Rightly!

Bernie Taupin, the lyricist has always been for almost all Elton John compositions, described the 1997 album "The Big Picture" as the worst job he and Elton John ever let go as an album on mankind. With most of the about thirty albums, which he created together with his creative partner since 1969, he was quite satisfied with a lag, with many even much, but "The Big Picture" it deems completely failed.

I disagree with the decision! One can certainly discuss abendfüllend whether that prefer the courtyard buried by Taupin album was not here and there actually produces something out of sheer sound effects no longer know what to do with whether it one way or another actual compositional and probably textual weakness tried zuzuspachteln or simply the listener strives with sound technical frippery of the late nineties to crush with intent before this notice the substantial fragility of one or another number on the plate with an arrangement. That would be all valid criticisms and "The Big Picture" is certainly not the best Elton John album, but in his playful technical sound is very unique in Johns discography and despite overloading awareness, in many places also absolutely correct.

If one Elton John now even asked about his weakest album, then he answers regularly with: "Leather jackets". Rightly!

The eighties were certainly not necessarily the whole decade, which produced the most enduring classic album. Since it is not Elton John differently than many musicians of his generation. Before and after that there were real works of art in the Entertainment segment, but from the total of nine albums of 1980 to 1989, were just two really consistently well, while everyone else had their moments, but suffered from the terrible keyboard Kling Klang those musical unspeakable decade. Unfortunately, the cheap arrangements with toy instruments impacted increasingly on the substance of the compositions. (It's no surprise that Elton John has been particularly successful in Germany in particular-hit country in those years ...)

1986 but he undercut himself really generous. The albums just before this ("Ice on Fire" - 1985) and after ("Reg Strikes Back" - 1988) Get certainly also no Kleinkunstpreis for exceptional cultural achievements and will probably musicians also hardly wring a lot of respect, but they went but in broadly in order; just mostly pleasing pop music, nothing special, but not bad, certainly below its level of the 70s and then again in later years, but it is nevertheless also no acoustic offense. "Leather jackets" but intervenes in several places with both hands right next to strong (I do not say where).

It starts with the cover on already. This rocker pose affects Elton John just cute (the photo on the inside really tops everything - Elton & Band in full body leathers before and gleaming chrome motorcycles and all look very terrible determined and angry - yes, no, is clear). If the album because even as crude sound at least 1986 Stadium rock á la Bon Jovi "Slippery when wet", then it would not even what one generally expects from Elton John, and well, it would not also, but still way better than that which now ultimately rattles here out of the boxes and strums.

To say something nice about this record: "Hoop of Fire", "Paris" and "I Fall Apart" is, after all, three out of eleven pieces that absolutely gorgeous and doubt are song writing imperiously raised in composition and text that John and Taupin have currently lost their ability to write songs for eternity - Significantly, all three pieces of ballads - but again, the overall impression by 80's-Uninstrumente is heavily battered. These three pieces were there quite worthy to be again recorded stylishly orchestrated new today. A few more number are write-driven okay, neither bad nor earth-shattering; as the duet with Cliff Richard "Slow Rivers", "Gypsy Heart" or "Memory of Love" would be; but the earth would rotate probably today as well as the happiness of its inhabitants would be tarnished not measurable, if they were not published in 1986.

The rest, however, with five of eleven songs so about half of the album is, in relation to the artist simply to call themselves just atrocious with unwavering benevolence. The defined substantial Nothing in all categories. At best, uninspired, partly affige, sometimes almost pop-like compositions in rattling mid-80's-sound strumming, trying desperately to be danceable, but this would probably look more like an epileptic fit for the observer, if one tried seriously. The musical feat "Heartache All Over The World", one of those five songs become taste insults, Elton John himself described years ago even as by far the worst song he ever recorded. Well, a few more candidates for this superlative would have more to offer the album ...
And now once again back to the beginning of horror: What exactly should please suggest the leather gear?

Elton John is absolutely right: "Leather Jackets" is the worst album of his long career; probably so bad that Bernie Taupin has just been completely displaced and therefore calls another.

As a fan, you should of course still have this oddity in the closet, because the few mentioned ballads are there to have been worth listening to, and also one wants to share the weak moments to cherish all the more the powerful. Of this truly extraordinary number, but not necessarily in the 80s and specifically in 1986 there were at the creative team John / Taupin so now not at all. Since flashed at best short the idea of ​​a holistic good songs by, then suddenly to die in klanggemanschter tastelessness.