Madman Across The Water

Much though I love Elton's music, I don't feel he's really an album artist. There are generally one or two strong tracks on each album, with the rest being high-quality filler.

I'd really like to rate this higher because Levon and Tiny Dancer are so good but it turns out those are the only good songs on the album. 3.5 stars

Elton John has a lovely sound on this CD. His compositional skills are great, with some lovely harmonic flourishes, and he has a serviceable singing voice, but the real star here is his production. The opener, “Tiny Dancer”, is a clinic in how to introduce varied sound (in rough order, slide guitar, drums, electric guitar, female backing vocals, beat-you-down orchestral strings, and then chorus backing vocals). He nails the other half too, which other guys with a similar build-up technique often leave wanting- that is, he motivates the draw back to a more sparse arrangement on the verses just as well. The main knock I have on this CD is it’s a little slow. It’s very ballad-heavy, and generally operates in the double-digits bpm. That’s not a flaw, but it’s not my style, and it does make it a little less fun and a little more of a chore to get through the whole thing. John’s voice is a little thin for how big the arrangements are too, and he has the funny affectation of trying to sound like Southern country, which comes off as very forced. If he just used about the same dose of backing vocals on every song as on “Tiny Dancer” it wouldn’t be a problem- but on the climax moments of e.g. “Levon” and the title track (which is also probably his worst abuse of the cowboy voice) he just hasn’t got enough power and projection on his own to carry it over the top, so those moments fall a little flat. The song structures are a little monotonous as well- he’s got a style, and that’s fine- but even guys with a style typically don’t have every song built the same way (starting slow with a single harmonic instrument, then vocals, then building to a monster chorus). He’s obviously capable of composing in a different style- he doesn’t do it much on this CD, but e.g. “Crocodile Rock” is quite different structurally (faster-paced rock, launches right into it). Apart from the opener, I think I liked “Holiday Inn” the best, precisely because it avoids some of these pitfalls- it used a more varied sonic palette (heavy on mandolin), it’s faster-paced, and it has big backing vocals on the chorus. If about half the songs were like that, I’d give it a 4, but it’s almost the only one like that. Enjoyed listening to it though.

Good album, not my favourite of Elton's songs though

Creative yet not his best.

Elton Juan

Side 1 is amazing, Side 2 is just ok.

Tony Dancer is a huge classic obviously but nothing comes even close to it on the album. Levon and the title-track is cool, but that's about it. Nothing bad either, just unremarkable.

Not his best works, but still very enjoyable. You can say what you want, but it's still Elton

I think that even the regular stuff from Elton deserve at least a 3

Good album. Not my favorite from Elton John, there's a few song that I don't care about... But there's nice tracks anyway : Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water, Indian Sunset or All the Nasties, well composed and arranged tracks directly from one of the best pop maker ever.

I like elton John

The record is not great but bad either - the pace and length is doable and just the fact it has Tiny Dancer and Holiday Inn on it elevates it - but the rest is middling Elton John fare so it balances out.

Tiny dancer hits

Solid album

Mehhhh…..

I can hear the talent, but I just cannot connect with this. I have the same response in relation to Queen or the Beach Boys. Not sure if this is a fair comment, but I sense something phony or inauthentic about them.

was okay

Bernie and Elton are insanely gifted storytellers. First half of the album kept me going, fell off a bit at the end. All in all, I have a new appreciation for Elton's music. 3/5

Only few things in this world make me feel the things that Tiny Dancer does. The rest of the album is solid Elton but does not reach the same level as the lead single or many of his other albums. Will Elton sing at the Queen’s funeral and what though? RIP

Beautifully, carefully crafted album. EJ offers nothing less than his fullest capabilities, although inspiration seems to taper off during the second half. There remain impeccable, brilliant songs such as Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water or Indian Sunset.

I hadn't realized this album was this old!

This is an interesting addition in John's stellar 70s run. There are some amazing songs on here but the flow doesn't quite work for me. The instrumentation throughout is very diverse and a lot of the songs have their own unique style which is great, but the songwriting is incredibly samey throughout as pretty much the entire album is 5 minute-ish mid-tempo rock opera ballads. After a little while it's really begging for some variety and, while songs like Levon are fantastic, having it straight after Tiny Dancer makes it pale in comparison. If there were a couple of shorter songs of a different style mixed between here it would be a much more balanced listen

A classic Great piano

Good album, tiny dancer is a banger

So OK, "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" are amazing songs... But most of the other tracks on this record drag on until you feel all those flourishes in them are quite unnecessary, honestly. And this as good as they are sounding at first... So give me *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road* any time, it's a nearly flawless album. But for the rest of Elton John's career, I think a nice compilation will nicely do the job of getting you acquainted to his overall talent (there are at least *two* of those compilations that can do that job right, by the way--don't miss them). Some artists are just more fit to the singles format. And Elton John is one of them, I think. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 820 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 97 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 46 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 39

3.5/5

this was my first ever elton john album. i recognized a couple songs. he's good, but faded into the background on this go 'round. prolly need to queue it up again

I think I’m more of a greatest hits fan…but some interesting tracks o hadn’t heard.

Really good

I took your advice to do subjective reviews Jambo, but no one needs more exposition on the emotions that Elton John tries to evoke*. Everyone that has even glanced momentarily at pop culture has his affectations and melodies burnt into their brain. So I'll just say that the title track is great, as is Tiny Dancer. Holiday Inn isn't bad. That's two and a half stars. Rounding up because Elton John seems cool. * Ok just one. Levon has a nice idea for a lyrical theme, but really, overusing the word Levon just takes me out of the moment. Like when you repeat a word over and over and the raw sound of it just bounces around in your head, detached from all meaning.

An incredibly strong start with Tiny Dancer, but apart from the title track nothing else stood out that much. Still fantastic piano and singing, given it's Elton John, so that made it enjoyable.

Couple of standout tracks, rest sounds like every other Elton John filler

Elton on aika iso aukko mun sivistyksessä. Ihan jees tämä. Eka biisi tietty tuttu ja kova.

Tiny dancer is great. This album otherwise wasn’t

starts strong but contains several snoozers

Here's a story I heard several years ago: Brian Wilson (you know, the cat from the Beach Boys) was doing an autograph signing somewhere in Texas. And apparently Don Henley (you know, the dude from the Eagles) was there and thought it would be fun to get Wilson to autograph one of his albums for him. Being the key cogs in legendary "California" bands, Wilson and Henley were familiar with each other and had met previously a few times. So Wilson was delighted to spot Henley show up with an album for him to sign, to the point that he even personalized it. Wilson wrote, "To Don, thanks for all the great music, Brian Wilson". But then he went back, drew a line through the word "great" and wrote "good". They both had a good laugh about that, and legend has it Henley then framed the album and still has it on display in his home. Now I have no idea if any part of that story is a true, but I feel better about the world believing that it's 100 percent accurate. And what does this have to do with SIR Elton John, or his 1971 album Madman Across The Water? I think it has something do with Elton John's legendary appearance at the Troubador in Los Angeles in August, 1970. Henley was there for one of the shows, confirmed in the Eagles Documentary. Brian Wilson was probably home in bed. But Elton John still talks about how "mind-blowing" that whole Troubador experience was and impacted his entire career. This album was recorded a few months after those Troubador appearances, and I can't help but believe that Elton adapted his sound to be more like the "California Sound" that was spreading across America. The fame and adulation he experienced during those performances was a drug that Elton would chase for years. You can hear a lot of that "California" influence on this album. He wanted to be part of that scene.

Nice album. Big tunes

Tiny Dancer is obviously great and Madman is also good. Indian Sunset is certainly a product of the times.

Certainly and interesting artist. Tiny Dancer is well known and pretty good. Levon was interesting, along with Madman Across The Water, and Rotten Peaches. But it's not something I'll be rushing to hear again.

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.

Not a big Elton John fan but this was fine...

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.

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.

Pop rock. Un poco aburrido

HOLD ME CLOSER, TINY DAAAANCER

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.

Not into Elton mostly but other than the radio hit or two on here this was pretty enjoyable

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

it was all right

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.

fav Tiny dancer, Levon and Madman across the water

Admittedly I was only half listening but some good stuff here. I really like the wee banjo or whatever in Holiday Inn

Good album by a great

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.

This album contains some good songs, but overall it feels very long and the songs start to blur because of their melodic similarity.

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.

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!

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

This is fine. Wouldn't listen to it again. Can't remember a single song from it. Fine

3/5 not good enough

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.

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.

2 bangerz on diz alboom

Good

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.

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.

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.

Fine.

I am no Elton expert, and apart from a couple of tracks. I think he has produced much better.

Irgendwas zwischen 3 und 4. Schon schöne Popmucke ala Bowie. Aber irgendwie auch eintönig irgendwann.

I'm not into Elton enough to do anything other than spin a greatest hits album once in a blue moon

Zelfs de hitjes van Elton zijn mij onbekend en had altijd 't idee dat er sowieso een hekel aan zou hebben, maar dat bleek niet helemaal waar.

Ik kan Elton wel waarderen. Niet alles is even sterk, maar die opener is echt classic!

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.

Helemaal niet zo pompeus als ik had verwacht. Mooi, maar het bleef niet hangen.

Szkoda, że country

One legendary tune, several less impressive but not terrible

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.

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".

Meh

3.5

This was a very nice listen, but kind of boring

Klassiker så att säga

Samma sak om och om igen. Lät ändå helt bra

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.

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

Elton's got much better albums than this one.

I am not into Elton's music, but this was a pleasant hearing. Tiny dancer is a fucking classic

5.5

Ok album. Did not listen much to it.

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.

Good, but not yellow brick good

Lyssnade på 3 låtar, inte min stil

GREAT singles, the other songs didn't move me

weird but pretty great. Jamaican Jerk-off?

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.

Ik vind het soms een beetje erg veel geluid

Really strong album with some great songs. I'll likely listen to again.

6/10

Loved every second of it.

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. ***

Starts strong with a classic banger, but then sort of tappers into being very forgettable

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.

No rocketman

Seis. Ouço enquanto corro numa praia do Pacífico. Tudo é real com o comando certo. MotA: Tiny Dancer "Blue-jean baby, LA Lady"

I liked this - I would certainly buy the LP at a decent price

It's alright

Heard a few of these songs before, but really good as an album together

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

Love tiny dancer, the rest are ok

I appreciate the song writing but it doesn't connect with me.

Some nice tracks but hurt by the fact that every song sounds the same

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.

3, it's fine. Tiny Dancer sets a high bar that the rest doesn't really reach.

Didn’t listen

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.

Tony Danza

"Elton John is a treasure." - Ashley Nicole Shega

Tiny dancer 😎

Interesting, obviously aware of Tiny Dancer track but a good album. Could be coming back for another listen some time soon.

OK.

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.

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

Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer & Indian Sunset

Adventurous lyrical themes and slick production. Will listen again.

Better than I was expecting, some nice surprises but the opener is the easy highlight. Best track: Tiny Dancer

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.

Listened to the MFSL CD from Red. Never heard the full album before. Liked it!

Good pop Songs, Quite interesting Piano. Not my kind of vibe but I can't deny it is a good album. 3 stars though

It was fine, but but it didn't show how good Elton John is. A bit boring

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.

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.

First thought - if you had no knowledge of EJ, this album cover would be quite misleading when the first notes hit on the piano 🤣

Peaks at the first song, massively

Tiny dancer really stands out, the rest relatively bland, coke fueled ballads. Strings are good. The Indian song is hilarious

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.

Good

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

Not as great as the other album of his on this list but still ok to listen to. It has a few hits on it but Tiny Dancer takes too long to get to the good part. No wonder the radio edit shortens the beginning.

Tiny dancer is great! rest of the album is solid too.

I do love me some Elton, has some bangers, however not my favorite album

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.

Pretty good but not his best

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 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.

With how much I admire the persona of Elton John, I really want to like his music more.

Meh.

I really only truly enjoyed Tiny Dancer from this one. Great pianist and singer, but not really my favorite songwriter.

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.

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.

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.

Liked this way more than I expected to - rich songwriting and lyrics that drew me in

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.

Kanske inte Eltons bästa skiva. Tony Dancer är väl bästa låten.

tiny dancer e 2pac

The album starts with the hit song 'Tiny Dancer'. The rest follows in that vein. Great piano-heavy ballads.

Apart from Tiny Dancer, the title track was the standout. Think it would benefit from a second listen.

Sounds like Elton John. Boring.

Enjoyed more than I expected I might. Interesting to find 'Indian Sunset' was the sample in Tupac's Ghetto Gospel.

Did not expect to appreciate as much as i did but the emotional conveyance and musicality genuinely impressed me

3.5

Meh

Sorry Elton but this is boring the shit out of me

Not a huge fan 🪭 Interesting lyrics/storytelling I find his voice a bit cringe. Tiny dancer being a classic is always fun to listen to though.

Album #194: Elton John – Madman Across the Water ⭐⭐ I like Elton John. I have a soft spot for him because I once snuck into a festival in San Francisco through this elaborate plan that somehow paid off. When I got in, he was on the main stage playing all the hits, and it was a great aul time! The hits are no problem. It’s the rest that brings him down. This is actually my first full listen to one of his albums, and it starts off great. Everyone loves Tiny Dancer. It’s an absolute classic with a tremendous chorus. A beautiful, uplifting love song. It’s followed by the second single on the album, Levon, and when the drums kick in on that song, it sent a chill up my spine. I thought this was going great! But by the time I got to the penultimate track, All the Nasties, with its awful lyric, “They’d turn a full-blooded city boy, into a full-blooded city man,” I reflected on the album I had just heard and realised I didn’t like anything post-Levon. Virtually every song is the same tempo, somewhat about the same kind of stuff, and it’s actually a poor-sounding album too. It’s got all this orchestration and strings on it, but it doesn’t ever sound lush. It’s almost like it is too compressed or something. The big outlier is Indian Sunset, which doesn’t really sound like the rest of the album. But it is comfortably the worst song on the album. Take out your Native American stereotype bingo card for this one. I know it was a different time, but still! An awful, cheesy track. It got some points for my realisation that this is the tune sampled on Ghetto Gospel, but it didn’t save it. So yeah, at 45 minutes it’s not a long album, but every song feels long-winded. I’m now not looking forward to any more Elton and Bernie. Sorry, folks.

Nothingburger. One good songs makes not a good album. The rest of the songs are production line quality, totally forgettable.

This album is all right: the title track is quite good and of course there's "Tiny Dancer," but then again several tracks just sound like failed attempts to sound like "Tiny Dancer," and I'm also unfortunately a hater of "Levon" and "Indian Sunset." Despite the fact that Rick Wakeman is on it, I highly doubt anyone who would describe this album as prog rock has ever listened to, like, "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" or whatever. No disrespect, but this album is just 70s piano-centric pop rock. Sure, it includes one of the greatest songs ever in that particular genre--but it's not much beyond that. In comparison with other albums I like much more that I've given 3 stars, I think this has to come in at a slightly apologetic 2.

I found this very plodding and dull, while also too theatrical to be calming music. Somehow every track felt much longer than it actually was. Standout Track: None. I realized in listening to this that I've never heard the full build up to Tiny Dancer, and now I like that song less. Rating: 2

Dia 3 Elton John - Madman Across The Water 01. Tiny Dancer - 4 02. Levon - 5 03. Razor Face - 2 04. Madman Across The Water - 4 05. Indian Sunset - 8 06. Holiday Inn - 5 07. Rotten Peaches - 5 08. All the Nasties - 3 09. Goodbye - 6 Média: 4.6 MINHA NOTA: 3/10 Recomendo?: Não.

Always had a conceptual affinity for Elton John, because he didn't give a shit about lyrics and was content to focus on the music and let someone else write them. "Tiny Dancer" was Bernie Taupin's (Elton John's regular lyricist) love letter to his (Bernie Taupin's) wife and Elton John was like, "sure, whatever." Maybe Elton should have exercised a little editorial restraint because "Indian Sunset" is supposedly from the viewpoint of a Native American warrior and hoo boy. Wait, this is favorite among his fans? Really? And he loves singing it? Oh no. Anyway, I have a hard time putting my finger on why I'm not crazy about this. Part of it is that Elton is trying to hit a home on every sung, and he's drowning out even good melodies with too much orchestration, like if George Martin was just given free reign with every Beatles song and added strings and piano and timpani and shit to everything. It's all so bombastic and leaden, and I really struggled to get through it.

Tiny Dancer is a fine single and demonstrates what Elton can do. Then there are other songs.

Skilled composition and song writing but overall tone just feels soppy and a bit bland. Only so many ballards needed on the same record

I don't think I ever went out of my way to listen to an Elton John album and while I probably won't go back to it I really enjoyed my time with it.

I suppose it's not his fault. It's just not my bag. 'Tiny dancer' is a brilliant song. 'Levon' a good follow up. The rest for me is a largely a miss although some nice orchestral arrangements.

He's a fantastic musician, but this outing isn't it. There's something lacking in each song that Elton John's charisma just isn't making up for. There all a little too long and plodding. And I enjoy long songs when they take me on a journey. Maybe one or two of these songs should have been thrown onto a B Side of another album and it would feel earned, but this was not that engaging. Tiny Dancer

I didn't enjoy it too much, it just felt like generic music to me, there was nothing special about it.

Oh no! Piano ballads :( not the worst tho Not for me but great songwriters of course 5/10

I hadn't heard of this album. As I listen and read around, I'm wondering why this album is in the book: it wasn't popular, I can't see any growing love from critics. Given how popular John's records have been, I feel like I should find something to like in this music? But this album isn't/wasn't core to his popularity. I'm thrown by odd Wikipedia statement that this album was John's foray into progressive rock - it's a bit more prog than his other stuff, but to me this album is mainly commercial big budget arrangements, prominent strings drowning potential interest in piano parts. Refreshing to read Christgau's comments on this album (ie it's meandering and maundering), compared with his appreciation of some other John/Taupin work later in the 70s. I don't find much to like on this album: I'm not interested in Tiny Dancer (music ho hum, lyrics ho hum), I'm put off by Indian Sunset (superficial ragbag of incoherent inaccuracies). My respect for John as a long-popular recording artist and performer doesn't stop me saying this album is Pretty Poor, 3/10.

I think my biggest hot take of any album on this list so far is that I think that 'Tiny Dancer' is kind of overrated. Not that it's not very good, but I wouldn't put it amongst Elton John's best like so many others do. And sadly, that leaves me with a pretty mixed view on this album. I think that 'Levon' is pretty great - honestly I might like it more than 'Tiny Dancer' on some days, and 'Indian Sunset' is also a high point, but the rest of this album just doesn't do much for me. Not a bad album, but I don't see myself going back to it very much.

2 good songs (Tiny Dancer and Levon) and 1 decent song (title track) among a 9 track album. The rest is a mess of terrible lyrics, overwrought vocals, and excessive arrangements (strings everywhere). I think Holiday Inn could have been an ok song, but I don't want to hear the narrator talk about being in a rock and roll band when the song is mainly strings and mandolin. I suppose the excess of the 70s doesn't work me. It definitely doesn't on this album

Tiny danceeeeeeeer

Boring and mildly uncomfortable.

I dunno, I've never really been a fan of Elton John and this album isn't doing much to help. I do like Rick Wakeman however, but you could barely hear him on the songs he was on. Maybe the next Elton John album will be better...

Aside from Tiny Dancer, it's just.... there? it exists, i guess.

EJ is great but I wasn't getting into this as much

I really enjoyed how grand everything was, but the songs felt very disconnected from each other and from me - didn't really vibe with the lyrics. No shade but all my favorite moments are the ones he stops singing. I found his voice a bit distracting since i really enjoy the instrumentals, especially when the strings hit. Found the later tracks a bit more my style, but Elton John's style in general isn't my thing. Favorites: "Tiny Dancer", "Rotten Peaches" 2.5/5

no me gustó, suena como música cristiana 5/10

Title track is the best on the album. I'm beyond tired of Tiny Dancer and never much cared for "Levon". They do make some sense in the context of the whole album. The Indian song is good but definitely dated. That said the musicianship, composition and arrangement are stellar. However, there isn't one song that has a tempo higher than a coma. I was really bored after a while.

It starts, there's some twinkly piano stuff, some earnest lyrics and then it ends. Nothing is remotely memorable. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆(4/10) Total reviewed : 367 Already owned : 79 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 265

There are so many of Elton John songs that sound like they're about something, but when you listen more closely, they turn out not to be.

Μιεχ. Είχε ορισμένα καλά. Αλλά γενικά είναι υπερεκτιμημένος ο Γιαννάκης. Το καλό που τους θέλω να έχει Νιναρα εδώ μέσα.

tipico elton john, piano, voz, canciones melancolicas, 2/5 aburrido

Elton John is not really my thing. The songs of his I do like are usually just cause they're entertainingly goofy. "Tiny Dancer" is on here and is fine. "Rotten Peaches" was the only other one I kinda dug, but the rest missed me.

Like, it's well performed, written, and recorded. But it's the aural equivalent of beige. It starts good with Tiny Dancer and the songs after are kind of just there. Indian Summer is a bit awkward now, and that's putting it lightly.

I was surprised by this album as I didn't recognise a single track, having never been particularly enamoured of Elton I went in worried. As piano-led pop goes it's perfectly fine but frankly a little underwhelming, I expected it would irritate me but it just passed by with the occasional nice melody and a twinkling of the ivories.

good pop songs that I don't care about too much

I’ve always struggled with Elton John and this album no exception. Started with the hit then ended for me. All filler

Supremely uninteresting. Just like not much to latch onto.

Muy genérico... No like. Dos estrellas porque tiene Tiny Dancer, pero hasta ahí.

Sincerely, after tiny dancer, no much more. It was kind of weird to hear Elton singing so americanized?? Am I not used to his diction?? Probably, first time listening to a complete album by him

Eh

Gonna upset some people here. Beyond tiny dancer the rest is a bit forgetable. Very much a greatest hits man for me

its just not my thing :/ It wasn't bad but I expected more variety, it felt balladery after balladery.

Overrated. None of his good songs are here.

What is he going on about?

Pop, 1971 -> 2

2.5

How interesting. I mean some catchy tunes in there for sure but im not sure i fully understand the genre / audience of this album. I don’t really remember much between tiny dancer and all the nasties (although razor face did catch my attention) but TD will be stuck in my head for the next 7-10 business days so you gotta give him that.

Wasn’t very inspired by this and kinda felt like one long song. Begrudgingly and after many years I guess I like Tiny Dancer

Unfortunately for you Elton, you chose an idiot as your lyricist. Bernie Taupin you have a lot to answer for, making a great songwriter suck.

Tiny Dancer lifts this up from a 1 for me.

Little bit boring album, despite Tiny Dancer and Holiday inn.

Not one of Elton's Best. Some say it was his foray into Progressive Rock. It was not. I'd give it 2 1/5 starts if I could

The hits were okay. The rest were awful.

If country was still a little douchey, but not as overwhelmingly douchey as it is, it would sound kind of like this.

Eltton johni ei oo koskaan ollu mun juttu, eikä siitä tullut nytkään. Jotenkin vain tylsää.

2.5 Reading some of the reviews of the album and people are criticizing Indian summer due to whitesplaining or being cultural appropriation or whatever, to me seems erroneous to me. Dudes just telling a story, same as razor face and levon and probably the rest of it. I dont even like Elton John, although I did sing a few bars of tiny dancer before my 4 year old daughter yelled at me to stop...

The same four chords - relatively depressing. Extra star for Tiny Dancer

Such a versatile artist, he does so many different vibes of music so well. Fav song is ‘Tiny Dancer’.

Sounds really nice, not exactly my speed. The songs blend together a bit. There would often be 15 seconds I *loved* from a song that I will certainly forget in whole. Indian Summer has my favorite moments but it's not a song I'm rushing back to. Amazing moments in songs that aren't. Amazing songs on an album that isn't. This is album number 2 of 1001 lauded albums. Trying to rate with that in mind. Giving it a 2, but should be a 3.

Only has 1 good song the rest are very average and one definitely did not age well.

I just can't get on the Elton thing:(

Tony Danza doing some heavy lifting here.

rotten peaches goodbye - норм треки, но я ничего не добавил

Got to be near the top for number of key changes per song. But that’s not typically how I review these. Tiny dancer is great. The rest I’ve already forgotten.

too many songs sound the same. but i like the title track.

Not my thing

"Tiny Dancer" is a gem, "Levon" is pleasant enough, the rest is inconsequential.

Me

no me gusta elton john lo sinto

I’m sorry everyone but I like Tiny Dancer. The rest, not so much.

Didn't mind this - the heavy-handed social commentary hasn't aged well but it was pleasant enough to listen to..

I just don't care enough

Tiny Dancer is a brilliant song, but the rest of the album is quite dull

vhb

idk not my thing everything sounds the same and half assed even though maybe it's not

Man, I wish I'd liked this more. Alas

Classic

Unfortunately, this album further solidifies my view that Elton John is boring.

2.5. Tiny Dancer is great. Torn Peaches was pretty good. Otherwise meh.

Bon ben j'aime pas Elton John, j'aime pas Elton John...

never found elton that interesting or impressive, nothing on this album for me really

- Zionist and played Sun City during apartheid South Africa. Boycotting. - Tiny Dancer is obviously a great song, but the other songs didn't really do it for me - I like the piano, but the songs left no memory even though they went on way too long. - The lyrics feel insincere, as well.

Passionate album, all the songs are very charming and the piano demos are equally fantastic. My favorites were "Rock Me When He's Gone" and "Levon (mono single version)"

Ok

I am sorry Elton, I truly did try I want you to know that. Maybe I am just bad at listening to Elton, but I am beginning to classify my thoughts on Elton John as somewhat misplaced. This reviews are mix of my general feelings but also the quality and skill that went into the music. Elton and Bernie Taupin do know how to make some good music. Unfortunately I think the actual songs themselves are usually quite repetitive with much of the difference between the songs being the lyrics. But the way the songs build up tension and then release the tension feels almost the exact same in almost all his songs. This is technically bad, I think I could feel the same way about the structure of a Steely Dan song, but the problem is with Elton John is that once you recognize where the song is headed, there's not much really left to surprise you or make you pick your head up. Elton sounds amazing of course, but if that, his piano playing, and a samey orchestration isn't enough, then you will be like me wanting more. I will say I do like when Elton gets weird with his vocals, when he articulates or noticeably says something with his mouth very tight and rigid, it added some nice texture to the vocal arrangements at parts. I very much enjoyed the single Tiny Dancer, however I found the song MATW good and the most experimental out of any of the songs on the album. I feel like if he went more in that direction then I could really open myself up to music, but at that point I would just rather to Kate Bush.

While I enjoy some of Elton John's songs—these aren't them. ★★

Obviously an important artist. Plenty of ambition and inventiveness here, and a lot darker than I expected. The chorus of Tiny Dancer is worth waiting 15 minutes for. But I’ve never really liked his singing.

Didn't engage strongly with this. I don't need great lyrics to enjoy music, but these lyrics baffle me, especially Indian Sunset. Some cool musical moments, like the guitar riff and strings on the title track. 5.5

The hits are fun, of course, but I felt like he'd shown me what he could do after three or four tracks, and the balladeer thing didn't work as much for me as the album went on.

Tiny dancer is great but it lost my interest after that. I find his piano playing lacks nuance, which is a bit of a problem given it is the focus of all the songs.

I really dislike Elton John. Something about his songwriting style and approach and what I always perceived to be a sense of self importance and self aggrandizement that puts me off. Beyond the obvious opener, this was entirely forgettable. Special mention to ‘Indian sunset’ for being a particular turd.

A couple hits (Tiny Dancer and the title track) but otherwise, just meh. 2.5 maybe?

TBH i think i would give the whole album 2.5/5! Not bad just not my thing that much haha.

tiny dancer es mas larga de lo que recordaba.. el resto de canciones no me conmovieron

Great songs, great songwriter... but it's not my style. It seems to be a great record.

Favorite track: Levon Very subpar 70s piano rock. It has nice string arrangements and the classic bombastic production that was the style of the time, but it's brought down by a handful of overly long songs, unceremonious endings (a cardinal sin in piano driven rock and pop music), and poor lyrics and storytelling.

I knew Tiny Dancer prior to listening to this album obviously and I do really like that song, but the rest of the album was kinda meh. Maybe it's just cause I don't really get the Elton John hype? I'm just not the biggest fan of his stuff. Razor face felt like a dumb song and the rhyming felt cheesy. I'm thinking that appeal that's in the appeal of him for people though, the songwriting? I dunno. I did like the end of the album kinda though. It was chill and nice sounding but nothing caught my attention as "Oh, I wanna listen to that later". Maybe I will return to this album in the future and relisten and will like it more? I hope so because I want to get the hype about Mr. Elton John

Boring

I enjoyed this more than I expected, without being surprised at all. Not exactly Little Richard, but pleasant.

There's an awful lot of waffle on this album. Indian Sunset in particular had me losing the plot. It's partially saved by the delights such as Tiny Dancer. This is why punk needed to happen.

He needed somebody to rein him in. Levon and Tiny Dancer are masterpieces, then he just goes for excess and misses the plot. Annoying singing (bad, similar runs) with weird orchestra and choirs

This was a perfectly pleasant album that I’d have on in the background, after getting exciting about hearing Tiny Dancer

First Impression before Listening: I haven’t heard much Elton John. I’ve never even heard a full album by him. I’m quite fond of the song, “ Don't let the Sun go Down on Me” especially the version with George Michael. I love Tiny Dancer but I haven’t heard another song off this album. Tiny Dancer: 10/10 Great Lyrics. Fantastic Piano. Great lap steel playing. Good guitar. Perfect song. Levon: 6.2/10 Not a bad song but not incredible. It doesn’t have the same quality as tiny dancer but the song carries on like it thinks it does… Razor Face: 6.5/10 Solid chorus. Original sounding. Madman Across the Water: 7/10 Great guitar intro. Probably should’ve focused on it more. But the electric outro and the middle 8 do it justice. Indian Sunset: 5.5/10 Pretty boring. Long. An entire album of ballads can be a bad idea. Because ballads should be performed in moderation. Holiday Inn: 6/10 Folky instrumentation and lyrics. At least it’s not a piano ballad. Rotten Peaches: 6/10 Pretty standard. All the Nasties: 4/10 Cheesy lyrics. The piano at the end of the chorus sounds exactly like tiny dancer. Goodbye: 4/10 Not too bad. Filler. All round not a bad album, just an underwhelming one. Tiny Dancer is a fantastic song and no other song is even worth mentioning on this album. Repetitive piano/ballad parts and boring lyrics mixed with long and experimental instrumentation make this album a chore.

Day 52/1089 I do not care for Elton John. He insists upon himself. Probably not fair to judge elton as "guy singing on a piano" versus the "guy singing on a piano" of yesterday (stevie wonder), but he just...isn't all that great except for Tiny Dancer. He lacks the oomph or much of anything. Also did he just look around and pick random objects to write songs about? oh yeah let's write a song about...holiday inn. yeah that sounds good. indian sunset seems to be just a bunch of native american stereotypes jammed into a song. razor face is...what?

I truly have no idea what Elton is singing about on half of these songs. 2.5 for a couple hits and some tough listens.

🙂‍↕️

Never could get too excited about Elton. He may be just too pop for me. I saw him live once and, although it was a high-powdered show, in the end, I still felt the songs and music to be fairly mundane. And, the whole glam thing was off-putting to me. Also, the Phil Spector-type Wall of Sound background strings and vocal choruses are unnecessary and distracting.

ну, для того времени неплохо, интересно, но не мое

Liked tiny dancer Didnt think much to the rest

Pompous pop music, lots of frills and orchestral flourishments. I find the songs quite boring however, the secret might be in the lyrics, of which I famously do not care at all. This type of music is not for me.

not for my age

Better than I expected. Wikipedia describes this album as progressive rock, which was not something I would connect with Elton John, but I can hear it, though admittedly it's not one of my preferred genres

not my favorite music from him, honestly most narratives were more story like and not relatable, weak lyrics and I probably won’t listen much more to it.

DNF. Every other song just had the same structure and it was boring me. Technically impressive I guess

It's all well played and written. It's just not my thing. I love a lot of Elton's singles and the world could do with more Elton Johns but I don't click with this. Maybe the songs are too dramatic and grand.

eh kinda all felt the same but thats me fav song: indian sunrise

Lame

It's fine, background music. Nothing to get excited by, but nothing to dislike either. Just...ok

Tiny Dancer and other stuff.

tiny dancer makes this album

Levon and, especially, Tiny Dancer, are classics, but I didn’t care much for the rest of the album. 2.5/5

2/5 - Tiny Dancer is as great as Indian Sunset is bad. The music itself is alright, but nothing new here to discover.

Singles doing the heavy lifting here.

Bit before my time in Elton John terms. Found it heavy going compared to his golden mid-70s period...

A bit musical theatre for my taste. Cultural misappropriation in the middle with the Iroquois was rather ironically good.

Ihan taitavaa pianon pimputtelua, mutta ei tällästä yksin kuuntelisi. Mageet lasit kuitenkin

Too much of the same thing. Don’t care for many of the songs. I just don’t think he’s my cup of tea. 4/10

2.2/5 Nothing stands out here. No particular track jumped out at me. I liked madman across the water, and its not like the others are bad but i think because of how much other good music i have been running into recently i just didnt think this was anything special. And i even gave it two listens. Recent Notable Music related events I listened to the greek song with lyrics last night while i was being emo about not getting enough attention. Other notable events of the day. Conversion at work about bitcoin made me want to figure out how it works better. There was also talk about the economy and things like that of which i am very much uninformed. Didn't contribute much to the conversation.

1.👍 2.👎 3.👎 4.👎 5.👎 6. 😑 7.😑 8.😑 9. 🥱 everything just kinda runs together and isn't as good as Tiny Dancer

Indian Sunset is gruesome and cringe worthy, even for the 70's. Holiday Inn was ok actually. I do like Homie Clothes So Tiny Damn, Son. All the songs are too fussy and some of the strings are oppressive. What is the deal with that chorus on Nasties? I didn't care for his piano playing. It sounds the same on every song.

Average Elton John album...the kind of music you will hear in your cousin's house during Christmas...not my favorite though...actually it's a bit boring.

Cool, Elton John. I'm only familiar with this guy because of his collaboration with Gorillaz on Song Machine. I don't remember much about the song he featured in, but it was a psychedelic, synthpoppy thing from what I recall. Two list albums is kind of crazy for a singer-songwriter as influential as this, though maybe he's always been a singles guy. Anyways, I'm pretty sure Elton John has always belonged to the pop rock genre, so I'm locking in that as my prediction. Not bad I suppose, but it's just the same thing over and over again. The pianos sound the same. The operatic vocals sound the same. The backing instruments shift around a little, but that's as much variety as I got outta this. Might as well stick to your strong suit if it delivers a thousandty-eighty-nine album nominee, but this music admittedly has a limited appeal to me, and it's lack of variety didn't do much to hook me. "Tiny Dancer" is a good opener. Nice piano number, and the vocals are pretty good, too. I like that the song becomes bigger and more irreverent as it goes on, too. "Goodbye" is an alright closer. I always love me some good strings, and a mournful tone is always a good pick to close an album on. Book time. Remained in the US charts for nearly a year, but was one of his worst-performing releases in the UK. Where Elton John found many of his long-time collaborators. Like I said earlier, two Elton John albums on the list seems too prudent given his legacy and I imagine this is among his best because of the relative scarcity, so I'm game. I cosign this inclusion.

Sok

*sigh*

Elton is a true talent, no doubt, but this album is really just the two to three songs, and not much else.

my favorite thing about elton john is that sometimes he's exaggerated syllables so hard that it seems like he's taking the piss out of bernie taupin. this feels like it's on the list because of tiny dancer and levon, the rest of it is pretty weak considering the portfolio

forgot to rate this one when i listened — eh. i thought i was an elton john fan but i am realizing through this project that i really just know and like the hits an am eh on everything else

I love Elton John, but there's a reason that the only song I've heard from this album is Tiny Dancer.