Elton John - Rock of the Westies
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Elton JohnEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1996-05-14
Music Label: Island
Soundtracks:
- Medley (Yell Help, Wednesday Night, Ugly)
- Dan Dare (Pilot Of The Future)
- Island Girl
- Grow Some Funk Of Your Own
- I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)
- Street Kids
- Hard Luck Story
- Feed Me
- Billy Bones And The White Bird
- Planes (Bonus Track)
- Sugar On The Floor (Bonus Track)
Free Music Notes for Rock of the Westies
Free Music Review: Rock of The Westies and All Over
Hit: 4 Stars
Following their classic Captain Fantastic album, Elton and Taupin return here with a completely different type of album. Rock of The Westies featured a harder edge sound thanks in part to a new line-up for the band. Out were drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray and in were a new breed of musicians who gave Elton a leaner edge. And Rock of The Westies went on to debut at #1, Elton's second feat in a row. This was quite an accomplishment back in '75 and probably owed more to Elton's popularity at the time as well. He was on a roll and this album kept things moving along well.
For starters, the album opens up with a three part Medley of songs strung together which is quite a change from his past history of album openers. A unique rave up with many parts lets the listener know that things have changed. The funky groove, the backing vocals of Labelle and gritty delivery make it a unique song, one of which has never been repeated on any subsequent album. Dan Dare, an ode to a comic book hero mainly known in Britain, moves things along and is very catchy. Island Girl, the big hit from the album, remains a guilty pleasure after all these year. You just can't resist it's chorus! Grow Some Funk Of Your Own tries hard to be Saturday Night Alright For Fighting part 2, but doesn't quite get there. Still, though, a fun romp with a fantastic piano finish. Elsewhere, you'll find a stunning ballad in I Feel Like A Bullet, a bluesy soul number with Feed Me and an all out rock rave up in Street Kids. That leaves Hard Luck Story and the album's closer, Billy Bones as the only two that seem to miss the mark. Both go on and on for far to long and at best, seem like filler. The added edition of Planes, an outtake, is nice and should have been included. It's a light country/rock ballad that flows nicely.
But this album is more about the rock in the title instead of the California country/rock sound. Lyrically, sure, it's one of Taupins simpler efforts, but the point here seems to keep everything lose and just have some fun. The new band, the new sound, even the new look of Elton the cover should let everyone know that it was a new day. And certainly inspired as well.
Rock of The Westies may have long been forgotten now, as Elton rarely talks about it much. But for the time, it was a hit and rightly so.
Rock of the Westies Poster
Although it was viewed as one of Elton John's more lightweight efforts upon its 1975 release--possibly because it followed only half a year after the acclaimed Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (and partially because many thought the album was released to fulfill a contractual obligation)--Rock of the Westies appears in retrospect to be his last great rock album. It certainly does rock consistently harder than any other John album, with guitarist Davey Johnstone even getting cowriting credits (with John and Bernie Taupin) on the opening "Medley: Yell Help/Wednesday" and "Grow Some Funk of Your Own." Lyricist Taupin seems to be going off the deep end here at times with titles like "Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)" and "Billy Bone & the White Bird," but "Island Girl" was another huge hit for the pair. And the CD version adds the wonderful pop gem "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart," which turned KiKi Dee into an eternal Trivial Pursuit answer. --Bill HoldshipPop Music CDs
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