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  Madman Across The Water, a detta di molti, rappresenta il vertice qualitativo della carriera di Elton John, insieme a Tumbleweed Connection.  Fu registrato in brevissimo tempo, nel periodo di pausa tra un tour e il successivo, con un Elton sotto pressione causa l'enorme successo mondiale che gli era cascato addosso all'improvviso.  Un lavoro spendido, con gli arrangiamenti di Paul Buckmaster e la produzione di Gus Dudgeon al massimo livello, grandi session men a lavorare in studio e alcune canzoni tra le migliori mai scritte da Elton.  Le vendite, soprattutto inizialmente, non furono esaltanti, ma rimane uno dei capolavori nella discografia di Elton anche se il suo valore non è universalmente riconosciuto come è successo a parecchi altri dischi usciti in quel periodo.
 



 
 

1) Tiny Dancer
2) Levon
3) Razor Face
4) Madman Across The Water
5) Indian Sunset
6) Holiday Inn
7) Rotten Peaches
8) All The Nasties
9) Goodbye
 
 
 
 
 

classifiche:
Stati Uniti:      8° posto
Inghilterra:    41° posto
Italia:  14° posto
 
 
 
 

Elton John's first two albums hit the mark. The songs had the unmistakeable stamp of genius, the arrangements were just about perfect and Elton's voice had the right involvement and conversely the proper detachment, when that was needed, to cast a spell. If the live LP and the Friends soundtrack were somewhat less than fantastic, they only whetted the appetite for another helping of pure and original material. Madman Across The Water should quench the thirst of those who spotted Elton "back when." But, more importantly, it should please even some of the harshest critics of the talented and precocious Mr. Dwight. There are nine songs here. At least three -- "Tiny Dancer," a haunting bouquet to lyricist Bernie Taupin's wife Maxine: "Levon," a steel-eyed glimpse of a man "born a pauper to a pawn" and a rich example of Elton's super-strong piano playing; and "Rotten Peaches," a disturbing look around at the more unsightly aspects of a prison system which claims to be reformative -- are three out and out masterpieces: excellent examples of what can happen when clear and incisive lyrics are matched by aggressive and innovative musical forms. Each of the remaining six tracks offers something of value, from the amusing though frightening title piece to "All The Nasties," in which critics are given some kind of desserts. There's even a "Goodbye," eloquent and fleeting, which closes out the album. Much credit should go to Paul Buckmaster, whose strings are present but never obtrusive. Years from now people may look back on this as the definitive Elton John album. 
Ed Kelleher, Circus, 1972.
John's album has been long awaited and his two great virtues are happily here: he vocally attacks the scale as conquerer and his piano is more a drum than a drum. Among the new material by John and Bernie Taupin, "Tiny Dancer," "All the Nasties," "Goodbye," and the cryptic title song are highlights. Chart action should be immediate. 
Billboard, 1971.
Elton John's music means a lot to me, and, as a result, I'm not overjoyed with this album. A record with a theme, it's an account, sometimes photographic, sometimes emotional, all too often metaphorical, of Elton John in America -- the madman across the water. As impressions, it's brought out the worst in Bernie Taupin and forced Elton back on his melodic devices. These are sometimes powerful enough to make a song, but too often they're not. I still like this album, but it's just that the qualities that illuminated Elton John and Tumbleweed Connection for me have worn thin, and I'm forced to look past the magic and see a singer and a lyricist who are quite fallible. The record begins well with "Tiny Dancer." It has the delicate melody, virtuoso singing, and innovative arranging that have marked Elton John since "Your Song." In fact, it sounds like "Your Song," with maybe some other familiar melody and a few new touches like a pedal steel. But that's OK; it may be the same song, but it's a good song. "Levon" stands out on the radio simply because any Elton John song would. But, here we begin to encounter a knotty problem that worsens as the album continues. I.e., what the hell is he talking about?

Levon sells cartoon balloons in town 
His family business thrives 
Jesus blows up balloons all day 
Sits on the porch watching them fly 
And Jesus, he wants to go to Venus 
Leave Levon far behind... 

I'm no literal-minded dullard but when someone is being obscure, I like to get the feeling that they are grappling with something that's hard to get to, not just playing with words. In many of Dylan's songs the meaning was far from clear, but you could sense there was something there. And there were phrases that shone out even if the whole didn't fall into place. I don't get that feeling here. And, from listening to the first two albums, I know that the John/Taupin songs I like best were those I understood. There was strength in those songs, even if they were elliptical. "Levon" sounds good, but I could listen to it for years and never know what it's about. And it does make a difference. With "Razor Face," the situation improves even if I haven't an idea of what that means either. It's got the same sort of far-ranging singing and pounding piano that were used so well on Tumbleweed Connection, somewhat like "Amoreena." Unfortunately, this is followed by the title cut, which is to me, also the weakest. "Madman Across The Water" pits Elton's acrobatics against Paul Buckmaster's charging strings. But, again the lyrics trip him up. The song is superficially about madness, but is filled with so many obscure images that it's only a good song if you don't listen to it too much. Side two is a little less reaching. "Indian Sunset" is a story, with good evocative singing by Elton. The subject matter -- the tragedy of the American Indian -- almost overwhelms the song, but it manages to be moving. Then, alas, comes another piece of Americana called "Holiday Inn" and about the same: "And you ain't seen nothing/Until you've been in/A motel baby/Like the Holiday Inn." I guess a banal subject deserves banal lyrics, but why bother? "Rotten Peaches" is good basic Elton with a good melody and a wall of sound that fills the room. If only I knew what rotten peaches had to do with the homesickness that seems to be the theme. It isn't until the short (1:48) closing cut, that we get a glimpse of what Elton and Bernie were. "Goodbye" is a haunting, sad song with just Elton and piano and some appropriate strings. The melody sings and the words are poetry. It's sad, but makes me all the sadder that there wasn't more like this. Madman won't really crush any John fans, for he sings with the same power and brilliance he's shown since he broke. But, it probably won't draw any either. Madman is a difficult, sometimes impossibly dense record. America is worth a better story than this record and Elton John needs a better story than this to sing. 
 Alec Dubro, Rolling Stone, 1972

 
 
 
 
 
 

anno/label 1971 - DJM in UK, UNI in USA 
produzione Gus Dudgeon
arrangiamenti orchestrali Paul Buckmaster
studio Trident Studios, Londra
musicisti Roger Pope: batteria e percussioni; Nigel Olsson: batteria e cori; Terry Cox: batteria; Barry Morgan: batteria; Ray Cooper: percussioni; Brian Odgers: basso; Dave Glover: basso; Dee Murray: basso e cori; Rick Wakeman: organo; Herbie Flowers: basso; Chris Lawrence: basso acustico; Mike Egan: chitarra acustica; Lesley Duncan: chitarra acustica e cori; Les Tatcher: chitarra; Caleb Quaye: chitarra; B.J. Cole: chitarra steel; Davey Johnstone: chitarra acustica; Chris Spedding: chitarre; Diana Lewis: sintetizzatore; Brian Dee: organo; Jack Emblow: fisarmonica; Roger Cook, Terry Steele, Liza Strike, Tony Burrows, Barry St. John, Tony Hazzard, Sue & Sunny: cori; Cantores In Ecclesia Choir: cori; Elton: piano e organo
note forse il miglior album di Elton, grandi canzoni, grandiosi arrangiamenti orchestrali di Buckmaster, testi ermetici ed iniziali tiepide vendite. 
Il vero Elton John, quasi la perfezione.

   
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