Reviews (page 7 of 14)
Very classic.. the madman actually did it
listening to this i kinda realized i had never listened all the way thru an elton john album and it was actually basically exactly what i expected which is pretty good in my books!
I did not expect to like this as much as I did. EJ was in rop form and his skill was on full display. Album sounded like a symphony opera with big layered sound and a great album flow
Title track is an all-timer, for sure, but the rest of the album is quite strong and up there with any other Elton John album.
This really ran out of steam. Everything until Indian Sunset was, at worst, interesting and pretty good. The rest was, at best, stale and overly long. At least I found the story of Tiny Dancer and Indian Sunset compelling, but the back half is more filler than good.
3rd album in one year?! Unique album artwork and a classic in the opener ‘Tony Dancer’ (it did this as an autocorrect and going to leave it 😂) Enjoyed the modern video for it too and found it quite moving. Got a little samey in the opening tracks and very Elton sound but really loved the title track and the newness that brought in. Generally great range of songs and the familiarity of ‘Indian Sunset’ that became Ghetto Gospel. Good energy, dramatic, theatrical. Good songwriting. (3.5)
Brilliant instrumentation and arrangements, what do you even call simultaneous solos? How is that even a thing? The oft lengthy nature of the tracks serves to enhance rather than detract. And while the bombastic tracks in the vein of Tiny Dancer are incredible, I prefer the slower and more melancholy cuts. Topped off with rich storytelling/character building it’s tough to call this anything but an all-around-stunner. Listened to: walking through prospect park. Favorite tracks: Razor Face, Madman Across the Water, Rotten Peaches, Goodbye
La batería del final de All the Nasties le hizo ganarse la media estrella que le faltaba en mi consideración
Okay, generally a Elton John fan, but not my favourite
Tiny Dancer is a classic (thanks, Cameron Crowe, for bumping it in the popular psyche 29 years later), but I just can't do piano story songs. Elton John, Billy Joel, etc...instant snooze fest for me and oh so overly dramatic.
Chanson 5, je m'ennuie déjà et ai l'impression d'avoir écouté 5 fois la même chanson. Elton, toi et moi, ça ne va pas fonctionner.
Something about this album didn't really hit for me as a whole but I can't put my finger on it. That said, I never knew Tiny Dancer was an album opener. For some reason it seemed like it'd be an album closer. Favorite Tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Rotten Peaches
Sometimes I'm in an Elton mood, sometimes his voice seems too 'put on' and over-egged and it grates. This album walks the line a bit. Some of the tracks are pure Elton and I'm on board with, but sometimes his faux-American tones take it too far for me?
Standard Elton - soft rock driven by the piano. Not much else to say. I don't even like Tiny Dancer... Nice and concise album though, doesn't overstay its welcome. Best track - Madman Across the Water 3 stars
I really want to like Elton John as a fan. Funny thing is, sometimes I actually do. Tiny Dancer is a classic, Madman Across the Water is great, and Indian Sunset feels almost like a film score. Still, a lot of his albums drift into background music for me. That said, this one stands out... probably my personal favorite of his. By the way: Rocketman is a better film than Bohemian Rhapsody… fight me. Elton, I love you for who you are — a true legend — and this album earns a solid 8/10.
first 2 songs are great next 2 are very good the last few are above average
Finally a good album after days!
Really solid songs and they are longer than I remember. Elton can really sing and it shows on this LP. The production is typical of the time - can barely hear the drums and when you can they are high end and dry. But there’s a lot of players and a lot of signal. Very good record.
Tiny Dancer is a good and known track to me, put I didn't remembered. Full albus is very good. I've probably listened to it already when I was getting ready for Elton's show in Rock in Rio (2015?). Holiday Inn is also very awesome!
Es increíble como Elton John pasa de una bañada country a un pop melódico, rozando el rock, soul y el sinfónico en cosas de un par de minutos, haciendo cambios de melodías, tiempos y acordes como si el concepto del género musical no existiera para este genio musical. Mis temas sobresalientes serían Tiny Dancer y Maman Across The Walter. Gran disco en general.
Not a super well received Elton John record, but I have no preconceived notion of what an entire Elton John album should sound like I’ve only heard the hits, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of this album except for the poorly aged Indian Sunset.
Was excited to hear this because I always thought Tiny Dancer was really cool, but there’s really not much other high points like that one on this album for me.
Really good. Some songs didn’t age well
Elton John is one of my favorite singer-songwriters of all time. A great album, though not my favorite of his.
Madman Across The Water by Elton John [1001 albums]: 8/10, In his prime, Elton John really had his specific style of piano rock perfected. With an interesting fusion of this piano rock and a Beatles-esque progressive pop, Elton managed to create some of the longest songs in popular music at the time. Tiny Dancer being just over 6 minutes long and triple platinum, one of his most popular songs, is quite impressive for 1971. Of all the songs here, one stands out as the best, but also the most questionably aged, Indian Sunset. A supposed retelling of a story from a painting, the language is poorly aged (Indian? Yellow people??), and the story isn't very accurate. With all that said, it's a very notably anti-colonialist story which is pretty ahead of its time. Musically, it was my favourite track on the album, but had no shortage of moments that made me question what Elton John was thinking when he wrote it. With all the strange and vaguely racist parts of the story of that song and the rest of the album being less noteworthy while still being pretty great, the whole album stands up relatively well and could pass as a modern album with some remastering.
Rollicking. Like any Elton John album... sometimes a lil too rollicking...
weiss nöd obi tiny dancer schomol ganz glost han. schono guet. goht jo ewigbis de refrain chunt whaatt. ah huere lange song. find de refrain de nervigst teil well er en mega komisch betont irgendwie. levon wer isch de levon? coole song aber het etz nüt mit mir gmacht. razor face cooli zweiti stimm. moll und cooli gitarrelicks. titletrack fangt guet ah er spielt so viel akkörd? uuuuh de synth bass huuere cool holiday inn isch au suuper de bass huere cool, mandolin haaammer. rotten peaches au sehr sehr guet, find langsam tönt alles ähnlich aber halt guet. klapprigs klavier. all the nasties seehr klapprigs klavier, superschöne chor.
freuumi, kenn voll kei elton john albe (defür sini neberolle in kingsman 2) tiny dancer isch schomal huere schön, riese stimm liechte country ihfluss, super klavier ohh coole wechsel ide bridge rieewse song levon isch auno cool, aber chli vill striicher für min gschmack HANDORGLE aso würkli ich han nöd cheggt dass de john so e INSANE schöni stimm het indian sunset megaa schöne ahfang oaaah und de chunnt de bass inne! SO SCHÖN holiday inn isch iwie mega episch hahaha ROTTEN PEACHEEEES kenn scho es paar lieder so passiv all the nasties und goodbye sind na cool als closener (oder heissts closer HÄ) nei ich glaub closener egal aber nüt unglauuublichs aso würkliii es klars 4i wow, vlt muss ich endlich mal meh elton john lose. mengisch chli schnulzig aber überhaupt nöd störend, very beautiful
This album delivers everything I expect from the Maestro, and more besides. I love it.
Was ok 3.4
52/1001 :: Elton John - Madman Across The Water Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Fav Tracks: Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water, Levon Listen before you die: Yes I mean who doesn’t love Tiny Dancer? Probably my favorite Elton song. That alone is a reason to listen to this album. And by the time you get to Levon you know this a serious album. I said last week Elton John over Billy Joel and I’ll take that to the grave. Especially after just listening to The Stranger that stance could not be more firm. This album has rock n roll attitude with operatic elements. Of course the Elton performance is great but the strings overlayed across the whole album really puts it over the top.
pas pire Tiny Dancer est un classique
Good album, big dramatic songs, bit of a rock opera feel.
Tiny Dancer is the most memorable song of this album where all the songs sound the same. 4/10
I know why the album is titled after that track, even though Tiny Dancer is more well known. Work of art.
It’s fine but kind of sounded the same and lost my attention by about 2 mins into each song.
Well mixed, overall a pleasant listen that wasn't for me (yet at least). Loved the build on all you nasties, I'm a sucker for a good choir part.
Honestly the only the second Elton John album I've ever listened to. I liked Yellow Brick Road a little better. This one is a bit more "piano bar in the corner of sad dive bar" of a vibe. I'd only heard Tiny Dancer before. It's not terrible. I'd put it as a high 2, but I really don't think there's any chance I'd listen to it again, so I'll keep it as a 2.
BEST SONGS: - Tiny Dancer - Madman Across The Water
Good
Elton John. What more needs to be said. Tiny dancer is a hit. 3/5 for me.
Great album.
When I was about 10 or 11 or so, my mom upgraded from the 1974 Greatest Hits compilation that soundtracked every vacation of my life to a more recently-released two-disc one. With this upgrade, I was introduced to far more Elton John than I had previously been aware existed, including songs like Tiny Dancer and Levon, the latter of which ended up quickly supplanting Honky Cat as my favorite of his songs. Somehow, I never got around to checking out Elton John's discography when I started getting into music as a teenager, but honestly, I can't imagine that I could ever love him as much as I did in those days, when Tiny Dancer was the soundtrack to pulling into another hotel parking lot late at night, with the knowledge that tomorrow we'd be at the beach.
When I went through Elton John's discography I was not a huge fan of this album. I only liked about a third of the songs. I find myself liking it a lot more this time around. Especially Levon, it is much better than I remembered. I prefer the version of Madman Across the Water with Mick Ronson, his guitar playing is just so elevating.
Not my favorite Elton John, but still a good one. Undoubted mastery of melody, theatricality, orchestration. Tiny Dancer is and will always be my favorite off of this album, Levon and Goodbye are up there as well. Part of his charm is that he can somehow create such catchy, listenable songs out of such genuinely insane lyrics. I truly think that the universe forced him together with Taupin as a writer because he would have been too powerful without him. I don’t ever really know what the hell he’s talking about, but he manages to make it work *most* of the time.
This just opened my eyes to how talented he is. What a voice
Ben là!! C’est Elton “f**cking 5 stars” John!
Il y a une coupe de bonnes trucs, genee Tiny Dancer et Madman Across the Water. Mais Elton John j'ai essayé souvent sans succès (Honky Chateau et Yellow Brick Road). Ça me semble plus un serial one-hit wonder man. Quand même dans les meilleures tounes de Disney (avec Tarzan), alors respect Sir!
Du bon rock à la Elton! Malheureusement le fait d’apparaître en même temps que d’autres albums de là même période le fait pâlir un peu! Tiny Dancer, classique. Bien aimé Levon, Indian Sunset, Rotten Peaches. Bien aimé la forte présence des cordes dans plusieurs chansons. Mais parfois je trouvais que les chansons se ressemblaient un peu d’une à l’autre. Je m’y perdais. Quand même hâte d’en découvrir un autre du maître du showbiz!
Obsessed with this being labeled as progressive rock.
Will continue to reach for some of these tunes. Tiny Dancer is just the tip of the beautiful iceberg that is this album.
Tiny dancer is so good, the rest of the album could be awful and it would still receive 3 stars. A very excellent and quick album over too soon.
i like. highlights: “Tiny Dancer,” “holiday inn,” and “all the nasties”
Sorry but I don’t think I like Elton john. The composition and arrangement of strings were my favorite parts
Having never listened to an Elton album in full, I enjoyed. A compilation of fine songs. Would be interested to know (so will listen to!) how this album rates against his others.
the cheese is strong in this one. still, enigmatic in its own way. there's "Madman Across The Water" which stands out for me.
.
Good album, just not for me
Great album
Okay, when I think that I like Elton John, I evidently really mean I like this album. I also like songs on other albums, of course, but this feels like the most quintessential version of what I consider my favorite Elton John. It starts with "Tiny Dancer," which is almost impossible to not sing along with (or at least picture the cast of Almost Famous singing along with), then it keeps going with strong songs in a similar vein (though not as catchy as Tiny Dancer), and it wraps up in under 45 minutes. Perfect. If it were longer, it might lose a star, but there's no fat on it.
Not bad, feels like an outsider's perspective on the US.
In the present day, Elton John kind of suffers from being one of those musicians who is really thought of as a celebrity before a musician. Sure, everyone knows songs like Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, and Candle In The Wind, but it kind of feels like he is a little under-listened as far as full albums go. Going into this, I too mostly just knew some of the singles, but I am pleased to report that this has some real highlights on it. The first thing that stuck out to me here is that this is the one with Tiny Dancer, a fantastic song. You've probably heard it: grand and patient and tender. It's worth noting at this point that this phase of Elton John's career can be most helpfully thought of a collaborative effort between himself and lyricist Bernie Taupin. Elton John's songwriting ear, and Taupin's talent for lyrics is a pretty formidible one here. Tiny Dancer is a great example of the fruits of this creative partnership. Miraculously, the rest of side one more or less keeps up with Tiny Dancer's quality. Levon has anpther fantastic chorus, some great piano and some really amazing lyrics. Razor face brings some really cool alternative instrumentation to the mix. And Madman Across The Water (the title track) takes Elton John's glam sound into a darker, proggier space, and the result is really compelling. Unfortunately Side 2 can't quite keep up. Holiday Inn is just fine, and I can take or leave Rotten Peaches and All The Nasties, but the remaining two tracks are worth discussing. Firstly, let us discuss Indian Sunset, and the mess it makes me navigate. Firstly, the *sound* of this song is really good, it is another in a proggier pocket like the title track, and the string arrangements work really well, but none of that is the big thing with this song, let's talk lyrics. So, listening to this, it is clear that it is being written from a well meaning place, and as far as the poetic devices, pacing, and tension goes, it is actually pretty well executed, as in, this is *theoretically* well written. **However** the core narrative concept of this song is such a *fantastically* bad idea that these positives barely matter. Upon seeing this on the tracklist I figured we were in for another 70's and 80's "well meaning but ill advised song about the wrongs leveled against Native Americans (a weirdly common song type for this era). And on some level, it is this, but it is also so much more jaw-dropping. I would honestly urge you to read the lyrics yourself. All I will say is that I'm glad that Bernie Taupin is free from whatever force in his life convinced him that he *needed* to write a song in which Elton John theatrically portrays a young Native American warrior. The last song I would like to discuss here is Goodbye, which is a truly fantastic closer. However it commits the cardinal sin of being unconscionably short. As a whole, I thought this was a little uneven, but it has some really amazing highs and I enjoyed the experience in general.
meh
No ecactly my type, a bit sad
Not a huge piano rock person. The performances shine through that bias, and some of Elton John's best performances are here. I probably won't revisit, but is still worth your time.
Haven't finished it but it was ok, I appreciate the art but isn't really my thing
Mai sentito Elton John prima. Tiny dancer molto molto bella e fa capire lo stile che ha in generale l'album. In generale è molto sullo stile e ricorda, almeno a me, i primi album di steely dan anche perché il periodo aiuta. :)
High quality - there are so many good songs on here
Terrible cover art. :) Couple great songs, but I wasn't thrilled with all of it. Levon and Tiny Dancer carry. 3.5/5
• 3/5 • A good listen, but far from Elton’s best. Tiny Dancer is great, Levon is good, the rest are forgettable (except Indian Sunset, which is affirmatively bad)
This Elton John album is frontloaded with the hits--the rest of it is pretty meandering. These songs go on for a bit.
I enjoyed the theatricality so much more than I thought I would. A classic with a lot of sincerity, but Indian Sunset certainly does not stand up. 4⭐️
Absolute fire. Sick instrumentals, story-telling and singing. Can’t really mark it down. 5/5. Indian sunset a highlight for me.
Yep !
Tiny Dancer is a masterpiece. There’s something about Levon, but the rest didn’t stun me.
Awesome!
That's wor Elton alright. You can tell he's a good songwriter, tiny dancer is good, but it all felt a bit samey. It's all basically the same level of exciting, about a 5/10, never too loud and in your face or stripped back and quiet. That song about being an American Indian is a funny perspective for a British bloke to have a go at. Looking back Im not a huge Elton fan but I think he has songs that are better than these. 2.5.
A lightly frustrating album. Wasn't a fan until I went in 2019 and he was rather excellent. One of the last true showmen. Contains my all-time favourite song: Indian Sunset. A tragic tale of colonization, but such a good tune and the lyrics, whilst potentially a bit tone-deaf in retrospect, are great. I love a song that tells a story. So good, and heavily sampled since. He rarely plays it - only a couple of times in that part of his suspended Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Lucky enough to hear it live, it really builds and crescendos. Superb. Levon and Tiny Dancer are great too. My main complaint is the length of the songs, the boring back half, and the tendency to go for a repetitive fade-out rather than some virtuoso piano-playing. So he loses a star. Just like we lost Diana.
Tiny dancer is a good track. I don't mind the odd Elton John song, but a whole album is too much. It's too showy and theatrical for me. I get why people like it though. 2.5 is probably harsh but it's not my thing really
I'm not an Elton John fan, but I enjoyed this album far more than I had expected.
'Tiny Dancer' is an epically great song and worth 3 stars on its own. The rest of the album is fine.
4.0 - Very Good
Starts off extremely well but from there seems to be a collection of too similar sounding songs? Perhaps should give it a few additional listens to appreciate the deeper cuts.
Decent. Not a big ej fan bit this was alright
1st album I ever bought. I saw him live at the old Memorial Coliseum in PDX. I was 12. We were way in the back but high up and directly in the middle of the stage so far away. Great experience. You only get to see Elton for the 1st one time. Well worth it.
Ben non, Elton John, c'est chiant. Au moins c'était moins long que l'autre double album, et Razor Face était pas pire.
J - 4/5 Best Track - "Tiny Dancer"
I think I genuinely need to know more about how music is made to appreciate why this album is special. I had a hard time understanding the words due to the vocalist's enunciation while singing. 5/10. Mediocre to my ears.
Should really have cut Indian Summer and Rotten Peaches out. Oh well. Great album if you know which tracks to skip.
Unless the last track is good I think this is a 2/5 deserved the spot on the list given the 1-2 punch of Tiny Dancer and Levon, but the rest does not reach that standard, I also felt like it needed a Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting to give a bit of more life. I liked the ending on All The Nasties so bumping it up to a 3/5 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0a9QlmXzJUA
Ahhh. This felt like 45 minutes of Tiny Dancer. Every song on this sounds the same.
Tiny Dancer is a banger
I knew a few of these songs before listening to this album for the first time. Overall, good stuff.
I'd say better than Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (IMO). They only small criticisms would be the backing vocals on "All the Nasties", and the main character's name in "Razor Face". Kept thinking about Tazer Face from Guardians of the Galaxy.
First of all, the previous auto-generated album was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I think there should be a break between Elton John albums. So the question remains, is Elton John just a hit maker, or was he known for his full albums. It seems like time and time again, we get albums that have a few hits and then the rest is a bunch of filler. Elton seems to be pretty successful at getting all his hits at the beginning of the album. I feel like we are not getting albums for the albums as a whole. Oh well, its Elton, and hard knock him for being a hit maker. If it wasn't for this list I would have never heard songs like Razor Face, Rotten Peaches, and All the Nasties. Didn't love it and didn't hate it!
I own this one and it's one I enjoy.
Elton at his best - great from start to finish
A spirited man on a piano bellowing out tunes. I was cool with it for like 3 songs (helped by the famous opener “tiny dancer” - never realized that song was over 6 minutes, good lord!), but got old quick.
Elton John, the rocket man. Maar ondanks de grote naam, ken ik eigenlijk alleen Tiny Dancer en dus Rocket Man. Ik laat mij dus verrassen. En wat is dit een goed album zeg. Piano top, gitaar top, zang top. Veel variatie en het houd je aansacht erbij. Word ik dan toch een beetje Elton fan? Ief.
It’s a really good album, but I just don’t think it’s enough to be great. The hits are like, iconic, but the rest of the album tracks are just ok. Not necessarily misses, except maybe the one about the Indians, but just “good”. But overall a good album and experience.
Pretty solid Elton John album.
Solid. Can’t believe he released 3 albums in the same year.
Kicking off with potentially his best ever song (almost feel like it should have been a closer). Rolls into Zevon (never heard before - also great), and then fades into oblivion for me even after multiple listens.
★★★½
To be honest, I found this album fairly boring. Not really bad, just not all that interesting to me. There were a few songs I liked, but really not enough there to make me consider it a particularly good album. I kept zoning out and nothing about it really did much to pull me back in. I'm not the biggest fan of Elton John or his genre, so I'm sure that played a role. I think the similarity in the style for all the songs was part of that too. I can't say there was anything there that I thought was worse than fine. Still, I'm not sure why it's something I need to hear before I die. It was more just OK to me. Overall: 2.8/5
Very fun pop rock record
Another album that has been in my collection since its release. Wonderful album.
I liked this a little more than Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as it was interesting to see Elton John exploring some darker themes. However, I'm not sure it completely works - Indian Sunset in particular, whilst I'm sure was well intentioned, comes across very poorly. That said the title track and Levon were the real highlights for me.
Empieza con la mítica "Tiny Dancer", canción que es un 10/10. A partir de ahí son todas nuevos descubrimientos muy en la línea de lo que ya conocía de Elton, por lo que me ha entretenido mucho. El mejor descubrimiento "Holiday Inn". 7.5/10
I've never dived into an Elton John album before! It's quite cool, John's voice and performance shines the lyrics and the instrumental is really captivating. "Tiny Dancer" is easily the strongest track, and overall it is a good setlist, but some songs are long. 4 out of 5
This feels like a masterpiece. Its so so good. Tiny Dancer is spectacular. Levon is incredible All the Nasties is superb. All of it is good, and the standouts are so good. Love this record
Eh. Worst Song: Razor Face Best Song: Rotten Peaches Added to Liked Songs:
We get Tiny Dancer and Levon right out of the gate. After that, things get a little self-indulgent and extra. Long songs, overproduced; not his best. But those two songs are great. It's a 2.5 with a rounding error.
Strong opening to this album with Tiny Dancer and Levon. I enjoy Elton John's style, and this album is full of it. I saw the album described as done in a prog rock style, and I can hear it, especially in Madman Across the Water. Second half of the album didn't do as much for me, although "All the Nasties" was decent.
I always forget just how impressive of an artist Elton John is. The album starts off with Tiny Dancer, a song I didn't really like until I listened to it again yesterday. The entire album sounds massive, yet Elton Johns voice makes it sound intimate as well. The string arrangement backing many of the songs is very pleasant to listen to. Very enjoyable album, although some parts like the choir at the end sounded a bit campy.
Fairly strong start and some weaker songs towards the end. I'm not a huge on this pop-rock style of music. 5/10
This is the one with "Tiny Dancer". Madman Across the Water also features the song "Levon" which I only recognized by the chorus. Yes, you know it, and would agree it's a jam. Aside from the hits, I'm mostly unfamiliar with this album, but Elton John continues to sound like Elton John (good 👍). The performances are great, the lyricism varies ("Indian Sunset") I cannot deny the Elton John is good, but this album hasn't made me a fan.
Me: Maybe I've outgrown Elton John, I much prefer more hard and aggressive music. Also me: Every song on this is an epic.
3.5
Ergh okay. Diana (RIP) loved Elton so I guess I'll give it a bloody try. I did already know I like 'Tiny Dancer', so a fantastic opening track to an album I am a little bit apprehensive about. Madman across the Water showcases the best of Elton's piano playing, and good god is he talented. The issue I have with this album is, the lyrics are obtuse, meaningless and all round not at all compelling. HOWEVER, Elton does a fantastic job of at least making them sound the complete opposite. The whole album follows this theme, because frankly what the fuck is he banging on about. The ONLY song on this album that isn't hobbled by god awful lyricism is 'Tiny Dancer'. Easily the best song on the album and , the strings are powerful and beautiful, and an example to why Elton John was such an unstoppable force in the 70's. Sidenote, why is Jesus brought up so often in this album ? “Jesus freaks out in the street” and “He calls his child Jesus/’Cause he likes the name” and “Jesus he wants to go to Venus” and “Mercy I’m a criminal Jesus I’m the one/Rotting peaches rotting in the sun”, it feels gimmicky and just all round cheap .For me, “Tiny Dancer”, “Levon”, and “Madman Across the Water” are the only songs on the album really worth listening to. For the rest, the lyrics are so uninteresting, and even just fucking atrocious. However, I am astounded at some of the melodic wonders and breath-taking arrangements on Madman Across the Water, musically it's astounding. I did a bit of research into the album to discover (unsurprisingly), the culprit is Bernie Taupin, 'We Built This City' is just one appalling example of all round wank words spouting from that mans metaphorical pen. I wouldn't bother listening to the whole album again. 2.5/5. - HF x Elton John, whilst I know the classics including the opening track of this album, Tiny Dancer, can't say I can remember the last time I listened to a full album. Tiny Dancer speaks for itself, beautiful chord progressions backed by an orchestra of strings and the occasional sharp clean guitar licks, it all coming together for a brilliant chorus, excellent track. Tracks like Levon keep the same energy, leaning on the heavy strings section, verses building up to a big and epic chorus. Razor Face has more of a bluesy feel to it, a welcome addition to prevent the album from sounding too samesy, the addition of bluesy guitar riffs and an electric organ solo make this one of the stand out tracks for me. The albums title track takes the mixture of the strings with distorted heavy guitar cutting through adding a dark melancholy to the chord progression. The rest of the album stays consistent, following the same Elton formula, quiet beginning with the first verse used to build and build up to a large epic chorus, with the occasional drop down to just the base instruments only to pop back up to an epic finale. It's a good album, definitely worth multiple listens, however to put it simply, it's Elton John, you know exactly what you're going to get. 3.2/5 MTW One of my top 3 Elton albums (I believe I covered the other two on the by-numbers Billy Joel record) - this was the first record EJ really started to make waves as a recording artist to be taken seriously. The title track from this one is also my favourite Elton song, so I knew I was going to enjoy having another listen to this after a few years, the last time being the week I went to see the lil fella in Dublin. I find the concept of someone presenting you with lyrics they've written and putting the music to it interesting and often flawed. Whereas bands often bring lyrics to the table either through a main lyricist or as a collective, this songwriting partnership should have more of a divide in it. Taupin's lyrics range from straight forward ('Seamstress for the band' - his first wife was Elton's seamstress) to the downright mysterious throughout. But I'm more of a music & melody man so what I get out of Big Reggie D on this record is a man coming into his own as a composer. From the beautiful string arrangements on Tiny Dancer and Madman, to the hammond organ on the more bluesy-prog numbers like Razor Face and Rotten Peaches (Rick Wakeman if I'm not mistaken), it's a record of it's time but a record in which Elton really starts to strut his stuff. Not his best record, but an enjoyable revisit and a sign of things to come. 3.7/5.
This was a surprisingly enjoyable listen. It’s seems clear George Michael was raised on / influenced by Elton John as several songs the vocal styling could easily pass for later GM. Every time I listen to these albums from the 1960s and 70s I’m reminded how nice songs shaped around a story or narrative can be - reference Indian Sunset. Of course Tiny Dancer. Levon, Madman, and Indian Sunset also strong favorites. Razor Face was trash; All the Nasties also a bit trite. Solid album though. 3/5
Typical Elton John, great songs, good vocals, basic classic rock but in a pleasant way
I always thought his albums were nothing but hits. Kind of surprised me listening to the album. The hits are truly amazing but the album is just ok.
Meh. Three big hits on here. But it all sounds like a dramatic musical then a great album.
Phenomenal album. Very emotional.
Terrific album. Peak Elton John
timeless classic
Noooooo. I loathe Elton John after he slatted the UK.
It’s so weird to me that Elton John is successful as he is. I can’t imagine hearing this and thinking it would appeal to the masses. Shows what I know. (I really like Elton John and I’m not saying he’s bad at all! I’m just saying people surprise you sometimes.)
Tiny Dancer - Might be one of the best songs of the 70s Levon - One of Eltons better songs, for sure on his greatest hits list Rest of the album - Songs
3/5 Tiny Dancer, Razor Face, and Madman are very enjoyable, rest of the album is mid to me
Listened while cleaning. Not much to say about this one
Well written, some classics in there but not really anything super special
Solid.
It's just fine. I appreciate Elton John as an all time great, and he has some fun songs, but they do nothing for me. Pleasant listening. perhaps one day I'll realise exactly what I'm missing out on.
DNF. Tiny dancer is a classic
Just don’t get the appeal. Sorry
i think elton john is more of a watch his performances instead of just listening to his music kinda guy. good album but he definitely has better ones. 3.5/5
This record ended up being a lot more consistent than I thought it would be. I knew how good Tiny Dancer and Levon were, but you don’t always seen albums with more than 2 amazing songs. Sure, there are some low points, like Razor Face and Holiday Inn, but even those are solid songs with great instrumentation. The storytelling and raw emotion on tracks like Indian Sunset, Rotten Peaches, and the titular track is frighteningly resonant and beautiful. All The Nasties is very meh melodically, but the real-world story behind it makes it shine. Goodbye is a fine track to end the album, even if not necessarily memorable.
Not for me - give me Hunky Dory instead!
has its highs and lows but overall quite okay
I mean, it's Elton John.
Is one of the secrets behind Elton John and Bernie Taupin's decades-long songwriting partnership that were both equally keen to pretend they weren't English? Between writing songs from the perspective of a Native American warrior and whatever is going on with Elton's already transatlantic accent on Holiday Inn, there were some real choices made on this album. Luckily, there are some incredible tunes too - Levon in particular is up there with Tiny Dancer.
COMO LA ROMPES ELTON JOHN 4.5 es en realidad jiji
Who doesn’t love Tiny Dancer? The one problem with this record is that the best 2 songs lead off and the rest just don’t hit the same.
Primeira vez ouvindo um disco inteiro do Elton John. Fora isso, conhecia apenas seus grandes sucessos, tal qual a primeira faixa deste álbum, Tiny Dancer. De certo um ótimo vocalista. Uma linda voz, e minha parte favorita de suas canções são suas melodias vocais. Ele realmente plana sobre a música. É bem lindo de se ouvir e prende bem sua atenção e fica na memória. Hold me closer tiny dancerrrr . Além dos vocais, impossível falar de Elton sem mencionar seu piano. E nesse álbum ele se destaca perfeitamente. Nunca é demais, sempre na medida certa, dando espaço suficiente pra banda e pra lírica. Tudo balanceado, como deve ser. Brilhante. Algumas partes do disco deram uma desacelerada. Não é um álbum perfeito. Mas me deixou plenamente satisfeito. 4/5
Quintessentially Elton
Piano rock. It's a front loaded album for sure, I think Sir Elton had a solid enough batch of songs on here. The thing is, beyond the first couple, they all kinda meander and sound the same which is per the course for this era of piano rock balladry. I think Elton has a remarkable voice and character, it's just some of the songs.. Holiday Inn, Rotten Peaches.. even All The Nasties sound like cutting floor ideas and they don't really have the same kind of compelling chords and power of the first crop of tracks. Tiny Dancer is an IMMACULATE, grand track, andI honestly think this album would be a whole lot stronger if the placement of these songs made a bit more sense. Levon is killer too, standard powerful vocal flair affair for the Rocket Man. I know the album is in part about the relationship he had with addiction so the closure is par for that, but it's short runtime makes it kinda whack because it doesn't give enough time for any kind of dread to really set in. And being such a happy go lucky album, why end it in such a dreary way? It's got Tiny Dancer though and that counts for something.
Låtsmedernas låtsmed! Fyra plus
Very good album from his best period.
Couple of great songs in here with tiny dancer and rotten peaches, but everything else mostly melds together into one for me.
First half is a 5, second half tails off slightly. Amazing, all time great album though.
All good. Most pretty same-y. Didn’t do a whole lot for me, but the closing of “All the Nasties” caught my attention and was pretty cool. 2.7 / 5
Good stuff but not quite his best
Good
fast wie Beatles, ein wenig besser, und daher einmal ganz gehört. highlight: Levon von Jon Bon Jovi .. ach nein, anderes album ;-)
Elton John: grossartiger Musiker aber hier ist es mir noch sehr 70er
Possibly my favourite Elton John album? I am an absolute sucker a gospel choir, big bashed out piano chords, bluesy vocals, there's a lot to love here. Indian Sunset hasn't aged well, but the rest is solid.
Classic EJ but a little repetitive
As Em pointed out, the song content is a little strange with rotten peaches and razor face, but it's certainly easy listening.
Pretty strong album with a classic opener. It does get same-y though, and Indian Sunset had me rolling my eyes. Best song: Tiny Dancer
Tycker egentligen att det bara är första låten som håller. Men det skulle ju bli bättre.
Tiny dancer And more! Very good album
I love Elton John's music, but Madman Across the Water just reinforces my belief that he’s more of a singles artist than an album artist—Goodbye Yellow Brick Road being the big exception. “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon” are absolutely great and easily the high points here. The rest of the album isn’t bad, but it definitely tapers off. Nothing else really sticks with me the way those first two tracks do.
Tiny Dancer, title song, Indian Sunset are the standouts.
yeah
‘tiny dancer’ will always make me want to throw up and cry because it reminds me of that one scene in "almost famous". i think that really is the best context for elton john’s music—when it provides an opportunity for a lovely kind of camaraderie in which we can all pretend this is good music together<3 i like that he named a song after levon helm because he had a crush on him....in another world elton john was my tumblr mutual. elton you would love to read about the gay sex these people are imagining levon helm having. anyway overall this was actually fine. i’m still not an elton fan but this wasn’t unbearable. not exactly a ringing endorsement, but there you go.
I think I’m discovering elton john is not meant to be listened to in a full album probably ever. he has bangers and they are great on their own or next to other artists’ tracks but it’s really too much all together in a row. It’s just too theatrical for me. It’s similar to how I feel about queen — great at making these cinematic pieces, but if every song is A Lot then none of them feel like anything. So I think each of these songs is fine on their own and well constructed, but put them all back to back and you lose the intrigue of each one’s drama.
My favorite Elton John album. The title track alone is five stars, and then you’ve got Tiny Dancer and Levon. There’s also Indian Sunset... what a powerful song.. plus that killer solo in Razor Face. Can’t forget about Rotten Peaches, and Holiday Inn is great too. Honestly, the whole damn album is amazing.
This record starts with 2 fantastic tracks then slopes downward from there.
The first two singles were pretty good. The rest of the album is what I would expect from Elton John.
This is probably only a 4 star album. It's really really good. But Tiny Dancer might be the best sing along song of all time. And to follow that with Levon? Hard to not round up.
Álbum maravilhoso! QoA Vesper.
Love Elton!
I’ve always really enjoyed Elton John’s music. This album is very classic Elton John sound and feel. I wanna dive deeper into his discography after listening to this album. Has classic songs like tiny dancer, but it is so much deeper than just the known hits.
It had its moments
Madman Across The Water is among my top 10 songs of all time.
Elton John's vocal prowess is obviously well known, and his songs are generally catchy and sometimes powerful. This album started really strong but kinda lost steam halfway through. Overall an enjoyable listen, but the best songs were definitely the hits.
The album is pretty good, didn’t realize Elton went prog for any of his albums. This one had those elements and i can vibe with the whole thing, but the only Standout tracks personally were Tiny Dance, Levon, and goodbye. Enjoyable but not his best, but I’d listen if it was on. 3 stars seems fair
Elton not my jam, but the album is actually pretty fire.
Run of the mill early rock album.
Tiny Dancer is an obvious hit, and I even forgot how much I've liked that song. How it takes so long to get into a chorus. However, the rest of the album doesn't quite hit the high standards set by the opener. Not to say they're bad, but I don't feel interested in them, so much that I feel like I can't complete this album.
Good one!
Brilliant album from start to finish. Levon remains one of my favorites. Madman Across the Water and Indian Sunset were also top tracks. 5
just a wonderful art pop record with rock sensibilities, incredibly syncopated piano playing (Elton John loves syncopation i've realized) and incredibly moving and sincere songs telling stories of struggle, love and everything in between. Great album.
British ode to America in 9 songs. Great sound great lyrics, balanced with substance
Great
Tiny Dancer is obviously iconic. Don’t really listen to Elton much but he has some strong hits. Impactful. Most songs sound similar, but a cohesive album.
Great
No està mal però tampoc té cap tema super memorable.
I came into this album only knowing "Tiny Dancer," but knowing that it's one of the greatest songs of all time. What I got in return is a batch of eight other songs that are all Tiny-Dancer-quality.
Weird Indian sidetrack mid album
Played it three times in a row. Great driving and lounging music.
And a half I’m super disappointed that I didn’t like it but the songs are 2 to 3 minutes to long for me
I never considered myself an Elton John fan, despite owning over half of his massive discography. I never actively put him on, but I do always enjoy what I hear. Maybe I AM a fan? 6 liked songs.
There’s a reason there’s just one well-known single from this album
Tiny dancer and levon are great. But I gotta say...kinda sounds rhe same by the end. A bit surprising
The first half of this album is really great. The second half is fine. Tiny Dancer is a great opener. The emotions he puts into the title track are great. The ideas in Indian Sunset are interesting but the lyrics somewhat drag it down. Not quite on the same level as the behemoth that was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but still good in its own way. Favorites were Tiny Dancer, Levon, and Madman Across The Water.
He's talented but this is not my thing.
Dobry
Fans expecting a reprise of the country stylings of Tumbleweed Connection were in for a shock. Madman is almost an issues album - addressing mental health, the desolation of First Nation America, poverty and crime. The result is a very thoughtful, intimate album. There are plenty of reminders of how good a piano player Elton John is and how inventive his songwriting is. Tiny Dancer is the standout but it’s not typical of the album which is less about the toe tappers and the ear worms than about lyrical and musical creativity. An extra star, earned mainly by Bernie Taupin, for writing songs that are actually about something.
Beautiful album. Really big and grand production that accompanies Elton’s iconic voice. All of the songs were great, but the title track was probably my favorite aside from Tiny Dancer, which needless to say is an absolute classic. This is the first Elton John album I’ve heard in full length and I found it very captivating.
Bunch of bangers. A few of his mega hits, plus songs I'd've never heard that I thought were even better.
I think this might be the strongest overall album Elton John ever made.
8.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS - # 55 The original Mad-Piano Man 🎹 claims his mark ways ahead of Mr. Billy Joel on this memorable release. Elton John’s fourth studio album marked a shift toward a darker, more introspective tone. It features lush orchestral arrangements and deeply personal lyrics from Bernie Taupin. Elton’s songwriting partner Taupin’s lyrics on this album are some of his richest and most poetic. The writing takes a more serious, gloomy turn compared to the upbeat pop of earlier albums like Tumbleweed Connection or Honky Château. Themes of disillusionment, identity, alienation, and mysticism thread through the songs. 🎧 Classic Track: Tiny Dancer 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Indian Sunset 🎧 Personal Favorite: Razor Face Musically, this album leans into symphonic rock and progressive influences, featuring heavy string arrangements, lush piano-led compositions that give Elton full space to be emotional and grand with layered production that feels more theatrical than radio friendly. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Phoned-in Compared to later, more polished pop albums like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, this album has an earthier, more dramatic character. A brooding, beautiful early-’70s standout that is worthy listening to Sir Elton’s more celebrated works.
3/5
Great album
Thankfully not too much of his cheesy shit on this one
I know he's legend, but this is not my cup of tea.
Better than I anticipated. Enjoyed it!
It was very good but I had a really hard time listening to it as it reminded me of my father who passed away
I don't usually like pop rock, but I think these strings is what bring this whole album together. Vocals harmonized by orchestral arrangements sound so satisfying, and the choruses here a extremely powerful as a result. That being said, Tiny Dancer is by far the best song here, in my opinion, and the rest are not quite as good. Still a great album with no boring songs, which is a rare thing to hear from a pop rock record.
a classic. how can you not like sir elton? sure it's glam and a bit much sometimes but then it's great and sing along and makes you feel better.
Easy listening, but not something I'd reach for
It's just not for me.
Overall a frustrating experience. Tiny Dancer is absolutely brilliant. I’ve listened to it for fifty years and it still gives me goosebumps. Levon and Razor Face have some interesting passages. But the rest of the album is, musically, utterly forgettable. I blame Bernie. When his lyrics are personal, they work and these seem to be the germs for Elton's great pop songs. There are tragically few of these here. Bernie’s narratives - which fill most of this album - are pretentious and overly sentimental and tend to motivate, in Elton, unfocused, forgettable tunes which leaves the listener nothing much to focus on except the schmaltzy lyrics, until he wonders, how did these guys create something as brilliant as Tiny Dancer?? And when Bernie goes political … Good Lord … it makes me wish the reels had fallen off of the Tascam.
Det klart mest fascinerande var trekkspelsoloen på Razor Face
Always a pleasure to get an album by sir Elton. Madman Across the Water isn't my favorite of his album, but it's top 3.
Hold me closer Tiny Dancer!!! Highlight of the album, by far! Rest of the songs don't live up to this standard, which is no shame :-)
No me impresionó más de lo que sabe hacer. Glam. Y a veces creo que lo que va a tocar ya lo oí, si es predecible, muy predecible, no hay sorpresas
Just excellent. I have always enjoyed his work and this album contains a few true classics.
As high as Tiny Dancer flies, Indian Sunset sinks as low. What a dumb song.
My introduction to Elton as well as the first Elton album I owned. I know it was a slow seller for him but it remains one of my favorites of his.
Very good album, with a couple absolute classic Elton numbers (Tiny Dancer being foremost). Might not be quite at the same level as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road but it's great nevertheless.
Wow, this was not good. Definitely sang like a number of B sides after the songs Tony Dancer and Levon. A weird country twang, inconsistent and forgettable songs and a weird reflection on folks who are Native American from an englishman? Really disappointing album put here for the singles. 1/5
I am so tempted to give this album 5* on the strength of “Tiny Dancer” alone, but after listening to the rest of the tracks on it, I’m not sure that would be appropriate. I am a huge fan of tons of Sir Elton’s music, but I didn’t recognize a single other song here, nor did I particularly love any of them. There’s nothing bad about songs 2-9, and I enjoyed my listening, but they just didn’t strike me on any level aside from superficially. The title track is probably the strongest out of the bunch, showcasing Elton John’s incredibly powerful voice, but I can sort of understand exactly why I haven’t heard any of these other songs before. I’m still gonna give this album 4* on the strength of “Tiny Dancer” though, because man is that song ever unreal.
I like Elton John as much as the next guy, but let's be real with ourselves; if "Tiny Dancer" weren't on this album, would it be on this list? I think not. It's not a bad album though. "Tiny Dancer" is obviously a classic and the most notable track on the album, and the following track "Levon" is also very good. The next two tracks are a bit meh. Starting off the second side we have a cinematic ballad about the plight of the native Americans. This comes across as heartfelt but perhaps a bit tone deaf, especially when the next song begins with how nice it is to be picked up in a limo from the Boston airport on your way to the Holiday Inn. Later on side 2 we get "Rotten Peaches", which I did quite like. This one seems to be a tale of an escaped prisoner on the run lamenting his past mistakes and time wasted in the pen. This feels to be in the same vein as "Indian Sunset" to me but more successful, imo. An enjoyable listen overall with the undeniable charm and excellent talents of Sir Elton John evident throughout the album, although on no track to do they shine so much as on "Tiny Dancer". Beyond that, "Levon" and "Rotten Peaches" stand out for me. Mixed results on the rest. 6.5/10
I’m not a huge Elton John fan to be honest, but I did enjoy some of this album. Favourite track: Tiny Dancer
Tiny Dancer, and hot piano jams
His fourth album. Tiny Dancer is a beautiful opening track. One of his best songs. Levon is another good track. Elton's vocals and melodies combined with Bernie Taupin's lyrics are in full effect on the whole album. Production is good for 1971. Very good overall. Although I suspect there will be more Elton on this list which will be even better.
Brilliant from start to finish. One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists.
Elton John doesn’t make bad albums
hold me closer tony danza
Two very solid jams then some lyrically amazing tracks. Also, this is his THIRD album in one year?! Bonkers.
Попсово. Вообще не моё. Но хотя бы не ужасно.
didn't like it much the first listen, seemed like the songs were similar but second and third listen actually made ne appreciate a bit more
So I only really know the hits of Elton John, and I now know there’s a reason why he’s a classic. No skips! Standout songs: Tiny Dancer Indian Sunset Holiday Inn
Tiny Dancer alone is worth a couple stars, a few other good tracks. Not very familiar how this one stacks up to his other albums Rating: 3.7
Almost in the No-Skips class. (“All the Nasties”) Had never listened to this whole thing but it’s excellent. Love the slide guitar, zydeco bits, and mandolin. Do not give early(ish) Bernie enough credit for his lyrical chops. More like a 4.5, but not a 5. Favorite: Madman Across the Water
An enjoyable album from start to finish.
With one exception, I feel like Elton is more of a singles artist than a album artist however I was decently surprised by this. Nothing groundbreaking but still very enjoyable. Favorite track: Tiny Dancer 3.5/5
2.8 1x catchup 5/28
Awesome album. Liked the second half even better than the first. Madman and Indian sunset are absolute grooves. All the nasties instantly catchy too.
Not for me.
Started off pleasant enough, the rest drifted into the background until I was jolted to alertness by the lyrics to that Indian Sunset song -yikes!
Just plain ole meh, but giving a 3/5 just for Tiny Dancer
This is a 4 for me. There are a couple misses, most notably the epic where he sings from the perspective of a Native American (cringe,) but Sir Elton is such a generational talent that his brilliance lifts all of it. And then there’s that epic run at the beginning with Tiny Dancer, Levon, and Madman Across the Water.
Tiny dancer, good as it is, is just so overplayed. The rest just wasn't my cup of tea. 2/5
Tiny Dancer is a masterpiece, but none of the other songs here comes close.
Das Album wurde größtenteils in den Trident Studios in London aufgenommen. Elton John ist ein britischer Sänger, Pianist und Komponist. Stilistisch bewegt sich das Werk im Bereich des Rock mit Einflüssen aus Folk und orchestralen Arrangements. Besonders bekannt sind die Titel „Tiny Dancer“ und „Levon“, die beide die Handschrift des Songwriter-Duos Elton John und Bernie Taupin tragen. Auch der Titelsong „Madman Across The Water“ spiegelt die eher melancholische und erzählerische Ausrichtung des Albums wider. Das Album gehört zu den frühen Veröffentlichungen Elton Johns und zeigt seine Entwicklung hin zu einem eigenständigen Klangbild mit stärkerem Fokus auf atmosphärische Arrangements. Es markiert einen Übergang von der intimen Songstruktur früherer Alben zu einem komplexeren Studioklang.
21 maj 2025 Tiny Dancer - bra! tycker om Levon - nja inte riktigt min grej Razor Face - lite svängig igen favorit Madman Across The Water - börjar tro att elton john inte är nåt för mig Indian Sunset - okej den här var lite episk typ men inget jag hade lyssnat Holiday Inn - nej. Rotten Peaches - nej och börjar bli less. All The Nasties - nu är jag jätteless Goodbye - äntligen är det över jag var inget fan av det här albumet betyg: 1/5 favorit(er): tiny dancer
I feel really weird giving this a "mid" review, because it has a couple great songs on it, but other than "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" nothing else really gripped me. It wasn't that it was "bad" music, just didn't get the same jolt and excitement from the rest of the music. It was just "there". Worked as background music but not something that kept me focused on the songs themselves. Elton's got a fantastic voice, and is definitely one of the all-time greats, but this album as a whole just didn't pull me in the way I expected.
gostei bastante
3/5 I love Elton John, and “Tiny Dancer” is one of my favorites, but I’m not thrilled with a lot of the songs and you just know there are better albums to come.
2 stars for Tiny Dancer. But the rest is just not my style.
This is my first time listening to an Elton John album. I’ve heard several of his songs in my life just never took the time to listen to an album. This is a great first for me!
This was a very strong record. “Madman Across the Water” and “Indian Sunset” are the only weak tracks here, but the rest is full of beautiful melodies, sublime piano work, and great vocals.
I’ve heard this one before, and I still don’t like it. Tiny Dancer is great, but the rest just bleeds into one. It’s mercifully short however, which saves it from a one star score. Elton builds his style to vaguely glam and vaguely pop, but this album seems more vaguely prog, and doesn’t hold my interest being the first two or three tracks. Won’t listen again and I know there is at least one better album he has made.
a good listen, some classic songs.
Feels a bit like a musical soundtrack or rock opera
Nothing really stood out to me aside from Tiny Dancer and a lot of it blurred into one.
Great album from start to finish.
I enjoyed this album quite a bit more than I expected. The hits are timeless, and some of the other tracks were excellent, though a few sounded very samey.
Outside of the hits, I’m just not an Elton John guy.
This was pleasant but it didn't click with me. I'm missing whatever I need to not feel like I'm listening to an oldies station at work. I wish I could appreciate it for what it is because it was nice all the way through but I can't.
listening
Tiny Dancer hits so hard; the rest of the album is okay.
4.1/my apologies mr john i was not familiar with your game
What a start! Two instantly recognizable classics to kick things off though for me things tend to quiet down from there. Love the recording of the piano.
A real slog. Listened to one or two tracks at a time. I don't have anything to say apart from that this doesn't do it for me, and I don't feel particularly sad about that.
This shit sucks ass
Though it pains me to admit… very boring album and really crap lyrics. Tiny Dancer, great. Holiday Inn pretty good. All the Nasties, ok - sounds like a 70s Elvis song. Everything else - crap. Sorry. Never need to hear this again.
The first four songs are perfect, I have listened to them a lot over the years. Razor Face probably my favourite of the album. Everything after Madman Across the Water pretty bad tbh
I don't really get Elton John's thing, if I'm being honest. I don't know if I have ever really understood his thing. He's in a similar bucket to Billy Joel for me... I can tell he is beloved and people love his stuff but save for a few specific songs (CROCODILE ROCK!!!) I don't really hear what people are hearing. Sure, Tiny Dancer is catchy. The piano playing is very good. But... overall... the lyrics and music sound like the songs are intended for a mediocre musical in which I don't know the story. Maybe someday I will get it, but today was not that day and this album did nothing for me.
Not his finest, felt like it was Tiny Dancer then a bunch of worse versions of Tiny Dancer
4.4
levon's great but the rest of this is pretty overblown and silly. indian sunset might be the worst thing ever written
I liked this better than the last Elton John album listened too (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) but still found it to be overproduced. A couple of the songs are great (Tiny Dancer, Levon) but after getting through those two right off the bat, it sort of feels like listening to a Disney soundtrack.
Great songwriting, great piano playing, a few major standout tracks. Overall, a pretty great album, but by the end I was getting a little tired of the whole Elton John piano ballad thing. Favourite tracks: Tiny Dancer, Madman Across Water
One great song and then some shitters
Not as good as I expected but decent
Very good
Surprisingly good, need to listen again
Very good first have the second is just alright 7/10
would be disingenuous to rate this a 1 or 1.5. I never really like the like pop singer over a piano music. i cant stand that tiny dancer song but the others are alright. but the production is solid and its not as corny as some other Elton John
Jó lemez végig, ezen van a tiny dancer
Very theatrical but Elton John is so good. 3
good album
Some great strings and production that really help some of the strongest (and most ominous) songs shine.
The bulk of these songs are meh, besides the obvious two bangers on the beginning of the album.
Very good Album from Elton John. Opens with two of his biggest songs ever followed by a few really good ones. There are a few deep tracks that are as good as any of his other stuff. Indian Sunset and All the Nasties are excellent songs with great lyrical and musical composition.
A couple of all time classics amidst some dreary clunkers.
Legendary
Very cool. Not sure what it means that it is a prog rock album, Elton's first as reported in the wiki. Lyrics seem vaguely american themed, and I don't really always know what Mr. Taupin is on about, but they capture a feel if not idiom. What is the broken back of a ship? Worth checking out a Brandi Carlile take on the title track. And this one doesn't have honky cat, maybe the next? but there is no more poignant and ultimately triumphant story in american history than Brandi in Elton costume singing honky cat to a bunch of perplexed seattle area bar flies as a child, and going on to record an album with the man. Better grab your coat, dear, it looks like rain!
This album isss tttthheee zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs...
I was introduced to this album through that scene in Almost Famous where everybody is mad at each other, but then they listen to "Tiny Dancer" and by the chorus they've made up. Lazy screenwriting, but a great song. The rest of the album wouldn't inspire such character development.
So much stellar writing and performing on this album - stories shared by the piano and given so much life.
My First Elton John album ever! I enjoyed tracks 1, 3, 4, and 5 the most. His use of orchestral instruments is my favorite thing, I think. I admire a less traditional (if you can even say that) approach to pop. There are beautiful elements and details in a lot of the songs, specifically thinking of the little organ in Razor Face or the strings in Indian Sunset. I feel like I got a little lost in the second half, something was missing for me and I can't put my finger on what. Regardless, Elton John is an iconic name, and I can start to see why. There is grandeur behind his songs, AND he seems to be a big personality with great fashion taste. That is going to breed a powerful celebrity!
Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer; Count The Headlights On The Highway 1001 Albums Generator 22 (05/02/2025) Madman Across The Water is the fourth studio album by British pianist, singer, and songwriter Elton John. It was far from hit when it released, peaking at #41 in John's home country of the UK, although it did perform significantly better in the US, peaking at #8. Although Wikipedia repeatedly refers to this album as prog rock, I have trouble seeing it. While it does feature elements of progressive pop, I do not see much in common with this album and yesterday's album, In The Court Of The Crimson King, which is pretty much the quintessential prog rock album. Genre labels aside, I was not familiar with this album, other than the marvelous Tiny Dancer, so I was excited to get into it and listen to my first Elton John album. This album is quite top-heavy. The first two songs (which were also the two singles released before the album) are pretty much the two strongest songs here. Tiny Dancer, the opener, is obviously a classic for a reason. I love that it takes so long to get the the first chorus, going through an intro, two verses, a middle 8, and a pre-chorus before finally getting to it. This song was actually a slow-burn single, not reaching high levels of popularity right away, in part due to this strange structure and relatively long run time. Recall, this was 4 years before Queen revolutionized what a rock single could be with Bohemian Rhapsody. Anyway, Tiny Dancer exemplifies the strengths of this album: great piano playing and singing from Elton, fun soft rock slide guitar, and lush baroque orchestration. Side note: I heard a shitty remix of this song at the gym and it killed me as all the tension that builds in the original was completely vanquished. The second single, Levon, while not as strong, is much of the same. The ending of this song is just epic and feels more like the ending of an album than the second song on one. By the way, we are 11 and a half minutes in and I haven't heard a second of prog rock. Wikipedia, what are you doing? The rest of the album is not near the quality of its first two tracks. The rest of the A side is okay, with Razor Face having a bit of a tedious tempo but featuring cool organ work from the talented Rick Wakeman and an accordion solo and the title track having some interesting guitar work but not much else going for it. Indian Sunset is another interesting point in the album. Although it is also slower, it features a good structure and tells the story of an American Indian who is at war with some unnamed white European. This is by far the closest the album gets to prog, but I would still argue it's with a distinctly pop flavor. The rest of the album kind of washes over me. Nothing in the last four songs stuck out, and this is emblematic of an issue that I have with piano-led rock music in general. I play both piano and guitar (and I love both), but I think that the guitar, in general, is a more diverse instrument. This is obviously no fault of Elton John, who is able to make the piano his bitch with the best of them, but it is truly just personal preference. Madman Across The Water was my first Elton John album, and with such a strong opening, it felt like a great way to start my journey into his discography. However a lackluster second half prevents the album from greatness. 3/5. Favs: Tiny Dancer Levon Madman Across The Water Least Fav: Rotten Peaches