Elton John Band • Page 3

We can only hope.

 

Just based on the Greatest Hits, I'm not enjoying much of his post-Captain Fantastic stuff. Am I missing out on anything there?

Loved everything up to then

 

That's generally considered to be the end of his classic period. There's plenty I like after but the only thing I'd really consider a staple/essential is The Complete Thom Bell Sessions. I guess I'd class it as an EP?

 

Cool, I'll check that one out. I'll definitely be coming back to all the early stuff

 

Glad to hear it! Any songs or records jump out as favorites/stand-outs?

 

I only listened to the three you recommend in the OP plus the compilation (figure that's a good way to get a taste for the artist) but out of the three I liked Honky Chateau most.

 

Speaking of covers, S Club 7 covered "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"

Also, this week got away from me and I hate myself for it

 

OH SHIT!
I GOTS TO LISTEN TO DAT SHIT!

 

First time I really heard "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" was probably Me First & The Gimme Gimmes cover

 

I'm glad that he's helping out with the new Killers album.

 

You still have tonight and tomorrow! Listen to ONE!

 

I have a massive headache and have to be up at 5:30 tomorrow morning. We'll see haha

 

Finally sat down and listened to Elton John. Holy. Shit. I've only heard Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Madman Across The Water, and the singles from Elton. I went into this expecting a piano pop record and was completely caught off guard. I loved all the baroque elements and all of the funk elements. I never really expected some hard hitting funk rock songs from an Elton record, but he was definitely able to command tracks in that vein.

I also never noticed the drumming in "Your Song" because it's so far out of the way of the song (and really, who ever would focus on anything but the words in this song) but Barry Morgan is doing a lot of great stuff underneath all the focal points of the songs that really help push the song into another realm.

The orchestral moments, when they happen, are really unbelievable. "Sixty Years On" is one of those tracks that I can't believe I went this long without hearing. It's perfectly grandiose and majestic. And then that high note at the end. Damn.

Also, gotta call this out because I can't get over it:

I loved the white socks that you wore
But you don't wear white socks no more, now you're a woman

 

Back to Elton, seeing as I missed most of his week as I was on holiday!

Listened to Madman Across the Water today, I knew Tiny Dancer of course, but the rest of it was new to me! Tiny Dancer is obviously an absolutely perfect song, just immaculate in every way, with it's beautiful, sweeping strings. The string arrangements throughout this album are all remarkable, actually, they're used perfectly, sometimes in the background, and then dramatically at the forefront of the songs.

John's vocals are strong as ever, injecting the songs with a sense of drama and urgency, particularly on Levon. The lyrics can be a bit obscure and hard to decipher, reminds me a bit of some of Dylan's, there's a lot of metaphor and great imagery going on here, which is lovely. It does remind me a bit of the previous one I listened to, Tumbleweed Connection, seems to be about viewing America as an outsider, someone "across the water", which I enjoy and appreciate.

Great listen, as is pretty much everything I've heard from him so far. Interested to maybe veer off the beaten path a bit for my next listen and go for something from a later period.

 

Finally someone else to geek out about Paul Buckmaster's string arrangements! Haha

Also, I never really thought about that "outsider to America" angle but I actually really like it as a way to process those two albums.

 

I found an old used copy of Tumbleweed Connection and its such a great find

 

Was listening to Captain Fantastic this weekend and Tower of Babel is a jam!

 

His albums from 1970-1976 are phenomenal. It's crazy that his contract back then required 2-3 records released every year. 14 records released in that span.

 

Listening to One Night Only: Greatest Hits Live today

 

Has anyone watched the "classic albums" documentary episode on Good Bye Yellow Brick Road"? I highly recommend it.

 

Hearing the isolated backing vocals is a must for any music fan

 

Ah, you guys got me going through Honky Chateau right now. "Rocket Man" still rules so much.

 

Yep! On "Candle in the Wind". The whole band is on display in that doc. One of my favorite quotes from the episode is from a music journalist who says something along the lines of: "Good Bye Yellow Brick Road came out at a time when the world was anticipating a great Elton John record and he delivered." That has always stuck with me. That perfect storm where an artist's peak popularity and their peak greatness at their art happen simultaneously. I don't think that happens very often. I love all his records from 70-76, and a few after that. But this one is my favorite. It's so diverse in sound. It's a double album with rarely any filler.

 

Yeah Purple Rain has that same mystique where an artist wanted to show everyone they could make a great album and then he did