Elton John - I'd Forgotten How Good His 70's Albums Are!

Great albums I have to say owning the MFSL's of the first five and even Caribou has it's moments forgotten in the superlatives for GYBR. Just put the kettle on with some Yorkshire Tea on arrival and turn up the stereo.

 

Tumbleweed & Madman are my favorite, especially the deep cuts. Holiday Inn, Rotten Peaches, Love Song, St. Peter... Elton was a monster back then.

 

Agreed - his classic period is truly amazing. I would add '75s Rock of the Westies and '76s Blue Moves to your collection as I feel 1970-1976 is his top era.

 

And there is an AF Gold version of Westies - but that will set you back a bit more (ha ha!). I don't even have that one yet myself.

I think To Be Continued is a great boxset too.

 

I know I might sound ignorant, but are the DJM CDs considered better than the 1995 remasters? The latter are the ones I have in most cases. The only DJM I own is 'Greatest Hits'. Are the DJM CDs easy to obtain? I'm assuming they're out of print now...

 

The DJM discs are excellent IMO. Elton's 70s albums are excellent and probably up to A Single Man. More patchy after that. In fact you're perhaps even looking at all the way through to his, again IMO, excellent Songs From The West Coast and the later Peachtree Road before hit really hit form again.

 

The problem is there are not really good versions for a significant portion of his 70's output so it's a case of picking a less disagreeable edition an example of which is Caribou where I find the UK DJM a bit bright and lacking warmth and while the 1995 is from a better source and hardly brickwalled, it does sound a bit 'processed' for want of a better word. I'm more tonality centred so normally I play the 1995 but can understand why some prefer that DJM.
Captain fantastic is one where I do prefer the DJM.
There's a thread hovering around looking at the differences between US MCA, West German and UK DJM's (not always the same) and others

 

Thanks for that. Makes it easier for me! I have the SACDs of 'Honky' and 'GYBR', and am happy with these, but will certainly check out the rest.

 

I did quite like a lot of those 80s albums.. But that is when I discovered him so I'm kinder towards them!

 

I agree. Things fall away quite dramatically after that.

 

His 1970-73 output is as an amazing run of creative excellence as any performer has ever enjoyed IMO. Unbelievable, really.

 

There was a classic albums box released last year with his 1970-1972 albums for something like 20 bucks. I believe it was the '95 remasters but this would make an economical entry point for someone new to EJ.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Album...TF8&qid=1395834926&sr=1-6&keywords=elton+john

 

Yes, that is it and I've seen it at Best Buy for $19.99.

I've shared this story on other threads but my intro to "the classic years" was first the Live in Australia cd in '87 where my jaw dropped at hearing all those long epic mood pieces for the first time. This is the same guy who did "I'm Still Standing"?

Then a few years later I picked up a cassette at McDonald's of all places - Elton John The Classic Years (or something) and it was 10 studio tracks from 1970 to 1972. I wore that thing out in the tape deck that summer!

 

I was thinking the same Graham. I saw Amercian Hustle at the weekend and the soundtrack is very good, lots of great 70's music, and Goodbye Yellow Brick road came on and I thought it worked great in the film.

 

How in the world were you able to be sure that you were actually getting these specific cds, & for 15 pounds no less!? Well done, as I find it virtually impossible to even find these versions on the amazon uk site. Any suggestions as to how I might be able to find these on the uk site?

Ignore last sentence, just found link in above post. Thanks!!

 

If the OP would like to branch a bit more. I am glad he is getting into Elton. Since I am the biggest of Elton fans, I always am kind of stumped at how people just completely forgot about his catalog after the early great run he had. I mean, there is some great stuff still there. And honestly, I know it doesn't stack up to the earlier stuff, but some if it nonetheless is very good. Take A Single Man from 1978 that gets zero attention from most fans. It is a very enjoyable album. I actually believe the first without Bernie. Too Low For Zero in 1983, essentially some called his comeback album. Sleeping with the Past in 1989 is kind of his R&B album with the great Sacrifice on it. Made in England in 1995 is hardly every talked about. I could also say Songs From the West Coast was incredibly good in 2001. I could name others that are worthy, but I think these probably, to me, are the best of the bunch. Just some musings from an old Elton fan........

 

Thank you very much for your kind assistance. Was successfully able to locate & order everything, incl. Rock of the Westies (ASIN B00000E5L0). My prices were a bit higher than yours but nothing at all outrageous. Very happy & anxiously await everything here, after which time look forward to a good listen through the classic Elton John period.