blijft een beetje achtergrondmuziek. Lekker vrolijke melodietjes met een serieuze zang. Goed album maar zeker NIET een van de 1000 die je moet horen als bucket-list dingetje. ***
It's solid Elton John, it has Levon and Tiny Dancer right off the top. Those are A grade Elton John, the rest is kinda average? Makes me wonder if EJ is one of those artists where the hits are really all you need? Idk. I give it a like, but not like a great. Will figure out rating system tomorrow.
Tiny Dancer remains infectious even if I don't particularly like it. Some dodgy stuff about Native Americans which shows its age. I hadn't heard this album before yesterday, but it contained virtually zero surprises. It sounds like I imagine Madman Across the Water by Elton John would sound. Not a huge fan of John's singing, which often sounds like he's trying to suppress a belch.
I am not into Elton's music, but this was a pleasant hearing. Tiny dancer is a fucking classic
Its very soft rock/easy listening, which isn't what I usually go for. But the songwriting is good enough to give it a light 3
A mood is set early on and doesn't stray far. Good song writing and fine singing. It follows a popular path of the time but lacks the musical spark that would raise the score. That spark would turn out to be only a few months away.
Decent enough rock music, but nothing on here was so good to make me think "oh, that's why Elton John is a household name".
3rd December 2021 Listened on my way from the work Christmas party to JWs for poker. Hazy. Not much to remember from this due to the circumstances I listened to it in, but I have fond memories.
Best prettig album en de beste man kan ook echt wel iets. Maar zo op 2/3e van de plaat begon het Disney-gehalte me wel een beetje tegen te staan. Alsof je naar een musical zit te luisteren waar maar geen einde aan komt. Iets teveel van het goede.
Ik kan Elton wel waarderen. Niet alles is even sterk, maar die opener is echt classic!
I'm not into Elton enough to do anything other than spin a greatest hits album once in a blue moon
Irgendwas zwischen 3 und 4. Schon schöne Popmucke ala Bowie. Aber irgendwie auch eintönig irgendwann.
I am no Elton expert, and apart from a couple of tracks. I think he has produced much better.
Opens with Tiny Dancer which IS THE BEST SONG HE'S EVER WRITTEN. Closes strongly with the last two tracks, but the rest is a bit meh.
Tiny Dancer is a classic - one of my all time favorites. Levon is also great. So, we were off to a great start. It leveled off a little after that, but this is still a solid album. Great tunes, fun lyrics. No complaints.
elton john sempre foi uma lacuna dentro da minha coleção de música, já conhecia tiny dancer como qualquer pessoa mas nunca tive um interesse a mais de ouvir sua música. ouvindo o álbum, é de se notar o quanto as composições são elaboradas e tem uma levada muito barroca nelas, a construção cadenciada até chegar num ponto de explosão bem específico. chega até a ser formulaico, mas o elton john é um intérprete excelente e consegue carregar bem o álbum. música pop de qualidade, definitivamente.
A pounder of the piano by his own admission, Elton John, that unlikeliest of rock stars brings an album with the sublime Tiny Dancer, a gorgeous ballard both pounded and belted out, and the charming Levon, followed by a collection of songs that meander and unfortunately suffer from a lack of focus and precision. The weirdest track has a boy from Pinner imagining himself as a First Nation warrior, singing about his squaw and his tomahawk, which reveals in John and Taupin a tendency to lean towards the musical theatrical and operatic which, in truth, they do not always pull off. But John is always charismatic and gets the music over the line through sheer force of will and unusual talent. Not a classic but not a disappointment either.
It opens with Tiny Dancer, which is a great tune, but the rest of the album doesn't quite like up to it. Pretty solid songs, just not as great as the opening.
Tiny Dancer Levon Madman accross the water Indian sunset Rotten Peaches Assez bon album, ça se ressemble un peu mais c'est vraiment agréable à écouter. Pas son album le plus rock
A lot of the songs sound like tiny dancer, which is fine, since I like that one. Wide range of lyrical themes, surprisingly, and pretty consistent quality throughout. Only three stars though, can't be much higher since even the best song is ony OK!
Nice. Tiny Dancer and Levon are obvious highlights. This is a difficult one for me, I quite enjoyed parts of this, but overall it just didn't really grab me and I'm unsure if I'd put it on again in full. A 3.5.
This album contains some good songs, but overall it feels very long and the songs start to blur because of their melodic similarity.
Elton John is reliably tuneful, even when the songs fall too far in offensive or ridiculous registers. I never appreciated the orchestration of his music, though: Tiny Dancer is too staple to register in that way. So I liked Madman Across the Water - the album and the track - most when it got louder on the stereo and I heard the band playing together, directed with mastery.
Admittedly I was only half listening but some good stuff here. I really like the wee banjo or whatever in Holiday Inn
I really like Elton John. I first came to him in the early 90s when they used the song I’m Still Standing for a show on City TV (I had thought it was Fashion TV but that was Obsession by Animotion). Really good music video and I’m disappointed they didn’t fully recreate it for the Rocketman movie, instead just green screening Edgerton into it. I also grew up on the Lion King soundtrack he collaborated on. I think his versions of those songs were the superior ones, but the ones in movie are obviously more appropriate. Really good few songs. I mean Tiny Dancer is an all timer. Levon is pretty good. I think a lot of the other songs kind of lack any hook or go on for too long.
Day 3: I feel like I'm rating these albums too harshly, Madman across the Water was a good album and I'm almost tempted to give it a Rating of 4/5, Tiny Dancer and Levon were great songs and an amazing way to start an album, though the album kind of dropped into the background on the last couple songs and didn't grab my attention as much as the first half. Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon
Not into Elton mostly but other than the radio hit or two on here this was pretty enjoyable
It has "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" on it. The songs have a cinematic feel to them, and the writing is good. There's a lot of interesting instruments used, from horns to organs to gospel back vocals to a mandolin and sitar. I also tend to like the instrumental solos. The songs are too long, and I get bored by Elton's singing.
Best Song: Levon. Only now did I realize the song isn't titled "Leave On". Good song though. Worst Song: Rotten Peaches. A little too Elton in this one. Elton's swooning voice, his raucous piano playing, and the twangy guitar all feel like they're competing for attention, not melding together well. Overall: Elton John has a very singular voice and presentation that makes it hard to compare him with other artists. Who can even be said to be his peer? That isn't to say it always works, and the album sags and flumps on occasion, but I can't help coming away having enjoyed the uniqueness of it.
3.4 - Aside from "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon", this one's underwhelming. Particularly egregious is "Indian Summer" that sounds like he researched Native American culture in the encyclopedia and strung together the main points.
I can't figure out what, but something prevents me from connecting with this album. To be fair, it is full of good music, energetic performances, and emotional storytelling. Normally that would be the perfect mixture for me. For some reason though, it just feels a bit too "put on" or stuck somewhere in the uncanny valley, just shy of the qualities that would resonate with my senses. I guess I would point to 'Indian Sunset' as an example of what I'm talking about. I should be into it, but it just feels a bit awkward. Looking beyond the well-known tracks like 'Tiny Dancer', I personally think 'Holiday Inn' is the stand-out here, but even that could do without the sitars and swelling strings. A good album, but something's just off for my taste.
Tiny Dancer is obviously great and Madman is also good. Indian Sunset is certainly a product of the times.
I can appreciate the story-telling in a lot of Elton's music, and "Tiny Dancer" is certainly a spectacle. It misses the mark for me in a lot of ways, but I like how each song felt more like a "mini-movie" as opposed to a simple song. But also yes, this album has "Indian Summer".
I really loved the classics on this album of course, but I did feel that the content about Indigenous peoples was really problematic.
Second Elton John album we've had. Second Elton John album we've had that's not very good.
Saved Prior: Tiny Dancer Off Rip: Madman Across The Water Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: All of Elton John's music that I've experienced so far has a certain theatricality to it that I don't know if i'm a particularly big fan of, but when it works it WORKS. Tiny Dancer is incredible, and I liked Madman Across The Water as well, but the others felt like knockoff versions of Tiny Dancer.
Tiny Dancer is obviously an incredible song, but it doesn't do quite enough to hold up the rest of the album, which pales after the first track. It's not quite a fair comparison, but this was underwhelming for me Saved: Madman Across The Water
It’s Elton John so you kinda know what to expect before listening. It’s what I call easy listening...exactly the same as my mother listens to. And that pretty much somes up Eltons audience. 2 Stars!
It's alright, it's Elton John innit. Tiny Dancer tune. Also got the tune on here that he turned into the Ghetto Gospel Tupac tune. I respect the guys work but he ain't for me really. 2/5
I like Eltons music and i didnt mind this album. But gave it a listens, would not chase it up again for another go though. 2 stars
I don't think I am original when I say the best part of Madman Across The Water, is the opening track "Tiny Dancer", while "Levon" is decent. After listening to these, I find that this record adds nothing nearly as good in the remaining 7 tracks. Elton's vocals are sometimes annoyingly over the top, the effects can be laughably dramatic, and I have trouble remembering the differences between most songs. 2/5 is fair.
hold me closer tony danza this song actually drags on a bit, i know it's iconic but i'm not super into it lot of country and gospel influences i remember being into elton john for a while as a kid but i'm really not feeling this album yeah this is too country for me, idk
No conocía este disco ni ninguna de las canciones. Entretenido. Mucho piano (lógico) me ha recordado a Billy Joel. Me ha sorprendido que en 1971 ya consiguiera Elton John meter tanta gente y supongo que pasta en una grabación. El disco suena bien pero de ahí a ser imprescindible hay mucho. Lo mejor las 2 primeras canciones.
Onhan tää kaunista kamaa, mut toistaa aika paljon itseään. Ekan biisin perusteella 4, loppua kohden tippu
En muista vuorokautta myöhemmin biisin biisiä. Tais olla aika rankka paluu arkeen vai paska levy?
According to legend, Elton John didn't originally need glasses. He took to wearing a pair to emulate Buddy Holly, but this caused his eyes to adjust, thus making them a necessity. Just thought I'd start with that. I haven't had an opinion on Elton John previously. I've never had any inclination to sit down and listen to any of his albums; my favourite music seemed to have little overlap with his music. Of course, Elton John has been bloody everywhere for all my life. I begrudge him that status only in that nobody should be bloody everywhere. So this album was oddly one I'd never heard which I'd assumed I already knew, clearly a mistake on my part. I tried to listen without preconception, and I think I did, and as an album it doesn't really work. The most obvious flaw is that Side B just meanders around, not really striking the listener. The songs, mostly 4+ minutes, can't really be called filler, so are they just a bit dull? So, we have a clearly toploaded album. How does the rest favour? I found the lyrics a touch overcooked, but curious enough to have some charm. Is the music emotional, mawkish, or insincere? I don't know. Maybe it's subjective. It may not be my bag, but I can understand other people going for it.
As ivory-tinklers go, Elton is of course up there with the very best. Just a shame this album is quite dreary, perfect for BBC Radio 2, which I don't consider a good thing
sorry but theres no reason for this to exist when david bowie is right there. tiny dancer is pretty good i guess though
i think elton john is moreso known for his hits rather than great all around albums and after listening to this i understand why. definitely not an awful album but also not great!
Прикольно, конечно. Но совсем не под настроение. Ничего не имею против Элтона, но сейчас не зашло.
Definitely doesn't hit the heights as regularly as the previous Elton album we had, but is a lot more focused (and more like a normal album length at 45 minutes). On the flipside, each song is probably a bit longer than it needs to be; only the last track (which is more a vignette than a song) clocks in at under 4 minutes. Tiny Dancer is a wonderful song (although I need to keep listening to it more to cleanse the memory of that awful remix that was everywhere 11-12 years ago when I was at uni), but it's a bit weaker after that. Fun to discover Indian Sunset (that's the one 2pac used for Ghetto Gospel!), but there's not a huge amount of depth in quality. No songs other than Tiny Dancer that I'd go back to, so it's a 2/5 for me.
I dont get the inclusion of this album. It's not a great Elton John record. It has the classic Tiny Dancer but that's first and nothing that follows is anywhere near its level. Elton John is a talented man but swing and a miss here
I’ve never been a fan of Elton John and this album didn’t change that. Every song sounded like a variation of Tiny Dancer. Thankful this was over in 45min.