Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Kinda didn't realize there was so much steel guitar in tiny dancer. Levon is SAD RAZORface?!?! Makes me think of Guardians of the Galaxy Madman Across the water made me put my headphones on right. Liked it lots. This was good. Showed a bit of it's time.
Tiny Dancer is a special song. Not Elton’s best, but definitely a good one.
The first two songs are so good, but the rest of the songs are so similar yet so bland that it almost makes the good songs bad.
some real high points, but generally not my favorite.
Tiny dancer is amazing but other than that just some regular Elton John Best song Tiny Dancer Levon
Excelenteeeeeeee
What a beautiful record. Hadn’t listened to this in its entirety but Sir Elton John has always been an artist I’ve admired; this record further solidifies that. The mood that the songwriting and instrumentation brings is heartfelt, fun, and nostalgic. It’s records like this that make me happy to be a part of this project.
I've always liked Elton John in a Greatest Hits and "I enjoyed his Muppet Show appearance" kind of way but I never listened to a whole album. I have to say I really enjoyed it, it's clear why he is an icon in the music industry. 4 stars for me and I will be revisiting this some day.
I've never been particularly fond of Elton John's work, and listening to this album doesn't change that. However, I can absolutely recognize the quality of his work. His composition in this album is interesting, and various tracks include unexpected and wonderfully layered instrumentation I would not usually think of an English artist using: specifically those typically associated with country western or bluegrass such as the dulcimer and fiddle. I'm happy to have listened to this album, and it was not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn't change ether fact that it just doesn't do much for me personally, and I don't see ever returning to it. I give it a 2.8 so that I'll round up to a 3. It's far more deserving of that leeway than many others I've given in the two range for this project.
Well gosh dang, that was pretty good! I don't know if I'd ever heard any of these songs beyond Tiny Dancer, but that was a largely enjoyable experience. I think this Mr. John guy has some potential.
I am glad to have heard this, and promptly forgot what I listened to.
This was good. Very epic album. Tiny Dancer is the best track
3.5 stars, but closer to 3 than 4. Good tunes, some lost me a little.
Tiny dancer is good though I actually like many cover versions better. Levon is good. The rest is listenable but nothing memorable.
I liked this album a lot more than I expected to. Tiny dancer is a stand out but there are a bunch of other interesting tracks like Levon and Madman Across the Water. Great to hear Elton experimenting with prog rock.
Inventive and pleasant
Tiny Dancer is a true classic and a great song, Levon was good, Razor Face was kinda mid for me, Madman Across the Water was a really good song, Indian Sunset was like a 7.5/10 for me. I liked the repeated or more in context sections from Tiny Dancer but just wasn't my complete favorite overall. I did not really like the rest of the songs. Overall, the first half was very good but I didn't end up liking the second. Favorite song was definitely Madman across the Water and least favorite was probably Goodbye. Whole album 7.5/10
Great record!
There’s not a lot to hate here unless you hate EJ.
Nice
I love listening to this. Tiny Dancer!! What a career he’s had.
A couple of classics with a bunch of filler.
Only knowing Elton by reputation and overplayed hits, I had preconceived notions and was anticipating something fun and more bombastic than this. Well this album soon changed my mind. Ballads with a prog rock edge and a darkness that I wasn't expecting. Just nine songs showed me facets of Elton that I didn't know existed, but I'm glad that I do now. There's a couple of songs that don't quite hit the mark but this is a solid album.
Best Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon Listen Again: Yes
Elton John just isn't for me. He's a global megastar because he knows how to get elderly people out of their seats and boogie in the aisles, but nothing makes me go to the bar quicker than an Elton single. I gave this a fair shot - Tiny Dancer is 90% naff with a pretty good chorus. The rest is entirely forgettable trash that sounds exactly the same as the preceeding song, but without any novelty. Truely, I'd sooner listen to a dog try and de-worm itself on a the Teletubbies Honky Tonk piano than put myself through this album again, a total waste of my time!! Sorry Elton, nothing personal. I think you coming in on Eminem's Stan that one time was a very big dick move, but please stop making albums like this.
This album rules way more than I expected! Besides the just masterful songcraft, there’s an edge, like an underlying seething anger that only barely bubbles to the surface. I also feel like Chris Cornell listened the hell out of this record.
On the album the song "Tiny Dancer" is good but the rest is just average.
Not good
Decent, interesting album but don’t get the hype around Elton John from this album
I haven't listened to an entire Elton John album before and I was pleasantly surprised. Elton John, like David Bowie, seems to have get command over the highest quality studio musicians. A truly great album.
Wow
Очень приятно
A pretty solid album from a pretty solid singer/songwriter.
He's a legend. Respect the songwriting and the music, just never vibed with it.
Tiny Dancer Levon
Sad and sweet
A surprising “meh” overall. “Tiny Dancer” is the obvious standout, and that song alone should be heard in your lifetime. But the rest of the album doesn’t really pay off. Apparently this was the third album that Elton John released in 1971, and maybe the well was just running dry by that point.
Good, but not my vibe. Wasn't sad when it ended and Spotify autoplayed into Carole King.
This was an interesting listen. very samey throughout but kind of enjoyable. Obviously an incredible start. Kinda wished the album was over at track 7 though to be fair. Though the choir vocals on track 8 were great.
I realised I can only handle a bit of Elton John at a time. Tiny Dancer is always a banger though
ig: @musicwithnessa
Very good album Standout songs: Madman Across the Water Rotten Peaches Goodbye
I am a big fan of Elton’s popular work. I grew up on his Greatest Hits, but have never really delved into his other work. This album is amazing! I was familiar with the first two songs. After that, a tour de force with the use of organs, a strings section and of course the all-famous piano. A super comforting voice that sends the full message of every lyric. Low 5
Took three weeks but finally! Melodies, lyrics. Great album; so many memories listening to this one. Also brilliance on the Hammond by Rick Waksman!
One of his best.
Great album which I have not listened to fully for around 50 years. Possibly his best.
You hear tiny dancer and you’ve heard them all. I’m not a fan of piano ballads
I didn't give this one an overly deep listen so I may have missed some gems. No doubt a couple of songs truly bring it but I thought this would have more for my tastes.
Cool album art. Amazing production. Sounds almost to be a sneaky country album. Although great, the first 2 tracks can't carry this album.
Schön!
Calming and not headache inducing, perfect for my mood. Got a bit repetitive in tone towards the end and found myself unable to fully pay attention to the music
Ovo se nema šta mislit. Njegov najbolji album
Finally another good album, Elton John is a favorite of mine. Easy to rate because it's just damn good music.
Bold of them to put Tiny Dancer as the first track. The rest of it was pretty forgettable. Also wtf was Indian Sunset? O_o I kept checking to see how much time I had left until it was over. No disrespect to Sir Elton... I just didn't love it.
Songs are moaning on
Hard to follow Yellow Brick
I don't know exactly when Elton John started to suck, but this album is still mostly awesome. It's no Tumbleweed Connection, but the opening 1-2 of Tiny Dancer and Levon is incredible. What a great album.
Está bueno el disco. John toca el piano una locura, pero es demasiaaado pop y los temas son demasiado similares.
“Tiny Dancer” is great. The rest was beautifully arranged but quickly forgotten.
Come a long way on Elton, my taste with him is evolving. Great performer, pairs lyrics with some fantastic arrangements and this backing band is completely in the pocket. Can't beat the Tiny Dancer opener, even if I've heard it 1000 times. Especially on headphones. 3rd release of '71 and that shows a little. This is about 3 clunker songs from peefect.
When I watched the Farewell Concert I was really enjoying it til I saw it was over 3 hours long. That's too much Elton John. This was the perfect amount of Elton John. A couple hits (Levon has been in my head all night) a couple decent deep tracks. Boy that Indian song is cringey now. I know his heart was in the right place, but hoofadoof. Anyway, not bad. Wouldn't be opposed to listening to it again sometime. Songs added to Spotify: 1
Elton John is fantastic and this album did not disappoint. A bunch of these songs were new to me. This was a great album!
Indian sunset was certainly a choice but otherwise this is a nice underrated gem of an album. Much respect to anyone who can make deeper cuts worth listening to.
Elton really set himself up opening with Tiny Dancer. Definitely a top 5 Elton track. Levon is pretty good but the rest of the album was not as enjoyable as I expected.
Listened to EJ all my life and don’t listen much anymore. Fun to revisit the classics but didn’t fall in love again.
7.5/10 This one really did it for me, lush with good vibes Surprised to see it classified as prog rock, felt more like fairly standard bluesy rock with orchestral/chamber pop elements The orchestration was excellent, good use of strings, liked it when a choir popped up Nice to listen to an album by a famous singles artist with only one song I knew on it! Best: Indian Sunset
Oh Elton. Shared some good times while listening to your songs! Absolutely love his voice and his instrumental style! personal top3 in no order: Razor Face Tiny Dancer All The Nasties
Elton John überzeugt mit dem ein oder anderen Hit. Insgesamt aber eher eine Schwere zu spüren. 5.2/10
Can't deny it is a good album, it's not particularly my taste, but its an impressive collection of songs
Classic EJ. Never gets old.
zzz
Amazing
Elton John is a great artist. There is always so much movement in his piano playing! ‘Tiny dancer’ is the only song I’ve heard from this album and must be the biggest hit, but every song was definitely enjoyable
Excellent! Starts with one of my favourite songs of all time.
Iha jees! Aiempi elttoni parempi
A classic album really, but the first two tracks are heads and tails better than the rest - better songwriting and lyrics.
ta fiera el elton Tiene un anillo de pito de diamante, fun fact
Good album!
This wasn't bad, just not for me. It was nice to have in the background, but nothing seemed memorable to me, other than the obvious "Tiny Dancer" since it is played everywhere. Still, it at least didn't hurt my ears, and I understand Elton John's cultural influence, so that alone is pretty cool.
From what I have heard of his solo work, this seems to be his transition into more progressive rock, I think the fact that this album is so front heavy is what holds it back here. However, this album deff gets shadowed by some of his other works in the 70’s. This is a good record.
MAN THE HIGHS OF THIS CHALLENGE HAVE BEEN HIGH. I love Elton John he was literally the first Cd that I ever owned and I had heard this record was very good but I never actually visited it I love the themes of this album and I think it flows so well together. 4.5/5
Elton John può non piacere come genere, ma questo album è indubbiamente di gran qualità
Starts especially strong with Tiny Dancer. Levon is decent but it’s never been my fave. Then more prog rocky.
Impressive vocals, storytelling and piano play. Most songs sound a bit samey to me though.
Good solid rock album
Madman Across the Water is Elton John's fourth album, which includes a few of his early hits, like "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon." This was early in the very productive period of John's career; through the 70's, he released at least an album per year, and they all met with at least modest success. Elton John's songs are beautiful, piano-based songs, showcasing his skill on the piano and his rich, expressive voice. His songs tell poignant stories, which are the product of John's lyricist/songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin. John's skills brought Taupin's stories to life, making the songs a part of the soundtrack of the 70's and 80's, and made Elton John one of the biggest stars of modern popular music.
The man
It’s amazing how many love beams he can cram into song after song. It feels like he’s trying to shake you awake from the inside out and he got me out of bed!
i mean. its good. 6/7
a few bangers the rest is kinda mid? ending song was quite nice.
I have listened to this album many times over the years, and unsuprisingly I think this is a seminal piece of rock 'n' roll history. So many familiar songs. Madman Across the Water (the song) is one of my favorites.
Buen pop, bonitas melodías y bonito piano, un buen disco, 4
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Not sure why I've never gotten into Elton John as much as, say, Billy Joel, but to this point I never have. I'm unlikely to seek Madman and play it on my own, but I do enjoy it once someone has spun it up.
Este album es en mi opinión mucho mejor, tonos más armónicos y melodías memorables. Las canciones en general son agradables de escuchar, sobretodo con los cascos ya que está grabado en estereo dando diferentes sonidos en cada punto, dando una sensación de estar rodeado de los diferentes instrumentos.
Favorite songs were Indian Sunset, Madman Across the Water and of course, Tiny Dancer. Loved the piano and string instruments on the album.
Me at 12 years old definitely not crying while watching Almost Famous for the first time. This was the first Elton John record I had access to, and I played it on repeat monthly from the time I saw that scene until I was probably 18. Taupin and John have this strange trend of front loading their albums with some of the greatest, most timeless songs ever written, and then abandoning the back halves with mediocre, forgettable and sometimes downright silly tracks.
I was rather lukewarm on this one, though I no doubt enjoyed and appreciated the affecting introspection in Elton's character-driven lyrical style.
One of my all-time favorite albums! Love it.
Nothing on this that would make a greatest hits album... Still curious that he wrote a song about Tony Danza before he became famous
First two songs on the album are classics, the rest, not so much. Perfectly slightly above average album by EJ. 3/5 Might listen again
Elton John is interesting and without a doubt extremely influential. Never really listened to his music much and I've yet to find a big like for the sound he has, but overall not bad. I think with time I might actually start enjoying his music more so I'm glad for this recommendation. 7/10
I had casual mixed feelings about Elton John before this, loving Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road but super annoyed by I'm Still Standing. Now I'm realizing how good his music actually is. Hesn't quite my usual thing but giving it an up thumbs.
One of his best on the day he got his EGOT
got bangers. we stan elton john
High 3.
Tiny Dancer being the obvious standout here, is very good. The rest did not come close to that level. Will I listen to again: 0%
Found it to be boring as hell. Not cohesive, although some songs sounded the same, so I'm not sure how one manages to pull that off. "Indian Sunset" was probably my favorite, but I can't say I truly liked it. 1/5
OK
Levon makes a lot of money... selling cartoon balloons in town? Wow, what a boomer concept. ...or is it supposed to be commentary on public perceptions? Are the balloons a side hustle? I am definitely overthinking this. I'm not a huge fan of Tiny Dancer or Levon, but once you get into the b-sides it's decent (albeit with some Big Yikes From The 70s in "Indian Sunset"). I like the musical style though if I'm being overly cynical it's a bit overdramatic. Should probably expect the Drama from Sir Elton though. The title track is a highlight.
Yep!
Meh.
Good album, though nothing spectacular. The best had yet to come for Elton John.
Similar to meatloaf!
Hey Elton, we need an album's worth of songs to follow Tiny Dancer. OK. Tiny Dancer so good, it's the first track and from there it feels like they arranged the album from best to worst tracks. Levon is pretty good, Razor Face is alright, but there is no reason to flip to side 2.
A nice album, my favorite song on it was Tiny Dancer.
I really liked the second track, Levon, I haven’t paid much attention to that song in the past.
Oh my soul.
Tiny Dancer = Humongous Banger Reste de l’album = Ouain cool, mérite une deuxième écoute
6.5/10 Great piano work, but all the songs were pretty slow, and a few sounded really similar. Overall good, but not my style.
Levon and tiny dancer are classics, the rest, not so much
I remember when this came out. Now they overplay Tiny dancer and Levon on classic rock radio stations, and I hardly ever hear Madman Across the water. Great song - Loved the strings arrangement of this one.
Early Elton is his best work!
Elton John goes progrock(ish). Tiny dancer blijft sterk. Verrassend lange jamsessies aan het einde van nummers. Verhalende nummers soms te lang om zo eentonig te zijn. All the nasties is fijn meeschreeuwen. Holiday Inn heeft een fijn tokkeleinde
Really good album. I love the lyrics for this album and the feeling of it.
I have loved Elton John's music since he first came onto the music scene. Madman is one of many of his hits that are on my own "classics list."
It was fun to listen to but idk if I’d put it on regularly. I think I’d need to be in a very specific mood.
Exactly what I’d expect an album of new to me Elton John songs would sound like. Not as good as rocket man though. Solid production, high to mid songs, good lyrics. Not that interesting on the piano playing to me.
Quite like "Tiny Dancer," "Levon," and the title track. The rest have their moments as well.
Not too bad an album. But a bit prosaic. Nothing stands out, it sounds like Elton John. I get the feeling he's just churning out a bunch of pop hits and hoping something catches and becomes popular.
Didnt know the old Elton - sounds great
Elton John is always a good listen but not exactly a greatest hits album
Wasn't feeling it
Never listened to non-single tracks from Sir Elton..probably ok with that moving forward too. Madman is a good one, the rest of the tracks were forgettable. Shout out to the Holiday Inn for getting so many songs written about their reasonable accommodations.
Didn't care for this one as an album. Couple of great songs in Tiny Dancer (obvi) and Levon. There were a couple songs I couldn't finish (just got annoying I don't know).
Great album. Never listened to it before. loved it!
It's ok. Never been a big Elton John fan.
One of his best.
I could spend all day listening to early Elton John. Amazing melodies and great music. Solid album.
Tiny Dancer and Levon! Indian Sunset is a bit problematic but he rest is also good
Elton is the man. I saw Elton live in the early 90's. Still one of the best shows I've seen. The first 2 tracks are classics. The rest of the album is solid.
This album starts out good with familiar tracks and gets weird. It sounds good throughout but some of the lyrics are kind of depressing.
zuviel Melancholie, zieht mich runter
I very much needed this. Elton John is someone I would never skip or not be in the mood for. Encapsulates every mood with just good classic songs. Absolute masterpiece.
If you don't get the feels with this first track you're either completely jaded or a Nick Cave fan. This first side (first 4 songs) you could call a master class in pop songwriting. "Levon" always kinda made me either sad or slightly uneasy as a kid - maybe it's the "Jesus - he wants to go to Venus" line which is hilariously weird. But to be fair, the second side/half isn't nearly as good - how could it be - and for years have tried to like it more than I do. There are no truly bad songs, just fewer memorable ones and a severe lack of big hooks. I was trying to think this morning why this album took me longer to jump into (as a fan of early EJ) and along with the side 2 slump I think it's that it is much more dense an album than the releases on either side of this; i.e. aside from the obvious catchy "Tiny Dancer" there are fewer of those immediately-accessible Elton tunes ... which isn't necessarily a bad thing but the title track isn't immediately accessible and is a classic... Speaking of which - "Madman..." is probably the highlight of the album, although not naming "Tiny Dancer" also ignores how much that song eventually permeated pop culture. Kind of impressive that I'd say this dramatic and melodic album isn't his best - shows how unmatched Elton's ~5/6 year (1970-75) recording period truly was - not sure there was anyone else who had a massive and incredible pop output to this extent (maybe Stevie Wonder). Wavering between 4 and 5 and it feels like 1 more killer song would have put it in the pantheon. 8/10 4 stars.
Escuchable
My favorite Elton John album.. Side 1 is nearly perfect; Tiny Dancer, Levon and then culminating in his most emotionally charged song ever, Madman Across the Water. The 2nd side is not quite up to side 1 but still quite listenable. A great album that would have received 5 stars if side 2 were a little bit more memorable. 4.5
Som classic Elton John. Tiny Dancer is a favorite
Good album this pleasent and melodica tunes and strong emphasize on the piano and the artist voice. Anybody who knows Elton John will immediately recognize it at his.
Weird, I liked more the obscure tracks. Love the arrangements but not my cup of tea. Lacking imagination, rehashing the same formula.
Back in the day - I listened to that album probably hundreds of times. It was such a treat to see it in my inbox. I'm rating it high because it is a classic and early Elton John was magical.
Two legendary songs and some very typical Elton John tunes
TENES QUE CERRAR EL ESTADIO, LOS GENIOS HACEN ESTO.
It's always interesting jumping right into the middle of someone's discography. Especially when you jump into their creativity arc, because you can tell that the artist coming to terms to themselves while also growing into the amazing artist that you know them to be. I know what it sounds when Elton John has been at his peak, this album is on the way there. He's having fun and it seems almost effortless how he's able to construct an earworm of a melody. This is really good but I cheated myself by knowing that he can (and will) be better. 4 out of 5 stars.
La première fois j'écoutais du Elton John. Belles mélodies, ça s'écoute bien. Tiny dancer est cool, mais sinon pas de wooooow.
Elton has better albums than this, but Tiny Dancer is definitely a classic
Tiny Dancer en daarna nog acht keer Tiny Dancer maar dan net iets anders. Dramatische strijkers, de heldere stem van ome Elton, een duidelijk aanwezige piano en af en toe een gek instrumentje zoals een trekzak. Regelmatig geserveerd met een klein blaadje cuntry-twang. Productie prima, zang prima... Dat geldt voor zo'n 40% van de albums op deze lijst niet dus ik ben tevreden. De 5 tikt het niet aan, maar het is wel goeie toelie.
I was never really into Elton. The first two tracks are obvious bangers and probably lean me further into the realm of enjoying his stuff if listening to a single song in passing. But listening to this front to back I was surprised how much it all sounded alike. The back half had a few surprises, good and bad. The mandolin on Holiday Inn helped, but Indian Sunset? Really Elton?
I was surprised when I saw the tracklist how few of these songs I’d casually come across… then I heard them and it made sense. Not a ton to like on this one. Levon is a top five EJ song for me (but Tiny D is NOT… maybe because of that dumb scene in Almost Famous). Did Elton record/release Indian Sunset on purpose? I wish this was a 10pt scale or we could rate with half points, because prob between a 2/3 for me. Ultimately just not good enough for 3.
Classic!
First two songs are bangers. Slows down for my tastes but still a solid album.
Average album elevated to above-average by Tiny D and Levon. Holiday Inn is good, but overall…average. 3/5
IMHO, this is one of Sir Elton's best albums. I've always felt that his early albums (the first half-dozen or so) were TRULY comprised of his intricate inner workings. 'Tumbleweed Connection' was the album that really did it up for me.
Not my usual vibe, but he's clearly a master at what he's doing here.
Great album- classic Elton John!
One of his best, for sure. Thanks.
Iconic music from my teenage years - Madnan across the water show cases Elton’s range of talent. Glad to hear favorites Tiny Dancer, Levon but also Madman across the water, Indian Sunset Elton is an amazing talent
I like Elton john but I've only ever really heard the hits. This album was great, I enjoyed it front to back
I get it but I don’t care for any of this except that tiny little dancer 2.5/5
Tiny dancer so amazing, the rest very good
1971. 9/10
My first time exploring Elton outside of the mainstream hits. Rather enjoyable, if somewhat redundant by the album's end. Really highlights the dynamism of old school audio production, where soft notes are allowed to be distinguished from loud. Will rate a 3, but I feel it's a solid 3.5/5. Entertaining, but largely unmemorable.
Disco muito gostoso de se ouvir, como é caracterisitico do Elton John. Contudo, poucas canções ficaram na mente depois da primeira audição. 1. Tiny Dancer. 2. Levon 2. Indiam Sunset
Irgendwie reißt es mich nicht mit ...
6.5/10 Highlights: Tiny Dancer
Feels like most EJ albums, you know what you're getting into, and if that's what you want, you won't be disappointed!
I was skeptical at first because I think Elton John is way overplayed. I was happy to see that this album started with Tiny Dancer and Levon, two actually good songs. As I listened, I was pleasantly surprised. The piano bangers on this album hit hard, especially the title track. Really enjoyed.
Inverygarry/Loch Quioche Frozen sunrise. Pink Hues. Rain in fort William. Hoping for snow In glen Coe. Would like to explore the themes more and gain an understanding of the instruments used
Tiny Dancer… Awwwww!!!
Very very close to a 5.
An early Elton favorite. I love the pretty arrangements and rootsy themes
Very good
Good music
Elton John early originals. What else
Tiny Dancer - one of the most popular Elton John songs. (3/5 not my favorite Elton John song. it feels like classic Elton though so it's not bad) Levon - a slower song. i feel like Elton John just has this Bon Jovi sound that mixes country with the performative piano pop and it sounds good. (3/5 the issue is it is not for me. Go to Venus to get more Penus) Razor Face - this has a bit more of that blues sound. still a slow song [(3/5 i feel really bad cause this is not the Elton John i enjoy but i like Elton John) jk 4/5 for the accordion solo?] Madman Across the Water - it's that slow country rock sound. it includes some of that grandness that he brings (4/5 i like this one a bit more) Indian Sunset - a good song but nothing crazy (3/5) Holiday Inn - i think that's a sitar? (4/5 giving the instrumental from Virus Alert by Weird Al) Rotten Peaches - a plinky upbeat piano tavern song (3/5 this is what makes it not for me) All the Nasties - i don't think i like this either. (2/5 glad when it ended) Goodbye - it's an outro :) (3/5) my favorite song is I'm Still Standing because i'm gay or something. this is a good album but it doesn't match my taste, which is 80s Elton John i guess. but to be fair to it being a good album 4/5 woo.
Elton's ok but I don't really dig this album, it's kinda boring. Tiny Dancer is obviously great.
Love this album and this artist. A winner in my vinyl collection.
Elton John simplesmente no seu maior primor. Foda!
Some absolute classics on here with some middling tunes filling the gaps. Listened on a bus at 3.30am so may have been a bit emotional but really enjoyed it.
Ganz ok
"Madman Across the Water" is the fourth studio album by English musician Elton John and his third album in 1971. The genre listed and referred to is progressive rock. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakemen does play organ on two songs which does give it that prog rock street cred but calling it prog rock is pushing it for me. Bernie Taupin did write all the lyrics. Interestingly, it faired much better in the US, hitting #8, than in the UK where it hit #41. The album received mixed reviews. The piano lines, "Blue Jean baby, LA Lady" and we're into "Tiny Dancer." Nice slide guitar. Taupin wrote this about his wife and contrasting with California women. Oh, yeah, and that scene in "Almost Famous." Elton delivers some great vocals in "Levon." The strings make this more dramatic. Levon was born poor, now sells balloons. It's not about Band drummer Levon Helm. The dramatic music continues in "Madman Across the Water." Piano, guitar and strings. This one is not about Richard Nixon. Is it about Elton? Do yourself a favor and listen to the version with Mick Ronson on guitar. It takes it to another level. "Indian Sunset" was written after Elton and Bernie visited a Indian reservation and about an unnamed Indian warrior. Elton starts out a capella before the music kicks in. There are questions on the truthfulness of some of the lyrics but...The album ends with "Goodbye." A big symphony. Sad. Melancholy. A nice way to end. I can't say I'm a big Elton John fan but I like some of his songs and this album contains three really good ones. The musicianship is top notched. The drama with the symphony. I'm sure everyone knows where they stand with Elton but this is probably one of his best.
Banger
5*
This starts off on a high note with "Tiny Dancer", but it fell a bit flat to me after that. It has this prog rock / piano ballad thing going on that honestly just kind of makes one song blend into another after a bit musically. He's obviously a really talented singer, but I was a bit underwhelmed by this given the high expectations. They lyrics are also all over the board, it's a bit hard to follow over the course of the album. Perfectly good, but that's it. Favorite song: Tiny Dancer Other: Levon, Holiday Inn, Rotten Peaches, Goodbye 12/18/23
Banger, Banger, Banger
I don't know why, but I don't like Elton Johns music as much as I think I should! He has some absolute bangers and 'Tiny Dancer' is no exception. I often find myself belting out his songs, I loved the recent movie Rocketman and even read his biography last year. Despite this, I dont think I have ever put on an Elton John album on to listen to!!! It's very supermarket/elevator music and I enjoy it very much in the background, where I feel it belongs. That said, he has much better albums than this one!
Apart from Tiny Dancer (which is an amazing song - and always makes me think of that great bus scene in Almost famous! Amazing film) the rest of this album is a bit of a sorefest. I feel like I should really like Elton John's music, but I've just never got into it. I enjoyed watching Rocket man, can sing along with a bunch of his music, and the version from 'Sing' of 'I'm still standing' has even brought a tear to my eye (this coming from the woman who rarely cries!) - BUT I just don't ever feel excited to listen to his music, its just a bit boring :( Fave track: Tony dancer
It was Elton so yay but apart from the super strong opening with Tiny Dancer, the rest didn’t work for me.
Yet another ‘I now understand the hype’ list
1. tiny dancer - 2 2. levon - 1 3. razor face - 0 4. madman - 0 5. indian zunzet - 0 6. holiday inn - 0 7. rotten peachez - 0 8. all the naztiez - 0 9. goodbye - 1.5
Another Elton John album built round 1 track. Instantly forgetable
Great songs from start to finish, maybe one questionable for dated content.
A very classy collection of songs from my favourite Elton John era. Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face and Holiday Inn stand comparison with his best songs and all are testimony to Bernie Taupins' talent as a lyricist. The quality of musicianship is first rate. The album as a whole could be judged to be a little one-paced, but overall this is a great collection.
Typical Elton, but very samey.
I've never been an Elton John fan, despite enjoying "Tiny Dancer". This album hasn't really changed my mind on that, but it was definitely better than I'd expected. I'm sure that a lot of people will find a lot to love here, but for me it fell short of what it could've been.
Good. Its strongest material is the opening pair - the classics, Tiny Dancer and Levon. Otherwise exactly what you expect from Elton John - lovely, plaintive vocals, good work at the piano, a strong backing band and good storytelling from Bernie Taupin. Elton does tend to run on a little but that was his style. I do think it's worth it for folks familiar only with his hits to listen through some full records. You may return to just listening to greatest hits compilations afterwards, but the man deserves credit for the fairly solid albums otherwise. It's no Dark Side of the Moon, but it's a strong collection.
This was pretty hit or miss for me. Tiny Dancer is great and I really enjoyed the title track and Holiday Inn. Other songs weren’t as engaging for me and Indian Sunset is one of the more unintentionally racist, but well intentioned works that I have encountered in recent memory.
bought used vinyl from half price books in 1994
There's a lot right with Elton John's music. His piano work is always excellent. The instrumentation with strings, brass, and woodwinds. His voice is also distinct and wonderful.
Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: The Mama's and the Papa's - Go Where you want to go Hall and Oates - Rich Girl Fire Straits - Wild West End George Harrison - Give Me Love The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
Ok
Know Elton John, not the album - only know the song Tiny Dancer on the album (which is a banger tbf). Not massively into Elton John but listening with an open mind. 3/5 so far (although Tiny Dancer is added to library)
this a fine album, some great songs here but filled with filler songs too i feel like. it shows a different side of elton's songs, different from what it would become on the next albums. his style of singing seems more rock to me, i cant describe it, its more raw i feel like, not better not worse, just different. overall not my fav lp from him, but enjoyed at least half the songs.
It's too good. Already perfect. I mean... Levon, Razor face, rotten peaches, Indian Sunset. Such a great album. No skips.
great killer singles
Indian sunset was one of those tracks that I had in my head since my childhood (listening to Ghetto Gospel back then), and never made the effort to search for the original. What a great album.
Everyone knows his piano is amazing but damn the drums on this album
tiny dancer - obviously a classic, that chorus is so good even if it is drilled into listeners an insane extent. very beautifully written levon - more folk-ish song, i loved the orchestral elements near the end, felt like such a great way to compliment the build-up razor face - kind of boring + has a weird chorus, felt very generic madman across the water - a very cool ballad, i like the repeated guitar motif in the middle a lot and how it fades into the second part of the song. the writing is so god damn good. indian desert - this is literally a word painting. it feels so anxious and suspensful, i LOVE the different parts of this song. the writing is absolutely gorgeous, so poetic and something you can really think about. elton and bernie are really good at these longer, more intense songs holiday inn - the twang on this song is extremely noticeable and i do not know how i feel about it. very generic and notably shorter than everything else here rotten peaches - okay this is just proto bruce springsteen with gospel vocals. this just feels corny though. all the nasties - slow, but it was pretty good! i hate chanting endings and this one felt corny with the backing choir. otherwise i didnt mind it, the country fit elton this time goodbye - delightfully melodramatic closer. nice and spiffy way to close this album. gives me similar vibes to "nevermore" by queen in the absolutely gorgeous piano playing and melancholic vibe. overall, this album is very pretty and nice to listen to. elton and bernie taupin's lyrics are absolutely wonderful, the instrumentals are generally excellent performed and his voice sounds great. although the album dramatically slows down in its last four tracks with the more country-inspired feel to it, i still feel like this deserves the praise it gets. 3.5/5
nice album some hits - pretty mellow
Hit and miss - some great bits - some a bit dull.
Levon may be my favorite EJ song and Tiny Dancer is up there, too. Madman Across the water is good. The rest of the songs can disappear, especially the one where he is singing in first person about being an Indian. I don’t care about political correctness, I just don’t buy it!
Man, the highs on this album are really extraordinary. And that makes the misses on this album stand out and maybe even seem weaker than they are. That's my general take on Elton John's catalog (I'm not an expert, but I own and have listened to a bunch of his albums) — his good material is better than good, it's exceptional. The rest of the material is not nearly as compelling, and it makes for an uneven listening experience. I think my takeaway from this listen is that it's the nature of daring creativity. Sometimes the oddball lyrical messages transcend (Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water for starters) and sometimes they just miss the mark (Razor Face, Rotten Peaches). Same with the arrangements on this album. The brilliant tracks are all exquisitely arranged, the clunkers make you wonder if maybe they found an accordion in the corner and decided, "what the hell? why not?" So, a 5 for the genius tracks on this album, a 3 for the others.
This was my first time listening to an entire EJ album. While I enjoyed some of the songs, I got tired of him repeating the same chord patterns. Also, I've never been a fan of Bernie's lyrics. When they work, they work well, but boy does he have a lot of clunky lines, and that Indian Sunset song is especially cringey. The two hits are fantastic (even though Levon's lyrics aren't). They sounded so good this morning. Like they could have been released yesterday and no one would have known. The arrangements on the other songs were spotty, though. The drumming was often thrilling, but I was kind of surprised at what an average piano player EJ is. He does the same tricks over and over again. Also, the strings were often distracting. And those chorus singers on the penultimate song were kind of embarrassing. I really wanted to like this more than I did. Maybe I'll like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road more.
The highs are really high on this one, which makes the songs I’m not familiar with fall a bit flat.
A CLASSIC ALBUM! Growing up, my aunt LOVED Elton John, so that meant so did I and I remember listening to this album quite a bit growing up.. There are so many good songs on this album, and I don't want to go into hyper detail on this thing because its just overall such a great feeling album for me, it shares memories with my aunt who is no longer with me.. Some of my favorite tracks on this thing are 'Tiny Dancer', 'Razor Face', the track the albums named after 'Madman Across The Water' and 'Holiday Inn' to name a few.. Elton had such a great voice and was an incredible musician. Whenever I hear any of his music, I'll always think of my Aunt. God rest her soul. Overall: 3.4/5
Rating: 8.5/10 Great album, really enjoyed the progressive elements implemented on here. Elton John takes his time more on this album and lets the songs develop more, most songs are over 5 minutes and usually have long intros, which are done very well. Usually I do not love Elton's piano playing, I think he recycles ideas a lot on his songs but it was great on this album, the orchestral and rock elements were also great. Pretty cohesive overall, I think it is more consistent than Yellow Brick Road although it does not have as many hits. Favorite songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water, Indian Sunset, Holiday Inn. Least favorite song: Rotten Peaches.
I mean it's Elton John he just undeniably had the juice
Glam Elton is better than prog Elton.
3.5
Didn’t get me. Tiny dancer is of course fantastic
Meh. First two tracks are obviously classics, but after that I would give the album a C-. I mean, do we really think Elton should be singing about Native Americans like he is super familiar? Not offensive to me, but a bit weird.
Sometimes mucks it up lyrically or emotionally (namely indian skies, with its misguided lyric and poorly delivered intent), but thankfully the melodies and arrangements are so gorgeous its difficult to care too much. The album is perfectly delivered, even if the raw material isn't as strong as it could be. The production is clean as a whistle and Elton is endearing as ever, with the whole record being excellently paced too.
Great composed songs. Classic Elton John. First two songs make the album : Tiny Dancer and Levin. Edit : Madman Across the Water great too - 4/5
Well, it's well produced and professionally executed but it doesn't hit a spark with me. Elton morphed from a sensitive songwriting soul to a rocker then back to a sensitive soul and then to a pop-icon in the 80s and beyond and this I reckon this was on the cusp morphing to a rocker. He did better albums later on from this.
AJ: Tiny Dancer opener!? Levon!? 4. But also… 3.
Why does it take 10 bridges before he says the thing
Fun album, I love Tiny Dancer. Indian Sunset is a huge blemish though.
Tiny Dancer is superb, the rest is good but not great
Pretty good stuff here. 4 out of 5.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin write some great songs but this album contains none of them. Their romantic fascination with the Old American West is on full show, with John’s faux American singing accent dominating every song, like a crooner at an English working men’s club on a boozy singalong night, while Taupin tries to ape the Great American Songbook’s storytelling-in-song but never quite gets there. Too many themes and too little story. “Tiny Dancer”, for example, occasionally delights but is smothered in its wrapper of New Orleans piano pastiche. I can see why this was not popular in the UK and sold like hotcakes in the US.
Elton has one of the great iconic voices, up there with Freddie and Michael. I would listen to this even if it was fully acapella. I think Indian sunset might be a song that has aged out in the modern era, especially when sung by a British man. Still overall a great album. Favorite track was the titular madman across the water.
One Man Show.
# 113 : Good album. A couple of hits, a couple of fillers. Not too bad and he is a great singer. Favourite Track : Tiny Dancer Listened : 20/11/2023
Elton John is great. And this is definitely one of the classic albums of him.
I enjoyed this album. I already enjoy a few Elton John songs, and this album is no different. It's a nice slow rock/pop rock kind of album. I enjoyed most of the songs on the album, but nothing really stood out to me like "wow". 4/5 Favorite song: Madman Across The Water Worst song: All The Nasties
Aside from, of course, Tiny dancer, some cool moments here and there. In particular liked All The Nasties
Good, but not Elton's best
A slight album, though one containing Tiny Dancer, so not without merit. Otherwise, it's quite gloomy, and not his best.
Pretty good! Gets kinda jangly which is a sound I don't associate with Elton.
TINY DANCER
Good album.
One of my favorite albums.
This album is too all over the place… I mean, tiny dancer is one of the greatest songs ever written. But overall the flow of this album seems too random for me to have another listen. Highlights for me include tiny dancer, and the title track madman across the water
Well after that pitiful showing of the last album i did. I am pleased to know that Madman Across The Water is pretty decent. The songs weren't the most memorable and could take some time to get going but when they did get going, they sure did get going. I am glad to have run into a good album again. Best Song: Indian Sunset Worst Song: Tiny Dancer
The first half was great, a lot better than I was expecting. Was pretty done with it by the end of the album. Will all a couple songs from the front to my playlists though.
3/5. While I very much enjoyed the classic, Tiny Dancer as well as the title track, Madman Across the Water; the rest of the album left a lot to be desired in my eyes. In addition, every song’s length just felt way too long for the message and didn’t add anything positive.
What would be a boring Elton John album, carried and led by the actually good “Tiny Dancer” single, was relatively saved by the last three tracks.
The same song over and over
норм, може в машині їхати слухати Або десь на фоні влітку ввечері
I had no idea razorface was Elton John. Decent album. A little slow for my tastes, but it was undeniably Elton John.
Bland
The piano composition is excellent. The music feels a little dated to me, like it's more appreciated by a previous generation.
not the best Elton John album find Tiny Dancer overrated 3.3
I'm not really a massive Elton John fan. He does have a pretty great backlog of classics, but a lot of other songs feel quite similar to me, at least in a structural sense. On this album I think that kind of holds true. Tiny Dancer is a great song. I (obviously) love the bit where it all kicks off, and you get all the strings coming in along with the piano and the rest of it. A lot of the other tracks are very well done, and are good in themselves, with plenty of decent hooks and melodies... it's just I started to lose a bit of interest after a while. There's some really good experimentation and variety of instrumentation on this album though. Holiday Inn has some cracking mandolin playing through it for example. Other than that there's violins, keys (obviously) and even some soul backing vocals. So, overall good, just not entirely my jam all in one sitting. 3.5 rounded down.
Not my cup of tea
Tiny Dancer holds some weird nostalgia. Getting to hear it pumped out on classic rock radio in my teens, misheard lyrics, that one scene from Almost Famous, ...Mark Kozelek...Thinking about it...It's not impossible to think he likes this album as it harnesses a bit of murkiness and is quite an emotional showcase which may have influenced the Painters slightly. Anyway, a lot of solid stuff which was good to hear beyond Tiny Dancer and Levon. The latter I still think is one of the saddest songs I've ever heard for various reasons. This album is really good due to its overall quality in musicianship, songcraft, and ambition. The second half is a bit weaker but it closes out nicely.
lovely album. Levon such a beautiful song, and Tiny Dancer of course.
Who is *this* Elton John?? This guy is soulful, gravelly, makes risky decisions, fully locked and loaded. Have I not been paying attention? This is fucking fantastic songwriting and vocal work. He sounds so engaged, he is selling you on every note. A little more Van Morrison or The Band in his delivery than I remembered. Somehow I missed this AND I don’t think I’ve ever heard Tiny Dancer before! Instant convert. Taking no prisoners. The insanity orchestrations, too! Wow I’m such a sucker for that stuff. I’m hooked. Since listening to this album I’ve started writing the score to my first musical. We’re doing opening night at the Brattleboro community center basement next Thursday. 5/5
Got some huge pop classics but some weak parts. Great album overall.
YESSS!! this is one I'll come back to time and time again
Ne znam, nakon prvog slušanja je meh.
Reminds me of my mum, lots of good songs, felt like i knew every song without actually knowing them.
Tiny dancer - classic start
Tiny Dancer bumps the rating up 1 spot by itself. That scene in Almost Famous was fantastic.
Very enjoyable album. Every song flows nicely into the next. I appreciated the use of orchestral instrumentation. This was a casual listen while I worked, but this album deserves a more thorough analysis of lyrics than I could do today.
I didn’t realize how much I didn’t like Elton John’s voice until I played this album all the way through. The instrumentals are alright, but they don’t make up for having to hear Elton John sing. I liked the refrain at the end of Rotten Peaches though.
Pretty good. Better than most 3s I've given, so gets a phantom half star Anyway, one of those albums evoked a random memory, so here's a lil anecdote. (tw: no punchline) My grandma worked in a morgue. When I was a little lad she took me to her work once and for some reason they had a drum set, synthesizer and some other instruments there. Back then I didn't think much of it (I don't think I even knew it was a morgue), and now I just couldn't trust my memory, so I asked my mom. Turns out, it really happened, the morgue workers were having their houkago tea time there when the boss would go home. They also set the boss's door on fire once.
>tw: no punchline yet I laughed at "they also lit the boss' door on fire once"
He probably could have had a lot more hits if they just released more songs.
No doubt this is another monumental classic from Elton John. This has been in my queue for weeks and I just can't force myself to listen. I know I've probably heard the whole thing through as singles on the radio or sappy movies. As happens with music sometimes it's just hard to find the right frame of mind to wallow in such indulgence. I'll leave this exercise for others who are in the mood to get cloying.
6/10
Tiny dancer is great, but the rest of the songs sound nearly identical.
I like: Tiny Dancer Levon
Solid album. Indian Sunset seems a bit dated, but I still own two copies on vinyl.
Heerlijk openingsnummer met Tiny dancer, benieuwd of de rest van het album het niveau vast kan houden of in de buurt kan komen! De rest van het album is pop. Dan vind ik de rest van het album toch voornamelijk niet het beste werk van ser Elton. Die heeft naar mijn mening toch echt mooiere nummers gemaakt, en dan bedoel ik niet Cold heart. Het titel nummer vind ik wel weer heel interessant! All the nasties verraste me ook behoorlijk met het koor op de achtergrond, totaal niet de vibe die ik verwachtte haha FAVO: Tiny dancer, Madman Across The Water, All the nasties
Elton John Nog nooit een Elton John album geluisterd, die kunnen we weer afvinken. Tiny Dancer is een absolute klassieker, gewoon een mooi nummer. Hoewel de zangstijl van Elton John vol met emotie zit, vermoeit het op den duur wel een beetje. Ik vind de instrumentatie wel heel fijn, het album klinkt gewoon heel goed. Al met al vind ik de toon wel een beetje te somber, vandaag meer behoefte aan vrolijke muziek blijkbaar Prima albumpie, wat ook niet te lang duurt Favo's: Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water, Indian Sunset
I mean, it starts with Tiny Dancer.
Hehe this was really good. Can’t believe the Gnomeo and Juliet guy does his own music Top Tracks: 1) Tiny Dancer 2) Madman Across the Water 3) Levon 4) Holiday Inn 5) All the Nasties
-LOOOOVE elton john -have listened to albums of his before but not for this list and not this album -TINY DANCER!!!!! WHAT A START TO AN ALBUM!!!! -genuinely a beautiful song -razor face is a funky song -eltons voice!!!!! god i just love it -you Are a rock and roll man elton you tell em! -this definitely isn’t eltons best album -but tiny dancer is on this album which is iconic in its own right. so its getting a 4
Always enjoy Elton
good yeah
Was ok, glad to have it in the background as not my type of music, but was listenable while doing other stuff, not gonna listen again though
reminds me of kitchen closers and the people that would make fun of them
Elton john general, some good songs, relatively long but enjoyable to listen to
the man knows his way around a piano. and the harmonies he does in his songs always hit home for me.
What an amazing album that I had no idea existed. “Tiny Dancer” has an opener is absolutely perfect, but the way Elton goes almost into prog rock throughout the album made this a masterpiece for me. “Indian Sunset” is the high point.
kinda corny. kinda cute. indian sunset is an insane song.
Ah yes Tiny Dancer. Levon is cool tune too. Can't help thinking Elton John's songs sound same-ish. Sweet piano.
elton john
Toujours voulu écouter la légende Elton sans jamais savoir par quel bout m’y prendre. Cet album m’a donc poussé dans le vide. Et quel album. On sent direct qu’il a marqué une époque, une génération. L’album culte de Elton John à coup sûr. J’ai bien aimé.
every song sounds the same