Elton John: Peachtree Road (Special Collector's CD+DVD Edition) CD Track Listing

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Elton John Peachtree Road (Special Collector's CD+DVD Edition) (2004)
Peachtree Road (Special Collector's CD+DVD Edition)\n2005 Mercury Records, Ltd.\nHybrid SACD Edition Released November 9, 2004\nCD Edition Released November 9, 2004\nSpecial Collector's CD+DVD Edition Released November 15, 2005\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Elton John returned to the sound and aesthetic of his classic early-'70s work with 2001's Songs From the West Coast, finding critical acclaim, if not much commercial success. Not that the lack of sales greatly bothered Elton -- in many interviews, including one with Entertainment Weekly the week before Peachtree Road was released in November 2004, he claimed he was "disappointed" that it just barely went gold, but he was tired of making "uneven" records. John wasn't merely doing publicity: Peachtree Road proves that he's back to making good, solid records focused on songs, not hits, the way he did at the outset of his career. Since this is an album by a veteran, not an artist on the rise, it doesn't have the sense of discovery, or the hunger, that the early records still retain, and the production -- the first self-production by John with no collaborators -- is a little cleaner and crisper than the rich, warm sound of the late Gus Dudgeon (to whom this record is dedicated), who helmed such masterworks as Tumbleweed Connection. This means Peachtree Road is about craft, both in the writing and recording, which also means that it's a grower, with each song sounding stronger, better with each spin. While the sound of the record is bright and polished, this album makes few concessions to radio: this is certainly adult pop, but it never panders to adult contemporary radio, and the music is a little too rugged and sturdy to fit alongside the stubbornly sweet sounds of 21st century MOR. Which is precisely the point, of course: Elton has consciously returned to the reflective singer/songwriter template of the early '70s, both in his writing and production. Not that this is as lush as Elton John or country-tinged as Tumbleweed Connection -- "Answer in the Sky" recalls the high-flying disco of "Philadelphia Freedom" quite deliberately, and "They Call Her the Cat" finds a halfway point between "Honkey Cat" and "The Bitch Is Back" -- but it fits alongside those albums quite nicely because the focus is on songs, not trying to have hits. These songs may not rival his standards, but they're in the same tradition, and there's not a bad song in the bunch, resulting in a sturdy, satisfying record that proves that the comeback on Songs From the West Coast was no fluke and, hopefully, this latter-day renaissance for Elton will not be short-lived either. [This Expanded Edition includes three bonus tracks and an additional DVD featuring John live at the Tabernacle in Atlanta in November of 2004.] -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nIt's relatively easy to launch a comeback. It's far harder to maintain one. The follow-up to 2001's warmly received (by critics, anyway) Songs from the West Coast indicates Elton John is committed to following through on his late career critical renaissance. Entirely self-produced and featuring his trusty band on each song (and have any sidemen been more stalwart than Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson?), Peachtree Road's noble ambitions aren't entirely realized. Starting strong with the telling "Weight of the World" ("Happy to play with the weight of the world off my back") and Americana-flavored "Porch Swing in Tupelo," the 12-song set loses momentum as it progresses. Overproduction rears its glitzy head most egregiously in "All That I'm Allowed." Still, the young Elton John who took the singer-songwriter movement to new heights in the early '70s with the likes of Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Chateau is in evidence on Peachtree Road. He's laid the groundwork to totally throw caution to the wind and make a truly great album. Next time, perhaps? --Steven Stolder \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nBut Is He Thankful? 2 &1/2 stars, December 11, 2004\nReviewer: Empty Sky7 "dandare7" (Columbus, Ohio United States)\nI've been a pretty big fan of Elton's music for a little over ten years now. It's amazing to me, when I first became a fan, tons of his newer songs were still getting airplay, the singles from "The One", all the singles from "Sleeping With The Past", and then there was "The Lion King, but that was a little later. My point is, while I appreciate his classic years the most, radio used to be all over everything he put out, up through the mid '90s, what happened? Ever since "Made In England", for the most part, it seems Elton has been in a little bit of a slump, with the exception of "Candle In The Wind '97", even Adult Contemporary stations aren't really picking up his newer releases, at least in my area. I don't entirely understand it, at least I didn't, really, not until this album. Okay, everyone went on and on about what a brilliant album "Made In England" was, and to be entirely honest, I didn't exactly see it that way, but it was alright, especially when compared to "The Big Picture". Then there was "Songs From The West Coast", everyone raved, and in this instance, I understood all the hype, at least to an extent, but still, radio almost entirely ignored that album, too, and a beautiful song called "Original Sin", that would have been a smash, just 9-10 years earlier, went unnoticed. What did happen? Is it just the fact that Elton is getting older, and even a/c radio is now too hip to play his current material, or is it a question of the material? With this newest release, I would have to say, the material. While people complained that "The One" had too many drum machines, and was too pop oriented, at least it had some hooks, and some passionate material. Don't get me wrong, "Peachtree Road" isn't a complete waste, but while these songs have a more stripped down sound, they are also(for the most part) stripped of the images, hooks, and passion that made Elton a legend. I see reviewers saying that Elton has returned to the sound of "Tumbleweed Connection" & "Honky Chateu", but have these people actually listened to those albums? They told interesting, sometimes witty(Amy), sometimes dark(Talking Old Soldiers) stories, that just reeled us in. The songs weren't all slow piano ballads either, they sometimes were so dramatic with the orchestration that they rocked, sometimes they just flat out rocked, and sometimes they were just bouncy, fun songs. There was even a difference with the ballads of that time, "Come Down In Time", "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters", they were the kind of songs that just touched us, and were crafted in a way that made them appealing to listen to over and over. I'm sorry to say, but that's just not the case with Peachtree.. Yes, there are actually some wothwhile tracks: \n\n"All That I'm Allowed".. Finally, when this song played, I remember thinking, "a song that's actually somewhat melodic", but could he have stressed how thankful he was a little more? That's the only problem I see with this one, the word "thankful" is used a little too much, and it kind of takes away from it. \n\n"Porch Swing in Tupelo".. Another winner, although I can't get into it too much, it does deserve some praise. This song, more than any other on this album, paints a picture, and takes us somewhere, something so many of his earlier albums are known for. \n\n"Answer In The Sky".. This is an above average song, and I'm not surprised that this one, along with "All That I'm Allowed" are the choices as singles, it couldn't be that they won this honor by defualt? This song is somewhat inspirational, maybe along the lines of "Circle Of Life", but if you don't exactly agree with his religious perspective, as I don't, it makes it a little difficult to get into, but that's my personal issue with the song, not a question of it's quality. \n\n"They Call Her The Cat".. A song that's fun, but sticks out like a soar thumb. Why couldn't he have done another one or two like this one? Maybe then it wouldn't sound quite so corny.. \n\nAs I've stated, no, this album isn't a complete waste, and I guess this review is aimed more at the people that are comparing it to the classic albums. Do I admire Elton for doing the kind of album he wants to do? Yes, he's 57, and has lived through, and overcome a great deal, he has the right to sing about whatever he wants, unfortunately, it's almost a little too personal, and doesn't allow listeners to form their own perspectives on the songs. Also, there are a lot of lyrics here that start out promising, but seem to be missing a verse that would take them all the way, and it doesn't help when you have melodies that sound too flat, not to mention similar, to carry them. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nJustification of Longevity, December 6, 2004\nReviewer: Rudy Palma "A Complex Guy" (NJ)\nElton John's latest album, "Peachtree Road," while not as well-rounded and slick as 2001's "Songs From the West Coast," has plenty of ballast to please the already initiated and please the ears of by-the-wind listeners. \n\nLongtime fans and appreciators of his early works will be more than pleased with songs such as the absolutely hilarious "They Call Her the Cat" and "Porch Swing In Tupelo," a story of a desolate southern town, which are most reminiscent of his early 70's LPs with which he could do no wrong. The latter has particularly attractive lyrics. \n\n"I got nothing to do 'cept hang in the breeze/Ghosts of the old south are all around me/Yeah swing high, yeah swing low/Here on this porch swing in Tupelo." \n\nAlthough the lead single "Answer In the Sky" contains a clich

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