Finally, the day – February 5, 2016 – has arrived! The release of the much awaited Wonderful Crazy Night, the latest creation by Sir Elton, Bernie and the Band, is here!
I ended up taking a vacation day today so that I could 1) Get a CD since I didn’t have much faith in eltonjohn.com getting my order to me on release day; and 2) Spend a quality “first time” with the new album.
True to form, eltonjohn.com did NOT deliver (why, oh why, didn’t I go through Amazon)? No big deal, another sale for EJ, this time from Target.
But…lest I diminish the moment, let me get on with it.
As I write this, I have listened to the album 5 times through, and a few of the songs several times over. (My first listen – as I have been doing for 40 years now, with every new EJ album release – has to be by myself, with headphones on and an excited heart. Today was no exception).
In one word, WOW.
In four words, I need a cigarette.
In five first impressions:
- I liked every song from the very first listen. Honestly, this is the first album for which I can say that. Usually, there are one or two that require a few listens to catch my ear, but not WCN. I love them all!
- Any song that starts with Elton almost whispering Bernie’s beautiful words “Every breath is a prayer of some kind, I breathe in, I breathe out, I just breathe” is going to be a winner in my book. [Side note: This is my favorite track so far].
- Elton humming on “I’ve Got 2 Wings” is reminiscent of something he could have done in the 1970s. [Side note: Love it!]
- I didn’t realize how excited I would be to hear the Band play on this album. While I was listening, I found myself thinking “Nice riff, Davey!” or “You go, Nigel!” or “Is that Ray or John on the tambourine?” I am thrilled.
- Were those really horns I heard on “A Good Heart?” Yes!
In a nutshell, Wonderful Crazy Night was well worth the wait. I am a very happy, nay, joyous, Kimoreena right now.
Thank you, Elton, Bernie, Davey, Nigel, Ray, John, Kim, Matt and T-Bone, thank you. What a treasure you have created.
(Of course, there will be more blogging about specific songs from the album, about nuances in Bernie’s lyrics that haven’t yet caught my attention, of musicality that touches my mind and heart…but I want to take it all in for a while longer).
P.S. Even my husband likes it! And he really doesn’t like the post-1970s catalog. He said there are a few songs he’ll give another listen to. Things are definitely “looking up!”
The Captain and the Kim 