Elton John - Madman Across the Water

Trading the cinematic aspirations of Tumbleweed Connection for a tentative stab at prog rock, Elton John and Bernie Taupin delivered another excellent collection of songs with Madman Across the Water. Like its two predecessors, Madman Across the Water is driven by the sweeping string arrangements of Paul Buckmaster, who gives the songs here a richly dark and haunting edge. And these are songs that benefit from grandiose treatments. With most songs clocking in around five minutes, the record feels like a major work, and in many ways it is. While it's not as adventurous as Tumbleweed Connection, the overall quality of the record is very high, particularly on character sketches "Levon" and "Razor Face," as well as the melodramatic "Tiny Dancer" and the paranoid title track. Madman Across the Water begins to fall apart toward the end, but the record remains an ambitious and rewarding work, and John never attained its darkly introspective atmosphere again. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Parker Guitar B.J. Cole Guitar (Steel) Barry Morgan Drums Barry St. John Vocals, Vocals (Background) Bernie Taupin ? Bob Gruen Photography Brian Dee Harmonium Brian Odgers Bass, Guitar (Bass) Caleb Quaye Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar Chris Laurence Bass (Acoustic), Bass Chris Spedding Slide Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar Crispin Murray Assistant Dave Glover Guitar (Bass), Bass Davey Johnstone Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Mandolin, Sitar, Synthesizer, Vocals David Katz Violin, Orchestra Contractor David Larkham Design, Art Direction, Photography, Illustrations, Cover Photo, Cover Design Dee Murray Bass, Guitar (Bass), Vocals (Background) Diana Lewis Arp, Synthesizer Diane Lewis-Steinberg Synthesizer Elton John Vocals, Keyboards, Piano Gill Artwork Greg Penny Surround Sound Gus Dudgeon Producer, Liner Notes, Audio Production Gus Skinas Editing Herbie Flowers Bass (Electric), Guitar (Bass), Bass Jack Emblow Accordion John Tobler Liner Notes Ken Scott Remixing, Engineer Les Thatcher Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) Lesley Duncan Vocals (Background), Vocals Liza Strike Vocals (Background), Vocals Nigel Olsson Drums, Vocals (Background) Paul Buckmaster Arranger, Conductor Ray Cooper Tambourine, Percussion Rick Wakeman Keyboards, Organ Ricky Graham Digital Transfers Robert Kirby Director, Choir Director Robin Geoffrey Cable Audio Engineer, Engineer Roger Cook Vocals (Background), Vocals Roger Pope Drums Steve Brown ? Sue Vocals (Background) Sue & Sunny Vocals (Background) Sue Glover Vocals, Vocals (Background) Sunny Vocals (Background) Sunny Leslie Vocals, Vocals (Background) Terry Cox Drums Terry Steele Vocals (Background), Vocals Tony Burrows Vocals (Background), Vocals Tony Cousins Remastering Yanis Artwork