New Elton John album, "Wonderful Crazy Night" (5th February 2016)

Do you have the HD Tracks version? How is it?

 

No, i don't. They should release a HD version with all the six bonus tracks though. I'd buy it.

 

I adore SELF PORTRAIT (especially the new BOOTLEG SERIES collection) and TRANS. But VICTIM OF LOVE has so much wrong with it I hardly know where to begin: no Elton-written songs, no Elton on keyboards, it's mostly instrumental and it was released as the flames of "Death to Disco" were burning brightly. I adored BLUE MOVES and really liked his direction on A SINGLE MAN (and the "Mama Can't Buy You Love" sessions) but this...this...was so foreign, so robotic, its timing so ill-advised I still am recovering from the disappointment I felt 35 years ago. Of course I was weaned on MADMAN and HONKY and YELLOW BRICK ROAD and FANTASTIC, so if I were 30 years younger and was freshly encountering VOL now without having been exposed to the impossibly high standards of the artistic wonders that preceded it, I might have a different opinion.

 

Because Elton John has an exclusive agreement with Target for the 2 bonus live tracks. Part of what is wrong with the music industry these days. But good for Target to move a few more CD's of that last remaining shelf, I guess.

Oh, and for the other two, what are you cheap? Just buy the $100 super deluxe edition!

 

I have a suspicion that if the last few pages were primarily negative reviews, this post would read something like "this is Elton's best album ever"......

 

Has anyone picked up the high res version yet? Would like to know if I should go that route or the CD.

 

Listening to it right now (on track 8 of 12). So far I am loving it! It sounds more like a great classic EJ record. Only the voice gives it away it's not 1975 or not 1983, yet he sounds a lot better than he has in several LP's, probably the best his vocals have sounded since SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST. What a difference it makes to have Davey, Nigel, Ray and the rest of the real live band on an LP with him. Even TBoner's production sounds pretty good this time. Nothing sounds too muddled or sounding like it was buried under a sheet. A while back I said I wish EJ would give us one more good uptempo "classic Elton John" record in the mode of SFTWC before he hung it up. I'm happy to say I think the ol' boy has done it. I think this one has found a home in my CD player for the next while.

Pity the artwork is so....ugh. Anyhow the quality of the music makes up for it.

 

Does the Target version have "Free & easy" & "England & america" ?

 

Anyone get the vinyl yet? Would love to hear feedback.

 

Yes, however I purchased the regular 10 track CD( as I prefer the jewel case rather than the digipak of the "deluxe" Target), then downloaded "free and easy" and "england and america" from Itunes. The only thing you miss are the two live tracks.

 

"Victim of Love" is one of Elton's worst albums, but my point is: even a "bad" Elton album is a good album. When i think about bad music i think about Justin Bieber and stuff, but albums like "Victim of Love", "Landing on Water" or "Under the Red Sky" i can still enjoy, i can still find some beauty in it. Of course VOL can't hold a candle to his 70's output, or most of his albums, but i just think it's an enjoyable album, not so bad as people say it is.

 

That's kind of damning with faint praise. I wouldn't put this one above 'Made In England' or 'The Big Picture' and 'The One' for me, is WAY more satisfying - his last solid record. I think it is stronger and more interesting than 'The Diving Board' (which isn't a feat), and has two (relative) stand outs in 'In The Name Of You' and 'The Open Chord' - a little more adventurous in the arrangements than certainly the last two records as well - and it's nice to hear Davey unleashed a bit, even if Nigel has been tied to a fence post. I suppose, most importantly, I'm interested in listening to a new Elton record again. That hasn't happened since 'Songs From The West Coast'.

 

I'm on my first listen. Wasn't really that interested but curious. I listened to the last album when it came out and thought it was pretty good, but never listened again. This one is grabbing me more right away. Tie will tell, but so far I'd call this one a keeper.

 

I've listened to it three times since buying it yesterday and I am really enjoying it. Some wonderful tracks: 'Claw Hammer', the title track, 'A Good Heart' and 'Open Chord'- just some of my favourites so far. I didn't actually like 'Blue Wonderful' when I heard it on here last week, but it has now really grown on me. For some reason, the minute this CD stopped for the first time, I felt the overwhelming need to grab 'The Captain & The Kid' and play it immediately. I only have the ten track standard version of the new album, will have to check out the bonus tracks before I spring for a deluxe. I really like the immediacy of this album, it has a great organic 'band' feel to it. I also appreciate the way Elton sings now- he has adapted to suit his modern voice so well. This is what a lot of other artists should be doing, using what they've got to the best of their ability and not trying to relive their youth!

 

Awesome , thanks for all the info I really like those 2 Bonus studio songs .

 

Have just listened to the two bonus tracks on Spotify (thanks @Bobby Morrow) for the recommendation. 'Free and Easy' was pleasant but I loved 'England and America' - wish it had been included in the main album.

By the way, I am really enjoying Spotify- thanks! Have just finished listening to 'Empty Sky' and am going to work my way through Elton's back catalogue (that sounds painful!) to see which ones I want to buy.

 

Spotify is great. It'll end up costing you a fortune with all the CDs you'll have to buy.

Empty Sky was an album I never really took you. It get's much better afterwards. Pay particular attention to Tumbleweed Connection, Don't Shoot Me...and Honky Chateau.

And let's not forget, you have no excuse to listen to Olivia's back catalogue now.

 

Anyone have any comment on the Super Deluxe bonus tracks, Children's Song and No Monsters, yet? I haven't found them online yet.

 

I bought the Super Deluxe version. Nice outer box but the paper content is underwhelming. The two CD's do not even have their own covers.

What really gets me is that the Box might give two exclusive tracks but excludes the two bonus tracks available in Japan and at Target in the US. Folk are wanting £30 to send a copy of the Target disc to the UK on E-Bay and Amazon UK.

If there is to be the Super Deluxe Rip Off Option for the more deluded amongst us the very least we should expect is all the available material.

 

I picked it up and almost paid for it but people here are saying England and America is one of, or is, the best song. Though they easily could have fit it on there it is missing. This whole bonus track BS is something I am tired of (and is NOT good for fans in general....just muddies up the waters....once again, the marketers seem to forget we are the ones buying the musiC, not Target, etc) and I am not rewarding that strategy with a purchase knowing others get the song and I don't....why? I put the vinyl back and because I don't buy digital formats I guess I will be passing on this one. However, I agree with those that say it is his best music in a long time, based on previews I heard of every track on iTunes. I have been a fan since 1973. But, I didn't hear anything that I can't live without and I just think it's ridiculous to work that hard on an album and then parcel out the tracks in a fashion where some get part of the album and others don't. Bonus tracks should be alternative tracks imo, not quality fully produced songs that clearly are part of an album. Would be different if there were a lot of songs, maybe, but at ten somgs it isn't like there were time constraint issues. And it isn't like Target wouldn't stock it otherwise.

 

And Best Buy is charging $6-$7 more for the CD with 2 extra songs. I was not going to pay that much for 12 songs, so just bought the standard CD with 10 songs. Target was $1 less on their Bonus CD, but do not care to have 2 Live Versions for that money.
At least Target finally dropped the Paper Gods-Duran Duran with 2 Bonus Songs to $10 recently. I preferred those Bonus Songs to the ones on the other Bonus CD for sale on Amazon/Best Buy, so bought it finally.

 

In the UK, the deluxe is only £1.90 more than the regular version.
The price will come down. I will get this, but I don't need it straight away.

 

I know... Have already ordered five and I downloaded Spotify 12 hours ago . But I am telling myself it will save me money in the long run as I will not buy the albums that I don't like.

 

And it's too bloody big!

 

I guess this shows how varied people can be. I wouldn't say its his best for 20 years, but it was pleasant to listen to the first couple of times. The tunes in my view outshine the whole if that makes sense, but I found that on a couple of diving board tracks.

I'm not one who takes a whole lot of notice on production so while the band sounded better than on the Diving Board, I'd probably listen to that more. Although to be honest neither will probably get a whole ply through much again. A compilation of the 2 will do and there is more Diving Board on it.

an instrumental take on some of the melodies would have been wonderful but I think were past that happening for Elton at all.

With regards to A Victim Of Love, its not his finest hour, but I don't think it was a stumble either. I think it was something he wanted to do, he was in his just come out of semi retirement phase, looking for new projects and something different phase. He's been disappointed with the Philly tracks (I think he had high hopes for them before they came back), he'd tried the new writer, he was looking at a new tour to different places (the Russia tour) and this was something that could be done in no time at all, No pressure on him to write or play just go and sing. A shame the result wasn't as good as he hoped.