Elton John [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster]

Rating

Album: Elton John [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Your Song	More Info...	4:04
2)	I Need You To Turn To	More Info...	2:33
3)	Take Me To The Pilot Album Version	More Info...	3:47
4)	No Shoe Strings On Louise	More Info...	3:31
5)	First Episode At Hienton	More Info...	4:48
6)	Sixty Years On Album Edit	More Info...	4:35
7)	Border Song	More Info...	3:22
8)	The Greatest Discovery	More Info...	4:12
9)	The Cage	More Info...	3:28
10)	The King Must Die	More Info...	5:21
11)	Bad Side Of The Moon Single Version	More Info...	3:16
12)	Grey Seal	More Info...	3:36
13)	Rock And Roll Madonna	More Info...	4:18
2)	I Need You to Turn To	More Info...	0:02
3)	Take Me to the Pilot	More Info...	0:03
4)	No Shoe Strings On Louise	More Info...	0:03
5)	First Episode at Hienton	More Info...	0:04
6)	Sixty Years On	More Info...	0:04
7)	Border Song	More Info...	0:03
8)	The Greatest Discovery	More Info...	0:04
9)	The Cage	More Info...	0:03
10)	The King Must Die	More Info...	0:05
11)	Bad Side Of The Moon (Bonus)	More Info...	0:03
12)	Grey Seal (Bonus)	More Info...	0:03
13)	Rock N Roll Madonna	More Info...	0:04

Album: Elton John [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Your Song	More Info...	4:04
2)	I Need You To Turn To	More Info...	2:33
3)	Take Me To The Pilot Album Version	More Info...	3:47
4)	No Shoe Strings On Louise	More Info...	3:31
5)	First Episode At Hienton	More Info...	4:48
6)	Sixty Years On Album Edit	More Info...	4:35
7)	Border Song	More Info...	3:22
8)	The Greatest Discovery	More Info...	4:12
9)	The Cage	More Info...	3:28
10)	The King Must Die	More Info...	5:21
11)	Bad Side Of The Moon Single Version	More Info...	3:16
12)	Grey Seal	More Info...	3:36
13)	Rock And Roll Madonna	More Info...	4:18
2)	I Need You to Turn To	More Info...	0:02
3)	Take Me to the Pilot	More Info...	0:03
4)	No Shoe Strings On Louise	More Info...	0:03
5)	First Episode at Hienton	More Info...	0:04
6)	Sixty Years On	More Info...	0:04
7)	Border Song	More Info...	0:03
8)	The Greatest Discovery	More Info...	0:04
9)	The Cage	More Info...	0:03
10)	The King Must Die	More Info...	0:05
11)	Bad Side Of The Moon (Bonus)	More Info...	0:03
12)	Grey Seal (Bonus)	More Info...	0:03
13)	Rock N Roll Madonna	More Info...	0:04

Tracks

1. Your Song

2. I Need You To Turn To

3. Take Me To The Pilot

4. No Shoe Strings On Louise

5. First Episode At Hienton

6. Sixty Years On

7. Border Song

8. The Greatest Discovery

9. The Cage

10. The King Must Die

11. Bad Side Of The Moon

12. Grey Seal

13. Rock N Roll Madonna

Performer Notes

Lyricist: Bernie Taupin.
Personnel: Elton John (vocals, piano, harpsichord, keyboards); Elton John; Lesley Duncan, Madeline Bell, Roger Cook, Tony Burrows, Tony Hazzard, Kay Garner (vocals, background vocals); Barbara Moore (vocals); Frank Clark (guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass guitar); Alan Weighall (guitar, bass guitar); Alan Parker (guitar); David Katz (violin); Dave Richmond, Les Hurdie (bass instrument, bass guitar); Clive Hicks (guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar); Colin Green (guitar, Spanish guitar); Roland Harker, Caleb Quaye (guitar); Skaila Kanga (harp, harmonica); Paul Buckmaster (cello); Brian Dee (organ, keyboards); Diana Lewis (synthesizer, Moog synthesizer); Terry Cox, Barry Morgan (drums); Dennis Lopez, Tex Navarra (percussion).
Audio Remasterer: Tony Cousins.
Liner Note Authors: Gus Dudgeon; John Tobler.
Recording information: Trident Studios, London, England (01/1970).
Editor: Gus Skinas.
Photographer: Stowell Stanford.
Arranger: Paul Buckmaster.
Elton John's second album was his first to be released in the U.S., and the difference between it and its predecessor, EMPTY SKY, is palpable and immediate. ELTON JOHN opens with "Your Song," a halting ballad that is one of the most moving love songs in the modern pop canon. The album also marks John's fruitful association with Gus Dudgeon and arranger Paul Buckmaster (who'd previously collaborated on David Bowie's "Space Oddity"). The team came up with a spare orchestral sound that surrounds the singer and his piano with dashes of both classical and rock guitar, synthesizers, carefully arranged drums, and searing strings.
This wasn't all-out pop yet, but rather a striking and singular brand of folk-rock. "Take Me To The Pilot" shows flashes of John's rocking future ("Bennie And The Jets" descended from it), "No Shoe Strings On Louise" is Rolling Stonesy country-rock, and "Sixty Years On" is haunting and memorable. More typical for this session is "I Need You To Turn To," another love song that finds lyricist Bernie Taupin in an unusually direct mode, and features a beautiful harpsichord melody from John. ELTON JOHN cast the mold for the singer's future superstardom.

Professional Reviews

Q (8/95, pp.143-145) - 3 Stars - Good - "...an accomplished diverse collection of...sophisticated material..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.122) - "The hit single 'Your Song,' still his signature, the gospel-influenced 'Border Song' and the deep meditation 'Sixty Years On' all posited Elton as a most serious singer-songwriter."

Record Collector (magazine) (p.95) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Here the listener gets a more focused idea of Elton's craft as a tunesmith, the subtle nuances of his chord structures marking him out as an innovative talent."