Madman Across The Water

Brilliant, just freaking Brilliant. Hardly a dead spot.

Leads with two of the biggest hits of the man's career. Transitions into beautiful, lush, dramatic arrangements. Elton John the hit maker transforms mid-album into Elton John the composer. It's a genuine surprise for me, and brings Mr. John's genius into a whole new light. I loved it.

I knew the singles, but I've never dove into Elton's catalogue. That was a mistake. Elton and Bernie have put together an incredible album here. Every song holds my attention, the piano is a great change up from normal, the string arrangements are really cool, and I love the guitar work too. Lyrically I'm invested in every song. Another in a string of great albums lately.

Quite a good album, instrumentation is engaging never boring.

Perfeito! Elton.

Det som Elton John är sämst på är att göra dålig musik. Han är en av de artister jag beundrar mest och efter att ha läst hans självbiografi har jag fått en mycket bättre uppfattning om vem han är, mycket bättre än av den där jävla filmen. Även om denna inte var hans bästa platta så var det fortfarande bättre än vissa femmor jag gett innan och därför måste denna också bli en 5/5. Har typ inget att klaga på med denna.

nice

5 stars

Beautiful album!

Great album. I forgot how solid how work is.

Was thinking four but it's so much good elton, not quite tumbleweed but what is

As always from Sir Elton, chock full of instant classsics. Only Elton can bring so much unironic emotion so readily without being hokey.

Wow 🥲 It’s beautiful and full and energetic. I had heard Tiny Dancer before, but nothing else. I favorited every song.

Day147 - madman across the water is one of my favorite songs and levon and tiny dancer are just timeless gems.

great early album from the legendary piano player

It is after all early Elton John

Possibly his best album. Hit after hit.

Legendary stuff, well worth a listen.

Actually loved this

Que buena mezcla

So very good. Love Levon “ great lyrics- “ he was born a pauper to a pawn”. Tiny Dancer, Bennie the haunting Madman Across the Water. This album is truly iconic- “Your Song” is pivotal in the musical Moulin Rouge which i just saw two days ago; it reverberates through time.

What a great album!

This album has no business going as hard as it does. Never listened to it end to end, what a treat.

Nothing to say. This is an incredible album.

gorgeous vocal range set in a melodic masterpiece collective

Just a few notes in and you can tell why EJ is such a star. The instrumentals alone are gorgeous. Add in his smooth voice, catchy tunes, great lyrics—love it.

Great - like it

own

I already know this album very well and grew up listening to it. Love this old Elton John recording.

This is a great album!

Elton John - best male vocalist EVAH!

Very cool orchestral rock sound on this record. I get a heavy Beatles and Band influence on this record. The songs all work together very well.

maybe my favourite Elton John album

One of the best albums of all time!

What a genius, and a gift to the world of pop music. Such great songs!

One of the best Elton John albums.

Awesome!

I’m torn because Tiny Dancer is one of my all time faves. I want to give this a 4.5. What to do?

Such rich beautiful songwriting. Killer mix. Can’t imagine what it’d be like to hear this upon release and realize how different and unique it is. Struck especially by the symphonic layers and rich texture of production. Love.

Faudra que je le réécoute

okayyyyyy

These early Elton John albums are much more meaningful to me than his later bigger releases. After Honky Chateau, Elton became much more flamboyant, his clothing got wilder, the music got rockier, and Bernie Taupin's lyrics got more out there. These earlier albums have a much more personal feel. For Madman Across the Water, I listened to the 2016 remaster/deluxe version which expands to include alternate versions and, best of all, a slew of piano demos. This set of demos could easily have stand on its own as a standalone alternative version. Stripped of the excellent rock and orchestra arrangements, these songs really shine. Elton's piano work and vocals are as good as I've heard them. Bernie's lyrics really shine in these performances. I'd love to hear this approach taken with Elron's later work. I highly recommend this album, as well as everything from this early EJ period.

This is my favorite Elton John album. Loaded with great songs.

It's Elton John! His music is amazing and his voice it's simple unique, no one like him. Most of the songs here are really great and i enjoyed them. Another thing that I have to say is that the cover for me it's really great, I like the monocromatic use of blue color and the typography.

Excelenteeeeeeee

There’s not a lot to hate here unless you hate EJ.

I love listening to this. Tiny Dancer!! What a career he’s had.

This album rules way more than I expected! Besides the just masterful songcraft, there’s an edge, like an underlying seething anger that only barely bubbles to the surface. I also feel like Chris Cornell listened the hell out of this record.

Wow

Sad and sweet

I am a big fan of Elton’s popular work. I grew up on his Greatest Hits, but have never really delved into his other work. This album is amazing! I was familiar with the first two songs. After that, a tour de force with the use of organs, a strings section and of course the all-famous piano. A super comforting voice that sends the full message of every lyric. Low 5

Took three weeks but finally! Melodies, lyrics. Great album; so many memories listening to this one. Also brilliance on the Hammond by Rick Waksman!

One of his best.

Ovo se nema šta mislit. Njegov najbolji album

Oh Elton. Shared some good times while listening to your songs! Absolutely love his voice and his instrumental style! personal top3 in no order: Razor Face Tiny Dancer All The Nasties

Classic EJ. Never gets old.

Excellent! Starts with one of my favourite songs of all time.

It’s amazing how many love beams he can cram into song after song. It feels like he’s trying to shake you awake from the inside out and he got me out of bed!

i mean. its good. 6/7

I have listened to this album many times over the years, and unsuprisingly I think this is a seminal piece of rock 'n' roll history. So many familiar songs. Madman Across the Water (the song) is one of my favorites.

One of my all-time favorite albums! Love it.

One of his best on the day he got his EGOT

OK

Oh my soul.

Early Elton is his best work!

I have loved Elton John's music since he first came onto the music scene. Madman is one of many of his hits that are on my own "classics list."

Quite like "Tiny Dancer," "Levon," and the title track. The rest have their moments as well.

Didnt know the old Elton - sounds great

Great album. Never listened to it before. loved it!

One of his best.

Tiny Dancer and Levon! Indian Sunset is a bit problematic but he rest is also good

Elton is the man. I saw Elton live in the early 90's. Still one of the best shows I've seen. The first 2 tracks are classics. The rest of the album is solid.

I very much needed this. Elton John is someone I would never skip or not be in the mood for. Encapsulates every mood with just good classic songs. Absolute masterpiece.

Som classic Elton John. Tiny Dancer is a favorite

Back in the day - I listened to that album probably hundreds of times. It was such a treat to see it in my inbox. I'm rating it high because it is a classic and early Elton John was magical.

Great album- classic Elton John!

One of his best, for sure. Thanks.

Iconic music from my teenage years - Madnan across the water show cases Elton’s range of talent. Glad to hear favorites Tiny Dancer, Levon but also Madman across the water, Indian Sunset Elton is an amazing talent

Inverygarry/Loch Quioche Frozen sunrise. Pink Hues. Rain in fort William. Hoping for snow In glen Coe. Would like to explore the themes more and gain an understanding of the instruments used

Tiny Dancer… Awwwww!!!

An early Elton favorite. I love the pretty arrangements and rootsy themes

Good music

Elton John early originals. What else

Love this album and this artist. A winner in my vinyl collection.

Elton John simplesmente no seu maior primor. Foda!

5*

Yet another ‘I now understand the hype’ list

It's too good. Already perfect. I mean... Levon, Razor face, rotten peaches, Indian Sunset. Such a great album. No skips.

One of my favorite albums.

Who is *this* Elton John?? This guy is soulful, gravelly, makes risky decisions, fully locked and loaded. Have I not been paying attention? This is fucking fantastic songwriting and vocal work. He sounds so engaged, he is selling you on every note. A little more Van Morrison or The Band in his delivery than I remembered. Somehow I missed this AND I don’t think I’ve ever heard Tiny Dancer before! Instant convert. Taking no prisoners. The insanity orchestrations, too! Wow I’m such a sucker for that stuff. I’m hooked. Since listening to this album I’ve started writing the score to my first musical. We’re doing opening night at the Brattleboro community center basement next Thursday. 5/5

YESSS!! this is one I'll come back to time and time again

Tiny dancer - classic start

Always enjoy Elton

the man knows his way around a piano. and the harmonies he does in his songs always hit home for me.

What an amazing album that I had no idea existed. “Tiny Dancer” has an opener is absolutely perfect, but the way Elton goes almost into prog rock throughout the album made this a masterpiece for me. “Indian Sunset” is the high point.

I didn't listen to the whole thing, but it has a lot of great classics on it. EJ has had it the whole time.

Love it

1971. Excellent.

Ved ik

a lot of deep tracks from Elton i was unaware of. Heard tiny dancer many times, but Levon right after was awesome. self titled song was great. surprised to hear indian sunset and hear the original song that 2pac sampled on Ghetto gospel. overall great start to the 1001 album endeavor.

I underestimated Elton John, this was incredible. Front to back this was amazing. The pacing and transitioning between songs were perfect.

Very much enjoyed this record. Always respected Elton.

Elton John is perfect, I loved it. The deluxe edition was very cool but a bit much for me, I should've just listened to it as it came out.

lovely

Happy to see this album by one of my favorite artists.

I grew up listening to this album on family road trips, so I'm heavily influenced by nostalgia. I love it.

Incredible album by Elton John. This is his best work.

First time listening to an entire Elton John album. Pretty fantastic! First two songs are obvious classics, but I REALLY loved Indian Sunset. Really enjoyed listening to this.

Amazing!

Excellent album front to back! Songs were strong on their own, but the arrangements and orchestration brought it up even more!

Elton and Bernie Taupin are in the first rank of songwriters. Probably only McCartney has as strong a melodic sense as eton and Bernie’s lyrics are magical. This is part of the incredible run of albums Elton released in the early seventies: a five album run that is rare and gems on every one. Now let me confess something. I’m not a fan of tiny dancer feeling it closer to two separate songs (both great) cobbled together to make one. I know that’s not what happened. But there are a hundred other Elton songs that make up my musical Dna. This is a solid album. I prefer captain fantastic and tumbleweed connection. But I still love this one. 4.5 rounded up.

What can I say about Elton John? He’s one of the most seasoned and consistent hit makers of all time, and the sheer pop sensibility in his songs is impeccable. This is apparent on Madman Across The Water, though the two hits (and the two songs I knew) being the first two songs on the album. ‘Tiny Dancer’ is a good opener, but it would be nice to put ‘Levon’ in the middle of the album rather than straight after another ballad. Of course, the album isn’t bad after that (just look at my rating), but after the title track and ‘Indian Sunset’, which are arguably on the same level of quality, it’s kind of less interesting. Still, though, this is a great album. Although most Elton John albums I could see taking its place (considering I kind of see it as giving him an album that’s not Goodbye Yellow Brick Road), it’s a good listen.

These songs are all beautifully arranged and performed spectacularly. Indian Sunset is corny but I still love the instrumental. This album is going in my personal library.

He's really got some great songs on this one. Obviously starts out with a hit but the rest are so enjoyable too!

I thought this was just on here for tiny dancer but madman across the water was so good

5/5. Not all songs are perfect but it is a perfect album. Going from beautiful idea to progressive concept to wild lyrical composition, this album feels like it is about nothing and everything. It gets better with each listen and yet I still don’t know what the songs really mean, they are just so good to sing-a-long to. I can listen to this one front to back anytime. Best song: Tiny Dancer, Indian Sunset

Wall to wall bangers, he would bum you into next week tho

Great innit, Ghetto Gospel is the best one x

I love when Elton John gets more dramatic and boy, does he in this album. Strings, long songs, and powerful lyrics. Fun stuff.

Not all my style but I recognize the genius.

Album 9 of 1001 Elton John - Madman across the Water Favorite Track : Levon Rating : 5 / 5 When today's album popped up, I was quite stoked that it was one my top favorites of all time. One could argue that the album is carried by Side 1 with the inclusion of 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Levon' but Side 2 has more than its share of moments with 'Indian Sunset', 'Holiday Inn' and 'Rotten Peaches', a personal favorite. If you like good music, you should listen to Elton John and if you like Elton John, you must .listen to this album. The first 2 tracks are probably familiar to most, but there is so much more.

Oh thank god. This list has been sucking the fattest fucking balls. Finally something that sounds like music. I really enjoyed this, made me remember how much I actually like Elton.

I loved this so much I listened to it twice! Everything just flowed together nicely. I love how all the songs tell a story, remember when music use to do that? I will listen to this again and again.

One of my favorite Elton John albums! His music is always full and well-rounded. I love his story telling. Elton’s a musical class act.

9/10 Elton John meets Prog Rock?! Based!

Other than the hit tracks, this was all new to me. The recipe of Bernie and Elton just doesn’t seem to go wrong. Now, why this album over others of their discography, I don’t know. Makes me curious, though.

I believe we have well-established that I am a sucker for a rock-n-roll piano. No surprise then that this album speaks to my soul. Sing it, Brother Elton!

Tiny Dancer and Levon, two incredible Elton John tracks, kick off this album. We had this in our household when I was growing up, so I was familiar with it. Even so I have really only strong memories of the two openers and the title track. It's great to hear the rest of this album again. The orchestrations are beautiful and used to great dramatic effect. The lyrics tell vivid stories. The music is interesting - often more experimental than the hit songs might suggest. There is a lot to love on this album and today it has become one of my favorites from Elton John. I can see why it wasn't the instant success of some of Elton John's other efforts as the density and more progressive feel is perhaps less conducive to radio hits, but it is very rewarding. As I kid I didn't appreciate the longer, dense songs. As an adult I found them quite compelling. This album reveals a facet of Elton John that I hadn't properly appreciated. I'm glad to have a real surprise from an artist I thought was done surprising me.

Two of the greatest songs ever written on this iconic album - Levon and Tiny Dancer.

Hey this guy is talented

fire

More genius. My favourite Elton John album, from the halcyon days of rock.

This album was awesome. Got my morning started like a bat out of hell. After having listened to so many albums on this, you can really tell the difference between a good artist and a great artist

My favorite Elton John record. Every song is amazing.

Legendary.

a really consistent album. if you like the sound, you love the whole thing

Good

Great album

Great album. I’ve listened to it many times and it never gets old.

Great

AmaZing !!

great album; many great songs.....Holiday Inn is great

Elton John überzeugt mich immer mehr! Erstklassiger Musiker!

Love

One of my favorite Elton John albums. Really displays his true and best sound.

Cool

Another first. Another win

Elton John is amazing!

Very pleasant to listen to album with gorgeous piano playing, also a very solid album. Favorite song: Holiday Inn

Beautiful

Elton John's second best album behind 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,' with many amazing classics like 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Levon.' The lyrics are sometimes weird, but more often are they whimsical and carry you away to some strange place you didn't know you wanted to be in. I could listen to this album many times over before getting tired of it.

sensacional

Great Elton album, start to finish. His best tracks are found elsewhere, but there are no bad tracks on this gem.

tinyyy danceeeeeeeeee

Excellent. Love his voice and piano work

I've always liked Elton John and I still like Elton John - a strong album. Tiny Dancer is one of his very best songs.

Elton you're my dad

Incredible opening to an album. This is the kind of piano playing that catches my attention more than the previous album in my list. Hard to find anything to complain about

Classic Elton John album, sounds as good as ever: a clear 5* album of course (and not even his best seventies album!)

Excellent. Elton John is a true original and this is one of his best albums.

Elton at his best. Piano pop rock with his amazing voice. The songs have great lyrics, each song is composed so well, layered with nice harmonies from choirs, orchestration, and nothing out of his caliber. This is top quality pop.

Great pop album that is focusing on its strengths and not trying to be something it shouldn't be. Great variety of songs, all at a very high quality level, they all belong there

Two total classics and some really enjoyable other songs. 9/10

Legal demais! Não conhecia o álbum e me encantei com as canções. Boas baladas, tom crítico em algumas canções e uma pegada bem característica do John. Quero ouvir outros.

Beautifully cinematic, what a story teller. The man absolutely cains the ivory.

Saved

Levon sells cartoon balloons in town

Classic

very top heavy but the top is so heavy, the rest can't weigh it down Tiny Dancer - Banger vor dem Herren

This has Tiny Dancer and Levon on it, two heavy hitters that I absolutely love. Yeah, five dang stars easily.

GREAT ALBUM CHOICE, I listened to this just recently. Elton and Bernie developing their more epic and experimental sound that would come to fruition on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Good times.

Album classique tout simplement

Favorite track: Madman Across the Water. But this whole album is good. Not a huge Erin John fan, but respect is owed.

listen today, was pretty good. Sort of mellow

Me encanta este álbum, solo conocía tiny dancer e Indian sunset pero me han enamorado casi todas las canciones, no hay casi nadie q se compare con el gran Elton John.

Elton is solid, liked it very much. Great Songwriting, Musical Vibes but still very pop.

70s pop Rock at its best!

Terrific and resplendent. God love Sir Elton John. There’s a reason they made this man a knight, because his music champions the people to a different state of mind and brings them home safe again.

Among Elton's best work. Indian Sunset is a sprawling, underrated masterpiece. Pretty much perfect!

Ok

Another classic

Épico

Didn't realise Elton John was so rock n roll (and so his appearance on Fall Out Boy's "Save Rock and Roll" feels apt). Looked it up, not only did he change his actual name but he changed his actual middle name to Hercules - what a mad lad. Every song is really good, plenty of good choices, good songwriting, incredible vocals. Won't go into further detail coz it's all great. Only criticism is that the verses can drag slightly, compared to choruses, outros etc.

On se kova! Sir Elton piti otteessaan koko levyn ajan. Levyn lopussa jo vähän hiljenneltiin, mutta niinhän se kuuluukin kunnon rallin päätteeksi. Olisi ollut huikeaa nähdä ukko joskus livenä nuoruutensa päivinä, kun meno on ollut päällä.

This album has symbolic meaning for me and I think it’s good music too

Classic!

Incredible stuff

Very good.

Yeah he is good. Tiny Dancer is just a great song

Banger. Tiny Dancer and Indian Sunset are awesome! Really nice album.

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

3 songs won me over fair play Elton

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

One of his best, both album and song

Classic

good album

Really nice stuff, evocative lyrics and really good tunes

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

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).

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

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.

This was a great album. Tiny Dancer is a banger

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 nice

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

Hold me closer Tony Danza

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

Solid Elton album

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'.

Very good - Madman Across the Water 💯

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.

It surprised me that I like it so much.

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

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.

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

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!

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

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

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!

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

Low 4, almost a 3

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

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.

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

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

Very god album

Good man Elton John

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

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

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

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

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.

3.5

Very good early Elton class tunes and song writing.

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

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.

Gran disco de uno de los mayores artistas del Pop

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!

Elton John is very metal

A really enjoyable album from Elton good vocals and tight music

Piano Rock/Pop Rock Favorite Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water, Indian Sunset Least Favorite Song: Rotten Peaches Well, I can now confidently say that I’ve listened to a full Elton John album. This isn’t to say that his songs are bad, but before I’ve listened to this album, it’s really the hits that are more memorable to me, ie. Tiny Dancer. However, while I did like the A side more rather than the B side, and while the songs on the B side are just okay at the very worst, this isn’t to say that with the exception of Indian Sunset that I would wish towards wanting to choose the songs on that B side. It’s more so that I’ll just keep it playing when it’s on shuffle. That being said, don’t get me wrong, this is still a great album by Elton John. I don’t know if this album is any better or worse than his other albums, and more than likely, this site might recommending me more Elton John in the future, but I’d say that I like it. It really shows as to how Elton John is a very talented singer and pianist. 8/10.

Tiny Dancer is Tiny Dancer but this was great all the way through. Elton’s piano is awesome as always but this had a touch of rock to it which I loved.

Good group, but not my vibe.

I might have given it ☆☆☆☆☆ if EJ wasn't gay.

love this album

beautiful album except "indian sunset". "goodbye" is an incredible song and an amazing closing track.

Great lyrics and composition, elton john has such an amazing voice, but silly lyrics and dated song 'Indian Sunset' threw me off, also a bit repetitive

Fun!! Who doesn't love our beloved Elton John.

I love Elton John, there are a few filler songs but he’s the goat

i thought itd just be "the album with Tiny Dancer and i guess Levon on it" but it really is just chock full of so many little musical tricks and turns of phrase that it made me very happy. the baseline of quality is high and consistent, but no songs really blew my mind. favorite song is Levon or the title track. solid 4

Hard to top Tiny dancer, but still great listen

Has some interesting songs that don't get a lot of play, especially the titular track, which is borderline Laura Nyro-ish indie ballad instead of the crispy, well-executed hits Elton John is known for.

We like rockin Elton

I was hesitant initially because I really hate the song Rocketman but this was a genuinely pleasant surprise and I loved the album.

I've always had a soft spot for Elton John - the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album was a background staple as a kid in the 70s. Although he's delivered his fair share of duds, his ear for a melody is almost superhuman - and those live performances when he was at his peak were just incredible. The partnership between him and Bernie Taupin and the life and career they've shared makes for such an extraordinary tale it's like a work of fiction. I'm already pretty familiar with this record - it's always felt a little bit understated, like it's holding back a little but the dramatic string arrangements give it a boost. This is definitely an album I'll happily lose myself in once in a while.

I'll admit i'm a huge elton john fan, and my first instinct was to just put a five star on this.Because it does have two of my favorite elton john songs with the title track and Levon. The rest of side one rounds out like a greatest hits record. However side 2 does dip a bit. I could see where these ballads don't hit home with everybody. It will regain a star for me because of the lush string arrangements on most of the tracks. I'm very unique for John and honestly. Some of the best non rock and roll elements in his music, especially considering this was relatively early in his career and discography.

Neu für mich

Beautiful album.

Great record, absolute classic. It’s not something that I can see myself revisiting too often, but I can recognize what an absolute gem this album is. Favorite tracks: Indian sunset, holiday inn, tiny dancer

Certfied bangers. Although jeez this is one ugly ass album cover.

iconic opener. timeless. emotional, catchy, dreamy, wistful, cheery, energetic, driven storytelling. makes you want to dance and sway and sing along. cool, dynamic, interesting arrangements. favorite songs: tiny dancer, madman across the water.

Tiny Dancer as the opening track was pretty cool. I'm young so it's because of 'Almost Famous', but that is definitely one of my top 3 Elton John songs. There are plenty of hits so I've only listened to those, but overall this album was pretty good. I'd say 3.5 if that was an option so I'll lean high and go with 4.

I held this album closer. Track 6 or whatever fire.

Quite nice ballads

Calm music, great for while studying or reading

Elton John will always remain timeless

Grandísimo álbum. Me arrancó a gustar más de grande Elton, creo que no lo entendía antes. No se si es mi favorito de el sin embargo. Queda guardado porque por alguna razón no lo estaba

not as many hits as expected but still a great album

In my three things that make up a good song Elton has 2. Elton makes great music and his voice is great but I feel he is let down at times by the lyrics. When the lyrics are great we get classics. Unfortunately this is not always very often. Great music and great production so without any singing would still be good to listen to. Elton's voice is on point but what he is singing about not always there for me.

Lots and lots of fun

An album with some very familiar classic tunes, as well as some beautifully written tunes that I have never heard before. Perfectly played, well written and recorded, this album definitely inspires me to listen to more Elton John in the future.

çoooook beğendim elton john'u seviyorum

Can anyone hear Tiny Dancer and not picture that bus scene in Almost Famous? You are home... I don't think I have ever listened to this entire album, but certainly some well known songs. Whole album is pretty solid Elton at his prime.

Great album - gorgeous piano playing, brilliant string arrangements, classy.