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Post by BiteUrLip on Feb 6, 2018 19:58:53 GMT
Okay, this album has a very poor reputation, and it is in the bottom of Elton albums.
For me, this album is just as good as Ice On Fire. The reason is that there is one superior song in it, and that the weakest ones have grown on me.
It opens with the title track. It is Elton's favorite from here and I like it very much too, it's catchy. "Hoop Of Fire" on the other hand received praise from Bernie, but here the quality drops. However, "Don't Trust That Woman" was the song I was talking about - it is brilliantly arranged, catchy pop mash. I love so many things in it - the lyrics are okay, the music is great, I especially love the guitars here. "Go It Alone" was one of the songs that needed much time to grow. It still irritates a bit, and this kind of songs should never exist on a proper studio album. "Gypsy Heart" falls even below that - it's the "Too Young" of the LJ album. "Slow Rivers", a duet with Cliff Richard, is a mediocre song and has never really excited me much. Then we have "Heartache All Over The World", and that's a song I've always liked, it's catchy. However we've got four weak songs coming up: 1st one is "Angeline", a total waste of time, it irritates. "Memory Of Love" is probably the corniest Elton song ever. "Paris" is a little bit better, but not a great song. And finally we have "I Fall Apart", a totally hopeless song.
1. Leather Jackets *****+ 2. Hoop Of Fire ***** 3. Don't Trust That Woman *****++ 4. Go It Alone ****½ 5. Gypsy Heart **** 6. Slow Rivers ****½ 7. Heartache All Over The World ***** 8. Angeline **½ 9. Memory Of Love *** 10. Paris **** 11. I Fall Apart **
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Post by dougs on Feb 6, 2018 21:35:38 GMT
LEATHER JACKETS:
I get to write a new review for this board and it has to be LEATHER JACKETS! Here we go...
LEATHER JACKETS caught EJ in a downward slide in terms of creativity and sales success. Live he could still bring it. LEATHER JACKETS used at least 6 ICE ON FIRE outtakes including "Hoop of Fire" which was to be the title of ICE ON FIRE until the song was rejected. LEATHER JACKETS would also be Elton's last studio album release with Geffen Records which EJ had grown disenchanted with. This would also be the last studio album that Gus Dudgeon would produce for Elton. LEATHER JACKETS also used lyrics by Gary Osborne ("Memory of Love") and Cher ("Don't Trust That Woman") in addition to Bernie. The album also returned to using multiple drummers and bassists similar to the early 80s albums like 21 AT 33 and THE FOX and JUMP UP! Of interest was the use of Queen's rhythm section (Roger Taylor & John Deacon) on one track again; this time it was "Angeline." Apparently Elton wrote some 25 songs but few proved to be memorable. The main band included Davey on guitars, Charlie Morgan on drums, and David Paton on bass and Fred Mandel on guitars & keyboards. These four musicians would anchor the live touring band.
Chart-wise, LEATHER JACKETS was Elton's least successful studio album in his career to that point; #24 in the UK, #38 in Canada and a horrid #91 in the USA. Australia remained amazingly loyal where it charted at #7. Elton's presence down-under with the orchestra tour no doubt promoted some sales for LEATHER JACKETS. Otherwise, it was a fitting disappointment. Elton even called the first single "Heartache All Over the World" his worst song saying it was "pretty insubstantial." It charted a dismal #45 in the UK and #55 in the USA. "Slow Rivers" which is certainly one of the better songs was released in a few markets to minimal success despite featuring Cliff Richard. It peaked at only #44 in the UK. "Paris" which was the only LEATHER JACKETS song played on the autumn North American tour did receive some FM radio jazz airplay! The FM rock radio stations in the USA and Canada had given up on Elton again.
Interestingly, Elton was writing a lot with Gary Osborne at the time. EJ wrote 17 new songs in 10 days of which 7 were Gary's lyrics and 10 were from Bernie. As mentioned, one of Osborne's lyrics made the album. Interestingly enough Davey Johnstone actually co-wrote "Heavy Traffic" at this time. It would have to wait until Elton's next studio release to see the light of day.
Generally considered Elton's worst studio album of self-penned music up to this point (1986), LEATHER JACKETS quickly disappeared. Aside form "Paris" and "Slow Rivers" most songs didn't amount to much that was memorable. Elton's heart may not have been into it either. His frustration with Geffen Records certainly compromised its quality. He had already signed a new recording contract with MCA and Geffen put very little into promoting LEATHER JACKETS. Maybe Elton said it best when he commented on the state of affairs while recording the album. The substance abuse was accelerating...EJ said that he "was not a well budgie." Understatement.
Doug
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Post by rocketman on Feb 7, 2018 19:48:30 GMT
1. Leather Jackets 3.75 2. Hoop Of Fire 3.5 3. Don't Trust That Woman 3 4. Go It Alone 4.5 5. Gypsy Heart 3.5 6. Slow Rivers 3 7. Heartache All Over The World 4 8. Angeline 2.5 9. Memory Of Love 2.5 10. Paris 3.75 11. I Fall Apart 3
To me, a song or album that rates mostly in the 3 to 4 area is considered pretty good to good; but when one considers that most Elton John songs rate a 4 or higher, it's easy to see at a glance that this album falls short of the usual standard set by Elton John.
And therein lies the rub: This album isn't as bad as some might make it out to be, but little about it is really compelling.
DougS gave some nice background information (as he always does) about this album, and when we consider the record label problems combined with Elton's out-of-control drug habit, it's easier to figure out what went wrong with Leather Jackets. When we also consider that it was basically borne of the same batch of songs that made up Ice On Fire, it is again not surprising that the album lacks substance.
Sadly, even the steady hand of Gus Dudgeon, back at the helm since Ice On Fire, could do little to stanch the flow of mediocrity that Elton was writing.
Still, one can sit back and enjoy this record as long as he or she isn't looking for anything profound. There's fun to be had, though not quite as much fun as on the previous album. The title cut is pretty good, Go It Alone is a pretty hefty mid-80's rocker, and the ballads, while not nearly as good as most Elton John ballads, do convey at least a little substance.
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Post by kissybissy on Feb 7, 2018 21:48:04 GMT
Four stars. Imo it`s a good album.
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Post by Dr Johnny Fever on Feb 9, 2018 11:37:50 GMT
I love this album (I know there's no accounting for taste) in my top 5 favourite Elton albums...one of the few albums I'm happy to listen to all the way through...
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Post by nix on Aug 10, 2019 12:26:59 GMT
Album rating: **1/2
it's not that bad album and it has some good songs, but overal experience is pretty much bland. Production is poor and Elton vocals are really some of his worst, especially in some songs. Ballads are mostly formulaic and everything sounds like he didn't really care that much or that he was taking too much cocaine.
1. Leather Jackets ** 2. Hoop Of Fire *** 3. Don't Trust That Woman **½ 4. Go It Alone *** 5. Gypsy Heart **½ 6. Slow Rivers **** 7. Heartache All Over The World ***½ 8. Angeline *** 9. Memory Of Love ** 10. Paris *** 11. I Fall Apart ****
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