Just noticed that this is the only one of the 70's Elton titles I hadn't voted on.
There is lots to love here. Greg Penny certainly has a proven track record here with these Elton John mixes. It's a crime against humanity that his mixes of four other Elton albums have been languishing in a vault for more than a decade. The horns blaring out of the rears on the opening track are one of the things that make you fall in love with surround in the first place. Davey's mandolins in stereo behind you on "Mona Lisas" is a nice touch. And there are plenty of other sublime moments on this disc that are in keeping with all the other 70's EJ surround mixes. However, I do have to say that when compared to all the others, this one falls maybe just a little short. A couple of songs feel a little more conservative in the mix. Perhaps that is because the arrangements on this album are sparser in comparison to the albums that preceded it. (Paul Buckmaster's string arrangements are absent this time around.) Also there are one or two tracks here that I don't feel are up to the standard that Elton and Bernie had around this time. Having said that, there are some exceptional deep cuts here like "Salvation" and "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters." Maybe I'm just feeling guilty about the 10's that I gave all the other titles, but I think I am going to give this one a
9. I found that I enjoyed it just a little bit less than the others. However, I wish that other bands' "worst" surround mixes were this good! (I'm talking to you, Rush!)
After many years of being readily available, it looks like the supply of these Elton SACDs is starting to dry up. Unless you really can't stand Elton, they are essential additions to any surround sound collection.
Import CDs still has
Tumbleweed and
Madman for less than $14 each. Grab them while you can.