Release Date: 1970
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes

Impressions: Not well-versed in Sir Elton outside of the big hits. I considre myself a fan nor a hater. Let’s give this a spin… Weird choice for only his third album: a very loose old-West-themed concept album by two guys (Elton John, lyricist Bernie Taupin) who had never been to the US at the time. Hubris (and drugs) can only be the reason they’d do this. Oddly, this fake country somehow works for me better than lots of actual country. I must be a huge asshole. “Ballad of A Well-Known Gun” energetically opens sounds like The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek.” The whole album has a blues-y, swampy country thing which at first seems like a put on, but somehow grew on me. It’s not exactly a true country album per se, he also tosses in horns, strings and of course piano into the mix  on tracks like the funky, gospelish “Son Of Your Father” and the soul-soaked “Amoreena.” Hard to believe that I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of these tunes before, but it kind of surprised me. I don’t know if I every really got into the Have Gun, Will Travel western narrative, but each song nicely flows into the next and he doesn’t treat it like a complete goof-off. Not sure if Elton John might never win my heart, but I enjoyed the melodies and craftmanship of this weird Americana smorgasbord he’s put together.

Starred Songs: “Son of your Father,” “Country Comfort,” “Amoreena”
Sneaky Track: The whole album, really… but “The Ballad of a Well-Known Gun”
Should this album be on the list? Yes
Will you listen to this again? Sure, it holds together
Verdict: Bluesy, country-fried faux-concept album from Sir Elton with great melodies piled on top of tales from The Old West.

Rating:  ★★★3/4