Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy [LP]

Many years ago I used to think Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Honky Chateau were Elton's best albums. But after sampling several of his albums this past year (thanks to Amazon's Music Prime service), I came to realize this is one VERY consistent album without a single weak song to be found. All the songs are very good! However, there are a few standouts, such as the one unusual hit single (at nearly 7 minutes long) -- Someone Saved My Life Tonight. When I listen to the progression of songs on this album, it fits in perfectly with this album. It's as if the album breathes new life into it. Other standouts? Well, it's almost a crime the title track never received much airplay back in the day, as it easily could have served as a second hit song from here. Also, the final two songs, together, serve as the best finale of any Elton John album.I purchased this on the new 180g remastered vinyl release. The mixing, sound quality, and vinyl pressing are outstanding! This re-release of the vinyl format provides all the original extras that likely are not included within the CD version -- such as the large lyrics booklet, as well as a second booklet providing many different historical photos from Elton and Bernie's origins, with notes.At this point, I now consider Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy as my favorite Elton John album. I can listen to it several times a month without growing tired of it! Note: My 2nd favorite now is probably Tumbleweed Connection, due to it also being a consistently well-written effort ( both musically and lyrically), but it doesn't quite have the stellar performance and the sound quality present on this album. This was Elton's peak, released after the very inconsistent Caribou, and prior to the downhill slide that began with Rock of the Westies.

This album was a favorite of my father's from way back when it was first released in 1975. Two bad the CD doesn't have the same appeal as the original vinyl album did, which opened into a wonderful collage of bizarre artwork, and included a booklet of the song lyrics. But ultimately, it is the music that matters, and this album does not disappoint. Every song is an epic masterpiece, and is in every way indicative of the enormous song writing talent of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. In addition, Elton had an AWESOME band consisting of some of the very best heavy hitters of music backing him up. Personally, the highlight of this album has got to be Someone Saved My Life Tonight. It is one of those powerful, emotional, moving musical experiences that is difficult to categorize. It amazes me that this album does not have the same draw and discussion as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. If you are a fan of epic songwriting, and perfectly arranged and orchestrated popular music, you would be hard pressed to do better than this album.

This reissue is in short. A great lp done with attention to keeping it on par with the original mix, with an openness that just adds to the presence of certain instrumentation that were often lost on noisy 70's vinyl, and low sound level original album masterings it's greatness is simply brought more to the fore on this one. Highly recommended..

Though pricey and delayed for over a year finally the 2019 remasters have arrived.This particular album has always been my favorite sounds crisp and clearer than ever.The original art work is all in tact the sound is remarkable I will be ordering them all at some point and after hearing this one i can't wait.Well worth the price throw your old copies out.No bonus tracks but who cares this album didn't ever need bonus tracks.

From the first to the last track on this album, excellent music all the way through. From an era when albums were compiled as a whole, instead of just a set of itunes tracks, here is one that stands out and helps explain why Elton John is such a legend of popular music. This is an album that belongs in a "lifetime collection" to be come back to time and again over the long haul, along with several other EJ albums like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Honky Chateau... right in there with other selected classic albums by Beatles, Springsteen, and some others.

Since this album came out in '75 I've owned it on cassette two or three times and CD once. My CD has recently vanished, so I decided to go with a digital copy this time around. The track "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is my favorite Elton John song, and it was what got me to listen to this album in the first place. I like this album, I enjoy listening to it. As they say, "Your mileage may vary."

Great album. Great writing, great playing and one of the best sleeves ever made. This was the first (vinyl) album I bought as a kid with the money from my paper route (how cliche- I know). Honestly it was the sleeve that got me to buy the album, but once I got it I wore that thing out. It is solid from front to back (especially love the title track, Tower of Babel and Writing). Great lyrics, great melodies- a solid 5 stars

I'm 40 years older now and not just searching for the the singles on an album. Originally had this on 8 track and shake my head when i think about songs getting chopped in the middle! This is a darn fine collection and it's hard to believe he followed it up 4 months later. Really good stuff when he was at the apex of everything.

Definetly my favourite early Elton album. This is one of six newly re released vinyl albums all remastered by Bob Ludwig on 180gm records.Every song is first class and the remastering brings out considerable sound improvement.However Amazons price has increased by £7 from when it was initially listed and I ordered. Not really justified as if you look at list of market sellers several of them are virtually half the price.

At the time of review there were newer and slightly cheaper versions of this album but go for this one.180g vinyl,iconic gatefold sleeve, lyric booklet,scrapbook booklet. I think it’s his finest album. Bernie and Elton at their songwriting best. The double track finale one of their finest moments.

WONDERFUL MUSIC, WONDERFUL VINYL

super!

Great album

Great album and vinyl sound.

Great album

Die 2019 Shm CD lässt keine Wünsche offen.Sehr liebevoll gestaltetes Artwork, für meine Ohren perfekterKlang, unterscheidet sich deutlich von der 1995 remastered Ausgabe.Wärmerer Sound, Instrumente besser gestaffelt, räumlicher, offener...Ich gerate ins Schwärmen, gute Anlage ist Voraussetzung.Auf dieser Ausgabe keine Bonus Tracks.Elton Johns bestes Album, Kompositionen und Arrangement erstklassig.

This vinyl reissue is a slight improvement over the original vinyl record and CD I have with a little more depth in the presentation. Having said that the depth is still only average at best. The tone is still a little cool on some tracks but not too bad. Upper end detail is alright, the Sound Stage is a bit on the small side. Nothing to get too excited about sound wise but still better than what I had before. The vinyl itself is very good with not much in the way of surface noise.

Superb pressing. Sounds great

Multiple scatches

VINYL 2016 - SOUND QUALITY NOT SO GOOD - AS IF THE RECORDING WAS DONE FAR FROM THE MUSIC.VERY LOUD CLICKS ON FIRST TRACK SIDE 1.

音楽は、いつの世でも過去の時代にタイムスリップさせてくれる魔法ですね。このアルバムは、特に個人的に忘れることの出来ない場所に僕をすぐに導いてくれます。個人的な事は、さておき数々の素晴らしい作品の中でもエルトンとバーニーがコンビを組んで作ったアルバムは特に完成度が高いだけでなく、叙情的かつセンチメンタルな気がしています。マッドマンに次ぐお気に入りのアルバムです。３曲のボーナストラックがなくても素晴らしいのに・・・むしろない方がコンセプトを壊すことがなく完璧な作品です。でも、プラス３曲も意義深い曲なので、やっぱりお得ですね。特に大ヒットした　僕を救ったプリマドンナ　は何度聴いても胸が痛く締めつけられます。

ｴﾙﾄﾝ・ｼﾞｮﾝは、「ｸﾞｯﾊﾞｲ・ｲｴﾛｰ・ﾌﾞﾘｯｸ・ﾛｰﾄﾞ」が大好きで、ずっと愛聴していた。で、次作である本作は、名盤と良く聞くのだが、どうもｼﾞｬｹが陳腐でｹﾞﾃ物っぽくて（失礼、でもこれがｴﾙﾄﾝ・ｼﾞｮﾝの作品とは気付かないくらいだから）、長い間聴く機会を逸していた。で、最近手に入れて聴き込んでいるのだが。これが・・・少し評価に悩むｱﾙﾊﾞﾑ。というのは、間違いなくｴﾙﾄﾝ・ｼﾞｮﾝの集大成的美味しいとこ満載作品なのは確かで、さらに彼としては、かなりﾛｯｸ色の強いｴｷｻｲﾃｨﾝｸﾞな内容・・・なのだが、ｱﾙﾊﾞﾑ全体を聴くと、ややﾊﾞﾗｴﾃｨ感に欠けて、今どの曲だったっけ？という感じになるのは、まだ聴きこみが足りないのだろうか？いや聴けば聴くほど、どの曲も個性が薄まって、ｱﾙﾊﾞﾑ一枚で一つの曲という感じに聴こえる。かといって、曲単体で、ﾀｲﾄﾙ曲や「僕を救ったﾌﾟﾘﾏﾄﾞﾝﾅ」、「僕に迫る自殺の誘惑 」なんかを聴くと、名曲！と思えるのだが、全体を通すと埋もれてしまう感じ。例えば、前菜とかﾃﾞｻﾞｰﾄがなく、全てがﾒｲﾝﾃﾞｯｼｭの超豪華ﾃﾞｨﾅｰという感じ・・・贅沢な悩みだな。これが前作なら、多少曲は多すぎるきらいがあったが、１曲１曲がもっと雑多なﾊﾟﾀｰﾝを持っていてﾊﾞﾗｴﾃｨ豊かで、その中に何曲も超名曲があるという感じだった。それと、本作で、ﾋﾞｰﾄﾙｽﾞ〜ﾋﾞｰﾁﾎﾞｰｲｽﾞ〜ｸｲｰﾝの系譜に挟まれそうな、ｺｰﾗｽﾜｰｸとﾛｯｸｵﾍﾟﾗ的な展開を全開して出し切った感じがあり、本作ではそれが一応有効に機能しているが、「もうお腹いっぱい」という気分にさせるのも事実。

Condition not as good as stated