Oh, btw, the scoring on the side polls went like this: 1:16, 2:13, 3:10, 4:7, 5:4 for albums and 1:16, 2:13, 3:10 for most hated tracks.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 16:37 (ten years ago) link
Nick Hogan used to be in the band, but that was stupid.
― schwantz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 16:39 (ten years ago) link
I really like that first album. A lot.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 16:39 (ten years ago) link
Live in Australia, I learned, has a lot of songs from the first album.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 16:48 (ten years ago) link
Um, hello, Empty Sky ?!?! Jeez, if it didn't happen in America...
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:00 (ten years ago) link
09. Too Low For Zero (1983) [27 points]
http://www.vinylsurrender.com/Graphics/AlbumCovers2/Elton%20John%20-%20Too%20Low%20For%20Zero.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:00 (ten years ago) link
TOO LOW
:D
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:01 (ten years ago) link
Empty Sky has been around in the US for as long as I can remember, but I don't know when it was originally issued here (probably not until he was already famous). It's a nice curio.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:04 (ten years ago) link
Empty Sky is the debut album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released on 3 June 1969. It was finally released in the US in January 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after John's fame had been established internationally.
Presumably the US release was a stopgap measure, as it had been several hours since he'd put out a record.
― Shart Week (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:08 (ten years ago) link
WAU @ Too Low for Zero showing
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:09 (ten years ago) link
08. 17-11-70 (1971) [30 points]
http://www.herbmusic.net/album/cover/2012/07/7326_elton_john_17_11_70.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:14 (ten years ago) link
^My #1. I'm very happy that at least two other ppl voted for it. I really love how there's polite applause when EJ is first announced and by the end of the first number the audience is going apeshit. Dee and Nigel are also really prominent on the recording, too, which is great.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:19 (ten years ago) link
I'm just now listening to it for the first time. Very into it so far.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:22 (ten years ago) link
07. Rock Of The Westies (1975) [36 points]
http://www.soundstagedirect.com/media/elton_john_rock_of_the_westies.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:30 (ten years ago) link
This album is just a hanger-on to his imperial phase, imo. Not much to like about it.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:35 (ten years ago) link
Except "I Feel Like a Bullet" I guess. That's nice.
i'm sure the covers of ..Westies and Caribou are what puts people off them. you can see why like.
― piscesx, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:40 (ten years ago) link
This was one of the records I picked up in my weekend splurge - heard it in full for the first time last night. I do like how after something as ambitious (and in retrospect a bit too self-important) like Captain Fantastic, EJ assembles a new band and knocks out this much more laid back and funky album. One of Gus Dudgeon's best production jobs too.
The lyrics and vocals to "Island Girl" and "Grow Some Funk..." still irritate though.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:41 (ten years ago) link
on the other hand "Hard Luck Story and "Street Kids" sport good lyrics.
This album has goofy nothings like "Dan Dare" but I love how hard it rocks.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:44 (ten years ago) link
RotW is one I kinda struggle with. I find "Island Girl" to be such an irresistible cheeseball that I'm already regretting not finding room for it on my ballot, and "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" is fun. The rest of the album feels, to me, like variations, pulled off with varying degrees of success, on that latter track, ambitious enough that it definitely belongs to the cycle of "classic" era Elton records, but occasionally a bit too IDGAF in its approach. But Elton definitely hadn't yet stopped caring at this point.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:44 (ten years ago) link
Also, it and Honky Chateau are the only Elton records that Christgau gave an A- rating to. Somehow, that makes sense.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:46 (ten years ago) link
06. Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player (1973) [67 points]
http://www.vinylrecordsuk.co.uk/images/Wimg/art_112/w11208_Full.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:46 (ten years ago) link
My fave Elton record!
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:47 (ten years ago) link
RotW, iirc, is the first one where Elton didn't compose the material completely sober. I think it shows.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:48 (ten years ago) link
dislike "Daniel," almost voted for "Elderberry Wine" and "Have Mercy on the Criminal."
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:48 (ten years ago) link
for those of you who worry about Bernie Taupin, "Elderberry Wine" sports the following couplet:
"You aimed to please me/Cooked black-eyed peas me."
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 17:51 (ten years ago) link
05. Tumbleweed Connection (1970) [105 points]
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51I1QW1hHWL._SY300_.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:00 (ten years ago) link
Too low!
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:04 (ten years ago) link
This album largely goes in one ear and out the other for me.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:10 (ten years ago) link
elderberry wine is great, i dont care abt the lyrics
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:12 (ten years ago) link
Just finished 17-11-70 and holy moley what a good live document.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:12 (ten years ago) link
never seen the fuss with this, don't dig their country rock cowboy stuff at all.
― piscesx, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:13 (ten years ago) link
04. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) [106 points]
http://cdn.songonlyrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/r37907_300.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:17 (ten years ago) link
03. Madman Across The Water (1971) [120 points]
http://www.qpratools.com/gallery/0002/elton_john-madman_across_the_water-front.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:31 (ten years ago) link
His album covers are kinda meh, imo.
― cops on horse (WilliamC), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:34 (ten years ago) link
The original gatefold of Captain Fantastic is neato, but otherwise I agree.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:36 (ten years ago) link
How would he be regarded if he had quality control? If he had a discography the size of Zep's, say, and the aesthetics of Roxy Music?
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:38 (ten years ago) link
r.i.p. Caribou, you deserved better
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:38 (ten years ago) link
Maybe he'd taken over QPR instead of Watford?
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:39 (ten years ago) link
madman and captain fantasic are kinda sorta the same album. also, best results thread title ever.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:40 (ten years ago) link
i used to think the Madman cover was one of the worst most generic album covers ever, but knowing that it was embroidered on a jean jacket and not just drawn or whatever softened my view somewhat. still not great or anything.
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:40 (ten years ago) link
thread title sucks tbh
like it's fine and good to joke a little at Bernie's expense but to have a big harshly worded insult right in a thread title celebrating his life's work is a bit much.
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:41 (ten years ago) link
haha I didn't know it was embroidered! As it looks on the page it IS the worst ever.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:43 (ten years ago) link
so bland for such a strong evocative album title too
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:44 (ten years ago) link
It always looked to me like the corner of a much larger cover.
― slamming on the dubstep brakes (snoball), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:44 (ten years ago) link
02. Honky Château (1972) [138 points]
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/7f/23/c15cc060ada025ce6fa5c110.L.jpg
01. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) [187 points]
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_moklqtg3OJ1spo63jo1_1371527957_cover.jpg
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:46 (ten years ago) link
no surprises – my two favorites
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:46 (ten years ago) link
::camera pans down to a psychopath sitting on the edge of a river, embroidering a jean jacket::
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:47 (ten years ago) link
xp I kinda like the <i>Madman</i> cover as an image. I pretty meh about the record inside though. <i>Tumbleweed</i> is the only pre-72 studio LP I really rate.
No issues with #1 and #2 - voted for both.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:48 (ten years ago) link
feeling this post today. not mentioned anywhere in this thread: the gorgeous "pinky." such a perfectly arranged/played/recorded chorus. i want to take a bubble bath in it. the lyrics are classic bernie, the chorus consisting of four lines that defy you to guess what they have to do with each other. but the last bit of the last verse is killing me right now: "oh it's ten below zero / and we're about / to abandon / our plans for the day." i wish i voted for it.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 14 April 2020 00:30 (four years ago) link
I thought I did mention it?!
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2020 01:02 (four years ago) link
hmm, maybe on the voting thread?
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 14 April 2020 03:49 (four years ago) link
I thought of the Elton poll crew watching his highness shuffle around the stage tonight for the farewelldid anyone else tune in? his band is so good
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 21 November 2022 07:29 (one year ago) link