Madman Across The Water

Another solid 70s record. Tiny dancer is the standout, but it is all pure Elton. 4.1

The man can sing! A little uneven; they can’t all be Tiny Dancer. Madman is great; Indian Sunset definitely didn’t age well. Anyway, this was enjoyable. 7/10 Quite Likeable

Just like the last Elton John I got-- why is each song about twice as long as it should be? "indian Sunset" is uhh

I’m a fan. Not quite Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but so good. A special kind of 4. Maybe next time it’s a 5. 4 Boolean: True

i mostly like elton john but i've never listened to this album before (or any in their entirety, he is a singles artist in my experience and listening), and i don't feel as though i've missed a lot up til now.  apparently these are songs inspired by his touring in the united states and i'm just not impressed much by them.  even the two most known songs from this album, tiny dancer and levon, are two of my least favorite singles of his.  a little overblown and a little self-indulgent (as most elton john stuff is), but the charm of these songs is lost on me.  i added tiny dancer and madman across the water to my playlist, 3/5

Album #285 Elton John: Madman Across The Water Despite being a big fan of a lot of 70s piano-driven rock; Bowie being my favourite solo artist and Supertramp my favourite band, I’ve never felt that connected to Elton John’s music. Don’t get me wrong, his greatest hits are up there with the best of them, but most of his songs just come across a little too hokey for me. I mean, take some songs off this album, ‘Razor Face’ and ‘All The Nasties’, like what is Elton even yapping about here? That’s not to say that he isn’t talented, though, and this album is actually quite enjoyable; I suppose what’s missing is the personal connection that would make me excited to actually sit down and listen to some Elton John. Tiny Dancer is the obvious classic, but there are actually quite a few well-written standouts here. Overall, a good showing from Elton John, and even though he isn’t my favourite artist, I can’t help but acknowledge his greatness. Best Songs: Tiny Dancer, Madman Across The Water, Levon Worst Song: Holiday Inn Score out of 10: 7

Tiny Dancer, a song I like because I’ve heard it a million times followed by 8 songs I’ve never heard and will never listen to again. They weren’t bad, just nothing special. Heard it before? ❌ Listen again? ❌ Rating out of ten? 4️⃣

Obviously Tiny Dancer is an amazing song, but it really has to carry this album. The other songs are of course not bad - they are just very Elton John in exactly the same way.

Elton John is universal, appealing to both music aficionados (i.e. snobs like us) and also casual fans. It’s harder to find any type of genre fanbase that dislikes him. This album is a good example why. Tiny Dancer and Levon are two masterpieces to start out an album with. The remainder of the album is full of wonderful tunes, well written occasionally with lovely symphonic accompaniment. Compared with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which is more of a mixed bag, this feels like a cohesive quality album from beginning to end.

En vrai tiny dancer sauve tout Le début est super la fin est triste donc moins accroché

Would give it 3.5 if I could but it's closer to 3 than 4

Good stuff. Love Elton John.

We're starting with Elton John! The song Tiny Dancer is a classic and it will forever stay one. The rest of the project is honestly really good as well. High 4

And the red sun sinks at last into the hills of gold. And peace to this young warrior comes with a bullet hole. - One of the most arresting lyrics in modern music

Just really the one well known song with the rest being fine.

Mwèh, teveel van hetzelfde. Muzikaal niet slecht, maar grijpt me totaal niet. Eigenlijk 2,5

4.5

The first six tracks are absolute perfection. The last three songs back it up as very well in power, they're just not as memorable. 9.8 ★★★★½

My favourite Elton John album. 5 stars

I always want to like this album more than I do because the first two songs are classics. The album overall is really frontloaded though and the second half is pretty meh. Still, it's an enjoyable listen overall. Highlights are basically the first four tracks, especially "Levon" and "Tiny Dancer". 3.5 stars.

4.5

Elton John on a bit of a roll here. Only a year after his breakthrough hit Your Song yet this feels like a couple of monster levels up. Opens beautifully with one of his all-time greatest singalongs and the next 4 songs after it are magnificent as well particularly the brooding epic title track. Just a slight tailing off but other than that this is gold, Jerry! “Hold me closer tiny badger Count the headlights on the badger highway Lay me down in sheets of badger linen You had a busy badger day today” “He was born a badger to a sow on a Christmas day When the New York Times said, "Badger God is dead And the badger war's begun" And Alvin Badger has a badger son today”

Bom disco. Não tem apenas Tiny Dancer. As guitarras são tímidas, o piano carrega quase tudo, com vigor suficiente. Obra madura, muito bom.

Another one I enjoyed way more than I thought I would, my mum was right that one time.

Uneven, but good. Levon is one of my favourite Elton songs. Tiny Dancer not so much, but mostly because it's been played to death over the years. The rest... well it's good but not great. I'll give it a three based on the strength of the first two songs and the rest being mostly OK. Another artist with better albums. 3/5

I’m a bit of a so-so fan of Elton. He has some good songs but a best of is probably more than enough for my tastes. That said, I found there to be some grittier moments on here that I wouldn’t typically associate with him, alongside I slight country vibe that was just enough not to be cheesy.

Shame it starts with the strongest song by a way

Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Not a huge Elton John fan. Seemed pretty generic did not move me

absolutely gorgeous orchestra and instrumentation overall was solid the lyricism was very really good on a couple tracks yeah solid album favourite tracks: title track, indian sunset, rotten peaches note: this is my first elton john album ive heard and i must say, im impressed! 4/5

Great album that shows the start of a great run of albums.

Meh

do you think he ever played elden ring & named his character Elden John

3 songs won me over fair play Elton

Tiny Dancer is such an insane Side 1 Track 1. Like WTF.

Listened through this album a few times and o don’t really have any super strong opinions about it I for sure liked it but idk that I can say this is one of the best things I’ve ever listened to I think i liked goodbye yellow brick road better 3.5/5 Favorites: holiday inn, tiny dancer, madman across the water, rotten peaches

for music industry reasons i guess, elton released three albums in 1971 which must partially explain why half these songs sound like shit from a butt. tiny dancer clears.

The highs here are so high. Tiny Dancer is perfect, Levon is great. And the deep cuts here are fantastic, too. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did...I'm gonna give it a 5.

I'm lukewarm about this, but at least Elton John always brings the drama and the emotion

Sounds nice but a bit boring

There’s a reason he’s the goat

Not even Elton's finest 6:17 that is Tiny Dancer can raise this above a 3. As for Indian Summer, I can see what he was trying to say..but dear lord there must have been less lumpy ways of doing it, still at least now I know where that 2Pac sample came from

Madman Across the Water has two strong songs in "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon". The moody and ominous groove of titular track keeps you engaged as well. Beyond that, this is largely forgettable album. Elton John and Bernie Taupin are equally to blame here. The former seems to be trying to create an "epic" opus on almost every song with multiple useless parts and starts and stops. The latter with lyrical gibberish throughout. The culmination of their efforts is the absurdly bad "Indian Sunset".

Madman Across The Water - Elton John I've never been a fan of Elton and I'm afraid I'm not really starting with this album, despite its undeniable production quality. I liked the orchestration for the title song and Holiday Inn though. Also the last song, because it was short, for a change. Well, that last sentence is what I'd say if I were meaner. 4.5/10

Iconic first song in Tiny Dancer. Levon another huge song. Feels like a story is being told. Reminds me of Queen in a way I can't quiet put my finger on. 3.5-4/5.

Not really my cup of tea. Some famous songs.

pretty good, a lot of the structure of his later works in this album

This was tricky to me. I feel like I should have liked this more than I did. But by the end of the album, I kinda didn't feel much of anything. No strong feelings one way or the other. Tiny Dancer is great though at least.

would listen again, a tad repetitive at times but nothing is perfect

I mean it's Elton John.. How could you not like?

Old Elton is a whiz on the ivories, but damn if all these songs don’t sound exactly the same. Tiny dancer is a classic, but every other song pretty much is just a worse version of that. If you live and breathe air Elton’s piano, this will be amazing all the way through. I found myself looking for more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s a reason why I’ve only ever listened to the ‘best ofs.’ This is shite. And the ‘Indian’ song is particularly horrific.

There's no way I could ever bring myself to dislike elton john. Ok i'ts not my favourite kind of music but I can absolutely agree that he is super talented on piano, has a great voice and is a pretty damn good songwriter. This album might be a little light on the rock aspect, but it still stays upbeat and fun to listen to without going to overly poppy, and it isn't too long either.

it feels so weird that the wiki article describes this as prog rock but, i guess that's not entirely wrong? its not as like, far into the weird technical shit as i like my prog rock tho. i'm more inclined to think of it as pop rock, so i guess thats something i can agree with the book on for once. anyway yeah its fuckin elton john idk what to say really. as expected from him it's some pretty solid soft rock with great piano and vocals. i'm not the biggest fan of like, soft pop rock as a genre but after a few listens i feel like i've warmed up to this one to just about give it a 4. at the very least i'd come back for quite a few of the tracks here, mostly known bangers like "tiny dancer" and "levon", but i quite like "razor face" too. although, i'm not sure why it stood out to me other than the obvious gay reading of the lyrics....? wait, it's probably the fucking electric organ again isn't it. i didn't even notice it was there until my 4th listen. am i really this predictable??

Bueno

2.5

Sorry Elton but this is boring the shit out of me

really dont care for it

Really enjoyed this album. It's easily 4 stars based on the strength of Tiny Dancer alone.

Hold me closer tiny dancerrrrr. A very passionate album yet Elton John’s cadence is phenomenal and calming. 10/10 classic. Some songs are long but I’ll allow it since they’re not repetitive or chorus-heavy

Prog for theatre kids, what more could I ask for

surprised me how much i liked this - feels quite timeless

Tiny Dancer is a great song. I know Levon but didn't know any of the rest. I really like Elton's voice and the instrumentation - varied mix of strings, choir, slide guitar, accordion, all kinds of sounds. Kind of a borderline 3/4 album for me.

When this opened with Tiny Dancer, I was prepared to really enjoy it; but that was definitely the strongest song on the album. And, for each solid single, I felt like there was an Indian Sunset. So, this ended up being pretty uneven for me.

Expected this to feel like another example of an artist best served by a greatest hits collection - but that's my bad for underrating Elton John's talent. I enjoyed Razor Face, Holiday Inn and Madman on the Water in addition to Tiny Dancer (which I only know because of its ubiquity after 'Almost Famous' came out.) When things got slower and more maudlin (or God Forbid, churchy), I liked this less. But that was only 1 or 2 songs so a really solid listen overall.

Сэр гей еще не расслушал но пойдет

хороший вокал. альбом говно

Definitely a classic album but I haven’t heard many of the tracks on here besides Tiny Dancer. Not my favorite Elton John album but not bad.

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.

Much better than expected

Hold me closer, Tony Danza. Aside from stumbling across the finish line, this thing is solid front to back. 7 keepers in 9 (78%). 2 bangers (22%). Strict math says 4 stars. Will revisit with more distribution data points.

Fuckin' love Elton Johnny. Not my favourite but it's still standing.

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

Great album and great vocals but it felt kind of repetitive, still good though.

Perfect!

I’m a bit bummed because I wrote quite a bit and it wasn’t saved. This is one of my early vinyl purchases, and as a youth of the 70s, Elton John was constantly playing somewhere. “Tiny Dancer” opens with piano and the world weary lyrics that will continue thru the album. Yet “Levon” is the song that really impacted me, with the chorus echoing the parental hopes and expectations contrasted with the actual materialistic Levon who Jesus would leave behind. All these songs also show how the 70s allowed songs to go past the 3.5 minutes, with all of them except the “Goodbye” coming in over 4 minutes. “Razor Face” rocks out a bit more , but still it has dark lyrics from Bernie Taupin. The title song also has great orchestration and a nice guitar lick. The lowered mid section shifts the mood for a moment. Tormented. Glimpse that Elton’s voice seems to exult with almost gospel tones. “Indian Sunset” begins acapella then adds piano. This is the parts of Bernie’s obsession about the American west that really always surprised me. It’s funny to hear Elton sing so sincerely about people he has no idea about. Like “Slave”. “Holiday Inn” is more believable since its story could happen anywhere. Elton’s ability to bring such joy and spirit to these lyrics almost misses their negative energy. “Rotten Peaches” doesn’t offer anything new, just a continuity to the sound and tone of the album. Though the line “ you’ll pick rotten peaches for the rest of your life” before discussing cocaine seems quite appropriate though. “All the Nasties” has the gospel feel over lyrics that ask for understanding about growing up. Why my teenage self gravitated to this album, even if I didn’t groove on the gospel then as I do now. This is the only song that goes too long, with the repeated “Oh my soul” chorus. Which makes me grateful for the brevity of “Goodbye”.

Been listening to Elton John since childhood. Definitely essential listening. Love the album

Favorite songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Holiday Inn

Tiny Dancer and Levon have enough chops to take this to a 4, while the other songs aren't super memorable, his vocals and piani playing are commendable.

Call me a basic bitch but I love Elton John. I grew up in a Billy Joel household (my mom hated EJ, possibly because of the gayness) and I wasn't really listening to him much as a result. I honestly can't imagine what it must have been like to hear "Tiny Dancer" for the first time, because even with my censor-happy parents, I still can't remember a time I didn't know it. The rest of the album is pretty good too, but I have to deduct one star for the ridiculous song about peaches.

sing it elton

Liked it!

Having never given Elton John much credit, I came into this with only a broad understanding of who he is and a "radio" understanding of his work. Never listened to any songs on repeat or followed closely, so I had little expectation coming into this. However, I can say that this man is a performer. He is a very good singer, but he's a performer through and through. Takes lots of bold chances and they all pay off. The album itself is very good. I really enjoyed the orchestral accompaniments and *most* of the songs. The one song that really brings it down is Indian Sunset, which for me, does not hold up well. It's not badly performed, just inaccurate and fraught with mislabels. It's seemingly well intentioned, but does not stand the test of time.

Starts out fantastic. "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon," which I especially enjoyed. Elton John's voice seems to be at peak in 1971. I wasn't familiar with "Razor Face" and "Madman Across the Water" before, but they were great, too, giving me the impression that the album was going to be straight bangers, the first Elton John album that didn't undercut my enjoyment of his near-perfect pop songs with stinkers. Then "Indian Sunset" shows up with its dated, sentimentalizing melodrama and... nope. "Holiday Inn" starts off with palate-cleansing instrumentation lead by mandolin, before being smothered by an orchestra. "Rotten Peaches" was pretty good, but "All the Nasties" was not. 3.5/5 in the end.

One of his best, both album and song

"An early album with a couple of early hits. This isn't a classic album, but there are a few all-time greats on here. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Tiny Dancer Levon"

Classic

good album

Tiny Dancer and Levon are an incredible way to open an album. One of his best.

Really nice stuff, evocative lyrics and really good tunes

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 have never loved Elton John’s music, I found a lot of it to be too safe or just not interesting, but this is a brilliant shift from the work of his that I had previously heard! ‘Tiny Dancer’ is obviously the big hit from this album, everyone knows the chorus and it’s one of his greatest tracks, but ‘Indian Sunset’ surprised me, it might have been my favourite on the album! Some of those high-pitched vocals and the storytelling are amazing and unlike anything else I have heard from Elton. I will definitely give some more of his early music a listen now that I’ve enjoyed this!

Early Elton

Good Elton John

Good album, but nothing extraordinary picks: Tiny Dancer, Indian Sunset

Often, as standalone tracks, there are diamonds here, like tiny dancer. However, as an album, I dint get the logic or the point of view, and some songs are a bit egregious like Indian sunset. He sure can sing and play piano, its not horrible by any means, but not a must listen

It really bums me out that the only love this album seems to get from a broader audience is Tiny Dancer. For granted, a killer track and one of his best, but I found a lot of grandiosity/feeeling in some of the other tracks. Just as dramatic strings and beautiful playing across Levon, Madman across the water, interesting Sitar on Holiday Inn, Great choir vocals on all the nasties, and a great goodybe closer. a little dour but very impactful. Was not going in expecting this album to hit me as it did.

Too long, too repetitive, too pondering, too boring

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

Nostalgic

Not the best Elton John album but it has a few good songs on it I enjoy.

I'm familiar with Elton John and have 21 songs liked by him on Spotify - with 3 songs on this album. The 3 liked songs going in are "Tiny Dancer", "Levon" and "Madman Across the Water" - which I believe were the popular radio songs. Tiny Dancer and Levon, in particular, are songs that have just been ubiquitous and ever present my whole life they've almost become like background music - still they are great songs. I must admit - I am very familiar with Elton John's radio songs and most of those are what I already have liked on Spotify. I was looking at the songs I do have, and it's generally like 1 to 3 songs "liked" per album. Curious to see how the rest of this is - since I really haven't spent any time deep diving on specific individual albums of his. "Indian Sunset" was cool. It's a tale told from the perspective of a Native American when his people were being wiped out by the white settlers. Looks like I found another song where the narrator is already dead - like Neil Young's "Powderfinger" and Marty Robbin's song "El Paso" - that's cool. After reading some of the reviews, I see some complaints about "Indian Sunset" for cultural appropriation or insensitivity. Huh?? He's identifying with the Native Americans and demonstrating their plight in a respectful way, in a cool sounding song. It's also a song without a chorus, which I dig. "Holiday Inn" - was a somewhat humorous glimpse into the, at times, drab life of a travelling musician away from the stage. Also, another song without a chorus. "Rotten Peaches" - another interesting song, with the narrator being on a prison chain gang (or something like that) working picking peaches. "Goodbye" - wow, that was an cool ending. Song seems to be almost autobiographical about Bernie Taupin - since he's the one that writes the songs after all. But he's retreating from society and wants to "waste away" - like he's had enough of the pressure of the music business. Extra points since it has no chorus and doesn't even mention the word "goodbye". It's like a quick poem that is a rush of ideas. This could be a good song on a Funeral playlist. Didn't really connect with "Razor Face" or "All the Nasties". I must add that early 70s Elton John was really good. The song writing is great - like a bunch of little mini-stories. Compare any of this to one of his 80's poppy hits like "I'm Still Standing" and it's a very big drop off in quality and interest. So, I have added 4 new to me songs to my Spotify collection. Good job Elton and Bernie! Liked songs on Spotify: 7/9 Rating: 4/5

8/10 Best songs: Tiny Dancer, Indian Sunset Surprisingly enjoyable album full of story songs that go just slightly too long for my liking. The vocals are great (Elton belts like no other) and the music works supremely well, but the lyrics can be a bit... not good... and even problematic at times (for as much as I like Indian Sunset, that song is dated af).

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.

kind of samey, loved tiny dancer

Zeer goed album. Maar ik moet welntoegeven dat het album op sommige momenten wel zeer lang aanvoelt.

I feel like when you are a Billy Joel fan, like I am, people expect or assume you are an Elton John fan as well. And while I do really like his most noteworthy hits, the rest of his songs all feel like filler to me.

Mi primer contacto con Elton. Gran disco, la primera cara es genial. Los siguientes discos también merecen la pena. 5 estrellas por lo que significo para mi en su día.

Love it

This may be the first Elton John record I've listened to that I like all the way through. "Tiny Dancer" is one of the greatest rock/pop songs ever written, and I also knew the great "Levon" song. However, I didn't know the rest, and I think that this being his "prog" album makes some sense and also explains a bit on why I do like it as much as I do, as it feels cohesive and solid all the way through. I also just don't like a lot of his style, but this album is a bit more rock before he went in the glam and then a more "adult contemporary" direction.

Madman Across the Water should be reimagined as a concept album about Donald Trump with songs such as 'Tiny (hands) Dancer' and 'All the Nasties'. As things stand it's Elton John if you like that. I Don't especially. 3 stars.

Tiny Dancer and Levon are bangers. The rest of the album, not so much. The lyrics were odd. The music was fine and Elton John can belt them out but it just didn't work for me. I'd listen to the first two songs any day of the week and the rest can stay out of my ears.

Another case of I wish I liked this more than I do. Hits are great, but the rest is unfortunately completely forgettable.

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.

Some fantastic Elton!

lurv any elton john </3

The Good: We know where the madman is! The Bad: Even on the other side, madness still follows us… The Ugly: Finding out that the Insaneman lives next door… I forget when it was, though I know that it was well before I started this journey here, that I decided to listen to the complete discography of certain big names in the music industry. Elton was one of them there names. Why this album is on the list, and Honky Chateaux isn’t beats me… it is a far superior album imho. This one, well it starts of grand, and is followed up by a song which, though I am certain I had listened to before, I couldn’t recall vividly listening to… Levon, what a gem of a tune… The rest of the album… filler. Bad filler. I feel bad for the madman across the water… he deserves better than this… 3*

Legendärer Opener, auch sonst ein ordentliches Album, aber nicht sein bestes.

Ich mochte den Beginn sehr gerne, irgendwann hat es mich verlassen. Aber Tendenz schon eher zu 4 Sternen als zu 2.

sounds kinda samey in a mostly good way

Epic!

All the finest music from Elton came written by Bernie Taupin. While I consider Goodbye Yellow Brick Road the peak, this is very good and underappreciated, in some ways. After listening to the full album, there is one clanker, but the final song is a forgotten gem. SO GOOD!

They all sound the same but it’s a good sound

For Elton John, this is a pretty good record, but still just feels middle of the road to me.

This was a great album. Tiny Dancer is a banger

One of Elton's best.

Never heard this record all the way through. Elton John has a magic about the way he writes music. Because I’ve never found the lyrical content of these songs all that gripping, sometime they don’t even feel like a fit for the song. And yet, I feel so many emotions when listening. I do feel like a few of the songs are a little same-y, specifically because I am very familiar with a lot of his discography. So I’m going with a high 4/5.

Very much a greatest hits artist for me, as I have never really found an album of his that I really liked apart from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This is solid and precisely what I would expect from an Elton John album, yet still doesn’t reach the heights of what I would like from an Elton John album.

Top 250 album of all time for sure. An iconic release for sure. Must listen. Wish I owned it physically.

Some unreal bass lines all over this

Very nice

Okay the hits are hitting but wtf is Indian Sunset and also the rest were fine! I have always loved his voice though.

First two tracks are great. Of course, those are the only two I know. Do I like these songs only because they’ve been drilled into my head for years?

Hold me closer Tony Danza

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

Tiny Dancer is the best, the rest is fine. So many references to Jesus! Surprisingly problematic song about Indians.

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.

It can be kind of boring and i wish the songs were shorter

Solid Elton album

3.1/5

Coming into this listen with a previously held colossal admiration for Elton John and his work, just a titan among musicians, immensely talented and has written songs that’ll be sung by generations to come. Tiny Dancer (9/10)- Have listened to this song a ridiculous amount of times. The song has an emotional pull within me mainly because of its use in Almost Famous (2000) which I think it one of the most awesome scenes in film. The piano just lights you up from the start. Easiest 9/10 I’ll give on this whole project I think. Levon (6/10)- Two songs in and Elton hits you with the full force of the orchestra. Levon would be a good name for a dog. Razor face (6/10)- Piano again hits hard going to be a recurring theme I assume. Guitar enters the scene in a big way. Yes. Did not expect the accordion and I’m not entirely sold on it. Madman across the water (5/10)-I want to like it but just doesn’t hit with me. Still a cool song. Indian sunset (4/10) opening A cappella absolutely sets the tone feels straight from some kind of western score. Holiday Inn (7/10) I like this kind of Elton the best don’t even really know how to accurately distinguish it from the other songs I didn’t like as much, I just do. Rotten Peaches (6/10)- no idea about this one. All the Nasties (5/10)- the choir came from nowhere but love that element of the song. Goodbye (5/10)- Goodbye Elton. Love this album, piano is just killer all throughout, this man has some radiant fingers. Combines so many different instruments and every song has its own distinct vibe. (5.8/10)

Not sure what I was actually expecting to hear from an Elton John album, but it wasn’t that! It’s so smooth, but also very magical. I feel like I wouldn’t really listen to any of these songs on their own, but as a full album it is pretty awesome. It’s sad how the lyrics of Indian Sunset ruin such an amazing instrumental by being kind of insensitive… 🤷

Hieno levynkansi, eka biisi todella hyvä ja Eltonin ääntä on aina ilo kuunnella. Ensimmäinen levy jonka lisään omaan kirjastooni. Sanat menivät ohi kun töiden ohessa kuuntelen mutta pitää niihin perehtyä toisella kuuntelulla. Tosi hieno levy! Ekalla kuuntelulla mieleen jäivät Tiny Dancer, Indian Sunset ja Goodbye.

classic Elton & some of my faves 5/5

A great debit which went under the radar somewhat. Tiny Dancer is a classic but Almost Famous film gave it the big push it deserved. I like these early Elton albums.

Some really good songs there

A decent pop rock album but a little boring. My favorite tracks were "Madman Across the Water" and "Indian Sunset".

I hate Elton John so much. He’s so boring and so gay.

Man am I glad to have this on a Friday after a week of not very good albums. I absolutely love Elton John. Tiny Dancer is a great song and this album is when he was at his peak.

'Those who wish to follow me, I welcome with my hands.' There's a lot more to this album than the excellent Tiny Dancer, and I loved being reintroduced to the cinematic, peaceful Indian Summer today in it's proper context, rather than the Ghetto Gospel that I first heard it in. There is also the wonderful story of Levon and his son - the American dream is a struggle, isn't it - and Holiday Inn has a gorgeous bit of mandolin on it. However, Elton's prodigious output at this time means that for all the great moments, there are a few clinker in there as well, and he can keep Razor Face and Rotten Peaches. But, all in all, this is a great listen, fully deserving of 4 stars. 'And the red sun sinks, at last into the hills of gold'.

4.7/5 - It's hard not to enjoy this album (Elton is generally peak anyways), and at the very least I think everyone should find this to be pleasant background music. Everyone else has probably already made all the substantial positive comments there are to be made about this album, so will just leave it at that.

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.

Rate: 9/10. I LOVE ALMOST FAMOUS THAT MEANS I LOVE TINY DANCER <3

Capolavoro

This album has one of his most iconic and probably most well known songs as well had a couple of other good songs and is probably one of his best albums, but not his best album. Still a really amazing record.

Very good - Madman Across the Water 💯

tiny dancer + 8 tentativas falhas de replicar tiny dancer

If there was an option for 6 stars I would give it 5.

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

Mostly I liked it, walked around my city in the heat listening to those piano tunes, felt a little bit nostalgic and warm. Indian Sunset is my fave.

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

It surprised me that I like it so much.

I’ve never been a big fan of Elton John. Admittedly, he’s an extremely talented songwriter, an outstanding pianist, a good singer and a veritable hit machine who churned out catchy tunes one after the other. He’s the Mozart of pop music. But here’s the problem: I love Beethoven. I only like Mozart in small doses and without any extra frills, no extra icing please. In classical music, I can choose which interpretation I prefer; in pop music, I can’t. To cut a long story short: most of Elton John’s work gets on my nerves. Too happy, too melodic, too Hollywood. There’s hardly an album of his that I enjoy listening to. There’s only one I think is brilliant. Ironically, it’s this, the lavish "Madman Across the Water", of all things. It features rich orchestral arrangements and opulent compositions. Elton John was never more ‘prog’ than on this album. And here, the extra icing on the cake fits perfectly. A wonderful album from start to finish. And with "Tiny Dancer", it also features John’s best song. Absolutely brilliant.

Peak Elton

Outside of the song 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' (which slaps), I'm not really an Elton John person. I can recognize his talent but I think generally his music is just a bit too bombastic for me. That being said, I went into this album with low expectations and actually ended up enjoying it more than I expected to. Still not something I'm likely to listen to again for fun on my own time but not a bad way to kick off a Monday.

Love

Really enjoyed the vibe of this album. Felt like a lot of the songs could be sampled and riffed off. A bit too slow for my liking but good overall

Fantastic voice, fantastic piano, just ok songs. Tiny Dancer is the undeniable standout and the tail of the album is nice. I may be alone in this but….I hate Levon. This song strains so hard for grandeur but just falls flat. Have no fear though, Elton has plenty of better albums to come.

I don't know why, but I feel this immense evil radiation from Elton John & no matter how many good things he's done it won't go away. This album was very bland for me sadly besides the two tracks "Tindy Dancer" and "Madman acroos the water".

It kinda took me a second to warm up to this album, but the second half really solidified it for me. I WOULD listen to these songs again, and possibly this whole album again. I mean, the second half alone made me feel like I needed to revisit the first. So yeah, I'd say a solid four stars. John isn't exactly one of my favorite artists, but I am glad to be more familiar with his work.

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

I really enjoyed this one Always had a soft spot for Elton John, my parents used to have his cassettes and play them in the car on long drives. I guess this one would have been seen as a bit proggy or whatever but it’s not much different from the rest of his catalogue. Just beautiful melodies and great songwriting. Favourite track: Levon

buns

Tiny dancer and who cares about the rest

Great album with some absolute classics

Tiny Dancer is the only hit on the album, but don't let that dissuade you. Its a really good record and I found myself listening to it a bunch of times. Really loved the title track.

didn't know most of the songs but he's a cool guy. I like his voice and his music style. so would listen to it again.

4.5! Surprisingly like it A LOT!

Twee elton johns na mekaar eks nou bietjie moeg vir hom. Dis nie 'n bad album nie maar meeste songs staan nie uit en baie van hulle is langer as wat hulle moet wees. Maar die eerste paar songs is great so

- The first two tracks are killers, so no surprise that "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" were the two singles. The rest of the album just does not stand up in comparison. Not bad, but not particularly noteworthy either. - Explicitly stating that "Indian Sunset" is not a protest song might make the track more offensive? Already weird that a couple of pasty, British dudes have made a song using Native culture that is pretty ridiculously inaccurate...possibly even worse that they seemingly did it with no goal in mind.

excelente siempre

Jeho 70-te roky mám oveľa radšej ako 80-te.

I like Tiny dancer and Levon. I also like All the Nasties. Its okay background music. Not really my style.

1000 albums website gave me two elton johns in one week. neither was lion king. i was a teenager when almost famous came out, i never need to hear tiny dancer ever again

Expecting a lot more from an album with Tiny Dancer as an opener. It was fine but some of the songs do plod along. I liked the one with the mandolin as him doing something quite different.

Haven't heard too much of Elton John, but this is a good impression to me on why he is so popular and praised. The very thoughtful lyrics; stuff you can easily picture in your head. Lots of imagery I got from this album was coldness and of a metropolis (i.e. New York,) the most vivid stuff I got was either the very cinematic-like twist and turns of "Indian Sunset" and the very urban "Holiday Inn" (probably because it literally says "Boston" in it.) His vocals are filled with emotion and have a bit of drawl to them, sounds quite inspired by some of the power that a lot 60s Black American soulful singers have. I think overall this album was fine, I don't reckon it's the most amazing thing ever, however it's not bad either. It showcases Elton's piano singer-songwriter style, which I think I'm fine with, he always comes up with amazing melodies and catchy hooks even if other parts of the song are a bit lacking. So, I don't think I'd come back to the album but I can see that it's well done, just would return to the highlight songs (listed down below,) probably nothing else. Highlight Song/s: "Tiny Dancer" and "Indian Sunset"

A great way to start. Of course loved the songs everyone knows but deeply moved by the title song. Cant believe the album came out the year before I was born

A collection of melancholy ballads that don't quite surpass tiny dancer , can be dull in parts 3.5*

Smug, whiny

Was in between a 4 and a 5. I liked this a lot! Very fun, very good, would listen to again. Again, having a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5 but this has to be better than some of the things ive given a 4 to, but then again, it did get a little bit repetitive. Idk. 4 is safe. Highlights Tiny Dancer (fav) Levon Madman Across the Water Holiday Inn

pretty good but I like elton when he's super fun and flashy and dancey (maybe I just like dancing). the first half was good but I'm pretty indifferent to the second half. I probably liked levon the best (hot take - I don't love tiny dancer)

In some ways, it just felt like Tiny Dancer 9 times. I really enjoyed the grandiosity of this album and the lyricism is quite nice as well!

Obviously.

What you first have to realize is that this is Elton John. 5 stars

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.

*Beautiful album of not my favorite genre *Really liked All the Nasties

Boston at last! Due to the magnificent orchestral work of Gus Dungeon, this may be my favorite Elton John album. Side 2 is packed with gorgeous B sides including Holiday Inn, All the Nasties, Indian Sunset, and Goodbye. Stunning.

It's no "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," but it's still solid.

Tiny Dancer and the 8 identical songs.

Byłam negatywnie nastawiona na początku ale w sumie miło się słuchało, może po paru przesłuchaniach bym się wciągnęła. Plus jest taki że mi się przypomniała jedna piosenka którą lubiłam (Tiny dancer)

Great arrangements serving the first few songs, no click track for miles- to great effect. Heck yeah. Gets real bogged down in hokey westernism. Reckon he’s ever talked to a real indigenous person?

after 'tiny dancer' was over I struggled to pay attention

good times

Low 4, almost a 3

There is not a bad song on the album

I found myself wandering away. What I heard I liked. It's Elton...what's not to like really. Amazing? Not so sure.

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.

I'm docking this half a point for "Indian Sunset," a maudlin, cliche-laden mess that mostly exists to make John and Taupin feel like they're doing something for the plight of Native Americans (as was the fashion at the time). More broadly, there's still an odd sort of coldness to Taupin's lyrics at times; he's about 20% more oblique than it feels like he needs to be, resulting in these songs signifying less than they could. But John's piano and voice are what this whole project has always been about, and they're beautifully present on the hits ("Tiny Dancer," "Levon") and the album tracks (the title track in particular). And John is generous to his talented collaborators to the benefit of all - Jack Emblow's accordion on "Razor Face," Davey Johnstone's mandolin on "Holiday Inn," Robert Kirby's choir on "All the Nasties," Paul Buckmaster's orchestral arrangements on most of the album. Adventurous and justly a classic.

The wikipedia article calls this Elton John's "progressive rock album"? I am confused, it sounds like early 70s commercial pop to me. I of course heard this record many many MANY times around when it first came out and therefore am qualified to say that I have heard “Madman Across the Water” before I died. Overall I'm pretty tired of Elton John at this point, but still, these are reasonable songs. 3 stars

Possibly my favorite album by Elton. That position rotates to back and forth between salmon and Yellow Brick Road. But, as far as elton's early stuff, this album is his best. His music was more dramatic back then and that's what I liked about it.

I knew several songs on this album but had never listened to them the way God intended. Interesting contrast with having Billy Joel just a couple of days ago.

Tiny dancer is a huge song but it surprisingly backs it up pretty well. Some of his best work

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

Simplemente Elton John es un cabrón al hacer música, neta lo amo

Another one that I'm surprised to see as a 1001/1089 top album of all times. There are Elton John albums that I think most critics would see as better than Madman Across the Water (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Captain Fantastic), but from what I've read, this seems to be the first album where his style fully coheres. It's definitely front-loaded; Tiny Dancer is a classic love song for good reason, Levon is anthemic in all the best ways, and the title track thunders and storms with its string accents. The second half is not as good, but a lot of that is because Indian Sunset, for me, is a victim of being written at a very different time even if it means well. I have a lot of nostalgia for it, though, having listened to it many times as a kid from my parents' CD collection. Track by track (out of five stars) Tiny Dancer: 5/5 Levon: 5/5 Razor Face: 4/5 Madman Across the Water: 5/5 Indian Sunset: 2/5 Holiday Inn: 3/5 Rotten Peaches: 4/5 All the Nasties: 2/5 Goodbye: 3/5

3?

It's okay

Very god album

Good man Elton John

Some hits on here, especially Levon. I think some songs could be a bit shorter.

Surprised how much I enjoyed this. Expected it to be down hill after Tiny Dancer/Levon but it stayed solid

I liked the sound and the energy, but I’m not sure I understood what most of the songs were supposed to mean.

Tiny danceeeeeeeer

Not his best

Very good

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...

So close to a great rock and roll record.

absolute goated legendary album!

some generational songs and some middling ones. still a goat

Elton not beating the singles artist allegations

I enjoyed it but I don't think that the whole album will be in my rotation. I LOVE the first song (mostly because of Frusciante's cover). The full album gets too cheesy for me. Anyway, musically, it's a genius work of art.

My interest in Elton John has been such that I am pretty sure the greatest hits collection I own is the only Elton "album" I need to hear before I die, but let's see how this goes... The collection I own (Greatest Hits 1970–2002) only has "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from this album, both of which I love. I'm interested to see how much (if any) of the rest sounds familiar. It kind of all sounded generally familiar but none sounded specifically familiar, if that makes sense. This was fine. Between 2 and 3 stars but I'm feeling generous today.

EJ has that classic smoothness that hit different. Strong start, but fades at the end

The first half was excellent, the second half really lost me.

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

I've only ever listened to the singles so I didn't know what to expect going into this album but I'm pleasantly surprised. A good mix of powerful and softer songs. Four stars.

Turns out I'm a big fan of early Elton. Who knew

Seth - 4.4 Logan - 5

It was good, I just don't mesh with his voice

This was pretty good! Some really good songwriting in here, of course. Tiny Dancer is a great song, and the rest of the album doesn't stray too far from that sound (or quality). Definitely would revisit some of these tracks!

Maybe the first time I've listened to a full Elton John record front to back. It's fun! This is very agreeable music. Strong, straightforward, populist songwriting. Goofy arrangements, nice playing, good mix of styles. Solid!

7/10 Hmm. Tiny Dancer and Kevin are wonderful, but I listened to the album three times and the rest of it kind of passed me by. Both Elton's playing and Bernie's lyrics can get more than a little clunky, but these are properly crafted songs and that deserves a lot of credits

Indian Sunset is baffling because I love how it sounds but why the fuck is Elton John singing this song.

The angry guy who sang at Princess Di's Funeral made albums as well as singles it seems. He's in serious mood here, trying to be Randy Newman or Neil Diamond, he mumbles his way through boring charachter sketches of uninteresting people.

Not exactly my cup of tea, but undeniable melody and hooks. It’s so good it’s boring almost.

Okay this is all solid, good song writing and all, but I cant really attach to it for some reason.

What gives Madman Across the Water lasting power is its willingness to stay unresolved. These songs don’t offer clean conclusions. They drift between myth, memory, loneliness, fame, family, and spiritual searching without tying everything together. That ambiguity gives the album a depth that rewards repeated listening.

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

the absolute madman

Tiny Dancer is a great song. Rest of album less so. Felt a bit too broadway with a bit too much storytelling going on.

Madman Across the Water I suspect, like many people, I got into this album off the back of Tiny Dancer and Almost Famous. Tiny Dancer is obviously an excellent song, but there are plenty of great songs on here alongside it. I always wondered if Levon was about Levon Helm, but even though it would be very easy to look that up I never have, perhaps out of wanting to maintain some mystery. Or more likely out of laziness. Nevertheless it's a truly great song, with a fantastic horn and string arrangement, reminiscent of Moonlight Mile, and along with Tiny Dancer gets the album off to a stellar start. Razor Face feels a little like a dip after those two, but it is actually another great song, with another strong melody once it hits its stride in the bridge/chorus. Madman Across the Water is an excellent song, with another fantastic orchestral arrangement, and I love Taupin’s lyrics. His empathetic and evocative lyrics are excellent again on Indian Sunset, despite the odd bit of heavy handedness. Allied with a dramatic and melodramatic arrangement creates a superb bit of 70s bombast, and again the strings are superb. Holiday Inn has always been a favourite, I love its mandolin driven tune and the bass is excellent, and it brilliantly conjures the sense of being a touring rock star in the US in the 70s. Rotten Peaches country sing along is great, slightly reminding me of Country Comfort. All The Nasties is the true climax of the album, another superb arrangement and melody, before the mournful closing Goodbye. This ultimately sits between a 4 and a 5, I love its combination of the countrified vibes of Tumbleweed Connection with the slide guitars, mandolin and lyrical themes with the superb orchestral arrangements and sense of almost proggy drama. Tinking about it every song is great, so it just nudges a 5. 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 Playlist submission: Levon

With nine songs at 45 minutes (mainly piano-led, and generally all a similar plodding pace) it can feel meandering and samey. I've seen it described as prog rock, which is poppycock - but it does share the same proclivity for long run-times and melodrama ('Rotten Peaches' sounding like a stripped back Meatloaf number at times). That said 'Tiny Dancer' is of course one of his best. 'Razor Face' is a real grower even if a lesser 'Tiny Dancer' (most tracks here are a lesser 'Tiny Dancer'). The title track is different - more menacing, suspended chords, a great vocal). 'Holiday Inn' changes things up for a waltz and unpretentious lyrics - an excellent lilting melody (sounds quite like R.E.M., maybe on account of the mandolin). With a string of great songs here, and one masterpiece, the quality remains undeniable. But it's not as entertaining as Yellow Brick Road, and can get really dirgey at times.

Everything kind of felt like Tony dancer on repeat, which to be fair, is a banger. The last track was set apart and was my favorite track.

When I think of Elton John, unfortunetaly my first thought is the summer that Nikita was at the no 1 spot for few months and the video was on the tele daily. I started to hate it as a young kid and had always a certein prejudice against Elton John due to this. Than I now and than saw this album listed in best albums overviews etc. So I think I have listened to it once a few years ago, so I was a little bit familiar. But now I have heard it 2-3 times today and I love it! Great compositions and lyrics. Beautiful arrangements with the piano and the strings. 5 stars!

3.5

Decent but quite samey, like a lot of Elton's music.

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

I like the first two songs but lyrically they kinda lost me with ‘Razor Face’. Oh yeah ‘Indian Sunset’ kinda reminds me of an Iron Maiden song lol.

I do like Elton John! But I don't often want to listen to a whole album of Elton John. Some classics here, and overall an enjoyable listen, just not necessarily something I'd be eager to return to.

Honestly outside of Tiny Dancer, most of this album just feels like filler. It's pretty damn good filler though, outside of Indian Sunset. 3.5/5

A fantastic album.

Mhh … ordentlich bis langweilig trifft es ziemlich gut. Das Album hat diese schwere, dramatische Elton‑John‑Theatralik, die manchmal funktioniert – vor allem in „Tiny Dancer“, das natürlich herausragt. Aber vieles wirkt hier eher wie solide Handwerkskunst ohne echten Funken. Die Arrangements sind üppig, die Songs sauber gebaut, doch der Mittelteil zieht sich und verliert Spannung.

Decent.

Very good early Elton class tunes and song writing.

I liked the story telling. I got real tired of the slow piano pretty quickly. Tiny dancer is a banger that is stuck in my head and I enjoyed the madman across the water song. I enjoyed the guitar riffs

no me gustó, suena como música cristiana 5/10

Rotten peaches : bonne chanson, mais pas autant que le restant de l’album. - excellente album. Beaucoup de bonne chanson, mais quelques excellentes. A-

The album cover for Madman Across the Water was embroidered over two weeks by Janis Larkham, wife of the album art director David Larkham. She used the back of an old Levi's jacket, and the original was gifted to Elton. There was no initial run of expensive album covers with similar embroidery, nor embossed versions; it was flat-printed - ie studio photographed - scanning was in its infancy, so everything was analogue, though it did include a lavish booklet. Janis chose to credit herself as "Yanis" for this artwork. (source-https://rachelandersontextiles.com/blogs/posts/seamstress-for-the-band) Normal whiny Elton John record inside some thoughtful packaging

Aside from Tiny Dancer and Levon (2 of my fave EJ songs), the rest of this record is pretty mundane.3.5/5.

I think I might be more of a casual, singles listener when it comes to Elton John. This record came out swinging with Tiny Dancer then fizzled out for me pretty quick. By the end, the songs were just blending together.

It certainly is that guy. Sounds exactly like him. Which is good. I do enjoy a fair bit of his output. Why is this album special? It's nice to hear some deep cuts & I was pleased to hear some longer-than-pop-standard tunes. I am a sucker for the long'uns. Perhaps I need a deep dive or at least a much greater familiarity with the body of work to fully appreciate this one. I only speculate because this seems pretty damn average to me. And I know he's got a whole lot of great in the catalog. I'll give this one a 3

7/10

Tiny Dancer and Levon - that’s it.

The first nine songs were great. I'm not sure why someone thought that all the extra renditions of the same songs was a good addition to the album. I did listen to the whole 34 songs, but I was kind of getting tired of the repeats. I understand that some people would prefer just John and the piano, but I like the different instruments too. I think it would depend on my mood as to which I would listen to, but I wouldn't listen to the whole album again.

You’d be mad not to love this.

This is a great album, not on the level of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but it's still near the top of John's discography. 4.5/5

Tiny Dancer is a great track however nothing else on the album is the same quality. I think he is still finding his feet at this point. Production is spot on. Better is still to come

Очень хороший альбом, иногда ищешь такую музыку

The A-Side is stronger than the B-Side in my opinion. The whole Album is full of great string arrangements.

Como me vas a empezar el álbum con tiny dancer, estás loco Elton, que buena escucha

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.

So far my favorite Elton John album. Concise and to the point.

Good Elton John is still better than many many other things

Gran disco de uno de los mayores artistas del Pop

Good musician - enjoyed how instruments really get a spotlight. Piano, violin and a choir was cool. His voice is great. Didn't pay too much attention to lyrics. Found it started sounding 'samey' by the end. Lots of slow ballad parts then belting passionate parts which started melding together into one long song instead of an album.

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

𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 is one of the most interesting piano-pop albums I’ve heard. Elton John’s piano is at the centre of everything, but the album never feels limited by it. Rich orchestral arrangements and strong melodies give the songs a sense of scale while still allowing them to feel personal. What I like most is the balance between intimacy and grandeur. One moment the album is quiet and reflective, the next it opens up into something much bigger, yet it never loses its emotional core. The songwriting is consistently strong, and the arrangements always serve the songs rather than overwhelm them. It’s easy to see why this is regarded as one of Elton John’s finest early albums. Beautifully crafted and full of memorable melodies, 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 is an album I’ll happily return to.

Really good album, by a really good musician!

I really wanted to like this, but found that all the songs sounded the same.

great songs, but they all sound too similiar

Good album. Catchy and fun songs. Nefer thought I'd enjoy an Elton John album. 3/5.

Elton John is very metal

Love elton john

Classic

Not a fan of Glam in general, but this was a superb record, wow. Jaws open whole way through. It is as good as Yellow Brick Road i think. Not long at all, just the right length. Very strong 4

A really enjoyable album from Elton good vocals and tight music

Nothing special. At least for me.

Ballad ballad ballad ballad. It gets a bit tired after the first few songs, but it has tiny dancer so it's not terrible. Title track and Levon also pretty good.