Reviews (page 7 of 13)
A bit of a fan. Weak 4 maybe?
More solid than it has any right to be.
Levon never gets old. This is good album. I’m going to start rating stuff one star higher because I feel like I’m low balling everyone.
Great ballads. Elton in his best arrangements
What can I say? It's 1971... sophisticated album; many textures and things happening at the same time. Don't know if I'll repeat it one day, though.
The basic template is repeated throughout and thus grows quite a bit samey, though of course it all sounds softly and expansively pleasant. Mix of steel guitar and full string section on “Tiny Dancer” works well, if oddly. "Levon" is among his best songs. Title cut lacks the dramatic impact Elton seems to be going for, and while string section toward the end is the best part of the song, it manifests the general overreliance on the orchestral effect generally. The song about Native Americans is borderline embarrassing. And did we really need the chorale on “All the Nasties.” Lyrics seem sprawling, nonsensical, non-plausible character sketches. More than meh, but not by much.
Fantastic album. It was dense and I really enjoyed this more that I had anticipated. Good amount of variety to this one, Indian Sunset and Rotten Peaches both had a bit of a Country shine to them and Holiday Inn had a Gaelic/Sea Shanty shimmer to it. Tiny Dancer is obviously great but the title track was awesome as well. This was a nice surprise for me. 4 stars
It's good. Not great, but still solid.
This is just as the album that gave us "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" should be. It's classic Elton John, and absolutely a nice listen for the day.
I see why people like Elton John now, but Indian Summer isn't an okay song.
LP
One of his finest moments. Kicking off with the all time singer/songwriter classics "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" is wonderful. The title cut is never given enough love (so it seems) and the last two tracks are some of my favorites in his discography. Elton's singing is great throughout the record.
classic
Better than expected. Of course there’s the memorable Tiny Dancer to start it off. If there’s a theme here, it’s cast outs and lonely people. Excellent production makes each track a treat to listen to. Still not sure if I’m an Elton John fan, but I can understand why people are.
The moment Elton John finally ascended to pop royalty. Bernie Taupin delivers some of his richest, most emotional lyrics and they pair perfectly with Elton’s powerful delivery.
Love Tiny Dancer, and Indian Sunset is always a classic. I Love the piano and Elton John ... Sir Elton John is a treasure. 4/5
Elton John est tout simplement en feu sur cet album. Son implacable homosexualité y est utilisée au meilleur escient possible pour nous produire un projet irrésistible. Du grand Elton.
Elton John est absolument exceptionnel, son homosexualité prononcée lui permet de proposer des sonorités musicales tout bonnement sensationnelles, on t'adore Elton.
Another iconic album.Elton John is such an amazing artist
Always enjoyed Elton John’s music. A few greats on this album, but didn’t love all the songs.
Awesome album. What can go wrong after you start the album with Tiny dancer. Everything else on it might not even be there... but it is slightly lackluster compared to the incredible-super-popular opening hit. Still good, just does not leave such an impact.
good
p236. 1971. Elton before he started strangling his vowels. Great voice, great songs, great production. Still sounds fresh today. Point deducted for some tracks straying to the usual early 70s 5 minutes+ wankage.
Very good
Yapos!
Great!
Never listened to a full Elton John album before this project. He's really an incredible musician and pretty much all his songs are catchy. I thought I'd only heard his super hits but then you listen to an album and they're ALL super hits LOL
Classic
This is just one of several excellent albums that Elton John released in the 1970s. It's striking to see how creatively mature John and his band are, relatively early in their career at this point. I mean, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is 2 years and 3 albums away from Madman Across the Water, and it sounds like he has been doing this for 15 years. Side 1 is ridiculously good, with 3 of John's all time best songs on it ("Levon," "Madman Across the Water," "Tiny Dancer"). Credit where it is also due, to Bernie Taupin's eloquent yet winsome lyrics. For all his natural talent and charisma, the Elton John we all know and love doesn't exist without Taupin. The rest of the album is less spectacular, but how could it not be after those songs? None of John's albums are exactly perfect, but I think the minor flaws actually add to the charm of his music. This album never fails to be a unique and engaging listen, with some stellar deep tracks in the mix. I'm personally fond of "Rotten Peaches" and "Razor Face." He finishes the whole thing just gorgeously with "Goodbye." Fave Songs: Levon, Madman Across the Water, Tiny Dancer, Rotten Peaches, Razor Face, Goodbye
Great album, Elton John really was at the top of his game in the early 70s. Tiny Dancer an awesome song to kick the album off.
Early excellence from Reg
tiny dancer <3
Awesome songs all through this album, with Tiny Dancer obviously being the highlight, one of the greatest songs of all time. Only thing that holds back a 5 star rating for me is the album can get a tad repetitive towards the end.
Fun blend of pop and theatrical elements
Might be my first play through an entire Elton John album. Very impressed. The piano playing is great, and I like the storytelling of the songs.
This album is that kind of stuff you know that is classical and important for music history, even being a little bit repetitive. I'm not an Elton John fan, but his talent is impossible to do not to remark on.
I really enjoyed this one. First good album I've listened to since I started this project.
One of the best
Yndisleg plata. Einfalt mál.
I never owned this album, but I knew a lot of the songs. There were just a few that I was not familiar with at all when I looked at his discography, it's hard to believe that he released two more albums after this before goodbye, yellow brick Road, which is one of my favorite all-time albums.
It’s not quite as good as goodbye yellow brick road but it was still better than almost every punk album I’ve ever gotten on this list. Tiny dancer (obviously) and Indian sunset were the standouts
Wow, this album starts strong with Tiny Dancer and Levon! I've never heard any of the other songs before, but they all have that distinctively catchy Elton flair. I had a fun time with this one today. Even though Elton will always be a greatest hits kind of artist for me, I enjoyed my time going a bit deeper into his catalogue.
Amazing but not my fav album by Reginald.
Hier merk je dan toch het verschil tussen de terecht in vergetelheid geraakte koekenbakkers die deze top-1001 vervuilen, en de echte muziekgrootheden. Van a tot z een fijne, warme en afwisselende luisterervaring. Het stijgt niet naar de vijf sterren van eeuwige genialiteit, maar ik kan me voorstellen dat er Elton John-albums zijn die dat wel doen. Wie weet heeft de buurvrouw van de ouders van Dunnen (waar Elton John altijd langs kwam om te blijven eten) nog luistertips.
Ik krijg deze de dag na George Michael. Leuk om deze twee naast elkaar te zetten. De heren kunnen beide prima zingen en muzikaal klopt het allemaal. Toch is het een easy win for Elton. Hij gebruikt in elk nummer zijn stem en de muziek veel veelzijdiger (zonder uit de band te vliegen). Het wordt hierdoor nooit saai. Het album van Elton is een stuk ouder dan dat van George, maar klinkt veel moderner. Een zeer bekende naam natuurlijk, maar eigenlijk toch een ontdekking voor mij.
Hadden we gisteren zijn makker Sjors, nu Sir Elten Jon zelf. Tot grote vreugde van de oude buurvrouw van Dunnen. Ik kende uiteraard alleen de hit Tiny Dancer. Maar er staan echt hele dikke prima tracks op, die zo op een bluesy of progrock album hadden gekund.
An easy and intimate Sunday morning album.
Great 70s rock 👍
Hyvää musiikkia! Atmosfääreilyssä.. ollaan onnistuneita..
Very good album, very powerful, deep and meaningful
Great album, love Elton. Musically complete, melodic, competent, distinct. Misses a bit of edge as you'd expect
I hadn't listened to this before, it's pretty good!
This is one of my favorite albums, mostly because of the centerpiece, “Indian Sunset”, and the deep cuts. “Madman” and “Tiny Dancer” are great songs, but “Indian Sunset” rises above the rest of this already perfect album. It’s not really what you think of when you think of an Elton song. It’s expansive, serious, and bittersweet, kind of like a grander “Skyline Pigeon” or “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”. The delicate piano parts giving way to the orchestral finale perfectly evokes not only the sadness and solitude of the Native American warrior but his inevitable and glorious demise. Side B has the deep cuts worth every moment of your time, from “Holiday Inn” through the appropriately-titled final track, “Goodbye”. I just wrap up in this album like it’s a warm blanket.
HOLD ME CLOSER TINY DANCER!
Not as good as Honky Chatau, but fun and full of range
It's a nice album with two big hits in "Levan" and "Tiny Dancer". Rest was nice but didn't exactly pop or warrant a 5 star rating. 8/10.
Love me some Elton John
Tiny Dancer is an all time great banger. The rest of the album is also very strong even though I am not as familiar with the rest of the songs.
One of Elton's finest! For me, the middle child in his early more progressive output that doesn't follow the Americana theme of the other two. Honky Chateau and Tumbleweed Connection are dearer to my heart though. Tiny Dancer feels like the first show of Elton's future pop stardom, the rest of the album suggests a shift forward into this, just not quite yet.
Opening with one of Sir Elton’s best tracks this is prime ‘70s Elton John. Great song writing coupled with fast action pop choruses makes everything feel bigger and better.
It's pretty good, Elton is Elton, you know? Not like amazing but pretty good.
Very good!
This album is a nice change. It's not quite as good as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but there's still a lot of great, relatively-easy-listening soft rock going on here. Very piano-driven stuff, great lil melodies and harmony etc etc. I can't say it'd make regular rotation in my flat but it's still a 4/5.
What a great entry from Elton John! This album kicks off with one of Elton's greatest hits of all: Tiny Dancer. Generally speaking, this song is kind of a surprising opener, but it makes makes sense when looked at in the scope of the album. All of the songs on this album tell stories, something that Elton is well known for. The songs all have that signature Elton "flair", as well: a little pop, a little rock, some forward-facing piano, and a lot of glam. But in this era and on this album specifically, all of the songs have a bit of a piano ballad quality about them. While beautiful, I would not describe any of the songs as "fun" -- another adjective sometimes used to describe some of Elton John's later work. And so in this light, Tiny Dancer shines as an excellent album opener. The album has a very cohesive sound; one might even argue a little too cohesive, as a lot of the songs sound really similar. But honestly, for me, this doesn't take away from the enjoyment. The backing band's music is engaging and Elton is simply captivating.
Nice
Amazing voice Arrangements are detailed and complex
4/5 Fun to listen to. Great songs.
Fun times in elton land
An excellent Elton album. First 3 tracks were rocking.
Listened to this album on a run yesterday, and it was great to keep me going and distract me from the pain. Really enjoyed the first half with the obvious bangers, and liked "Indian Sunset" a lot as a more mellow and experimental vibe. Ends on a calming tone, great album
Very nice to hear the whole album at once.
Skrýtið að Tiny Dancer sé eina lagið sem er enn í umferð.
This is primo Elton - his piano playing, vocals, composition...however, I think equal tribute needs to be give to his writing partner Bernie Taupin for the amazing lyrics he writes that inspires Elton's melodies. "Levon" has soaring lines and that unusual word/name is apt for the take-off. The haunting closing track "Goodbye" is waiting for its cinematic moment.
listened to again it's great
Nice
Have heard a lot of 5he tracks. All good.
best - indian sunset worst - all the nasties
Good, but not as good as the first one
4.75
The orchestral arrangements are excellent, the vocals not so much. A few of the songs have a haunting quality.
Tykkään kyllä! Ei mee ykkäspaikalle eltonin levyissä mutta kyllä listaukseni kärkipäähän! 4/5
Elton John 🤝 Randy Newman Writing songs that kind of have slurs in them In all seriousness tho, solid album. Earns a 4 just for “Tiny Dancer”, but the rest of the album is pretty good as well.
Perhaps a bit too pompous and grandiose at times, but it just hits right the whole way through.
Phenomenal stuff, but some of it does Circle the drain a bit too much for my liking.
Baladas de Elton John. Un megahit. Un 4.
'Tiny dancer' è una canzone meravigliosa, dolce e poetica. Ma 'Indian Sunset' è stato campionato in 'Ghetto gospel', mio dio che pezzone
I only knew a song from the album. The rest was pretty interesting.
Vraiment très bon, toujours de la bonne musique Elton
Great song writing and lyricism, as expected. Not my favorite from EJ but pretty great nonetheless.
Solid album. I love the songs Levon and Tiny Dancer.
I hate, hate hate Elton John. I love Tiny Dancer mainly because of the scene in "Almost Famous" (movie) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qW9wqUI4Lg ) And Levon is a pretty good song. I think I can stomach early EJ easier. And I get his allure and greatness so I'm reluctantly giving it 4 stars....like a guy saying "I hate salmon, but that's good salmon." I hate EJ, but this is good EJ.
Classic songs by EJ. Honestly not my favorite of his albums, but it still amazing. B+
tiny dancer!
Great 1, 2 punch to start things out. Elton is nearing his creative peak with this album. Many of the songs here were new to me and remain strong pieces of work.
Goed wegluister album met de klassieker tiny dancer
Awesoem
Començament de l'etapa gloriosa d'Elton John, que durant 4 ó 5 anys no donaria ni un sols pas en fals. Sense singles destacats ni cançons que hagin passat a la història (com a mínim fins que 'Almost Famous' va glorificar 'Tiny Dancer'), tot el disc en sí és un exercici de pop rock brillant i consistent, sense daltabaixos. Un dels discos que ofereix motius per reivindicar l'artista
Good album, enjoyed Elton’s singing and his piano playing
Surpreendeu com a pegada de rock.
Too nice
Elton John is treated like royalty in the UK. Thus album shows why it's deserved.
Enjoyed this. A great voice and some very decent songs to match. Even snuck a 2Pac cover in there. By most accounts it's not his greatest album, which bodes well for some of the others. 3.5
4.5
Sir Elton was really a madman for this one. Lotta tracks start off innocent enough and then just explode into a bombastic pop-rock/orchestral symphony
I was interested to hear some of Elton John's earlier stuff, rather than the later ubiquitous stuff that was crammed into the ear of my generation. "Tiny Dancer" was the only track I'd heard before. It was pretty fun pop rock, sure! Can see how he got to where he did. "Indian Sunset" sounds a bit questionable, mind. Fave track - "Levon", maybe, or "Rotten Peaches"...
Never had much time for Elton John but this was great
Personal top 5 Elton John albums, not every song is a chart topping earworm, but they are all memorable and make up a very strong body of work. 4.5/5
Bom... , Elton é Elton Disco muito bom , mas não acho o melhor do Elton
Very good album. For all the airplay on Side One cuts, Side Two is also very good. had not listened to this in a long time.
An old favorite I picked up when it was new. Classic Elton.
Some energy in Elton's voice and playing back in the early '70s. Sprawling arrangements, great soaring melodies and decent songs well played. Good album.
Supprising good, epic finish
Outstanding.
Excellent E.J. album. 4/5
Pretty nice album. Great songwriting from Elton on this one and the vocals are also really forward and passionate. 7/10
Pretty good all around, sorry no detailed review. Just listen, you'll like it.
Classic early Elton, country piano pop, feeling at home in Georgia, relaxing on tour with characters and stories.
If this is considered pop rock in the 60’s-70’s, then honestly I’d take it over the pop we have today. I adore this sound so far. Kinda has a melancholic tinge.
Ok
4/5. Great songs! I like it a lot.
I really dig it. Can’t wait to see him in Sept
Wish I had listened to this sooner.
Starting with Tiny Dancer was baller. Piano focused of course and feels less theatrical than Bennie and rocketman. Levon is my new fave Elton jam. Beautifully written!
Jumping from Tumbleweed Connection to Madman Across the Water has Elton and Bernie continuing to create an amazing consistency in output that continues on through Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Tiny Dancer and Levon are highlights, I particularly like the transition between the two songs which brings them together beautifully. The piano intro to Levon is stunning. It would be near impossible for the rest of the album to continue at the heights reached by these two songs resulting in a bit of a let down on some of the middle songs (it would be interesting to sequence this album differently and see how it feels). The song lengths, tied in with the excellent string work, makes the album feel less like a collection of songs and more like a cinematic work. I love the mandolin work on Holiday Inn and Goodbye is as great closer. Elton's muscular piano work and the production make this a great album! 4 out 5.
Madman, Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Chateau are my favourite era of Elton and Tupin. This album feels a little chaotic, but also sentimental. It feels like it is almost gonna fall apart near the end, but it never does. Beautiful ballads throughout, even if Indian Sunset's storytelling is tainted by the songwriting duo's stereotyping of Indigenous Americans stories. If it wasn't for a couple mediocre tracks like Razor Face and Rotten Peaches, I would rate this album a little higher. 3.5/5 Fav Tracks: Goodbye, Levon, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water
Two iconic songs, the rest are good but fall off a bit.
8/10
7/10. Yeah, can't say there's much to this album besides Tiny Dancer. The singing feels really overdone, and clashes with lyrics that are typically a lot more sober. There wasn't anything that I thought was really bad, but a little disappointing.
Maybe not amongst the best Elton John albums…but still a collection of solid pop songs here, performed by brilliant talenter musicians
Loved it. My favorite: Tiny Dancer.
"Tiny Dancer" is such a sad song. So many Elton John songs are sad. I don't know what the song is about because I've never paid attention to the lyrics, really. In spite of that, I feel melancholy every time I hear it. It's a perfect song. Not every song on this record is THAT good. And, much like acoustic guitar-based music, it doesn't hold my interest through the whole run time. I think Sir Elton was the first "emo" singer. I'm cool with that. This record is great.
Really Jolly Good
tiny dancer, levon, madman across the water is a cool song. Indian Sunset is also cool. Great album.
Really enjoy this
Enjoyeable dancey.
Awesome album with Tiny Dancer and Levon on it. Madman across the Water was really good also. Got a bit weaker near the end of the album.
Pretty good all around, sorry no detailed review. Just listen, you'll like it.
Frábær plata
Tony Danza
A couple of big hits. The other songs are good enough to carry it. The is probably a little less than a 4 but more than a 3.
Tiny Dancer plus seven other songs that follow a similar pattern: delicate piano builds to big orchestral sections, then drops back down, and repeat. It may lack variety but it's a winning formula; and when the melodies are this good it's very difficult not to like. 4/5.
Tiny Dancer & title track are classics. Album cuts ok, but this is where Elton's voice starts to get a bit schmaltzy to these ears.
Deze Elton vind ik lekker om naar te luisteren.
Solid, slight point loss for the degree that the time is past for the "as a white guy, here's my perspective as a Native American" genre.
Elton John has made himself an evergreen prince of pop but it's still good to revisit his early years, when he was just on the verge of his imperial phase. This album is full of the iconic John/Taupin piano pop, including the now legendary "Tiny Dancer". A lot of the songs feel like storytelling, whether it's Elton recounting a historic battle or the ups and downs of a heterosexual relationship. It's even better knowing that this was merely the tip of the talent iceberg.
Classic
4/5. I recognize the talent and importance but not really my thing
Niet helemaal mijn ding maar goed gemaakt en veel gevangenis nummers
Elton John is epiiic
Know it well. Great Elton John album. 4/5
several classics
A great album that has some great orchestral beats and infectious piano parts!!! 7/10
Starts off strong with some classic Elton hits and thins out to be some of his weaker stuff.
Elton John is a legend
avis positif : 7/10 piano & voix grandioses une BO pour une romcom américaine
Side 1 of Madman Across the Water is among the greatest sides of music of the singer-songwriter era, or any era for that matter. Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face and the title track make for an incredible 20 minutes of listening and helped define the mid-70s period for me. Side 2 can't help but be a let down in comparison. Nothing terrible on side 2 but nothing very memorable either. Keeps it from being a 5 star album, but shit it's close. 4.5 stars
twas good
Great stand-out moments. Not as consistently enjoyable as Tumbleweed Connection, but the singles stand strong. A solid part of the collection during Elton John's brilliant string of early 70's albums.
Некоторые песни норм но блин не люблю я Элтона Джона
Buy this one!
Good melodies. I enjoy the band and what they are doing more than what Elton does. Very good album.
Decent
Best Suprise until now!
Rather beautiful, earnest and naive.
// Favs: – Score: Light to Decent 4
Just about a 4
Great album by Elton. Tiny dancer is a classic. Levon is one of my favorite song by him. Indian summer is great songwriting. The album is quick and has a somber tone throughout. Starts great and ends decently. 8.5/10
Start very strong with tiny dancer. Not as many bangers later on but still a good time.
Qué buen disco. Lo disfruté bastante y pues realmente jamás había escuchado completo nada de Elton John. Muy talentoso el cñor. 8.5/10
Let's just hold this ine close.
Kinda hard to compete with those first two bangers right out of the gate. I love this period Elton John. Won’t say the whole album is a masterpiece, but it’s all very, very listenable. Did it have to end on such a sad note though? Sheesh. Thanks a lot, Debbie Downer.
Love Elton John. Great early album. 4/5
Great songwriting. Some brilliant tracks
Discovered some new good songs from Elton
Songs I liked: "Levon," "Madman Across The Water," "Indian Sunset," and "Rotten Peaches"
Though it fades a little bit on the back half, Tiny Dancer and Madman are exceptional, with several other solid pieces, including Holiday Inn and Levon. The music doesn't sound dated, and Elton John's voice is certainly amazing in this era.
this was a solid Elton offering
This was really good.
Heerlijk album. Gewoon. Heerlijk.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Tiny dancer, Levon, Razor face
some great tunes
A rather theatrical album. Some good songs. I love his voice! (7/10) Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Indian Sunset
Love tiny dancer and Levon, the rest grew in me after a 2nd listen
Bangers. All bangers
Tiny Dancer a certified banger, great songwriting.
Very grand instrumentation. Nice pounding piano chords. That big ending part on Indian Sunset is crazy.
Like a chilled out Freddie Mercury. Love
This is the Elton John that I like. The music is great and generally robust and the storytelling is wonderful, albeit mostly sad. But the emotion is conveyed well. Several songs that were new to me received a second listen.
I’m surprised I hadn’t listened to this before. I enjoy it! Idk, it feels like it’s hard to hate Elton John?
Superb. A really enjoyable listen with some really memorable tracks. Definitely one to revisit.
Solid. Better than I thought
Elton John's voice is sometimes too big and overpowers some of his songs which makes him quite exhausting to listen to (Tiny Dancer is a good example of this here) but there is no doubting his talent and this album is on the whole brilliant. Probably my favourite 'new' album that I've heard since the start of this project. Can't believe I've never heard 'Levon' before, it's a pure classic. 'Indian Sunset' also boasts enough native American cultural appropriation to make even Texas State blush.
Really good music. I am not such a big fan od Elton John, but afer this I am gonna give him a chance. My favorite song from him Tiny dancer is here and that's also a big plus.
Enjoyed listening to this album 👍. Can't believe Tiny Dancer is 50 years old!
love this. levon is a banger. tiny dancer is tiny dancer. i'd never heard indian sunset in its original form before and i think it's great.
Really lovely listening to Elton John walking around in the rain. Never realised how much of a diva he was until I watched rocket man on Netflix.
Elton es un grande. Esto es así.
.
Couple songs that never get old followed by some unremarkable feel good early 70's ballads. The albums production is worth mentioning. Elton's studio albums always sounds so different from his live recordings. Its my understanding Elton usually let the other band members take over during that phase of recording. Most of the time I do enjoy the production and backing, especially on the title track and "Rotten Peaches", where it adds a lot. However on songs like "All the Nasties" and "Indian Sunset" it adds drama to an already melodramatic song. In a song like "Goodbye" it's just right which is a great closing balad.
cool sounds
ret mange smukke sange, meget tematisk flot imponerende tekster
No soy muy fan de Elton, pero he de reconocer quee ha gustado el disco.
Excelente voz, acordes y melodías. Buen disco
Almost Famous made Tiny Dancer widely known, but Levon has always been one of my favorite Elton John songs right after Rocket Man. But my all time favorite, Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Elton in his prime...
Unlike yesterday with Aladdin Sane, there were quite a few tracks on this album that I had never heard before. What an incredibly sad album! I read this entire project as a rumination on finding beauty and dignity within tragedy. I enjoy the instrumentation throughout, and can't help but feel like E.L.O. attempted to steal a lot of this sound. Tiny Dancer - The biggest 'hit' from the album, and the one I had heard the most before. Still catchy and fun to sing along with. Maybe the worst song on the album? This song is about unrequited love and holding a torch for someone long gone. SAD SONG. Levon - I had heard this one before too. I like the string riff throughout. A song about a man whose parents thought he was destined for greatness, but then he becomes a miserly balloon seller and his son hates him. A SAD SONG. Razor Face - A song about losing your former greatness. We assume that at one point Razor Face was a tough customer, but now he needs someone to help him walk. A SAD SONG. Madman Across the Water - A song about insanity. A SAD SONG. Indian Sunset - My favorite track on the album. A bit problematic today, as it uses reductive imagery of Native Americans as seen by a white british man. But also it's a sympathetic view of the American genocide of the Native American. A SAD SONG. Holiday Inn - I'm a sucker for mandolin anywhere. Second favorite track. A track about the malaise and boredom of being an under-appreciated backup musician on the road. A SAD SONG. Rotten Peaches - A song about the prison industrial complex and losing optimism. A SAD SONG. All the Nasties - A rather prescient song about people who nitpick and criticize. The critics are calloused without actually knowing anything about the person they judge. I love the choir. A SAD SONG. Goodbye - A song about feeling worthless, and giving all your energy to others. A SAD SONG. I really enjoyed this, but if I have staked Aladdin Sane as a 5 star album, then this by rights cannot be higher than 4. I may give it a 3 just to give myself room for future albums.
A definite classic
Well, you either love him or hate him. I do love a bit of Elton, particularly since I saw him live a few years ago. Undeniable genius song writer, regardless of what you think of him
Bra album! Bästa låtarna ”Madman across the water”, ”Tiny Dancer”, ”Levon”.
fantastic album! I've listened to this before, and it was a joy to listen to again.
A pleasant album. Nothing stood out because it was all so good.
very good
I will definetly look into him more.
It's a classic
Contains arguably the most iconic song by Sir Elton John. But to be honest the rest of the album couldn't keep my attention.
Tiny dancer is a classic; the rest is fairly folky for Elton but still enjoyable.
Good album, unfamiliar with his wider discography but enjoyed this album.
nice sounds, but kind of boring
It takes me a while to get in to EJ songs. I should listen more.
I've heard it before
I wasn't sure if I was going to be into this album, since I'm often hot and cold with Elton John, but this album starts off strong with Tiny Dancer and keeps going from there. 4/5
Great. Love the piano work. Some songs run together. Tiny dancer is definitely the hit
Some classic Elton, no complaints
Contains two of Elton's best songs. Not sure the "Indian Sunset" message holds up, but everything on here is still super solid. Favorite tracks: "Tiny Dancer", "Levon"
7.5/10
Solid album. Good that it's short, as there is not honestly a lot of musical variety
Madman Across the Water should be reimagined as a concept album about Donald Trump with songs such as 'Tiny (hands) Dancer' and 'All the Nasties'. As things stand it's Elton John if you like that. I Don't especially. 3 stars.
Tiny Dancer and Levon are bangers. The rest of the album, not so much. The lyrics were odd. The music was fine and Elton John can belt them out but it just didn't work for me. I'd listen to the first two songs any day of the week and the rest can stay out of my ears.
Another case of I wish I liked this more than I do. Hits are great, but the rest is unfortunately completely forgettable.
The Good: We know where the madman is! The Bad: Even on the other side, madness still follows us… The Ugly: Finding out that the Insaneman lives next door… I forget when it was, though I know that it was well before I started this journey here, that I decided to listen to the complete discography of certain big names in the music industry. Elton was one of them there names. Why this album is on the list, and Honky Chateaux isn’t beats me… it is a far superior album imho. This one, well it starts of grand, and is followed up by a song which, though I am certain I had listened to before, I couldn’t recall vividly listening to… Levon, what a gem of a tune… The rest of the album… filler. Bad filler. I feel bad for the madman across the water… he deserves better than this… 3*
Legendärer Opener, auch sonst ein ordentliches Album, aber nicht sein bestes.
Ich mochte den Beginn sehr gerne, irgendwann hat es mich verlassen. Aber Tendenz schon eher zu 4 Sternen als zu 2.
sounds kinda samey in a mostly good way
They all sound the same but it’s a good sound
For Elton John, this is a pretty good record, but still just feels middle of the road to me.
Very much a greatest hits artist for me, as I have never really found an album of his that I really liked apart from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This is solid and precisely what I would expect from an Elton John album, yet still doesn’t reach the heights of what I would like from an Elton John album.
Some unreal bass lines all over this
First two tracks are great. Of course, those are the only two I know. Do I like these songs only because they’ve been drilled into my head for years?
Tiny Dancer is the best, the rest is fine. So many references to Jesus! Surprisingly problematic song about Indians.
3.1/5
Coming into this listen with a previously held colossal admiration for Elton John and his work, just a titan among musicians, immensely talented and has written songs that’ll be sung by generations to come. Tiny Dancer (9/10)- Have listened to this song a ridiculous amount of times. The song has an emotional pull within me mainly because of its use in Almost Famous (2000) which I think it one of the most awesome scenes in film. The piano just lights you up from the start. Easiest 9/10 I’ll give on this whole project I think. Levon (6/10)- Two songs in and Elton hits you with the full force of the orchestra. Levon would be a good name for a dog. Razor face (6/10)- Piano again hits hard going to be a recurring theme I assume. Guitar enters the scene in a big way. Yes. Did not expect the accordion and I’m not entirely sold on it. Madman across the water (5/10)-I want to like it but just doesn’t hit with me. Still a cool song. Indian sunset (4/10) opening A cappella absolutely sets the tone feels straight from some kind of western score. Holiday Inn (7/10) I like this kind of Elton the best don’t even really know how to accurately distinguish it from the other songs I didn’t like as much, I just do. Rotten Peaches (6/10)- no idea about this one. All the Nasties (5/10)- the choir came from nowhere but love that element of the song. Goodbye (5/10)- Goodbye Elton. Love this album, piano is just killer all throughout, this man has some radiant fingers. Combines so many different instruments and every song has its own distinct vibe. (5.8/10)
A great debit which went under the radar somewhat. Tiny Dancer is a classic but Almost Famous film gave it the big push it deserved. I like these early Elton albums.
Some really good songs there
A decent pop rock album but a little boring. My favorite tracks were "Madman Across the Water" and "Indian Sunset".
tiny dancer + 8 tentativas falhas de replicar tiny dancer
Outside of the song 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' (which slaps), I'm not really an Elton John person. I can recognize his talent but I think generally his music is just a bit too bombastic for me. That being said, I went into this album with low expectations and actually ended up enjoying it more than I expected to. Still not something I'm likely to listen to again for fun on my own time but not a bad way to kick off a Monday.
Fantastic voice, fantastic piano, just ok songs. Tiny Dancer is the undeniable standout and the tail of the album is nice. I may be alone in this but….I hate Levon. This song strains so hard for grandeur but just falls flat. Have no fear though, Elton has plenty of better albums to come.
I don't know why, but I feel this immense evil radiation from Elton John & no matter how many good things he's done it won't go away. This album was very bland for me sadly besides the two tracks "Tindy Dancer" and "Madman acroos the water".
Tiny dancer and who cares about the rest
Tiny Dancer is the only hit on the album, but don't let that dissuade you. Its a really good record and I found myself listening to it a bunch of times. Really loved the title track.
Twee elton johns na mekaar eks nou bietjie moeg vir hom. Dis nie 'n bad album nie maar meeste songs staan nie uit en baie van hulle is langer as wat hulle moet wees. Maar die eerste paar songs is great so
- The first two tracks are killers, so no surprise that "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" were the two singles. The rest of the album just does not stand up in comparison. Not bad, but not particularly noteworthy either. - Explicitly stating that "Indian Sunset" is not a protest song might make the track more offensive? Already weird that a couple of pasty, British dudes have made a song using Native culture that is pretty ridiculously inaccurate...possibly even worse that they seemingly did it with no goal in mind.
Jeho 70-te roky mám oveľa radšej ako 80-te.
I like Tiny dancer and Levon. I also like All the Nasties. Its okay background music. Not really my style.
Expecting a lot more from an album with Tiny Dancer as an opener. It was fine but some of the songs do plod along. I liked the one with the mandolin as him doing something quite different.
Haven't heard too much of Elton John, but this is a good impression to me on why he is so popular and praised. The very thoughtful lyrics; stuff you can easily picture in your head. Lots of imagery I got from this album was coldness and of a metropolis (i.e. New York,) the most vivid stuff I got was either the very cinematic-like twist and turns of "Indian Sunset" and the very urban "Holiday Inn" (probably because it literally says "Boston" in it.) His vocals are filled with emotion and have a bit of drawl to them, sounds quite inspired by some of the power that a lot 60s Black American soulful singers have. I think overall this album was fine, I don't reckon it's the most amazing thing ever, however it's not bad either. It showcases Elton's piano singer-songwriter style, which I think I'm fine with, he always comes up with amazing melodies and catchy hooks even if other parts of the song are a bit lacking. So, I don't think I'd come back to the album but I can see that it's well done, just would return to the highlight songs (listed down below,) probably nothing else. Highlight Song/s: "Tiny Dancer" and "Indian Sunset"
A collection of melancholy ballads that don't quite surpass tiny dancer , can be dull in parts 3.5*
pretty good but I like elton when he's super fun and flashy and dancey (maybe I just like dancing). the first half was good but I'm pretty indifferent to the second half. I probably liked levon the best (hot take - I don't love tiny dancer)
*Beautiful album of not my favorite genre *Really liked All the Nasties
Tiny Dancer and the 8 identical songs.
Byłam negatywnie nastawiona na początku ale w sumie miło się słuchało, może po paru przesłuchaniach bym się wciągnęła. Plus jest taki że mi się przypomniała jedna piosenka którą lubiłam (Tiny dancer)
Great arrangements serving the first few songs, no click track for miles- to great effect. Heck yeah. Gets real bogged down in hokey westernism. Reckon he’s ever talked to a real indigenous person?
after 'tiny dancer' was over I struggled to pay attention
The wikipedia article calls this Elton John's "progressive rock album"? I am confused, it sounds like early 70s commercial pop to me. I of course heard this record many many MANY times around when it first came out and therefore am qualified to say that I have heard “Madman Across the Water” before I died. Overall I'm pretty tired of Elton John at this point, but still, these are reasonable songs. 3 stars
3?
It's okay
Some hits on here, especially Levon. I think some songs could be a bit shorter.
I liked the sound and the energy, but I’m not sure I understood what most of the songs were supposed to mean.
Not his best
So close to a great rock and roll record.
some generational songs and some middling ones. still a goat
Elton not beating the singles artist allegations
My interest in Elton John has been such that I am pretty sure the greatest hits collection I own is the only Elton "album" I need to hear before I die, but let's see how this goes... The collection I own (Greatest Hits 1970–2002) only has "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from this album, both of which I love. I'm interested to see how much (if any) of the rest sounds familiar. It kind of all sounded generally familiar but none sounded specifically familiar, if that makes sense. This was fine. Between 2 and 3 stars but I'm feeling generous today.
EJ has that classic smoothness that hit different. Strong start, but fades at the end
The first half was excellent, the second half really lost me.
It was good, I just don't mesh with his voice
This was pretty good! Some really good songwriting in here, of course. Tiny Dancer is a great song, and the rest of the album doesn't stray too far from that sound (or quality). Definitely would revisit some of these tracks!
Maybe the first time I've listened to a full Elton John record front to back. It's fun! This is very agreeable music. Strong, straightforward, populist songwriting. Goofy arrangements, nice playing, good mix of styles. Solid!
Indian Sunset is baffling because I love how it sounds but why the fuck is Elton John singing this song.
Okay this is all solid, good song writing and all, but I cant really attach to it for some reason.
the absolute madman
Tiny Dancer is a great song. Rest of album less so. Felt a bit too broadway with a bit too much storytelling going on.
Everything kind of felt like Tony dancer on repeat, which to be fair, is a banger. The last track was set apart and was my favorite track.
Decent but quite samey, like a lot of Elton's music.
I like the first two songs but lyrically they kinda lost me with ‘Razor Face’. Oh yeah ‘Indian Sunset’ kinda reminds me of an Iron Maiden song lol.
I do like Elton John! But I don't often want to listen to a whole album of Elton John. Some classics here, and overall an enjoyable listen, just not necessarily something I'd be eager to return to.
Honestly outside of Tiny Dancer, most of this album just feels like filler. It's pretty damn good filler though, outside of Indian Sunset. 3.5/5
Mhh … ordentlich bis langweilig trifft es ziemlich gut. Das Album hat diese schwere, dramatische Elton‑John‑Theatralik, die manchmal funktioniert – vor allem in „Tiny Dancer“, das natürlich herausragt. Aber vieles wirkt hier eher wie solide Handwerkskunst ohne echten Funken. Die Arrangements sind üppig, die Songs sauber gebaut, doch der Mittelteil zieht sich und verliert Spannung.
Decent.
I liked the story telling. I got real tired of the slow piano pretty quickly. Tiny dancer is a banger that is stuck in my head and I enjoyed the madman across the water song. I enjoyed the guitar riffs
Aside from Tiny Dancer and Levon (2 of my fave EJ songs), the rest of this record is pretty mundane.3.5/5.
I think I might be more of a casual, singles listener when it comes to Elton John. This record came out swinging with Tiny Dancer then fizzled out for me pretty quick. By the end, the songs were just blending together.
It certainly is that guy. Sounds exactly like him. Which is good. I do enjoy a fair bit of his output. Why is this album special? It's nice to hear some deep cuts & I was pleased to hear some longer-than-pop-standard tunes. I am a sucker for the long'uns. Perhaps I need a deep dive or at least a much greater familiarity with the body of work to fully appreciate this one. I only speculate because this seems pretty damn average to me. And I know he's got a whole lot of great in the catalog. I'll give this one a 3
7/10
Tiny Dancer and Levon - that’s it.
Tiny Dancer is a great track however nothing else on the album is the same quality. I think he is still finding his feet at this point. Production is spot on. Better is still to come
The A-Side is stronger than the B-Side in my opinion. The whole Album is full of great string arrangements.
So far my favorite Elton John album. Concise and to the point.
Good Elton John is still better than many many other things
Good musician - enjoyed how instruments really get a spotlight. Piano, violin and a choir was cool. His voice is great. Didn't pay too much attention to lyrics. Found it started sounding 'samey' by the end. Lots of slow ballad parts then belting passionate parts which started melding together into one long song instead of an album.