Review

RARITIES AND REISSUES

Elton John, "Elton John -- Deluxe Edition" (Mercury/UMe) 5 stars

Contrary to what a lot of his American fans still think, 1970's "Elton John" album was not the songwriter's first release.

It had been preceded by "Empty Sky" in the U.K. in 1969, but that album failed to generate much heat and wasn't even released in the U.S. until John became a star.

That stardom was initially triggered by this eponymous breakthrough disc, which has now been expanded from 40 minutes to nearly two hours, thanks to this double-CD "Deluxe Edition."

It's a beautiful recording, heartfelt and soulful, one that set a mood that John never quite duplicated in his many subsequent offerings. Tracks like "Your Song," "Take Me to the Pilot," "I Need You To Turn To" and the touching "The Greatest Discovery," tapped into early 1970's singer/songwriter sensibilities with a new passion, a new approach and a new style that was as fresh as it was distinct.

The edition features a 20-song bonus disc, mostly filled with piano demos, as well as rarities like "Grey Seal," which was initially the B-side to a single before being re-recorded several years later for "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."

While fascinating from a historical perspective, the demos are far from the definitive versions of the songs, with several like "Your Song," lacking the power and presence of the final recording, while others like the BBC session version of "Take Me to the Pilot," played too fast and lacking a groove.

Several major rarities are featured however, including "Thank You Mama," "All the Way Down to El Paso," and "I'm Going Home," which are all previously unreleased in any form.

The "Deluxe Edition" is being reissued simultaneously with a similar double-disc look back at another one of John's early great albums, "Tumbleweed Connection."

Deluxe Editions to finally see the light of day...

Amazon has them listed for June 3rd, if you pre-order you are guaranteed to get the lowest prices from Amazon should the prices drop;

Come Down In Time - Demo

Remember those Deluxe Editions?

Well now the release dates for both Tumbleweed Connection and Elton John Deluxe Editions is set for June 3. We'll see if that holds or if they are delayed again.

Disc 1
1. Your Song Album Version
2. I Need You To Turn To
3. Take Me To The Pilot Album Version
4. No Shoe Strings On Louise
5. First Episode At Hienton
6. Sixty Years On Album Version
7. Border Song Album Version
8. The Greatest Discovery
9. The Cage
10. The King Must Die
11. Your Song Demo Version
12. I Need You To Turn To Piano Demo
13. Take Me To The Pilot Piano Demo
14. No Shoe Strings On Louise Piano Demo
15. Sixty Years On Piano Demo
16. The Greatest Discovery Piano Demo
17. The Cage Demo
18. The King Must Die Piano Demo
Disc 2
1. Rock And Roll Madonna Piano Demo
2. Thank You Mama Piano Demo
3. All The Way Down To El Paso Piano Demo
4. I'm Going Home Piano Demo
5. Grey Seal Piano Demo
6. Rock And Roll Madonna Incomplete Band Demo
7. Bad Side Of The Moon
8. Grey Seal
9. Rock And Roll Madonna
10. Border Song BBC Session (With Hookfoot)
11. Your Song BBC Session
12. Take Me To The Pilot BBC Session



Disc 1
1. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun
2. Come Down In Time
3. Country Comfort Album Version
4. Son Of Your Father
5. My Father's Gun
6. Where To Now St. Peter?
7. Love Song
8. Amoreena
9. Talking Old Soldiers
10. Burn Down The Mission
Disc 2
1. There Goes A Well Known Gun Previously Unreleased
2. Come Down In Time Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
3. Country Comfort Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
4. Son Of Your Father Previously Unreleased
5. Talking Old Soldiers Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
6. Into The Old Man's Shoes Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
7. Sisters Of The Cross Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
8. Madman Across The Water Original Version
9. Into The Old Man's Shoes
10. My Father's Gun BBC Session
11. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun BBC Session Previously Unreleased
12. Burn Down The Mission BBC Session Previously Unreleased
13. Amoreena BBC Session Previously Unreleased

DOUBLE SECRET UPDATE: New Deluxe Editions pushed to March 18

Beginning to wonder if these are real or just imaginary...

CD Universe is now listing the Elton John Deluxe Editions with release dates as March 18. Amazon is now showing Deluxe Editions for both but with no release dates.

UPDATE:Tower.com shows both Deluxe Editions with release dates of April 1 and April 22. The discs with April 1 release date are described as single discs but the description shows two discs. The April 22 release date shows 2CD sets.

Who the hell knows...

Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You

A rare and hard to find gem...

The Legend of Caribou

Excellent article in the Rocky Muntain News about the legendary studio Caribou Ranch where Elton recorded several of his 70s classics including 1974's "Caribou" album.

A space heater ended an astonishing era at Caribou Ranch outside Nederland.

The 1985 fire caused by the overheated appliance closed a studio that was home to many of the biggest pop music recordings of the '70s and early '80s. From Elton John to Joe Walsh, Chicago to Earth, Wind & Fire, U2 to John Lennon, the ranch hosted and recorded a who's who that generated sales well in excess of 100 million albums. Along the way, everyone had a lot of fun.

Now owner James Guercio has swung the ranch’s gates open for the first time since the fire to tell the story of the legendary studio that got its start after a missed flight. Pop music writer Mark Brown, videographer Laressa Bachelor and photographer Javier Manzano created this report.

Track Listings for Deluxe Editions Due Feb 18

Here are the track listings for the Elton John-Deluxe Edition and Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Editions that online CD retailers are listing;

Tumbleweed Connection

Disc 1
1 Ballad Of A Well Known Gun
2 Come Down In Time
3 Country Comfort
4 Son Of Your Father
5 My Father's Gun
6 Where To Now St. Peter
7 Love Song
8 Amoreena
9 Talking Old Soldiers
10 Burn Down The Mission

Disc 2
1 There Goes A Well Known Gun previously unreleased
2 Come Down In Time piano demo/previously unreleased
3 Country Comfort piano demo/previously unreleased
4 Son Of Your Father previously unreleased
5 Talking Old Soldiers piano demo/previously unreleased
6 Into The Old Man's Shoes piano demo/previously unreleased
7 Sisters Of The Cross piano demo/previously unreleased
8 Madman Across The Water original version
9 Into The Old Man's Shoes
10 My Father's Gun BBC session
11 Ballad Of A Well Known Gun BBC session
12 Burn Down The Mission BBC session
13 Amoreena BBC session
(Mercury distributed by Universal Music)


Elton John

Disc 1
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 Greatest Discovery
9 Cage
10 King Must Die
11 Your Song demo version
12 I Need You To Turn To piano demo
13 Take Me To The Pilot piano demo
14 No Shoe Strings On Louise piano demo
15 Sixty Years On piano demo
16 Greatest Discovery piano demo
17 Cage demo
18 King Must Die piano demo

Disc 2
1 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna piano demo
2 Thank You Mama piano demo
3 All The Way Down To El Paso piano demo
4 I'm Going Home piano demo
5 Grey Seal piano demo
6 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna incomplete band demo
7 Bad Side Of The Moon
8 Grey Seal
9 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna
10 Border Song BBC session
11 Your Song BBC session
12 Take Me To The Pilot BBC session
2CD
(Mercury distributed by Universal Music)

New Elton John Deluxe Editions coming February 18

There are two new Deluxe Editions scheduled for release on February 18. The new 2-CD editions of Elton John-Deluxe Edition and "Tumbleweed Connection" have been packed with piano demos and live performances that are sure to excite Elton fans yearning for some new Elton product. And with no news of any new music on the horizon these two releases are sure to quench die-hard fans thirst.

At this point these are only scheduled to be released in the UK but I am sure that there will be a US release as well.

Amazon Exclusive: "Elton 60: Live At Madison Square Garden" Collectors Edition

Amazon has the 2 DVD/1 CD box set exclusively.

To pre-order the Elton 60 Collectors Edition click the image below or in the side bar.

Elton John: Someone Like Me @ Amazon $9.98

"Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" due September 24/25

Elton John's 60th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden is coming to DVD on September 24(UK)/25(US). Called "Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" the DVD will be issued in two configurations, a 2-DVD set featuring the entire concert, all 33 songs, and also rare tracks;

The DVD set will also be loaded with special extra features, including a healthy helping of "Live, Rare and Unseen" concert tracks, such as a 1970 version of "Border Song" from Swiss television, BBC renditions of "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from 1971, and a mini-set of selected "New York Stories" performances culled from Elton's seemingly endless catalogue of live performances in Gotham and album tracks that mention the Big Apple.

There will also be a collectors box set that will include a CD of rare live performances over the years, a 72 page booklet, a poster and more.

Adam Chester: Full Birthday DVD coming soon!

According to Adam Chester there will be a convert DVD coming out of the entire concert;

Phil Ramone will be putting the finishing touches on a DVD of the entire concert to be released in the very near future!

Excellent news! Finally some correct decisions are being made.

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Elton scores first top 10 album since 1997

From Billboard magazine, break out the champagne!

Elton John earns his 16th top 10 album with the retrospective "Rocket Man: Number Ones" (Rocket/Island), which enters at No. 9 with 49,000. The British songwriter's last set to reach the top 10 was "The Big Picture," which also hit No. 9 back in the fall of 1997. This is also John's seventh hits compilation (including 1990's four-disc "To Be Continued...") to enter the chart.

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