When people imagine Elton John, they usually imagine a flamboyant piano player dressing in huge glasses and costumes never void of color or variety. One thing they don't think about is him making great music that can be considered along with any classics.
However, there was a time when the singer wasn't a flamboyant pop man. He always did make great music, but people think too much of his image. And sadly, many fans stopped buying his albums after they weren't commercially successful. They are really missing out.
Just because someone has made something not-so good doesn't mean they can't make something better later. People change over time, and so does their music. Tumbleweed Connection is a good example of a non-commercial work of art. By the time he released it, he had made it in big time and had released a fantastic self-titled album, and now the musician was ready to start something new. A country influence. This album is a grower, and it is full of country, rock, and his usual ballads. It is a fantastic piece of music, but it is sadly overlooked.
1. Ballad of a well Known Gun 6/10
So the great TC album gets off to a not-so good start. Although this first song is a rocky, southern-styled piece, it is not memorable or catchy. In fact, in its instrumental, it is very messy. None of the instruments work in proper harmony with each other and ruin what could be a good song. What is great about this song, though, is its lyrics.
2. Come Down In Time 10/10
A haunting, mellow number takes place after the first song. Its great acoustic and harp melodies make it memorable, its slow but steady tune add a mysterious feel. The song is perfected by orchestra arrangements, and it establishes a stand-out number on the album.
3. Country Comfort 9/10
Tumbleweed Connection is often described as a country album, and a large portion of the country is in this song. Elton put a lot of soul into this song, it has a whole and warm feeling you don't get with most modern songs. The country feel is a little overwhelming at times. However, this is still a great song.
4. Son of your Father 8/10
This is a song of fast paced- rock funk. Though it's not entirely memorable, its chorus is pretty catchy and somewhat motivating. It depicts a fight in wild west times, and is one of the upbeat tracks on the album. It's not the best, but it's not bad.
5. My Father's Gun 10/10
Through the memorable guitar solo intro, haunting lyrics, sweeping chorus, and great instrumentation, My Father's Gun makes a marvelous song. The fantastic intro lets you know something serious is happening, and a lot of the song has a balladic feel to it. It is a slow song, but not overly slow. Its instrumentation is just perfect, the guitars and other instruments add a great feel, and the chorus is very memorable.
6. Where to Now St. Peter 10/10
The light, moving, and majestic song called "Where to Now St Peter" is a high point of the album. It is slow at first, and has a great sound. However it does get faster, and it is a bit serious. It's hard to describe. But this song will not let you down. Through the piano melodies, watery guitar sound, amazing instrumentation, this song is going to delight and move you.
7. Love Song 10/10
The bright, yet mysterious, acoustic song "Love Song" is the 7th track of the album. It is an awesome, but simple, melody with great effects and singing. The acoustic guitar dominates the haunting, slow track.
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| Leslie Duncan- writer of Love Song |
8. Amoreena 9/10
Amoreena is one of the album's true rockers. It is a love song with a piano intro similar to "Where to Now..." and it is pretty good. It is quite heavy considered to the ones before it, and its melody is fantastic. It captures a more longing lyric, but the song style isn't really longing.
9. Talking Old Soldiers 8/10
The haunting (I used this word a ton of times, but this is the best way I can find of explaining this) lyrics of this song are what are fantastic about this. This is an Elton solo song. The depressing, dramatic, yet slow melody fits the lyrics perfectly. The problem is, the melody isn't really memorable or that exciting. It's a nice ballad to make the second to closing song from though.
10. Burn Down the Mission 10/10
The amazing epic that closes the album. It has a light, bright feel at first, but over time it gets faster. The chorus is extremely memorable, and the song is dominated by a piano. It is a somewhat bluesy song. It has some fast parts that energize the listener, and it is one of the best songs on the album.
Basically, Tumbleweed Connection was one of the great albums from 1970. Its country-rock appeal, its amazing story lyrics, and the awesome artwork in the booklet all come together to make a brilliant masterpiece.
3 top songs (IMO:)
3. Come Down in Time
2. My Father's Gun
1. Where to Now St Peter
If you liked this album, also try Elton John, Madman Across the Water
Review copyright Joshua Curtis
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