Madman Across The Water

It's not as great as "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", but I have a lot of love for this album.

Overall good album with nice songs but not his best.

Elton obvio merence un buen puntaje y más si este álbum contiene tiny dancer, pero me costó escucharlo porque todas las canciones duran más de 5 minutos.

An album starts with Tiny Dancer and Levon, you just want it to keep going. But for me it doesn't. One of my first album purchases was his next one, Honky Chateau - same feeling, Rocket Man and nothing else on it comes close.

I like Elton John, but this is pretty average. Even with Tiny Dancer.

I always imagined Elton holding this tiny little ballerina or breakdancer in his hand while he sings Tiny Dancer. I wish I had a pocket sized dancer I could fit in my pocket... My buddy Jackson used to sing this song but would say Tony Danza instead, don't know why, but always cracked me up. 8.5/10

Love this album - Elton is such a great song writer. So many moments on this album are so orchestrially full and lush that it gives me goose bumps ("They'd turn a full-blooded city boy / into a full-blooded city man") Fav Tracks: Levon, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across The Water Saved a Song? ✅ Saved Album? ✅ 8/10

Some good tracks. Others quite samey

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Albumet är pampigt, dramatiskt och fullt av ballader och öppnar stark med en av världens bästa, Tiny Dancer. Eltons röst är fantastisk och produktionen och instrumenteringen är topp, där pianot lägger grunden och sen andra instrument som stråkar och blås som glider in och ut utan att kännas för mycket. Ett konsekvent album som är enkelt att luta sig tillbaka till och bara absorbera. Får en svag 5a eftersom det kanske hade behövt någon wow-låt till. Bäst är Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman across the water, All the nasties och Goodbye.

Tiny Dancer - 4.5/5 Levon - 3.5/5 Razor Face - 4/5 Madman Across The Water - 3/5 Indian Sunset - 3/5 Holiday Inn - 3.5/5 Rotten Peaches - 4/5 All The Nasties - 3.5/5 Goodbye - 3/5

Det va ikke så verst, helt ok underholdning, med eller uten Tony Danza.

Elton kan nok bedre enn dette.

3/5

It was a pretty average album overall. There were definitely some standout tracks - Tiny Dancer being the obvious one - and the lyrics were strong, but as a whole it didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me. Knowing that Taupin wrote the lyrics, you can really appreciate how vivid they are, and John’s melodies are undeniably classic. Still, the intention versus the execution felt a bit disconnected. And I will say, there is a flow of a story with the melody that strings the songs together - something that I feel this album does incredibly well against other albums on the list. From what I understand, the album is meant to explore darker, more psychologically intense themes, but I didn’t fully feel that come through in either the lyrics or the music. It leaned more toward a soulful, R&B vibe for me. That sense of anger only really surfaced in moments (like in Madman Across the Water) and I think it could’ve been explored more consistently. There were also quite a few heavier, longer tracks. Tiny Dancer was still my favourite - familiar, but a classic for a reason.

This album is great bailed after great bailed. Thats is no sprise because it Elton John after all. This could be a mr.flaw because of the repirishon but John keeps it interesting. I love the singles especially tiny dancer because it feels so nostalgic. Indian sunset is probably my favorite song on the album. The story telling on it is amazing and it has a cool song structure. It's vary emotional and told an important story. The closing track was also great and somber. I like how it can flow in to the first track. This hole album was vary theatrical. This album just made me feel good. I give this album a 8

On the one hand, it's pretty music, and I like Elton John. On the other hand, it's not super memorable, other than a couple of classic tracks. I like his more upbeat stuff, and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" among other things... his Greatest Hits was one of the first records I bought with my own money as a kid.

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

Not my thing

Ótimo album pra ouvir enquanto lava a cozinha, o sabão facilita a performance Elton Johniana.

me ha gustado aunque estoy segura de que este hombre tiene mejores hits. tampoco le ha ayudado haberlo tenido de fondo trabajando, siento que no le he hecho justicia pero mira, es lo que hay

not my fave Elton album

Amazing

good

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

It was above average for me tbh

PULL ME CLOSER TINY DAANCEER Oh my sooooooup

Me

Classic Elton John with Tony Danza 😉

Never surpasses “Tiny Dancer”; then again, how exactly do you even do that?

Not my favorite early Elton album but still good.

no me gusta elton john lo sinto

Love “Tiny Dancer”. Loved the piano. Elton John is a classic.

Iconic and enjoyable Elton

He’s a fucking madman

Its elton john, obviously slaps

I truly love Elton Johns music, I always grew up listening to it and tiny dancer is one of my all time favourite songs

Tiny Dancer is a bit of a guilty pleasure. As for the rest, I will at least say I preferred it to Billy Joel

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

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

Oh dear, obviously I’m conflicted given my feelings about WFC but do me a favour RGP this is absolutely dreadful…Tom.

Старый пидорасик делал красиво. И без рояля!!

No de mi gusto pero increible

Increíble álbum, tiny dancer una de mis favoritas de la vida

not my favourite elton john album but still great! i love elton john. no further notes thanks

I just don't care enough

Elton is good as always, tiny dancer is a classic! I do prefer goodbye yellow brick road though…

this album makes me feels this longing for something that i never lived. except its the 80s-90s, it's the summer I'm with my wife and my group of queer friends, we all feel joy despite it all but something in me, like a gut feeling tells me that it's all a dream. so i try my best to stay asleep, stay dreaming, but as i do that I'm being pulled away slowly because I'm waking. and I'm back in reality full of hope for a better future and a 'take me back' feeling.

Peak Elton

obviously knew “Tiny Dancer” but the rest of this album is a trip. every song has something catchy and weird in it. god i can only imagine the drugs this man’s nose has known

I really like it - Indian summer though eek

I don’t know if there is or will ever be a better movie application of a song than Tony Dancer in Almost Famous. Sure, Apocalypse Now had The End (which did not make band happy), but Cameron Crowe used Elton’s song on such a way you remembered why you loved music. That song still resonates today. This not my favorite EJ but it is a solid album, best appreciated in its subtleties. It’s a slower, more personal work. Levon is well known and great. Madman’s horns and orchestrations were a definite change of direction. But my favorite track of the album this time was Indian Sunset as it really showcased his piano skills without sounding like Jerry Lee Lewis. And Goodbye is heartbreakingly beautiful. In contrast to Yellow Brick Road’s rock and roll graffiti, this album is an afternoon reflecting from Elton’s journal.

Random thoughts: * Although I would consider myself an Elton John fan, I’ve never listened to a proper album. I saw him in concert and definitely listen to the greatest hits. * This one had classics in Tiny Dancer and Levin to open with but the “deep cuts” after that sort of petered out for me. * I’ll have to give this another listen. Elton should definitely be on 1001 but I have no clue if this is the definitive album for him.

magnificent!

10/10

Great album. Tiny Dancer and Levin are all time classics. All the songs are good. Orchestral.

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

A classic

Bueno pero repetitivo y empalagoso

Loved it

As a piano player this album is basically catered for me with such simple but catchy tracks and great accompaniment to Elton’s John’s beautiful vocals. It’s really beautiful but predictable at the same time. Not necessarily a complaint but definitely shows a bit of growth to be seen. The song Indian Sunset definitely was a shocker and so cinematically produced with the ginormous blaring orchestra in the background. The glam of Elton’s style shines through here and this just feels like a concert album ready to be heard by a live audience.

Very solid, just classic Elton John.

vhb

6 - AVERAGE

Okay

7/10

Another Excellent Elton John album. He has plenty of them. Tiny Dancer is probably my favorite song of his so thats already a plus. Levon is another track I really enjoyed and I thought Rotten Peaches has a lovely piano accompaniment.

Not as memorable as the Honky Château.

ok 3.5

++: Levon, Razor Face, Rotten Peaches, All the Nasties, Goodbye +: Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water, Holiday Inn +-: Indian Sunset 7,7/10

Solid album! I had heard Tiny Dancer before but first time hearing the others. Favorite song was Holiday Inn.

Good happy vibes, pretty decent album

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

Top Songs: Tiny Dancer Levon

Outstanding Album. One of his best.

It seems weird to say that I've never listened to an entire Elton John album. It feels like his music has been ubiquitous in my life. I haven't really sought him out or bought an album or anything, although I did see one of his shows at the end of his rock phase (before he got all pop-py) and it was pretty great. His songs always seemed to be on the radio and in movies and such. So, I liked what I've heard, but never quite enough to move me to seek out the catalog. The first two songs on here are great and I've heard both probably a few hundred times. And i still like them. Never heard any other song from this album though and that turns out to be a shame. I don't think there's a stinker on here. I'm sure he'd take a little flak for singing "Indian Sunset" today being a white Brit. Racist! Culture Appropriation! Etc.! He's got a great voice, easy to listen to. And I find it sad that his later album were so thin. He lost the growl and the range. Even the songs I didn't know carry a warm, familiar vibe. I could listen to this almost any day. But in truth, I still think I'd opt for the Hits albums. Bernie is a great songwriter! It's amazing that these two were just thrown together by a young record label guy. "You sing. He writes. Go make it happen!" The musicians don't get a ton of credit here, but all of the parts work quite well together, supporting his voice and great piano playing. I like that Elton is an accomplished piano man, but he doesn't get all show-off-y. Everything he does serves the song. I'm assuming there will more than one Elton album on this list because the research shows this was one of his lesser albums. Either way, I'll be sure to check out more of his whole albums. I'm going to go all in with a 4 on this one

Yep, that's an Elton John record, alright. While I can't deny his musical talent, his music is like background noise and easy listening to me, at best. I enjoy the forwardness of the piano and the heavy influence of gospel on this record, but I feel like a lot of the songs overstay their welcome. A nice change of pace, but nothing I would purchase on vinyl.

I like. Lyrics of "Indian sunset" did not age very well, but otherwise very cool album.

Elton John’s Madman Across the Water is widely regarded as one of his most atmospheric, orchestral, and emotionally rich early‑’70s albums—anchored by iconic tracks like “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon,” and remembered for its lush arrangements and darker storytelling. It’s a record where Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin push into more complex moods, blending rock, pop, and symphonic textures with striking confidence.

It’s not nearly as good as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Very much what I expected from Sir Elton.

Beautiful album, really made me appreciate Elton John much more. Great variety of songs too

Numrene spænder mellem 2-5. Vi lander på 3,5

Sindssyge stryger, kor, piano i omkvæd på Tiny Dancer, kææææmpe banger jo alle dage Jeg har lidt svært ved sangstilen gennemgående, vokalen er lidt for meget et instrument for ham. Kan bedre lide når han lige bringer koret ind for lidt dybde i stedet for at lade stemmen knække op og ned på hver anden strofe. EKSEMPLE RAZOR FACE: "Lay doo-oow-wwn" Indian Sunset er lidt et genrebrud, lyder som Phil Collins på trommer og så den solosang intro, noget anden stemning. Og så alligevel ikke rigtig... Jeg ligger nok omkring 3.8, jeg ville have det dårligt med at give denne tre stjerner, men det er også en svag 4.

lægger ekstremt godt fra land med tiny dancer, men i min optik bliver der ikke fulgt ordentligt op stadig mr. john i sædvanlig fin form, og det vil aldrig være helt dårligt i indian sunset er der en fuldkommen legendarisk passage, der senere samples i de fleste unge, hvide provins-drenges yndlings relaterbare sang fra barndommen - ghetto gospel. det trækker i sig selv op 3.4

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

I genuinely could not tell you when the last time I sat down with Elton's music was. It has to be coming up on a decade at this point, at least counting listens of my own volition. When I was a kid he was sort of the flipside of Billy Joel to me, the kind of evocative piano-performer that it was maybe just a tad bit uncool to like but that spoke to me in a comforting way through their work. The only thing is that Billy stayed as a fixture of my life for far longer than Elton did and here we are in 2026 finally going back to him. I know "Tiny Dancer" very well, I've heard "Levon" once or twice but this entire album is otherwise new to me. Soft, sweet, vivid, gorgeous.

Classic

Typical Elton John. Not necessarily bad, but... I could've done with a bit more.

A few standout tracks for sure, but not Elton's best album

Me gusta su música ,ya lo conocía

Oh how I love Elton John.

Elton John is the man

Yeah, I mean. Great middle of the road pop. Some absolute classics that will be part of the culture until the sun explodes and a few dull or outright stupid tracks.

it was ok nun crasy

these lyrics had me near crying the whole time, im supposed to talk about the music but the lyrics are so powerful here, lovely imagery and characters that wed perfectly with eltons voice and energy it loses weight as it progresses, but there isnt a significant qualitative difference compared to the first tracks, great listen from front to back

Never listened to this album

Classic

liked this, pretty classic for his sound as i know it 3.5

i like elton and this was an album i had never listened to but genuinely blew me away

Cinematisk og storslått uten at det føles påtatt.

Dæven!

Er ikke fan av refrenget på Levon. Ellers er denne plata fullkommen. Noen andre som bare måtte høre Ghetto Gospel?

Har i løpet av de siste åran forstått at æ har satt Elton John i feil bås. Faen så dyktig han e. Få han tilbake til Skarphallen! Til den yngre garde; ja, han har faktisk spilt i Skarphallen. 01.04.2012. Ingen aprilsnarr.

Hørt på solsenga på Granka. En av de første gangene jeg har opplevd at et album er for tidlig ferdig, helt perfekt. Ingenting slår Tony Danza.

Blir litt for mye av det samme, og det som leveres er ganske mid. Men han mener det han synger, det skal han ha. Sparer ikke på kruttet.

I feel there are better Elton John albums it’s not a bad album and has some good songs on it but has a lot of filler songs so could be better

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

Re-listened to this again. Still a 3. I'll go on the record and say that "Tiny Dancer" is one of my favorite songs ever, but I had never heard the album in full before. Lots of great lyrical moments, delivered with stomping choruses from Elton and lush, bombastic arrangements. This is really prime glam music but gets quite samey after a while (especially around "Holiday Inn"). Maybe I'm more of a fan of Elton's hits instead of his albums. In any case, it's a solid listen, but maybe more the beginning of great things to come rather than a great album in and of itself.

I've never really given Elton John much thought, or really listened to him either. He just is kind of a known good quantity and so I've never tried to see if I like him. But this is great, nothing that will find it's way on to my playlist, but it is solid music and great singing. I think my only issue so far is how little I can understand him and how little his lyrics make sense to me - but I am lyric-deaf the first few times I listen to any song really. But the accompaniment and his voice are just stellar, great combo overall. Might be a 5 just because I am enjoying it so much, but I think I am moving towards a 4 since I will not be putting it on the playlist.

Too lazy to write a full review but enjoyed it a lot!

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

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

Elton John was a blessing, wasn't he? After two ambitious debuts and a kinda disappointing third one, the man managed to leave his mark with a innovative style of soft pop rock that manages to be catchy and worthy of attention. John paved the way for distinct 70s rock musicians like Bowie and Steely Dan by emphasizing unusual features already present in traditional british and american music: folk, country, soul, vaudeville, R&B, jazz... elements that were only fully successful through the Beatles (whose departure represented a significant "power vacuum" by the turn of the decade) After the self-titled release, Madman Across the Water was the album that caught the attention of critics at the time and fortified Elton's career along a line of other wonders like Honky Chateau and finally what would be considered his "magnum opus": Yellow Brick Road The album is mostly remembered for its hit "Tiny Dancer", a catchy tune but also "Levon" (which has one of Elton's most poetic vocal deliveries) and the powerful anti-colonial (yet questionably outdated) anthem "Indian Sunset". The rest of the songs are mostly catchy fillers, but I personally feel a need to showcase the outro which, despite being short, is of such melancholy and poetical lyricism, is a sign that Elton can shine even with the least of efforts.

Still not a fan of Elton john’s singing, but the instrumentals on this one surprised me. There’s some interesting and surprisingly heavy distorted guitars. Unlikely to relisten, but I’m glad to have checked out some songs beyond just tiny dancer.

45 minutes of fantastic, piano led ballads rounded out by Elton's sweet vocals, thought provoking lyrics, and sweeping orchestral sections. The album kicks down the door with Tiny Dancer and then settles on the couch, inviting the listener to sit and stay awhile. While you could sing all of the choruses a few beers deep with arms around your mates at a pub, there's a lot to dig into here. A cover to cover listen might leave you wanting a change of pace, but the songs are begging you to give each of them their own dance.

Iconic opener with Tiny Dancer. Haven't really listened to anything other than his big hits so this was a good introduction. Quite a short album at just 9 songs but each song is quite long.

This album has so much going on. Orchestral arrangements, mixed with John's piano, Wakeman on the keyboards, and Taupin's storyline lyrics delivered beautifully with Elton's vocal clarity. The production and arrangement is very good for a 4th album. Think Taupin is 21yo and John 23yo when this was recorded. Amazing talent

Two great tracks (Tiny Dancer and All the Nasties), rest is good but can't help feeling it is a little less than the sum of its parts.

Some of these songs are some of my favorites by anyone. Others not so much.

Elton John has an amazing voice and song library that I love. While this isn't my favorite album of his I still listen through it and enjoy all the songs and after I finish I listen to his other works as well since this made me remember how much I enjoy those as well.

Aldrig lyssnat på Elton John ordentligt men har ju hört några hits. Detta är riktigt bra när man faktiskt lyssnar förutsättningslöst. Ett gäng bra låtar.

my first generated album to listen to i’m excited it’s elton john i love tiny dancer i hate the covers they play of it in stores today 💔 1) 10/10 2) 8.5/10 3) 8/10 4) 9.5/10 5) 9/10 6) 6.5/10 7) 7/10 8) 8.5/10 9) 7/10 overall i give this album an 8.5/10

Life changing. Fantastic start. Can't bring myself to put the reasons or circumstances into words but if my future self ever sees this he'll know.

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

favorites: tiny dancer; levon; holiday inn

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

Have to love Tiny Dancer. Levon is decent too. The rest? Not quite sure what he's on about.

On se ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hyvää musaa mut ei parasta Eltonia

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

- tiny dancer remains fire - nice instrumentals as usual - i feel like i'm losing it is tiny dancer actually good or am i just used to it. because the rest of this album feels kind of eh. the instrumentals are very nice but i'm not really invested in the lyrics etc - favorite tracks: tiny dancer - rating: 3/5 because i gave bruce springsteen a 3/5 and tiny dancer is carrying this

gorgeous gorgeous lyricism and instrumentals highlights: tiny dancer, madman across the water, indian sunset 4/5 edit: rerated to a 3.75

I listened to an absolutely terrible album before this and I have never been happier to hear Elton John's wonderful vocals. Incredible, what a man.

4/5 Eltonnnnn thank you for this album. From start to end it was a treat to listen to. I really loved the end song especially.

This was a fantastic album! every song was very good (albeit, fairly similar.), obviously Tiny Dancer and Levon were the hits, but Indian Sunset, All the Nasties, and Goodbye were all great. All the other songs were also nice though.

No lo terminé, no venía mal, pero siento que son todos los temas parecidos

Tiny Dancer Alone

Tiny Dancer is iconic. I could pass on the rest

I'd only heard tiny dancer before (which is a banger), but the rest of the album was enjoyable as well

Indian Sunset is a banger of a song and starting off strong with Tiny Dancer. The rest was good.

Songs are better than the album art

it's very elton john is it some bangers in there “Indian Summer” is ill advised at best

💜

Maybe closer to a 4 but I'm feeling frisky

I did have a busy day today!

I really wish 'Tiny Dancer' weren't so overplayed. Solid album, but not my fave from him.

Buncha bangers and good times

blue jean babay

Good overall, but sounded like 45 mins of the same song.

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

It’s good!

This one starts off so strong, with the timeless Tiny Dancer, and you have high hopes for it with Levon (though the lyrics don't quite make sense), and then it goes downhill. Elton John's piano and singing, as well as the backing strings and drums, are solid throughout, but they can't quite rescue the sloppy lyrics to make it a repeat listen beyond the opening few songs.

Underwhelming?! Honestly felt like once I'd heard Tiny Dancer I'd heard them all. Not sure if it's my cuppa tea, at least not a full album of it. I think if I was hearing these as standalone tracks I could get more behind them (I did already know and love Tiny Dancer beforehand) but they began to merge into each other with the similar slow, belty, dramatic vibe. Every song is a crescendo so none of them stand out hugely. Indian Sunset was the only other track that stood out somewhat to me, but don't think I'll be rushing back. Also feel like Elton's voice doesn't hugely range emotionally, it doesn't feel super characterful. It's always 100% emotion. Relistening: Vibing more with the instrumental of Holiday Inn. In general I feel I'm vibing more with the instrumentals and less with the vocals, maybe I'm not a huge fan of Elton's vocals! Bit karaoke-y???

Obviously 5 stars just for Tiny Dancer but I also really loved Holiday Inn.

I never listened to Elton John all that much, but that might change after this album. "Tiny dancer" is such a lovely song and hearing "Indian Sunset" was a revelation - I have never realised that's the sample in 2Pac's "Ghetto Gospel", a song I really liked as a kid. "Indian Sunset" is absolutely beautiful and moving to tears. A lot of Jesus and God references quite surprised me, but after a bit of reading they make some more sense. Glad to have listened to it, might come back once in a while, but the two aforementioned songs went straight to a "1001 album favs" playlist of mine.

Wer kennt ihn nicht.

This one is all over the place. One phenomenal song, one great song, some mediocre songs and a racist song.

6.0/10

Hold me closer Tony Danza

De este disco solo conocía Tiny Dancer. Lo escuché 2 veces, la primera no me convenció; en la segunda entendí todo.

Outstanding album (aside from "Indian Sunset.") Beautiful arrangements with emotional delivery, this truly is quintessential Elton.

This is, in my opinion, Elton Johns greatest album. It starts with what is one of his greatest songs.

Remember this one from highschool

tiny dancer and levon. kind of drops off after that

“Tiny Dancer” and “Levon” are all-timers, but the most interesting track on this record to me was “All The Nasties”. To modern ears, it certainly sounds like a veiled song about coming out, but I could see how a 1971 crowd may not pick up on that. I know that EJ wouldn’t actually come out until 1976, and even then he came out first as bisexual, so it must not have caused too much of a stir at the time. Beyond that, this record feels very much like Elton doing peak Elton things. If that’s your thing, I’m sure you already know this record well. I appreciate Mr. John’s contributions to rock & roll, but I’ve never fully connected with his music. I wouldn’t complain if you put one of his records on, but I don’t picture myself ever reaching for one myself.

If you're gonna one-two punch with "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" you've already made a hell of a brew right away. And in fact, just about every song here is stunningly well-written and performed. But the grimace-inducing "Indian Sunset" leads to an album that really starts to sound exactly the same after a while. It will grow on me probably but at first blush this is a really great early album from an artist who had yet to really hit his peak.

A lot of solid tracks but a few came up short for me.

Never been quite familiar with Sir Elton's discography apart of several singles and a handfull of deep cuts. I was not aware of the proggy experience this album was going to give me, I thought it would be more of a Your Song kinda experience. I'm quite surprised. Starts with classic singles, but the expansive journey the middle takes you on is quite impressive. The orchestration doesn't swallow Elton's personality on the piano as he keeps going towards Al the Nasties, which very well could've been a fantastic closer, only to give you the hearbreaking Goodbye to end on a sour note, but not for the album. This was a fantastic experience listening for the first time, another artist i'll be looking forward to learning more of their discography thanks to this experience.

As long as he stays across the water.

Love the embroidery on the album cover (crewl stitch?). Starts of with my all-time-favorite Elton song, Tiny Dancer. This can't go wrong.

We almost had a 5 today, if only ‘Rotten Peaches’ were not on the album. As is typical with most things Elton, this was very well done. Excellent melodies, great production, and very bombastic in the best way. ‘Tiny Dancer’ gets all the attention on this record, but don’t sleep on the title track and ‘Levon’. Not much else to say, all y’all know what Elton John music sounds like, whether you enjoy it or not is up to your personal tastes. I think this is a classic album and a strong 4/5

Ok

Solid

J'aimerais ça, quand j'écoute un record d'Elton, découvrir plein de deep cuts renversantes... mais c'est toujours juste les hits qui marquent vraiment.

Classics like Levon, Tiny Dancer, deeper cuts like Indian Sunset and Madman Across The Water also help, but weaker songs like Razor Face, Rotten Peaches and All The Nasties all struggle to have unique identities or stand out from each other. The lyrics sometimes feel too vague or obscure to fully get into on some songs. I still want to revisit this album, open to reassessing and giving it a higher score, the lyrics and hooks may just need more attention to stick.

Actually really enjoyed it, some excellent songs.

not my thing

Classic Elton John—how can you go wrong? 4.5 stars

This is inventive, his voice is excellent but it is dense and a bit incomprehensible at times- lacks the clarity of a bowie executed concept for example. Has a couple of strong tunes, sounds pretty coherent, but something is missing here. As prog goes this is more my style with the strings and psychedelia, but still not entirely compelling

That was a disappointing listening, as I expected much more from a Elton John's album. Favorite tracks: Tiny Dancer,

#295/1001. Funnily I have never seen this album cover in record stores, although I have done my share of picking. Perhaps I've skipped the John Elton sections. Also my knowledge of his music is limited to some of his radio hits, the movie and a making of Yellow brick road album documentary. This album provides us an orchestrated singer songwriter, ready to amaze friends of musicals all around the western hemisphere. The songs are not bad, but nothing stands out in the first listen. Then again I wouldn't mind having to listen to it again. Mostly harmless.

Banger! Indian Summer, wow.

great album, not as good as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Of course Elton John shines, and there’s no bad song on this album. My qualm is that pretty much all of the songs on this album are “ballad-ish”, so they mix together a bit. But still fantastic. 8.5/10 from me.

This is one of those times where I feel like not being familiar with the album aside from the singles kind of hurts it, since Tiny Dancer and Levon are such amazing songs, while the rest of the tracklist is just solid. Had I been familiar with this album my whole life, I could honestly see myself rating it higher, but for now, it's just gonna get the four. But yeah, aside from the big hits, the rest of the tracklist has similarly great piano work, just the lyrics are kinda throwing me. Not as immediate or punchy as the big Elton hits. Still good though.

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

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

A wonderful opener in Tiny Dancer which is Elton at his best in my view. The rest of the album is listenable enough but pretty forgettable and at times feels like tiny dancer by numbers.

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

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

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

Underappreciated album. It’s a coherent musical journey full of this team’s signature blend of evocative storytelling and style.

Symphonic Elton John

“Piano man, he makes his stand In the auditorium Looking on, she sings the songs The words she knows, the tune she hums” When you open an album with “Tiny Dancer” it is very easy to set yourself up to disappoint for the subsequent 40 minutes. Fortunately, Elton John and Bernie Taupin were one of the greatest songwriting partnerships of the 20th Century so naturally they don’t fall into this trap. It’s the epitome of Piano Rock and more than entertaining from front to back. The lyrics keep you engaged and every song has the catchy quality that Elton John brings to all his work. Is “Tiny Dancer” the highlight? Yes, obviously. But there is so much else to enjoy than just that.

Propper concept album.

Lots of good stuff here, got a second listen

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

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

I realize there's a reason Elton John's Greatest Hits has sold a billion copies. Hold Me Close Young Tony Danza deserves all of its streams, as does Indian Sunset.

Eight generic Elton album tracks, and a bonus point for Tiny Dancer being incredible. 3.

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

Kinda surprised Tiny Dancer was the leadoff track. Seems more like a track 5 or 6. Indian Sunset is a real clunker. The whole album is a bit too grandiose and overwrought. If I wanted that, I would listen to Mickey Newbury's 'Frisco Mabel Joy from the same year.

Not really my vibe, but I love Tiny Dancer and Rotten Peaches

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

What a golden nugget. Some great songs on here, some blockbusters. What Elton John has done for music and still does, boosting young artists, is something you can’t knock. I just got abit fed up on the back end of the album i can’t put my finger on it. Maybe another listen is in order. This should have easy been a 4 but something held me back.

Enjoyed the compostions , always rated his work Elton , Tiny dancer is a lesson in great songwriting , some fantastic material on first half loved Indian sunset but then sort of tailed off quality wise don’t know what it was but didn’t draw me in although still great songs Id have liked a bit longer to fully appreciate the music on this one

Elton at his best, kicking off with Tiny Dancer just a really, result well-written song which sounds fantastic too. This is the first full album I've listened to of his bar just listening to the odd songs here and there. The title track Madman across the water surprised me, quite a great groove there with crisp strings and nice guitar work. Least favourite track was Indian Sunset, that was missing a bit of substance for me plus the lyrics are just plain cheese.

Meganoioso, ma la musica non è malaccio

there's something conventionally good about this, but i'm not eating this up.

Så väldigt, väldigt bra! Återigen ett album som jag är sur att jag inte lyssnat på tidigare. Tiny dancer är en av världens bästa låtar, det har jag alltid tyckt men resten... Magiskt!!! Älskar detta rakr igenom.

Overall: 8/10 I love Elton John, man. So much, in fact, that he is one of the few artists that I've shared my love of with my 4 year old son. He loves Elton even more than I do. This album especially has been one that we listen to a lot together. I think Elton and Bernie Taupin is one of the best collaborations we've ever gotten in music, their music and lyrics just work so well together. Obviously Indian Sunset hasn't aged well at all, and is the biggest reason this isn't getting a perfect rating, but everything else is just so much fun for me. Fav Song: Tiny Dancer

Might be Elton’s most top to bottom consistent album, boosted by the classic opener.

Good album from a master. Only a few songs get any airplay today, but this album is exceptional in its consistency of tone and mood. All the songs are different & creative, but they are coming from the same place. This is an album’s album! A 4.

Nunca me ha entusiasmado el sonido de Elton John para detenerme a descubrirlo, pero no esta mal, solo no me termina de enganchar su pianorock

No puedo escuchar Elton John sin pensar en el segundo periodo presidencial de Bachelet. La conocí cuando estaba en 8vo básico. Que gran gobierno. Denme el bono marzo yo también tengo hijos

8/10 Elton John is an incredibly talented and diverse songwriter, and an excellent performer, both vocally and at the piano. Sometimes his voice isn’t pitch perfect, but he emotes so well that it more than makes up for it. He has got one hell of an ear for melody, but he equally writes with a tremendous appreciation of rhythm, dynamic and drama. He can be a little inconsistent at times, but I think much of that is him trying to satisfy his wide ranging musical interests and ideas. This golden period of Elton’s during the early 70’s is remarkable for the number of absolute classics that he produced, but he also had depth. This album is a shifting, evolving journey through Elton’s development at the time. He brings in subtle beauty, in your face drama and engaging hooks in an ever-moving blend that keeps you on your toes and hooked into the story remarkably well, especially given that most songs are around five minutes or longer in length. He uses dynamic really well and rarely reverts to a basic verse/chorus/verse structure, preferring to build, work and stretch his ideas until he’s ready to let loose with the full weight of the composition. That’s not to say it’s perfect. There are moments when things lull a tiny bit here and there, but there was at least something in every song that caught my ear and hooked me in, even if it wasn’t completely consistent throughout. The performances across the record are super solid, with Elton’s parts on the piano and vocals being the obvious highlights, but the rest of the band and the strings section do exactly what they need to do and allow the main man to flex his stuff. The production is top notch, with so much depth to the arrangements and it’s a rewarding listen as a result, with so many instrumental pieces to unpick and enjoy on repeat listening. While this isn’t a perfect album, it’s a really, really good one, and Elton would go one step further with Honky Chateau to tweak his formula and deliver an absolute knockout. Tiny Dancer - The piano in this is really beautiful. It dances around so nicely, and when the guitar comes in the way the spin around one another is an absolute delight. It’s bold to open an album with a track that doesn’t bother getting to the chorus for two and a half minutes, but every second of this gold. Elton’s voice is excellent, the mix is gorgeous and the build of dynamic is epic. As a composition, this is remarkable. There’s so much instrumental depth and range, it moves through a range of clearly defined movements but feels so natural, and the string arrangement is so lush. Oh, and melodically, this is absolutely out of the top drawer. Levon - More lovely piano playing around a really lush, evolving chord progression. Elton knows how to write songs with great verses and choruses, but builds more structural interest around those core sections to make things way more musically interesting. It’s dramatic, but not overly so, the orchestration is deep and warm and it’s all produced with great clarity, but still with plenty of space for Elton’s emotive vocal performance. Razor Face - This takes a step into something a bit more laid back. There’s some nice guitar playing in here and it’s got a lovely bit of swagger to it, emphasised by Elton’s vocal, which is delivered with an edge of attitude over a really decent tonal range. This has a nice rhythmic blend as the song progresses, with the groove around the solo section being particularly nice. It’s not as strong as the opening couple of songs, but it’s still solid. Madman Across The Water - This is a bit of an epic. It’s a slow, subtle start with some really nice rhythmic stops and a groove that builds slowly enough that it’s barely noticeable until it’s suddenly pretty full and punchy. The passing of the rhythm between the different instruments in various bits of call and response is really cool and it’s so dynamically rich, building and falling in two distinct cycles, which is not a common approach in pop music. Tonally, it’s quite interesting too, as it’s quite a proggy composition, but is instrumentally quite traditional, which is a cool blend. Indian Sunset - This is another epic. Lyrically, it’s pretty ropey, with Taupin plucking as many cliché Native American Tropes as he can and throwing them together in a story that is almost offensively inaccurate. But aside from that, it’s pretty nice. It’s not quite as hooky or consistent as some of the earlier tracks, but when it gets into its stride there are some really dramatic and beautiful moments, particularly when the full orchestration comes into play. Elton really knows how to let a song breathe with structure and orchestration, and this is another fine example of that build, ebb and flow of his more florid, evolving work. Holiday Inn - And now we’re leaning more into the country Americana that’s been hinted at elsewhere. This has its moments, but it doesn’t quite manage the consistency and engagement of some of the earlier songs. There are still some really engaging moments in here though and Elton’s swagger in his vocal delivery is great. I kind of love that a guy from Middlesex can lean so far into the Americana thing and then flog it back to the yanks. Another decent track, even if it’s not as spectacular as others. Rotten Peaches - The chorus here is great and the best part of the song is the little break in the chorus where he sings “Mercy, I'm a criminal, Jesus, I'm the one” before leaping back into the main chorus melody. That bit is so, so, so good. Seems silly to love such a small part of a song, but that just does it for me. And he doubles down on it later on. Cheers Reg. This is a really solid track and leans a little more towards the kind of sound that he would explore further, and probably more consistently on Honky Chateau. Great stuff. All The Nasties - There are some excellent moments in this, but it’s tonally a bit of an odd one. The piano playing is great, as usual. The chorus is solid too. But it kind of roams off into some odd places in the middle and then the ending is weird too. It’s just a fairly inconsistent track that doesn’t quite manage to thread the needle in a particularly satisfying way. Goodbye - This is pretty. It’s a bit saccharine and dramatic, but it’s a decent and brief ballad. The arrangements are nice, his vocal is delivered well with good emotional depth and it’s a pleasant way to end the album.

Keep this album across the water you tea sipping yokels. Seriously, aside from Tiny Dancer this album would be lost to the hippie zeitgeist. 3/5 stars because Tiny Dancer is good and the grandiose piano parts probably went on to influence Hollywood mob pieces more so than music.

very pleasant listen. never really have listened to him on my own accord and it was nice!

I have never listened to a full album Elton John album until now, I liked it! The album started strong with Tiny Dancer, and all the songs that followed were great too.

i kinda don't care which album it is, i will never rate Elton John lower than a 4. can you imagine hearing something like "Levon" in a stadium? damn. not my favorite elton john record, but a pretty good one.

This one was fun. I only knew Tiny Dancer going into it, but the rest of it was still a good time. Turns out Elton John is pretty good at making good music. Thanks Elton. It's just not changing my rotation at all

I love Sir Elton, by this one was a liiiittle too same-y. It felt like the same 2-3 templates stretched into a while album. Granted, they are great templates, but it still didn’t have the depth I expected. 3-3.5

I always thought I’d meet more people named Levon with how much I heard this album as a kid.

Levon is my favorite Elton John song, is that a spicy take???

I’ve heard Tiny Dancer in the background a million times, but playing it loud in the car was like hearing it for the first time. There are huge strings and nice touches of slide guitar on this song, and I’d not noticed them til now. From the first track on this record felt so full of life. Levon is good, Indian Sunset is gorgeous, but I kept re-playing the title track. The build and flow of Madman Across The Water was perfect, and the overdriven guitar line added this snarl to the song that made it more than a pop track. I’ve seen that Elton John biopic from a few years back, but putting this album on during a sunny drive did more for my appreciation of the artist

Tiny Dancer was the stand out on the album but good stuff all round

It's hard to imagine any album beginning with a stronger one-two punch than "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon," and the title track (which ended Side 1 back in the vinyl days) certainly does its part to make the first half of this album a classic. Unfortunately, none of the other songs are close to the level of those three, probably because this was the fourth album John had released in less than two and a half years. That's just how things were done back then: Make sure there are two singles, and the rest of the songs don't really matter.

Uhh it's Elton John come on

Awful. I was so disappointed when this popped up. I still gave it a chance but found myself shaking my head at how bad it is. The music is uninspired, the lyrics are either meaningless or offensive and the delivery, shrouded in this weird faux pathos is laughable. I hope I don't have to listen to Elton John ever again.

Fucking fantastic

Not exacly my genre but better than others in the same group. Elton has a nice voice and can hold a nice note. A 3.5 for me.

It aint my vibe, but I like Elton John as a person and musician. Would I ever put it on again? No. Would I complain if some puts on some Elton John. No.

I adore this albom ive listened to it before this and it is amazing.

C'est la première fois que j'écoute vraiment du Elton John autrement qu'à la radio ou pendant un film ou une série. Et se pencher sur cet album est fort sympathique. Il est connu pour ses parties au piano et bien entendu, c'est l'attraction principale. Du reste, j'ai pas tant accroché que ça, même si c'est de toute évidence très très cool. Ce sera un trois, mais un beau trois (je déteste la notation sur 5, c'est tellement limité).

What am I supposed to do, not enjoy THE Elton John? Of course this is a good album.

Börjar som en 5a de första 4 låtarna men slätar ut sig till en stark 4a. Att lyckas följa upp tiny dancer med en sån panglåt som levon är magiskt. Otroligt jävla svag för Elton John. Till och med den cringiga indian-låten är bra.

Mm mycket bra! Sjukt att han släppte typ 8 album inom loppet av 5 år här. Maskin. Tror att jag tycker att det här är Elton Johns starkaste album och då är det ändå inte en femma. Känns som han lider lite av samma problem som Stones - har ett oändligt bibliotek av bra låtar men dom är också utspridda över typ tusen olika album.

3a pga tiny dancer

Svårt att följa upp första låten. Ojojoj. Vilken astronomisk mörsare. Tiny Dancer! Lite segt efter.

Tiny dancer stand out song so not great.

Eclectic mix of songs. Two masterpieces-Levon and Tiny Dancer. Brilliant artists Bernie and Elton.

Cool! Knew more Songs than i thought.

TIL Elton tried prog. Tiny Dancer carries this album. Levon is also good. But the whole album is obscenely over-produced. Indian Sunset is likely the worst song that Bernie Taupin ever wrote, though.

Tiny Dancer and Levin are certified bangers. What a way to start an album. I didn't know any of the other songs on the album, but they were all at least decent with a few bops. It's no Yellow Brick Road but still a solid album.

Would buy

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

An album full of energy. All of what you expect from Sir Elton

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

Tiny Dancer is iconic, Levon is a good single the rest of the album is solid, but it is missing another banger to put it at 5 stars

Tiny Dancer and Levon are always great - Madman Across the Water is also pretty good. Otherwise, the album feels alright but nothing too special

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

Fine, but I can't really get into Elton John. Every song sounds the same to me

Mooi album met Tiny dancer. Na de eerste paar nummers de Elton John sound wel zat, maar de verandering kwam daarna snel! Van genoten dus

The ballad intensity of this album makes it worth every penny.

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

First two tunes are excellent. Rest is pretty mehh.

In my opinion, Elton John’s first 3 albums were the best! Every song on this classic piece of rock is terrific.

Has the same kind of catchy timelessness of the best of Billy Joel. Them piano men know how to sound a tune.

Classic Elton John sound. Tiny Dancer starts things off great, but the hidden gem is Indian Sunset. Razor Face also slaps. The rest of the album is fairly meh to me. Elton John definitely has better albums, even if all his music is good. 3/5

tiny dancer is arguably one of my fave songs of all time. but why did he open with it it was unfortunately all downhill from thete

Boring

Previously just liked a couple of the radio hits of his... this album opened my eyes and emotions to his talent and soul.

This guy is simply a legendary songwriter and performer. That's why it pains me to say I'm not into his music. It's good. It just doesn't resonate with me. Still this is a pretty good album. Just not for me.

A couple of big well-known songs but I found a lot of this album sort of boring. Sorry. 3

This is the second of Elton's two albums on the countdown that I have gotten, after having Goodbye Yellow Brick Road previously, an album which I thought was just amazing. EJ is an incredible artist, no doubt, and I have a significant affinity for piano driven artists (Billy Joel, Bruce Hornsby, Sara Bareilles). I just didn't think this album was quite as good as GYBR. It gets off to a great start with Tiny Dancer which might be my favorite Elton John song outside of I'm Still Standing. Unlike I'm Still Standing though, this is more of an epic track than a straightforward pop track like ISS. Amazing to read about how it wouldn't get played in various regions for different reasons (too long, certain lyrics). Hard to believe it took so long to gain the level of popularity that it did, as it is truly excellent song. Levon is really good as well, with a bit more of an impassioned approach from Elton than we hear on Tiny Dancer. Two great songs but pretty different from each other, at least to my ear. Speaks to how great Elton truly was, he could make a series of different styles sound tremendous. Razor Face was decent, not amazing. I did like the how the piano, organ, and guitar blended on this track, each taking their turn in the sun. Well constructed, just wasn't my favorite song. The title track was maybe as close to hard rock as Elton John is ever going to get. It's not Black Sabbath, by any means, nor is it close, but it was interesting to hear that he had some of this in him. I know that there is orchestral backing to a lot of these songs, I just thought it stood out as being a great touch on this track. Indian Summer took me a few listens to appreciate, but I grew to like this song. It's hard to wrap your head around Elton signing about Indians, but ultimately it works. Holiday Inn was so interesting to me with the mandolin, which made this track for me. Another good song. Unfortunately, the album didn't finish as strong as it started. Rotten Peaches was decent. Typical fare for EJ, it just didn't do a lot for me. Also, I wasn't a huge fan of All The Nasties. The first half of this felt like he was trying to fit a bunch of the sounds of some of the earlier songs together in this one and it just didn't work. The back half was very repetitive and rather uninspired. Goodbye is just filler, so no real comments about this. All in all, a very good record, carried by what is on the first 2/3rds, let down by the last 1/3rd.

Perfect noncommittal three star rating. Didn't love it but a two star review for Elton is inconceivable.

Enjoyable and well paced, I found this album overall to be a good balance of vocal performance and song craft.

I like Elton John! I'm no super fan or anything but I like his voice and I think his writing is filled with emotion and Bernie Taupin's lyricism is evocative while remaining digestible and simple. Never heard before Honky Chateau so looking forward here. 1. Tiny Dancer - man I gotta say, I never expected that famous melody to be so delayed. Worked out well, hardly noticed this was that song until it showed up like 3 minutes in and hit like a truck. Wiki says this album is considered prog rock? I'm not sure I get that considering what we'd call prog today. Like, later Yes is what I'd consider early prog and even that's a stretch nowadays. Mix is so tight on this album, too. It's interesting that the sound I really associate with American country rock (big, cinematic strings, twangy guitar, lap guitar, lead piano) are all over the song and album from what I've heard. Not a bad thing, I think that concept actually works well here while it always flops with the country rock stuff for me. Maybe the writing is better, or maybe the drums actually mean something here? Either way, that connection I was talking about between country (og) and soul (og) still coming up and I'm still right. Strings killing it on this album, wonder who did the arranging. Nothing like Step's for EWF but just a big wall of sound appearing as a strong counter melody. Works well. 2. Levon - let's see if I remember that melody from yesterday! ** I did, like a second after writing that. That "heeee shallll beee leevooonn" is a really strong melody and v familiar. Same melody actually as "And looooove woooont leeet me waiiiitt..." in Major Harris' song. I think it's a soul cliche. This one also starts with piano intro only, I think that's just an Elton John thing? I think some of the melodies are similar too, and the way Elton John's melodic phrasing is too. But, I don't mind. Doesn't get stale very fast, and I think that's a testament to his singing and of course the arrangement of the song. Something I'm noticing on second listen is that Bernie Taupin's lyrics are evocative of emotion without really using them to describe emotion. He's mostly telling stories or painting profiles of characters with the words, but he's never saying "I'm sad and here's how I'll tell you in a clever, lyrical way". In fact, outside in, his lyrics are not terribly personal since they're about events or people. Kinda Dan-like in that way, less morbid though (normally). Again, strings playing the role of a strong counter melody when necessary. 3. Razor Face - I'm not sure I enjoy the lyrical structure on this one as much for some reason. It's definitely the same as before though. "Has anybody seen Razor FACE, I heard he's back and looking for a PLACE to lay down" has a meter similar to "BalleRINA, you must have SEEN HER" but something about the groove is complementing it this time. But, the groove is cool. Jam break down at the end, a la Pinball Wizard. This one's alright, not gonna be my first pick if the album comes back on but it's got a laid back feel and I wouldn't skip it. 4. Madman Across the Water - Strings once again playing very cinematic. Sounds like the theme to a modern western still set in the Old West. Not a bad thing, they are killing it. A little more than a one melody wall of sound on this one. Melody is very nice. The lyrical problem of last song doesn't happen here. Maybe it's because Tapin's usual structure is AABB (bad-sad, then moon-June, etc) and that structure doesn't work well with shorter passages. John's melodic passages are usually longer though, so it normally works out. Maybe that's it, cuz those lyrics are working just fine here. Not grating at all. ****ADVICE: Changing my normal lyrical structure and meter based on the length of a passage so that the words don't come out hokey or grating.**** Shorter melodic passages will need more varied rhyming patterns, while longer ones can get away with the somewhat expected AABBCC etc format. 5. Indian Sunset - this song FUCKED me up yesterday listening in the car. That "full of lead" line was nuts, melody and lyrics. I read that most of this isn't historically accurate, it's just a story and what a story. Even I with my level 2 apple imagination get a pretty vivid sense of imagery here. Vocals upfront after the intro are nice and bold. I wonder what motivated this song, it's a bit of an odd topic to write on without an emotional connection. Like, he's a 70s Englishman so to write something on a topic that would seem so intimate (potentially, I could be wrong) to a Native American is pretty left field, I think. Composition is once again v cinematic. And the lyrics are similarly cinematic, super strong and evocative. Hate to keep saying that word, but they're colorful. Ending is sick!! Let's hear it for abrupt endings not on beat one, or the tonic. 6. Holiday Inn - one thing I haven't touched on which is totally an Elton John-ism is the big full shouty choir for like one line or a few words to add punch to a moment. It's like the whole town showed up to shout "SLOW DOWN JOE!" mostly in tuned harmony and it really works. Makes that bit and the ones following it super memorable. I like the usage of mandolin in this tune, makes a nice bohemian sound that I think it intentional given the subject of the song. Whoever mixed these drums and the album as a whole deserves an award. I hope they got it. And if not, I hope they get it. Is it weird that I consider the Elton John sound to be almost quintessentially Americana, but he's so British? Like, MacArthur Park Americana. That sound. 7. Rotten Peaches - oooh minor 4! my fav. Goddamn that twangy ass guitar, how is this not country rock?? Like 70s country rock. I don't hear this as prog. I'm not insulting it by calling it country rock, it's way better than that. But the sound is there. I'm noticing that some of the songs have the same groove, and it's okay since it's not the majority and they're broken up well. Also noticing a very active and melodic bass player on this album, but especially this song. He hit a bad minor run up top but otherwise he's quite on it. 5-4-1 ending is cool with the lalas. 8. All the Nasties - oh my, large chamber choir on the feature! Same groove again, not quite tired yet. Getting there, but we're not there yet. Again, helps that other parts of the texture differ. This one is mostly keys and drums and that big choir. Pretty sparse on the other stuff for the most part. Starting with that "do do do dum do dum doo doo oh my soul" thing, I'm really having a good time with the groove, in fact. Good build up and craaaaazy reverb on the drums. You can hear the air inside the drum's reverb response. 9. Goodbye - super moody right up front. Orchestra doing more than punch tactics here too. This is so melancholy for the last song, that's unusual. Elton John was pretty clearly classically trained as far as playing and composing, the progression here shows that. The melody as well. I liked that. I think that it would have been super tight had we ended right after Holiday Inn. The last few tracks were good but they were when I started noticing some of the grate and churn that comes with having similar groove and melody structure to most of the songs. That said, the groove is a good one and Elton John can really compose. Taupin's lyrics are beloved for a reason. I think the choice to end on a low note is kind of a strange one, but I don't hate it. I'd say that if we stopped after track 6, I'd put this album at a solid 4. As it is, though, it's a bit bloated. So I'd call it a 3.7 or 3.8. Better than the last, but as a whole on the 3 level. Almost 4! (I'm going to make it so that the decimals don't round, but they're still good to note here)

A couple of classic songs, but not his best album.

I've certainly known a bunch of Elton John singles over the years, but this is the first full album of his I've listened to. I enjoyed it well enough! Some good musical diversity, and a lot of the lyrics were more varied in topic and tone than I expected. His voice is great. This album cover is fucking awful.

This Elton album feels monumental, loud. I enjoy that the aptitude for vocals and instrumentals match one another. Good listen.

ja er ist ein trumpie, ja es ist oddly religiös, aber FIREEE

nice

bringing that piano bar ambiance to my nightly aimless scroll

Beautiful voice, nice piano, piercing bass . Lyrics are not so clear for me, unfortunately.

Elton John easting as always.His vocals were on fleek and the whole vibe of the album was very positive! 4.5/5

Review - this album was ok. Not his best work. But at least now I know where the sample in Ghetto Gospel comes from Rating - 6/10 Need to listen? YES

Never listened to Elton before, pretty good

so so good it’s compact but brings out everything in a person i can’t believe i hadn’t listened to the whole thing before

A very front-loaded album, it doesn't help that two of the greatest songs ever written appear in the first half of the record as well LOL. Tiny Dancer and the title track are so mind blowingly amazing that it's hard to have the rest of the record follow up the precedent set by those two tracks. There are other good songs here though, "Holiday Inn" is actually quite nice and "Rotten Peaches" is also a quite good deep cut, but the other songs either fall flat like "Razor Face" or just sound cringey with the lyrics and the context; despite how good the instrumental may be (Indian Sunset). Still, it's a pretty good record and worth it for side A alone.

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

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

One of my favourite Elton John albums. He’s far more bitter and sullen on this album than a lot of his other work, and it really suits his voice and Bernie’s lyrics. Some of my favourite Elton songs on this; was great to return to it.

Elton John is not one of my favs. It is nice to hear this old music again.

way more banger ballads than I knew this album had tupac sample for Indian Sunset!!!!

4 - UGH a classic - only rating a 4 because its not something I'd listen to regularly and I cant give perfect scores away that easily.

goat

Wow it STARTS with tiny dancer. This album is extremely nostalgic for me as Elton John is my fathers favorite artist so there's no way for me to write an unbiased review. And Levon is one of my favorite songs of all time. I really have a new appreciation of the string composition - from violins that really amplify young Elton's emotional range, to even a sitar. I thoroughly enjoyed this but also felt 1001 other emotions as well <3

Tiny Dancer and Leave On is a one-two killer punch. Unfortunately, the rest of the album does not stay at that high level, but still enjoyable and will listen to again.

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

Tiny Dancer is a classic, the rest is okay

I like this. If all the tracks were as good as Tiny Dancer, it would be a 5.

Fair play

Лютый калл

Never listened to a complete Elton John album. Enjoyable

2'5

A very cinematic album, Madman Across the Water has some high highs and few plateaus but not every songs really hits the spot for me. While I can appreciate the energy Elton John conjures for some of these, I prefer the somber and ambient pieces on this album more, perhaps they clash so much with the public perception he has gathered. Best songs are Madman Across The Water and Indian Sunset. 7/10, perfectly fine.

Nemam šta pametno kazati za ovaj album.... Ocena je 3/5

like the slower tempo. the vocals are very satisfying. favorite is probably Madman Across the Water. the lyrics are nice.

Positive surprise. The album had notes of rock and lots of instruments I liked making whole songs. That added to Elton's voice. I didn't even mind his most famous songs were not in the album.

the second and final Elton John album for this challenge, and yet I have like a billion Elvis Costello albums left to go. about 120 albums ago, I looked at the other John album in the book, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and liked it quite a bit despite some of the typical issues with 70s double-LPs starting to set in (namely the presence of at least one song I skip every time I return to it). Madman Across the Water being a single LP definitely mitigates that issue; all nine tracks here are very good! it's just a matter of which album I prefer musically, and that's actually a bit of a tough call. Madman is your prototypical Elton John experience; beautiful Bernie Taupin stanzas paired with some tremendous, quasi-progressive piano tunes and gorgeous string arrangements. Yellow Brick Road follows a similar path, but it's more stylistically diverse; in particular, John really leans into influences from glam, and many of its tracks are far more blood-pumping compared to Madman's more introspective balladry. Madman's title track in particular gives way to one of John's most spellbinding tunes and captivating vocal performances. of course, there's also "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon", two of his most iconic tracks, but there's even a lot of gold to be found in the deep cuts on the B-side, particularly the prison escapee narrative of "Rotten Peaches". I like John a lot in both of the modes his two albums in this book display, and I think their strengths and weaknesses kind of cancel each other out, to the point where it's hard for me to pick a favorite! these are two extremely strong 70s pop rock albums, and you really can't go wrong with either. strong 8/10.