14. Love's Got A Lot To Answer For (Elton John - Live In University Park: 11/4/1997)

Описание: If we look at the Big Picture Tour from 1997, consistency is king. No matter the show, you can expect to find Elton in great voice and have first class musicianship on his material. Thanks to “EltonStuff” and his ability to bring excellent upgrades to the table, this show can be listened to in extremely high quality with no cuts or missing songs impacting anything.

After several days off, Elton and the band perform in University Park at the campus of Penn State. This is an interesting paradox of a show as the time off between shows actually has had a couple of negative aspects that contradict the positive qualities that appear on the recording. While the band are still playing excellently, they noticeably hold back when compared to earlier shows with safer playing. The high musical quality and good instrumental highlights are still present throughout this show, but in a more “controlled” state. Elton himself is in great voice and sounds cleaner compared to the last couple of shows. Despite having lingering effects from his cold, his soft tone and powerful middle register are on full display tonight. In a similar way to his band, Elton also holds back on his singing in places and seems to pick and choose where he would unleash more assertive and powerful vocals. Now… time to write about the performances below…

“Simple Life” sounds strong as the audio quality brings out the instrumentation nicely and Elton adds some vocal flourishes in the last chorus. “The One” is a bit more low-key compared to earlier versions as Elton doesn’t go for any falsetto and he sings more gently in places. “Grey Seal” is a rock-solid performance with good vocals and Charlie Morgan’s drumming providing a strong backbone to the song. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” has Elton sounding nice on the falsetto parts and his soft tone is a highlight of the performance. “Honky Cat” has strong vocals from Elton and his falsetto sounds really good with the band’s instrumental prowess being put on display. “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is a pretty good performance, but Elton doesn’t deliver the vocals as energetically or as precisely as other versions. “Tiny Dancer” has Elton mis-timing the “boulevard is not that bad” line, but otherwise delivers a fine rendition of the song and the big sound of the band truly shines on this performance. “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” has Elton and the band kicking it up a few notches as the energy level rises with Elton singing more playfully compared to the earlier songs in the set. “If The River Can Bend” is another performance that slays the record as the vocals and musicianship surpass the version heard on the album. “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” has playful vocal phrasing from Elton and the piano solo is maniacal and brilliantly executed. “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” highlights Elton’s strong voice as he delivers the Caribou classic with impressive power and he puts his vocal flexibility to the test. “The Last Song” is one of the best versions from the tour leg as Elton returns to more normal phrasing on the “brittle as a bird” line (without delaying the phrasing) and delivers the emotional ballad with great passion. “Daniel” has Elton delivering the hit single with delicacy and his voice is amazing on this version. He also changes the lyrics on the final chorus (“must be the scars in my eyes”). “Love’s Got A Lot To Answer For” is full of energy and Elton nails the final chorus with authority. Concluding this section, “Take Me To The Pilot” has.a brilliant piano introduction and it seems that the handcuffs have been fully unlocked as everybody unleashes the fury.

“Something About The Way You Look Tonight” is a powerful performance with Elton delivering the hit single with confidence. “Made In England” is an aggressively delivered and performed version that contrasts the more low-key performances from earlier in the set. “Believe” has a unique introduction (with Elton singing) and he pushes his voice to deliver a very strong rendition. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” has a great sound from the band and Elton sings the song with conviction. “Philadelphia Freedom” has Elton belting strongly with the musicianship sounding fantastic. “Levon” has great piano work and brilliant playing from Davey Johnstone and John Jorgenson. Despite sounding fatigued vocally, Elton still gives his best shot. “Bennie And The Jets” highlights Elton’s piano chops as his playing is methodical in places and extremely lively in others. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” has Elton trying to sing original phrasing in the second chorus, but the wear and tear that is now evident on his voice makes things difficult. “Sand And Water” has great harmony work, although there is a guitar flub during the second chorus. “The Bitch Is Back” has Elton giving his all and going for embellishments with a rejuvenated voice. Lastly, “Your Song” has some nice embellishments along with some powerful belting.

ENJOY!!!