This Elton John release just is not up to par by any means. Yes there are some "good" songs: Long Way From Happiness, Love Like Horses, Something In The Way You Look Tonight, and The Big Picture. These songs are indeed well crafted. However, they fall a bit short of the best of Elton's Classic 70's period as well as from other top releases like The One and Made In England.

The remaining tracks aren't terrible per say. However, they just drag on and on without having anything meaningful to say. Coupled with the fact that most of them are over five minutes long, its a real chore to listen to this CD in one sitting.

Furthermore, the pacing and stylings of the record are limited. Way too many ballads and mid tempo pieces that lack excitement and verve. On top of that, the arrangements are so identical. Must every piece have a synthesizer string arrangement? Elton's trademark keyboard runs just aren't present enough in the overall mix. Yes there are some good solos, but once the solo is finished Elton's piano playing more often than not falls into the background behind the strings. The guitar, bass, and drums don't do anything exciting on any of the tracks.

A few good songs here and there, but I would recommend passing on this collection.

As I do with most new CDs I purchase, I placed this one in my car CD player and figured I'd give it 2 or 3 times through. But this collection of songs is different. It was like a book that I could not put down, I just kept listening again and again. I have been an Elton John fan for 25 years and have listened to every album/CD. This ranks right up there with the best. His voice has such a rich quality to it, he just seems to get better with age. Listen to this CD one or two times through, and you'll be hooked.

Elton John is my favorite singer of all-time and I love all his albums. The Big Picture is no exception. I listened to all the songs on this and I loved each and every one. If I had to pick my favorite song, it would have to be "Live Like Horses" which contains brilliant lyrics and a beautiful string arrangement. Other standouts include "Love's Got A Lot To Answer For", "I Can't Steer My Heart Clear Of You", and "Recover Your Soul". If you're a fan of Elton John then you should definitely get this one.

I had reviewed this album at one point but I feel the need to go back and re-review it in a much more objective way..

"Picture" is an album that came out at a time when Elton's career was booming and resurging, but at the same time falling into a sort of adult contemporary and slightly over produced feel. "Picture" is exactly that, an adult contemporary, over produced album.

The tracks themselves are quite well written with excellent melodies and lyrics that get stuck in your head. Not to mention Elton's vocals are clean, clear, and dead-on. But the best way to sum up the album?? it's this... where is Elton's piano? Each track is full of excellent pop ear candy with all the 90's sheen in full front... But in it's own way this album comes off more like an project called "Session musicians featuring Elton John on Vocals". Chris Thomas is an excellent producer but I do feel on this album the over production hurts the intimate melodies and lyrics that Elton and Bernie had written.

For me, "Picture" marks the end of Elton's pop album-making machine before he started going back to his early roots. It's his last attempt at a radio friendly target audience in all it's 90's glory. ...now, having said that, I'm a HUGE elton fan, and do appreciate this album greatly even though I do think you have to be in a certain mood to really 'listen' to it. Aside from the over produced sheen, the melodies and lyrics are great and Elton's voice is in fine form. ;o)


All The Best, The AndyMan

This album is awful. After the astonishing comeback and return to form of 'made in england' this album is a big let-down. All the songs sound like they were made with a do-it-yourself ej songwriting program, there aren't any interesting melodies, the arrangements are uninteresting and by-the-book, and even his voice, which can lend viability to substandard fare, sounds detached and bored. Except in the hit, "something about the way you look tonight", where he sings with a bit of REAL soul. That's why the album actually deserves one star, it is a good song in his finest tradition. To be fair, he lost a number of friends in distressing circumstances in the period this album was made (putting it mildly), the album seems to have a mournful underlying mood, when there's any mood at all.