Amazon.com It'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
Customer Reviews:
A step up from Songs from the West CoastJuly 9, 2008 Vlad Contrary to most of the other reviewers I find this album more interesting than the previous Songs from the West Coast. Granted there are no super-hits but every single song is of a consistently high quality and the whole album is extremely listenable. It sticks to a somewhat reflective atmosphere with Elton's voice dominating and creating character.
It would be wrong to call this the culmination of his career, but it certainly sounds like a particular, more mature stage of it. There is no denying Elton's musical experience and it shows through here. The album's contrast to his early song hits provides a satisfying continuation of his career.
Breathtakingly Beautiful!January 27, 2008 M. Brandon Elton at his soulful best! His voice and piano playing is beyond beautiful. It amazes me beyond words how Bernie Taupin never ceases to write such wonderful lyrics and Elton adding his perfect touch with his vocals and music to Taupin's lyrics. I can listen to this cd over and over again - just like I do w/Elton's classics!!
Excellent!January 18, 2008 A. Gift For You(USA) I highly recommend this! We saw Elton in concert when this first came out and we really liked the music. This is one of his best CD's in years!
VERY GOOD BUT NOT GREATOctober 15, 2007 Music Fan(Argentina) When I heard this album for the first time, I thought inmediately that it wasn't a masterpiece, but some tracks were very catchy. Nothing on the album is bad, that's clear. Of course that could be a better album with a memorable song, and that's what this work lacks. But that doesn't mean it's not a worthy album. "Turn the lights out when you leave" is perhaps the best song in this collection, and "They call her the cat" is another good song. Finally "Answer in the sky" is a tipically elton-ish tune. The other songs are also good, but not great.
The best since Made In EnglandSeptember 22, 2007 Jean Vinicios Moreira(brazil) I really love this album. I think it's the best since Made In England. The first time I listened to it I thought it was not a great album, but after listen to it some more times I saw I was wrong...So wrong, because it's wonderfull. There are a lot of gospel musci in it, I guess. a must have to any Elton fan or not
