Post by BiteUrLip on Sept 14, 2018 22:54:31 GMT
After listening this album a few times I didn't like it at all. So it was a similar experience that I had with The Union, and had to wait before really starting to appreciate the new songs.
"Oceans Away" was my first favorite from the album. It has great WW2 theme, but I liked it mostly because of the music. "Oscar Wilde Gets Out" is a fan favorite, and it took time for me to like it. "A Town Called Jubilee" is an interesting song, but being slightly behind the first two songs. "The Ballad Of Blind Tom" is one of my least favorites, but it's still a great song though. Then comes "Dream # 1", which is a nice instrumental, which leads to "My Quicksand", of which EJ was really proud of. I hated that song after first listen. Then it grew on me tremendously and now it's in the top 5 from this album. "Can't Stay Alone Tonight" comes next, and it's also one of my favorites from the album. Both music and lyrics are great in that one. Now we're reaching the halfway of the album, and so "Voyeur" comes next. That song has grown on me the least, and therefore it's not one of my top favorites. I love the piano playing on that one though! "Home Again" - I disagree with the philosophy behind the lyrics and dislike the nonsense/offtopic verses. But musically it's brilliant. "Take This Dirty Water" is probably one of the sleepers of the album. It has a nice gospel/country mood. Then comes another instrumental, "Dream # 2", which is a bit worse than the number one dream. The next song, "The New Fever Waltz", was one of Elton's favorites from this album. The melody of it is really beautiful. "Mexican Vacation" is one of my least favorites from here, it was a rock attempt but fails to impress the way a rock song should. "Dream # 3" is the longest of the instrumentals, and maybe the best. The closing song, "The Diving Board", is melancholic, but beautiful.
Then we have three bonus tracks, of which "Candlelit Bedroom" is the most popular one, from the deluxe edition of the album. I loved the short clip to pieces, and the whole song felt too long. Still, it's the number one of these sessions. "5th Avenue" reminds a lot of "Burning Buildings" so it cannot be a weak song. "Gauguin Gone Hollywood" is an interesting song, but probably the weakest of the bonus tracks. There were also three live versions, but I won't include them in this review.
1. Oceans Away *****+
2. Oscar Wilde Gets Out *****
3. A Town Called Jubilee ****½
4. The Ballad Of Blind Tom ****½
5. Dream # 1 ****
6. My Quicksand *****+
7. Can't Stay Alone Tonight *****+
8. Voyeur ****½
9. Home Again *****+
10. Take This Dirty Water *****
11. Dream # 2 ***½
12. The New Fever Waltz *****
13. Mexican Vacation (Kids In The Candlelight) ****½
14. Dream # 3 ****
15. The Diving Board ****½
Bonus tracks:
16. Candlelit Bedroom *****++
17. 5th Avenue *****
18. Gauguin Gone Hollywood ****½
"Oceans Away" was my first favorite from the album. It has great WW2 theme, but I liked it mostly because of the music. "Oscar Wilde Gets Out" is a fan favorite, and it took time for me to like it. "A Town Called Jubilee" is an interesting song, but being slightly behind the first two songs. "The Ballad Of Blind Tom" is one of my least favorites, but it's still a great song though. Then comes "Dream # 1", which is a nice instrumental, which leads to "My Quicksand", of which EJ was really proud of. I hated that song after first listen. Then it grew on me tremendously and now it's in the top 5 from this album. "Can't Stay Alone Tonight" comes next, and it's also one of my favorites from the album. Both music and lyrics are great in that one. Now we're reaching the halfway of the album, and so "Voyeur" comes next. That song has grown on me the least, and therefore it's not one of my top favorites. I love the piano playing on that one though! "Home Again" - I disagree with the philosophy behind the lyrics and dislike the nonsense/offtopic verses. But musically it's brilliant. "Take This Dirty Water" is probably one of the sleepers of the album. It has a nice gospel/country mood. Then comes another instrumental, "Dream # 2", which is a bit worse than the number one dream. The next song, "The New Fever Waltz", was one of Elton's favorites from this album. The melody of it is really beautiful. "Mexican Vacation" is one of my least favorites from here, it was a rock attempt but fails to impress the way a rock song should. "Dream # 3" is the longest of the instrumentals, and maybe the best. The closing song, "The Diving Board", is melancholic, but beautiful.
Then we have three bonus tracks, of which "Candlelit Bedroom" is the most popular one, from the deluxe edition of the album. I loved the short clip to pieces, and the whole song felt too long. Still, it's the number one of these sessions. "5th Avenue" reminds a lot of "Burning Buildings" so it cannot be a weak song. "Gauguin Gone Hollywood" is an interesting song, but probably the weakest of the bonus tracks. There were also three live versions, but I won't include them in this review.
1. Oceans Away *****+
2. Oscar Wilde Gets Out *****
3. A Town Called Jubilee ****½
4. The Ballad Of Blind Tom ****½
5. Dream # 1 ****
6. My Quicksand *****+
7. Can't Stay Alone Tonight *****+
8. Voyeur ****½
9. Home Again *****+
10. Take This Dirty Water *****
11. Dream # 2 ***½
12. The New Fever Waltz *****
13. Mexican Vacation (Kids In The Candlelight) ****½
14. Dream # 3 ****
15. The Diving Board ****½
Bonus tracks:
16. Candlelit Bedroom *****++
17. 5th Avenue *****
18. Gauguin Gone Hollywood ****½