HiRez Poll John, Elton - TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION [SACD]

[Matt Wilson]

Another 10 for Greg Penny and his Elton 5.1 mixes. John has very few LPs as consistently good as this - and the fact that there's not a hit in sight makes this extremely rare for an EJ 1970 - 1976 studio album. There's always at least one US top 40 hit (even the Friends soundtrack has one) on any platter during his glory era. Except here. I used to hear "Burn Down the Mission" sometimes on the radio growing up, and "Amoreena" is in the Dog Day Afternoon film, but that's about as famous as any of these tracks got. Worry not, friends, this is a great album - and I think that influences the ratings of this SACD here because as good as it is, I'm not sure it's any better than most other Penny mixes for these 5.1 John albums. Get 'em all folks!

 

[The56Kid]

Another 10 for Greg Penny and his Elton 5.1 mixes. John has very few LPs as consistently good as this - and the fact that there's not a hit in sight makes this extremely rare for an EJ 1970 - 1976 studio album. There's always at least one US top 40 hit (even the Friends soundtrack has one) on any platter during his glory era. Except here. I used to hear "Burn Down the Mission" sometimes on the radio growing up, and "Amoreena" is in the Dog Day Afternoon film, but that's about as famous as any of these tracks got. Worry not, friends, this is a great album - and I think that influences the ratings of this SACD here because as good as it is, I'm not sure it's any better than most other Penny mixes for these 5.1 John albums. Get 'em all folks!

Spot on!

 

[sbrom]

Not sure how I missed voting on this, now corrected. In order to not be redundant with all the superlatives in this thread, just “10”. All of EJ’s surround releases are examples of how it should be done.

 

[ngv99]

I was actually unfamiliar with this album (before today) and picked it up in a sale just because it was at a good price. The surround mix is TOP NOTCH to begin with, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed this album, as it's something I never picked up. I gave this a 9 for both content and 5.1, and I have a feeling I'll be going to this one more often than I thought!

 

[atrocity]

I used to hear "Burn Down the Mission" sometimes on the radio growing up, and "Amoreena" is in the Dog Day Afternoon film, but that's about as famous as any of these tracks got.

At Sacramento's K-ZAP we play "Burn Down the Mission", "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun", "Country Comfort" and "Where to Now St. Peter".

 

[The56Kid]

all i never needed was a "One"

sigh... just another plonker, i mean outlier, who hasn't been here for years (12 to be exact) yet leaves their shitstain of a troll vote in their wake to pollute the Poll forevermore.

in these turbulent times i'm more inclined than ever to call crap out. hope i don't get booted before the armageddon!

Totally agree. Was just listening to this beyond ridiculously good surround experience tonight and as I often do, I checked the Poll while doing so. Was surprised that it’s average score wasn’t higher and I now know why. Realizing that some idiot’s ‘1’ vote is considered an outlier by the QQ poll system, it still has adverse impact. Glad that guy isn’t posting anymore!

 

[ar surround]

Totally agree. Was just listening to this beyond ridiculously good surround experience tonight and as I often do, I checked the Poll while doing so. Was surprised that it’s average score wasn’t higher and I now know why. Realizing that some idiot’s ‘1’ vote is considered an outlier by the QQ poll system, it still has adverse impact. Glad that guy isn’t posting anymore!

Yes, if don’t like an act I won‘t vote on an album. If something was considered universally shitty, it would never have been released. (But I often wonder how much good stuff never got out the door for whatever unfortunate reason.)

 

[par4ken]

It's more important to read the comments than look at the score! I might look at the pole results after voting but never bother checking or noticing the average score. Someone pointed out that most score results were high, that could be due to the fact that if you don't like an artist or album it's unlikely you would buy it and thus rate it. It might be better to have two or three different ratings, one for content one for sound quality and one (the most important) for the surround mix itself.

 

[Marplot]

Part of the first batch of SACDs I have ever purchased, I am now officially ashamed I didn't start sooner and sad at all the releases I have missed as a result.

Surround 10 (3)
Wow, this is a great surround mix. Discrete/non-discrete I guess is semantics but everything gets used and you can enjoy the instruments and the spaces between them.

Audio 10 (3)
Nothing to complain about here either.

Content 8 (2.4)
As mentioned, I don't know this album as well as the rest of his 70's output, but have always liked Burn Down The Mission which sounds great. The inclusion of Madman ... wow. thanks for that.

Package 10 (1)
No frills, but at the same (original) price point of a CD, this is an incredible value.

9.4 rounds to 9

 

[Guitmark]

I purchased all the EJ SACDs when they first came out, and just noticed that this one was still in the shrink wrap! Remedied that last night - a really lovely album, especially St. Peter and Soldiers, both very poignant. Paul Buckmaster again floors me with his arrangements. Some nice guitar by Caleb and great bass playing by Dee. The opening cut and the other few rockers were a bit harsh and brick walled to me (I had to jump up and turn it down after listening to the Police 5.1 of Every Breath...The Classics) but there are some classic songs on here and nice use of unusual instrumentation.
On a side note, I was more familiar with Rod Stewart's version of Country Comforts, which had some subtle lyric changes that I actually prefer to Bernie's original lyric.
I gave it a solid 9.

 

[Todd 987]

This rates a 10+1 for Madman. What a glorious version in surround!

 

[Mj33]

Not every track is amazing. This was a transitional album form him, but you can hear him reaching. The alternate of Madman with Mick Ronson is worth the price (not high BTW) of admission alone. The mix is amazing as all the EJ SACDs are. Don't hesitate on this one. A 9.

 

[Rhinojack]

I have a question about “Love Song”. There is that single beat in the song that is continual. To me is sounds like a recorded drip. Any other theories?

 

[humprof]

Mods: find a more appropriate place for this post if you will. The algorithms that generate UMe's promotional emails must have gone haywire this morning. Not only do they seem to be touting a deluxe edition of the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour from 10 years ago, they're also pushing a vinyl release of a "jazz version" (in that it has a long, klunky, improvised piano solo over a two-chord vamp) of "Come Down In Time" that, Google tells me, was released in 2020. (I totally missed it the first time 'round.) What's up with that? Has Greg Penny now done an Atmos mix for the streaming services--super-deluxe, with previously missing bonus tracks--to mark the, uh, 52d anniversary of the album's October 1970 US release?
https://shop.udiscovermusic.com/products/elton-john-come-down-in-time-jazz-version-lp

 

[fredblue]

Mods: find a more appropriate place for this post if you will. The algorithms that generate UMe's promotional emails must have gone haywire this morning. Not only do they seem to be touting a deluxe edition of the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour from 10 years ago, they're also pushing a vinyl release of a "jazz version" (in that it has a long, klunky, improvised piano solo over a two-chord vamp) of "Come Down In Time" that, Google tells me, was released in 2020. (I totally missed it the first time 'round.) What's up with that? Has Greg Penny now done an Atmos mix for the streaming services--super-deluxe, with previously missing bonus tracks--to mark the, uh, 52d anniversary of the album's October 1970 US release?
https://shop.udiscovermusic.com/products/elton-john-come-down-in-time-jazz-version-lp

it was a 10" Limited Edition release at the time (may have been RSD initially i can't remember) they must be repressing it now?

here it is on Apple Music (in Lossless Stereo)