I reckon this might very well be EJ's most interesting album. It gets slammed regularly - and it certainly lacks the great pop hooks of some of the others - but there is a real depth to the songs IMO. They are growers, every one of them.
I like the light-fusion of the instrumentals and the way Ray Cooper's great tuned percussion is highlighted.
And I'm cerain that no list of Elton classic songs can omit "Chameleon", "Idol", "Cage the Songbird" and "Crazy Water". And I don't think Elton ever sang better.
It's not perfect: dominating the start with the tedious "Tonight" was a mistake, and by and large I'd choose Tumbleweed Connection as his masterpiece, but I find that this is aging remarkably well.
Sending some love to the ugly child of EJ's 70s.
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