Elton John to release The Diving Board in 2013

karaokeman

Just wondering what are everyone's expectations for Elton John's new album out March next year?

First new studio album in 7 years, and he's hoping it will be his most exciting one in many, many years.

Still a big fan, one of the best pop performers ever.

delbertgrady

It's a bit of a radical departure, to swap his regular musicians. The longstanding band members (Davey, Nigel, Bob and John) weren't on The Union either, which was kind of to be expected, given that it was a collaboration with Leon Russell, but this is his own record, so I'm disappointed that they're not back in the fold. I suspect that this album, like The Union, has its own identity due to T-Bone Burnett producing, so he would want to put his stamp on things. It could work as an "experiment". Hopefully so.

It's obviously a long time since the halcyon days of the original (pre-Davey) three-piece EJB, and a stripped down band would have been an intriguing prospect, but if Elton were going to return to a piano-bass-drums set-up, I'd have preferred it to have been with Bob (who was still with us when the album was recorded) and Nigel, and not with new recruits.

It's interesting that, on account of the release date of The Diving Board being pushed back, Elton reassessed the recordings and wrote some new songs to fit more in with the overall structure of the album; the songs that have apparently been ditched were too upbeat, compared to the rest of it.

As for Elton's recent studio form; personally, I thought The Union outstayed its welcome. It would have been a cracking ten-track album, but it was just too much. There are great tracks on Captain and the Kid and Peachtree Road, but - if I were to be honest - his last truly great album was Songs from the West Coast.

Regardless of how successful the album is, I'm hoping we see him back in Ireland in 2013.

Mars Bar

I LOVE The Union so I'm open to new stuff.

I have die-hard Elton friends who get all worked up about who is and who isn't in the band and playing on what records.

I'm more laid back coz I'm just happy he is around long enough for this 23 year old to see him live.

Peachtree Road is my favourite album of all though.

I've seen him in Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Hopefully Galway is next on the list! :pac:

delbertgrady

Mars Bar wrote: »

Peachtree Road is my favourite album of all though.

:eek:

Tumbleweed Connection would be my choice.

Mars Bar

I love Tumbleweed Connection too. A lot of songs about guns though!