Reviews (page 11 of 13)
It's just classic Elton John. It's really good music, but I guess in the year 2023 it's a bit predictable. Tiny Dancer, of course, is an all-time banger.
Songs are well-composed and tiny dancer remains a great song. The artist/album is very theatrical and this doesn’t really trigger me for some reason.
It was ok. Got a bit distracted, then listened again and got distracted again. So, not really memorable
Elton John at his best is great, but this ain’t it.
Quite ok
Has some great songs but fails to impress me as an album
I just don't care for Elton John that much. I will admit Tiny Dancer is an all time classic though.
Didn't expect to like it but it was actually not that bad
7/10
Holiday Inn was a great side two gem
Finely crafted but not really for me.
Standard Elton John - I've overheard the singles, but still a good easy listen. 6/10
Un album bien lyrique, dont certains textes ont un peu mal vieilli. Tiny Dancer demeure un chef-d’œuvre, et les arrangements quasi orchestraux sont bien travaillés
Cocaine. Lots and lots of cocaine.
Den gode poprock, tiny dancer, generelt et hyggeligt album
Solid album. Enjoyed it
Probably a 3, Tiny dancer Carries
Hits carried this. B sides sounded similar. Sturdy 3
Meh. Obviously Tiny Dancer is amazing but the rest were very mediocre.
seee 7.5/10
Está bien.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 5/5 ------------------------------------- Besides the two hits (Tiny Dancer and Levon), I was kind of disappointed how mediocre the other tracks were.
Its alright but is just way too slow and gaudy for my tastes. I respect the songwriting and vocal abilities regardless of whether or not the songs actually do anything for me.
Felt exactly like I would have expected an Elton John album to sound like. It's hard to see why certain songs are "hits" and others not-- they're all very good.
Honestly probably Elton John's best effort. But I will say, I think this record is super front-loaded. The first side of the record is great, but the second side sort of becomes a drag.
Not too many super famous songs on this album, although the most notable is Tiny Dancer. Madman Across The Water is one of Elton's lowest charting albums reaching only 41 in the UK albums charts and peaked at 8 in the Aus & US Pop Album charts. Seems like the public didn't really like the prog rock feel of this album by Elton John whatsoever, and I'm inclined to agree for the most part. Best: Tiny Dancer Worst: All The Nasties
Tiny Dancer is the best track in the album and it goes downhill from there.
Got weird towards the middle, start was good
Decent. Starts off strong but the second half of the album fades. Tiny Dancer is a classic! Drinking game. Take a shot every time Elton mentions Jesus. You'll be drunker than a frat house during pledge week.
It’s always a bit disappointing when an album starts with by far the best song.
Tiny Dancer.. YES! Levon ... WTF? This song, Levon, that I've loved for years got fresh ears for a listen here. These are my takeaways: - Levon is a good man. - He's got a kid named Jesus. - Levon has a flourishing family balloon business. - Levon's kid, Jesus blows up balloons all day. - Jesus also wants to go to Venus on an inflated balloon and watch his dad die. - Also, someone Alvin Tustig dot, dot, dot. ...and just in case you forgot, Levon is a good man. This is the most interesting thing on the album, the rest of the album was forgettable meh.
Elton John’s “Madman Across the Water” opens with one of his biggest hits, “Tiny Dancer,” and follows it up with the rousing “Levon.” The title character in “Levon” was named after The Bands’ Levon Helm, who didn’t like the song and thought "Englishmen shouldn't fuck with Americanisms." And yet, on “Indian Sunset,” John and Bernie Taupin do it again. Maybe that song wouldn’t have been viewed as full of stereotypes and anachronisms in 1971, but it sounds kind of silly today. Taupin and John at times make a great songwriting pair, and at times deliver some head-scratchers. Nothing else on “Madman Across the Water” reaches the heights of those first two tracks. Elton is yet another artist that the 1001 has taught me is great as a collection of hits but never delivered a truly stellar full album.
3.5 stars really. I enjoy Elton John, but sometimes it feels overindulgent. But maybe that is just who Elton John is.
This album is like one of those out and back rollercoasters. It starts at the top of the hill with Tiny Dancer. It hits top speed then goes right into Levon when the thrills are still high. The rest of the album is like the mini hills that follow. Sure there are momentary thrills as you come out of your seat momentarily at the crests or think you may hit the overhead wooden beams if your arms are raised too high, but none of it compares to high thrills at the beginning.
Not every Elton album in the 70’s was a stellar effort. This wasn’t. But it does open with one of his ( & Bernie’s) greatest - Tiny Dancer, glorified forever by Cameron Crowe in Almost Famous. I had not played this album for decades. It’s just a bit limp. Although I am lucky enough to have the cd reissue of Tumbleweed Connection ( one of my faves) & as an extra, it includes the original version of Madman Across The Water. It features the great Mick Ronson & is spectacular compared to the version they eventually ran with, which used Chris Spedding, no slouch himself.
A big thank you to this album for reminding me of the song "Razor Face" which I used to listen to all the time but forgot about for the last 15 years! Great songwriting, great piano, great voice - though the majority of this album I wouldn't go back to for casual Elton John listening
Stay hydrated 🐟
pretty good A-side, pretty bad B-side, overall it's ok-ish. all the nasties being pretty good prevented me from giving this a 5/10 instead of a 6/10 but i do not want to listen to any of the other B-side songs again if i can help it
A fantastic first song and 8 more ok to mediocre ones to follow it up, Bold move cotton, lets see how it plays out. A few songs to go in multiple rock playlists and a bunch more that are already forgotten, was hoping for more, another to add to list of single Princes not album Kings.
I know some of Elton John's work, but Madman Across The Water was an unfamiliar title to me. I recognized two of the tracks by name and was familiar with a third. I like some of what Elton John does, but I'm not quite sure what to do with it. The first two tracks are a good example of my ambivalence. "Tiny Dancer" is a solidly written song (my favorite from the album) and the song gets its hooks in deep into your brain. But the topic and tone feel so sad, I'm not sure if I want the song to settle in so deep. "Levon" feels similar but does not imbed itself into your psyche quite as deep as "Tiny Dancer". The whole album is full of songs that seem to be telling stories of tragedy and sadness. Even though I have heard "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" dozens of times, I'm still not sure if I really know what the songs are about. I'm not ready to dig in deeper and get a full dose of the meaning and the sadness. I definitely don't know how to process "Indian Sunset". Good songwriting on this album and good music, but I probably won't take the whole album in all at once again anytime soon.
I quite liked this, title track especially. Some standout really good songs but mostly kinda bland and samey.
Ik vond dit album niet zo speciaal
This was good. Only one or two songs I knew, but a fun album. Lively and some cool arrangements. 👍
Mid boring rock and rol
It's quality, it's proggy, but it's just too showtuney for me
I enjoyed this more than I expected. While I've been an Elton fan for a long time, I've always just bounced around the classics and never taken a deeper dive into any albums other than Goodbhe Yellow brick road. This starts off with a personal favourite, tiny dancer, and maintains a good tempo and pop-hooks well into the album. 9 whole minutes of the title track didn't do much for me, and a few tracks thereafter seemed a bit self-servibf, but otherwise Elton's growling rock and roll vocals and aggressive piano made for a decent listen. 3 stars because as good as it was I likely won't listen again.
Top-heavy album with a few duds in the second half - would have stopped listening at Indian Summer if I wasn't waiting for the Ghetto Gospel bit.
3.6/5
I used to like Elton John, then I didn't so much. Listening to this album today helped me understand. A whole album is just too much for me. I'm burned out on Tony Dancer, So I started my listen with Levon (which has always been one of my favorite EJ songs). The rest of the album I was pretty unfamiliar with. Had some nice surprises... I really liked Madman and Indian Summer. The rest sounded like good quality Elton John songs, but I was so fatigued by the end, it was hard for me to enjoy it too much. I think this album deserves 4 stars, but I have to keep consistent with the scale I have been using. I give it 3 because it's great album, glad I heard it, but will probably never play it again.
Took me 2 months to realize that this was a lot less groundbreaking than I hoped.
Hmmm, way less punchy than I remember. Maybe because the only time I listen to this album it involves hilariously bad but fun karaoke in the car. Tiny Dancer, Levon, and the titular song are all fantastic, Holiday Inn was decent, but the rest of the songs are just... there. Not a bad effort Elton, but I need a bit more consistency next time.
Abre con un temazo. Canciones que cuentan historias, aunque algo monocorde. Elton, siempre en mi corazón.
Great record. 7/10
I liked the hits - Levon especially - but the rest kind of meandered for me
Unremarkable
Good stuff
A couple hits but plenty duds
A bit ponderous but still great song writing and playing.
The first half was good, last half was fine. Wouldn’t listen to it on my own in complete again.
Elton John has put out so much music over the course of his career, but the early 70's, right when he started, was like someone turned on a fire hose. A good album that's got plenty of Elton's classic charm and songwriting that starts with Tiny Dancer of all songs.
Like it overall, nothing wrong with it, just not sure if I would return, except for the odd songs
Decent
Not bad. Definitely not as good as "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," though.
It's Elton John, so you can't really go wrong. All these songs are really good, but none of them (minus Tiny Dancer) stands out.
Two radio hits start off an otherwise background music album. 3 stars because "Tiny Dancer" is one of my favorites.
I respect Elton John's abilities, but outside Tiny Dancer, this album just ain't it for me.
PREFS : Tiny Dancer, Razor Face, Madman Across The Water, Holiday Inn MOINS PREF : All the Nasties
Slightly proggy early album from EJ that contains everyone's favorite Tiny Dancer. If you like EJ you'll like it. It OK.
Está bien.
some good tunes but not on my to to list
Habilt och harmlöst. Funkar till fikat.
Tiny Dancer is obviously a classic. The rest is actually quite good, with side B taking on a more folksy sound (I am a sucked for mandolin on Holiday Inn).
Elton John has released a huge number of albums, and quite a few have been excellent. This, however, is not one of them. Two exceptional songs - Tiny Dancer and Levon - stand opposite seven very mediocre ones. Even the title track doesn't really cut it. I have no idea why this particular album was chosen for the list. It's a 3/5 only because of the two first phenomenal tracks.
nice
Eh, it was alright. I've heard better of him and I have heard a lot worse in general.
Está bien.
A great album, I remember when it was released
I don’t see the appeal of Elton John
Pretty good. Not super my speed, but I'd like to give this another listen eventually.
This is an old one!
Solid album
I had never listed to this. Tiny dancer alone makes it a good record.
Quite sad that I didn't love this album more. Certainly the lyric writing and musical composition were there but it didn't grasp my heart and soul the way other Elton albums have.
Eh, it's ok. If you like tiny dancer, you'll probably enjoy the rest of this album too.
Good album with the misfortune of being on our list directly after Elton John's Magnum opus. Still a good album but only really the one banger in tiny dancer
Slow down, Joe, I'm a rock-and-roll man I've twiddled my thumbs in a dozen odd bands And you ain't seen nothing 'til you've been In a motel, baby, like the Holiday Inn This is a weird album - I dont love it, but its inescapably catchy tracks and lowkey positivity in some kind of dark scenarios makes it a decent album. 3/5
Good pop music but but much more. Tiny dancer is still a hit though
An ok listen past Tiny Dancer
álbum gostosinho, nada excepcional, mas agradável e animado.
Sinceramente, não sei exatamente por qual razão este álbum está na lista - não por ser ruim ( longe disso ) mas me pareceu apresentar um trabalho secundário de Elton John, longe se ser seu melhor álbum ou apresentar as melhores canções. Me pareceu ser um álbum que está presente apenas por ser de Elton John, visto que existem melhores opções para demonstrar a habilidade e proeza de um dos maiores artistas de todos os tempos. Dito isso, ainda é um álbum de Elton John, ou seja, apresenta as suas principais características e é bem agradável de escutar.
Not a bad listening experience, Elton John's talent in songwriting shines through. There are dramatic, bombastic prog rock songs on it. My main issue with the album is that somehow the songs are still superficial. When this album was released in 1971, bands like Yes, Genesis, or Pink Floyd were also recording prog rock albums but those albums have a lot more depth than Elton's Madman Across the Water. But overall this album isn't bad, it is just that I can't connect with it completely.
Was most impressed with the lyricism here, as I've only really come across Elton's hits. There's some great nuanced storytelling that I wasn't expecting. At the end of the day, this kind of songwriting just isn't really my thing, but I can absolutely appreciate it for what it is and its resounding impact. Three and a half Fave track: Madman Across the Water
The one with Tiny Dancer! Quite dark compared to his and Taupin’s other early records. Pleasant to listen to, but doesn't shine as much as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
EJ is just ok. Good songs, but never been my vibe.
sound
Blatant attempt to crack America, but it worked. We’ll done Elton.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would
Merk toch wel vaak op dat bij oudere albums van bekende artiesten dat de eerste pokoe bekend en hard is, en dat je er dan wel zin in hebt, maar dat de rest dan een beetje uitzitten is. Niet slecht maar ook niet goed. Fun fact: Elton john heeft al in 5 verschillende decennia een top 10 hit gescoord
Dacht altijd dat Elton een meme guy in glitterpak was. Hij heeft dus ook tenminste 1 prima album gemaakt, stonden best wat bekende hits op waarvan ik niet wist dat ze van hem waren
Surprisingly not bad at all
Mainly just a fine album. The good songs are good, but there’s not a lot on this album that brings out powerful feeling from within in. These songs are just songs. I don’t have much that I actively dislike about the album, but I thought that what was offered could have been either bolder or more precise in what it does. Faves: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face
Super strong start but I soon lost interest. There was a certain formula that kept repeating itself that caused me to lose interest even as I appreciated the musicianship.
Its not bad but at the same time its very Radio 4
Pretty classic Elton John. Anthemic, melodic, dramatic.
Hmmm, he got so much to tell but I hardly pay the undivided attention. Why is that? Is it the TV show like timbre of the orchestration, a tad too many overwhelming feelings at once? This album shares a certain feeling with most of Father John Misty‘s oeuvre - I kinda appreciate the elements but am slightly underwhelmed by its combination. I really would like if I loved it more. 3.2
Tiny Dancer, Madman across the water, & Rotten peaches
yes :D
Highlight: Tiny Dancer 3,5/5
Tiny Dancer spoko, Indiańska nuta najgorsza, reszta mocno średnia. Spodziewałem się lepszych piosenek.
3/5 Sometimes all you want are the hits and it misses the mark if you don't know the songs. Also, Indian Sunset was a bit cultural appropriationy to me. He was trying to help? 🤷♀️
3/5 Sometimes all you want are the hits and it misses the mark if you don't know the songs. Also, Indian Sunset was a bit cultural appropriationy to me. He was trying to help? 🤷♀️
Not bad
Elton John’s voice on itself is a miracle. I wish i could enjoi his music more. The way he incorporates a funky beat with his high pitched voice is amazing.
It has way too much reverb (a common diagnosis for the period)
Okay. Kind of plodding and seemed to drone on a bit, but not too offensive.
Kan goed zingen en prima nummers schrijven maar is niet helemaal voor mij
Some fun stuff but oddly less immediately engaging than I expect from Sir Elton.
Classic Elton John. I hadn't had the time to get into his music, but it's pretty alright. While it is a beautiful album, some songs did sound sort of repetitive. Don't know if I would go back, but for a one time listen it was good. Fave track(s): Indian Sunset, Rotten Peaches
Early Elton John was less that was more.... When he was still new, he could carry it with just him and the piano. The simpler accompaniment from this era was stark and minimalist... Quite good
Madman Across the Water is the fourth album by English musician Elton John - his third released in 1971. This is one of Elton John's lowest charting albums, although it has been certified double platinum in the US and silver in the UK. The singles "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" are perhaps the most popular songs on the album with the former being my favorite from this work. I was not aware that Elton John released three albums in 1971, and that's quite the accomplishment! Maybe that's why this album did not chart well at release, because there were already other albums of his somewhere on the charts. Elton John has a cool way of making soft rock sound awesome and this album does have one of my top songs from his discography on it, so I can't complain. This is a decent album.
Tony Danza með 600 milljónir spilana, það er ágætt. Levon er með 26 milljónir, það er sæmó. Hin lögin 7 ná samtals um 20 milljónum spilanna, það er viðeigandi. Ég gæti alveg hlustað aftur en ég myndi ekki leita hann Elton uppi.
Much more subtlety than the last Elton album I got. I can now appreciate why he is rated.
It was good. For me, not great, but certainly good
Wasn’t my favorite Elton album. Great first two songs, but the rest of the album didn’t do much for me.
Tiny dancer classic
Nice orchestrations, some real classics
- he does have a really nice voice - i like a lot of the instrumentals too - so far nothing super note worthy has grabbed my attention overall impressions, i enjoyed it but kind of forgot everything about it already.
Elton Jon is one of the artist where I either really like some of his songs or I really dislike, not much in the middle. Levon may be my favorite song by him and like Tiny Dancer. Other than that, I didn't get mush else out this album. 2nd time around, I'll add Razor Face, but reinforced I'm just not a big fan of most of his stuff. I'll give a 2.5. 1 point for each song I liked and 1/2 point for Razor face. Coded it as a 3, due to the fact he is a legend.
3 EJ has a lot of albums and only some of them are all-time greats. This is the worst of those (that I’ve heard). Tiny Dancer is still a great song and deserves all of the love it gets and Levon is a great title track but the rest is fine. Nothing remarkable for EJ but it’s the album with Tiny Dancer so it makes the list.
3.5 Great timing seeing as how I'll be at Sir Elton's Dodger Stadium show this Thursday for the last stop on his farewell tour. With that being said, while I quite enjoy a good chunk of Elton's work, I'm far from his biggest fan (more of an "in the right place at the right time" kinda thing regarding my upcoming LA show). I've heard this album in particular before, and while I'm overall a fan, it admittedly all starts running together after Levon. Nothing is unenjoyable or outstays its welcome, but it's not particularly remarkable either. So, this album is probably about a 3 from me, but I'll bump an extra half point because Tiny Dancer really is that good of a song.
Not as good as I'd've hoped. 3
T3B 1. Tiny Dancer 2. Madman Across The Water 3. Indian Sunset
Much though I love Elton's music, I don't feel he's really an album artist. There are generally one or two strong tracks on each album, with the rest being high-quality filler.
I'd really like to rate this higher because Levon and Tiny Dancer are so good but it turns out those are the only good songs on the album. 3.5 stars
Elton John has a lovely sound on this CD. His compositional skills are great, with some lovely harmonic flourishes, and he has a serviceable singing voice, but the real star here is his production. The opener, “Tiny Dancer”, is a clinic in how to introduce varied sound (in rough order, slide guitar, drums, electric guitar, female backing vocals, beat-you-down orchestral strings, and then chorus backing vocals). He nails the other half too, which other guys with a similar build-up technique often leave wanting- that is, he motivates the draw back to a more sparse arrangement on the verses just as well. The main knock I have on this CD is it’s a little slow. It’s very ballad-heavy, and generally operates in the double-digits bpm. That’s not a flaw, but it’s not my style, and it does make it a little less fun and a little more of a chore to get through the whole thing. John’s voice is a little thin for how big the arrangements are too, and he has the funny affectation of trying to sound like Southern country, which comes off as very forced. If he just used about the same dose of backing vocals on every song as on “Tiny Dancer” it wouldn’t be a problem- but on the climax moments of e.g. “Levon” and the title track (which is also probably his worst abuse of the cowboy voice) he just hasn’t got enough power and projection on his own to carry it over the top, so those moments fall a little flat. The song structures are a little monotonous as well- he’s got a style, and that’s fine- but even guys with a style typically don’t have every song built the same way (starting slow with a single harmonic instrument, then vocals, then building to a monster chorus). He’s obviously capable of composing in a different style- he doesn’t do it much on this CD, but e.g. “Crocodile Rock” is quite different structurally (faster-paced rock, launches right into it). Apart from the opener, I think I liked “Holiday Inn” the best, precisely because it avoids some of these pitfalls- it used a more varied sonic palette (heavy on mandolin), it’s faster-paced, and it has big backing vocals on the chorus. If about half the songs were like that, I’d give it a 4, but it’s almost the only one like that. Enjoyed listening to it though.
Good album, not my favourite of Elton's songs though
Creative yet not his best.
Elton Juan
Side 1 is amazing, Side 2 is just ok.
Tony Dancer is a huge classic obviously but nothing comes even close to it on the album. Levon and the title-track is cool, but that's about it. Nothing bad either, just unremarkable.
Not his best works, but still very enjoyable. You can say what you want, but it's still Elton
I think that even the regular stuff from Elton deserve at least a 3
Good album. Not my favorite from Elton John, there's a few song that I don't care about... But there's nice tracks anyway : Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water, Indian Sunset or All the Nasties, well composed and arranged tracks directly from one of the best pop maker ever.
I like elton John
The record is not great but bad either - the pace and length is doable and just the fact it has Tiny Dancer and Holiday Inn on it elevates it - but the rest is middling Elton John fare so it balances out.
Tiny dancer hits
Solid album
Mehhhh…..
I can hear the talent, but I just cannot connect with this. I have the same response in relation to Queen or the Beach Boys. Not sure if this is a fair comment, but I sense something phony or inauthentic about them.
was okay
Bernie and Elton are insanely gifted storytellers. First half of the album kept me going, fell off a bit at the end. All in all, I have a new appreciation for Elton's music. 3/5
Only few things in this world make me feel the things that Tiny Dancer does. The rest of the album is solid Elton but does not reach the same level as the lead single or many of his other albums. Will Elton sing at the Queen’s funeral and what though? RIP
Beautifully, carefully crafted album. EJ offers nothing less than his fullest capabilities, although inspiration seems to taper off during the second half. There remain impeccable, brilliant songs such as Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water or Indian Sunset.
I hadn't realized this album was this old!
This is an interesting addition in John's stellar 70s run. There are some amazing songs on here but the flow doesn't quite work for me. The instrumentation throughout is very diverse and a lot of the songs have their own unique style which is great, but the songwriting is incredibly samey throughout as pretty much the entire album is 5 minute-ish mid-tempo rock opera ballads. After a little while it's really begging for some variety and, while songs like Levon are fantastic, having it straight after Tiny Dancer makes it pale in comparison. If there were a couple of shorter songs of a different style mixed between here it would be a much more balanced listen
A classic Great piano
Good album, tiny dancer is a banger
So OK, "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" are amazing songs... But most of the other tracks on this record drag on until you feel all those flourishes in them are quite unnecessary, honestly. And this as good as they are sounding at first... So give me *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road* any time, it's a nearly flawless album. But for the rest of Elton John's career, I think a nice compilation will nicely do the job of getting you acquainted to his overall talent (there are at least *two* of those compilations that can do that job right, by the way--don't miss them). Some artists are just more fit to the singles format. And Elton John is one of them, I think. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 820 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 97 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 46 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 39
3.5/5
this was my first ever elton john album. i recognized a couple songs. he's good, but faded into the background on this go 'round. prolly need to queue it up again
I think I’m more of a greatest hits fan…but some interesting tracks o hadn’t heard.
Really good
I took your advice to do subjective reviews Jambo, but no one needs more exposition on the emotions that Elton John tries to evoke*. Everyone that has even glanced momentarily at pop culture has his affectations and melodies burnt into their brain. So I'll just say that the title track is great, as is Tiny Dancer. Holiday Inn isn't bad. That's two and a half stars. Rounding up because Elton John seems cool. * Ok just one. Levon has a nice idea for a lyrical theme, but really, overusing the word Levon just takes me out of the moment. Like when you repeat a word over and over and the raw sound of it just bounces around in your head, detached from all meaning.
An incredibly strong start with Tiny Dancer, but apart from the title track nothing else stood out that much. Still fantastic piano and singing, given it's Elton John, so that made it enjoyable.
Couple of standout tracks, rest sounds like every other Elton John filler
Elton on aika iso aukko mun sivistyksessä. Ihan jees tämä. Eka biisi tietty tuttu ja kova.
Tiny dancer is great. This album otherwise wasn’t
starts strong but contains several snoozers
Here's a story I heard several years ago: Brian Wilson (you know, the cat from the Beach Boys) was doing an autograph signing somewhere in Texas. And apparently Don Henley (you know, the dude from the Eagles) was there and thought it would be fun to get Wilson to autograph one of his albums for him. Being the key cogs in legendary "California" bands, Wilson and Henley were familiar with each other and had met previously a few times. So Wilson was delighted to spot Henley show up with an album for him to sign, to the point that he even personalized it. Wilson wrote, "To Don, thanks for all the great music, Brian Wilson". But then he went back, drew a line through the word "great" and wrote "good". They both had a good laugh about that, and legend has it Henley then framed the album and still has it on display in his home. Now I have no idea if any part of that story is a true, but I feel better about the world believing that it's 100 percent accurate. And what does this have to do with SIR Elton John, or his 1971 album Madman Across The Water? I think it has something do with Elton John's legendary appearance at the Troubador in Los Angeles in August, 1970. Henley was there for one of the shows, confirmed in the Eagles Documentary. Brian Wilson was probably home in bed. But Elton John still talks about how "mind-blowing" that whole Troubador experience was and impacted his entire career. This album was recorded a few months after those Troubador appearances, and I can't help but believe that Elton adapted his sound to be more like the "California Sound" that was spreading across America. The fame and adulation he experienced during those performances was a drug that Elton would chase for years. You can hear a lot of that "California" influence on this album. He wanted to be part of that scene.
Nice album. Big tunes
Tiny Dancer is obviously great and Madman is also good. Indian Sunset is certainly a product of the times.
Certainly and interesting artist. Tiny Dancer is well known and pretty good. Levon was interesting, along with Madman Across The Water, and Rotten Peaches. But it's not something I'll be rushing to hear again.
I can't figure out what, but something prevents me from connecting with this album. To be fair, it is full of good music, energetic performances, and emotional storytelling. Normally that would be the perfect mixture for me. For some reason though, it just feels a bit too "put on" or stuck somewhere in the uncanny valley, just shy of the qualities that would resonate with my senses. I guess I would point to 'Indian Sunset' as an example of what I'm talking about. I should be into it, but it just feels a bit awkward. Looking beyond the well-known tracks like 'Tiny Dancer', I personally think 'Holiday Inn' is the stand-out here, but even that could do without the sitars and swelling strings. A good album, but something's just off for my taste.
Not a big Elton John fan but this was fine...
3.4 - Aside from "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon", this one's underwhelming. Particularly egregious is "Indian Summer" that sounds like he researched Native American culture in the encyclopedia and strung together the main points.
Best Song: Levon. Only now did I realize the song isn't titled "Leave On". Good song though. Worst Song: Rotten Peaches. A little too Elton in this one. Elton's swooning voice, his raucous piano playing, and the twangy guitar all feel like they're competing for attention, not melding together well. Overall: Elton John has a very singular voice and presentation that makes it hard to compare him with other artists. Who can even be said to be his peer? That isn't to say it always works, and the album sags and flumps on occasion, but I can't help coming away having enjoyed the uniqueness of it.
Pop rock. Un poco aburrido
HOLD ME CLOSER, TINY DAAAANCER
It has "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" on it. The songs have a cinematic feel to them, and the writing is good. There's a lot of interesting instruments used, from horns to organs to gospel back vocals to a mandolin and sitar. I also tend to like the instrumental solos. The songs are too long, and I get bored by Elton's singing.
Not into Elton mostly but other than the radio hit or two on here this was pretty enjoyable
Day 3: I feel like I'm rating these albums too harshly, Madman across the Water was a good album and I'm almost tempted to give it a Rating of 4/5, Tiny Dancer and Levon were great songs and an amazing way to start an album, though the album kind of dropped into the background on the last couple songs and didn't grab my attention as much as the first half. Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer, Levon
it was all right
I really like Elton John. I first came to him in the early 90s when they used the song I’m Still Standing for a show on City TV (I had thought it was Fashion TV but that was Obsession by Animotion). Really good music video and I’m disappointed they didn’t fully recreate it for the Rocketman movie, instead just green screening Edgerton into it. I also grew up on the Lion King soundtrack he collaborated on. I think his versions of those songs were the superior ones, but the ones in movie are obviously more appropriate. Really good few songs. I mean Tiny Dancer is an all timer. Levon is pretty good. I think a lot of the other songs kind of lack any hook or go on for too long.
fav Tiny dancer, Levon and Madman across the water
Admittedly I was only half listening but some good stuff here. I really like the wee banjo or whatever in Holiday Inn
Good album by a great
Elton John is reliably tuneful, even when the songs fall too far in offensive or ridiculous registers. I never appreciated the orchestration of his music, though: Tiny Dancer is too staple to register in that way. So I liked Madman Across the Water - the album and the track - most when it got louder on the stereo and I heard the band playing together, directed with mastery.
This album contains some good songs, but overall it feels very long and the songs start to blur because of their melodic similarity.
Nice. Tiny Dancer and Levon are obvious highlights. This is a difficult one for me, I quite enjoyed parts of this, but overall it just didn't really grab me and I'm unsure if I'd put it on again in full. A 3.5.
A lot of the songs sound like tiny dancer, which is fine, since I like that one. Wide range of lyrical themes, surprisingly, and pretty consistent quality throughout. Only three stars though, can't be much higher since even the best song is ony OK!
Tiny Dancer Levon Madman accross the water Indian sunset Rotten Peaches Assez bon album, ça se ressemble un peu mais c'est vraiment agréable à écouter. Pas son album le plus rock
This is fine. Wouldn't listen to it again. Can't remember a single song from it. Fine
3/5 not good enough
It opens with Tiny Dancer, which is a great tune, but the rest of the album doesn't quite like up to it. Pretty solid songs, just not as great as the opening.
A pounder of the piano by his own admission, Elton John, that unlikeliest of rock stars brings an album with the sublime Tiny Dancer, a gorgeous ballard both pounded and belted out, and the charming Levon, followed by a collection of songs that meander and unfortunately suffer from a lack of focus and precision. The weirdest track has a boy from Pinner imagining himself as a First Nation warrior, singing about his squaw and his tomahawk, which reveals in John and Taupin a tendency to lean towards the musical theatrical and operatic which, in truth, they do not always pull off. But John is always charismatic and gets the music over the line through sheer force of will and unusual talent. Not a classic but not a disappointment either.
2 bangerz on diz alboom
Good
elton john sempre foi uma lacuna dentro da minha coleção de música, já conhecia tiny dancer como qualquer pessoa mas nunca tive um interesse a mais de ouvir sua música. ouvindo o álbum, é de se notar o quanto as composições são elaboradas e tem uma levada muito barroca nelas, a construção cadenciada até chegar num ponto de explosão bem específico. chega até a ser formulaico, mas o elton john é um intérprete excelente e consegue carregar bem o álbum. música pop de qualidade, definitivamente.
Tiny Dancer is a classic - one of my all time favorites. Levon is also great. So, we were off to a great start. It leveled off a little after that, but this is still a solid album. Great tunes, fun lyrics. No complaints.
Opens with Tiny Dancer which IS THE BEST SONG HE'S EVER WRITTEN. Closes strongly with the last two tracks, but the rest is a bit meh.
Fine.
I am no Elton expert, and apart from a couple of tracks. I think he has produced much better.
Irgendwas zwischen 3 und 4. Schon schöne Popmucke ala Bowie. Aber irgendwie auch eintönig irgendwann.
I'm not into Elton enough to do anything other than spin a greatest hits album once in a blue moon
Zelfs de hitjes van Elton zijn mij onbekend en had altijd 't idee dat er sowieso een hekel aan zou hebben, maar dat bleek niet helemaal waar.
Ik kan Elton wel waarderen. Niet alles is even sterk, maar die opener is echt classic!
Best prettig album en de beste man kan ook echt wel iets. Maar zo op 2/3e van de plaat begon het Disney-gehalte me wel een beetje tegen te staan. Alsof je naar een musical zit te luisteren waar maar geen einde aan komt. Iets teveel van het goede.
Helemaal niet zo pompeus als ik had verwacht. Mooi, maar het bleef niet hangen.
Szkoda, że country
One legendary tune, several less impressive but not terrible
3rd December 2021 Listened on my way from the work Christmas party to JWs for poker. Hazy. Not much to remember from this due to the circumstances I listened to it in, but I have fond memories.
Decent enough rock music, but nothing on here was so good to make me think "oh, that's why Elton John is a household name".
Meh
3.5
This was a very nice listen, but kind of boring
Klassiker så att säga
Samma sak om och om igen. Lät ändå helt bra
A mood is set early on and doesn't stray far. Good song writing and fine singing. It follows a popular path of the time but lacks the musical spark that would raise the score. That spark would turn out to be only a few months away.
Its very soft rock/easy listening, which isn't what I usually go for. But the songwriting is good enough to give it a light 3
Elton's got much better albums than this one.
I am not into Elton's music, but this was a pleasant hearing. Tiny dancer is a fucking classic
5.5
Ok album. Did not listen much to it.
Tiny Dancer remains infectious even if I don't particularly like it. Some dodgy stuff about Native Americans which shows its age. I hadn't heard this album before yesterday, but it contained virtually zero surprises. It sounds like I imagine Madman Across the Water by Elton John would sound. Not a huge fan of John's singing, which often sounds like he's trying to suppress a belch.
Good, but not yellow brick good
Lyssnade på 3 låtar, inte min stil
GREAT singles, the other songs didn't move me
weird but pretty great. Jamaican Jerk-off?
It's solid Elton John, it has Levon and Tiny Dancer right off the top. Those are A grade Elton John, the rest is kinda average? Makes me wonder if EJ is one of those artists where the hits are really all you need? Idk. I give it a like, but not like a great. Will figure out rating system tomorrow.
Ik vind het soms een beetje erg veel geluid
Really strong album with some great songs. I'll likely listen to again.
6/10
Loved every second of it.
Elton John, de piano man, vriend van LHTBI-er Boy Georg. Iemand die misschien vaak onderschat wordt omdat hij een beetje een karikatuur is. Dit album begint meteen goed en herkenbaar: "Tiny Dancer". De rest is heel goede achtergrondmuziek, maar het blijft een beetje achtergrondmuziek. Lekker vrolijke melodietjes met een serieuze zang. Goed album maar zeker NIET een van de 1000 die je moet horen als bucket-list dingetje. ***
Starts strong with a classic banger, but then sort of tappers into being very forgettable
A few standout tracks, but I feel like most of the rest sound the same. I normally listen to Elton John via a Best Of playlist and I think I'll stick to that.
No rocketman
Seis. Ouço enquanto corro numa praia do Pacífico. Tudo é real com o comando certo. MotA: Tiny Dancer "Blue-jean baby, LA Lady"
I liked this - I would certainly buy the LP at a decent price
It's alright
Heard a few of these songs before, but really good as an album together
Obviously tiny dancer is the biggest track on this album. However, the title track is fairly enjoyable too. Overall I’d give it a 3.5/5
Love tiny dancer, the rest are ok
I appreciate the song writing but it doesn't connect with me.
Some nice tracks but hurt by the fact that every song sounds the same
Tiny Dancer is obviously an amazing opener. The rest of the album sounds very same-y though, not a lot of variety. It's definitely not a bad album, but I wouldn't actively seek it out.
3, it's fine. Tiny Dancer sets a high bar that the rest doesn't really reach.
Didn’t listen
This album is clearly on here because of Tiny Dancer, which makes sense. The rest of the album is good, but it wouldn't be my "go to" album in general.
Tony Danza
"Elton John is a treasure." - Ashley Nicole Shega
Tiny dancer 😎
Interesting, obviously aware of Tiny Dancer track but a good album. Could be coming back for another listen some time soon.
OK.
I love the fabulousness of Elton John, the glitter and the fun and feeling, and this one had a bit of that but not all of them. Tiny dancer is a total banger though.
O homem compõe bem, as músicas são catitas, se algum dia for preciso um conjunto de baladas, não sei se são mas soam a tal, este álbum é bom para tal. Nota:5/10
Favourite Songs: Tiny Dancer & Indian Sunset
Adventurous lyrical themes and slick production. Will listen again.
Better than I was expecting, some nice surprises but the opener is the easy highlight. Best track: Tiny Dancer
Decent album. Elton is clearly a great songwriter, taking the firm of a Native American, a farmer and I think maybe Jesus at certain points in the album. The issue is, I don't really like his voice and feel in the hands of a different singer, the sings could fly higher. Best tracks: Levon & Indian Sunset.
Listened to the MFSL CD from Red. Never heard the full album before. Liked it!
Good pop Songs, Quite interesting Piano. Not my kind of vibe but I can't deny it is a good album. 3 stars though
It was fine, but but it didn't show how good Elton John is. A bit boring
Let the record state, I love Elton John but this album didn't entirely grab me. I think I need another listen but there were a few songs that were brilliant.
The vast majority of Elton’s tunes I’ve heard in the last decade + were songs I knew so it was unusual to listen to this album given I didn’t know most the songs. I understand session musicians were used extensively. This isn’t positive since the band seems to be missing the team like sound. It isn’t fatal since the piano man and the singer know each other well, lol , but there isn’t the natural ability to jam. Razor Face is a noticeable exception as there is a great jam in that one helped along by Rick Wakeman’s excellent organ playing. Wakeman also played keyboards for Bowie on Life on Mars around the same time. I guess he hoe’d himself out a far bit before his days with Yes. It sounds like Elton has his church choir singing back up on All the Nasties. Perhaps Wakeman introduced a few session singers from the warehouse where he stores his organ. It’s a fine album but Elton’s best was to come later so I will hold back the high ratings for later treats from Elton & Bernie.
First thought - if you had no knowledge of EJ, this album cover would be quite misleading when the first notes hit on the piano 🤣
Peaks at the first song, massively
Tiny dancer really stands out, the rest relatively bland, coke fueled ballads. Strings are good. The Indian song is hilarious
This is the first time I've listened to a full album by Elton John. The hits are great, especially Levon. Both Bernie & John had their A game for that one. As for the rest, I like the arrangements and the way that some songs do a long fadeout while the (talented) band jams but the songs didn't really catch my attention.
Good
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie Almost Famous was when the band and groupies were singing Tiny Dancer on the team bus. Just a brilliant song by Elton John. Levon also shows off his excellent vocal range and Bernie Taupin’s song writing skills. This album isn’t their best but it’s still a very strong effort
Not as great as the other album of his on this list but still ok to listen to. It has a few hits on it but Tiny Dancer takes too long to get to the good part. No wonder the radio edit shortens the beginning.
Tiny dancer is great! rest of the album is solid too.
I do love me some Elton, has some bangers, however not my favorite album
I watched the Elton John movie not too long ago and did not like it. But I liked this album. I get it. Great singles. Also liked Rotten Peaches and Holiday Inn (even though Chingy did it better). All the songs sound like Elton John. It's fun.
Pretty good but not his best
I like Elton John, especially his early work. Levon is one of my favorites. I would say this album has a few great songs (Levon, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across the Water) and the rest are sort of filler. 3 stars.
I have never been a big Elton John fan but it's impossible to deny the cultural force of songs like "Tiny Dancer," and I enjoyed hearing it in the album context. Some good oddballs here, like "Razor Face" - never heard it but it is a fun jam. "Rotten Peaches" sounds like a parody, like they took some words and put them in an "Elton John" style. I don't know... doesn't excite me but on par for Elton John.
With how much I admire the persona of Elton John, I really want to like his music more.
Meh.
I really only truly enjoyed Tiny Dancer from this one. Great pianist and singer, but not really my favorite songwriter.
Enjoyable album, love a bit of Elton John. I felt that every song on this sounded like each other, but with interchanging instruments taking the front of the melody. Only listened once though unfortunately.
Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza. This is a tough one since my first impression was "Oh, great. Elton John". But even listening to Tiny Dancer I was thinking "Y'know, this song is actually really good. It's just I've heard it so much it's lost any novelty. If I heard this the first time I would be blown away." So many details/harmonies/production things going on in this track. It's like Elton John's "Hey Jude" for me. I've actually heard more of these tracks than I thought. I can't deny that this album is very, very good. It doesn't necessarily match my tastes though.
The record has the sound I would expect from Elton John. These are not yet the songs that are high on my list of Elton John songs.
Liked this way more than I expected to - rich songwriting and lyrics that drew me in
Innolla odotinkin ensimmäistä Elton John -levyä listalla. Keväällä katsotun Rocketman-leffan jälkeen sain jonkinlaisen inspiraation herran musiikkiin, mutta tuolloin kuuntelu keskittyi lähinnä hitteihin. Tältä levyltä ainoa tuttu biisi oli avauskappale Tiny Dancer. Valitettavasti tuon jälkeen taso tuntuukin menevän alaspäin reippaasti. Hyvä levy, mutta kuitenkin jonkinlainen pettymys hittitykitykseen verrattuna. Ehkä Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on sitten se levy joka saa paremmat arvostelut.
Kanske inte Eltons bästa skiva. Tony Dancer är väl bästa låten.
tiny dancer e 2pac
The album starts with the hit song 'Tiny Dancer'. The rest follows in that vein. Great piano-heavy ballads.
Apart from Tiny Dancer, the title track was the standout. Think it would benefit from a second listen.
Sounds like Elton John. Boring.
Enjoyed more than I expected I might. Interesting to find 'Indian Sunset' was the sample in Tupac's Ghetto Gospel.
Did not expect to appreciate as much as i did but the emotional conveyance and musicality genuinely impressed me
3.5
I dunno, I've never really been a fan of Elton John and this album isn't doing much to help. I do like Rick Wakeman however, but you could barely hear him on the songs he was on. Maybe the next Elton John album will be better...
I really enjoyed how grand everything was, but the songs felt very disconnected from each other and from me - didn't really vibe with the lyrics. No shade but all my favorite moments are the ones he stops singing. I found his voice a bit distracting since i really enjoy the instrumentals, especially when the strings hit. Found the later tracks a bit more my style, but Elton John's style in general isn't my thing. Favorites: "Tiny Dancer", "Rotten Peaches" 2.5/5
no me gustó, suena como música cristiana 5/10
Title track is the best on the album. I'm beyond tired of Tiny Dancer and never much cared for "Levon". They do make some sense in the context of the whole album. The Indian song is good but definitely dated. That said the musicianship, composition and arrangement are stellar. However, there isn't one song that has a tempo higher than a coma. I was really bored after a while.
It starts, there's some twinkly piano stuff, some earnest lyrics and then it ends. Nothing is remotely memorable. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆(4/10) Total reviewed : 367 Already owned : 79 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 265
There are so many of Elton John songs that sound like they're about something, but when you listen more closely, they turn out not to be.