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List Price: $13.98 | | Label: Island
Salesrank: 46636
Released: March 20, 2001 |
| Our Price: $7.79 |
| Used Price: $3.34 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Live in Australia Track Listing:
1. Sixty Years On
2. I Need You to Turn To
3. The Greatest Discovery
4. Tonight
5. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
6. The King Must Die
7. Take Me to the Pilot
8. Tiny Dancer
9. Have Mercy on the Criminal
10. Madman Across the Water
11. Candle in the Wind
12. Burn Down the Mission
13. Your Song
14. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Live in Australia Reviews:
Passionate or Overblown? 
2008-04-06 - Being a die hard Elton fan is sometimes not easy. I've titled this review to compare two major thoughts I always have while listening to this cd. I can never quite make up my mind where this is a truly passionate delivery from Elton or just completely overblown effort. Let me explain. There's no doubt that Elton pours his heart out on this release. He was in the midst of a tabloid scandal in Britain, his latest studio album didn't do so well(Leather Jackets) and was also at the height of his drug abuse. Not to mention a voice problem that led to surgery. On this release, his voice has no enjoyable quality: it's ragged, strained and monotone. It's a shame because staging a show this large just can't be canceled. So on with the show despite the singer's troubled vocal chords.
But the orchestrations of these songs are simply superb. James Newton-Howard embellishes the most appealing moments from these early tracks (Paul Buckmaster did the original arrangements on the early '70 tracks). There are some standout performances here to: I Need You To Turn To and The Greatest Discovery, in particular due to their delicate lyrics which benefit from the understated arrangements here. On the other hand, Take Me To The Pilot, in which Elton appears to struggle through, is so overdone, it's no wonder his vocals were showing signs of problems. He can barely get through it without sounding out of breath.
Many of these songs are taken from the classic years ('70-'76). Some real notable songs from Elton's Geffen years ('81-'86) were omitted due to record label contract issues (Elton returned to MCA for this 1987 release after 6 years with Geffen). But the listener missed out on some key tracks such as the brillant Cold As Christmas from '83's Too Low For Zero and Slow Rivers, one of the few highlights from '86's Leather Jackets.
All in all, if you can get past his voice here, you will enjoy the cd overall. It's such a shame that his voice wasn't better for such a high profile ocassion.
Best Tracks: 60 Years On, I Need You To Turn To, Madman Across The Water.
Elton Classics Revisited 
2007-06-28 - Elton's Geffen Records contract had run its course and his old home, MCA, made him an offer he couldn't refuse. MCA also wanted to bring Elton back into prominence, to regain the respect and sales he'd accumulated in the 70's. How better to do that, then, than to revisit those early songs in a live context? Better yet, Elton enlisted the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and James Newton Howard to create a televised extravaganza with eyes towards a live album. The set list leaned heavily towards the early years (nearly half the "Elton John" album is here) and tapping some underrated songs like "Tonight" from "Blue Moves" and "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player's" "Have Mercy On The Criminal."
The orchestration is magnificent, utilizing the original Paul Buckmaster and James Newton Howard arrangements, and on CD they are absolutely majestic. Elton made one of his last forays into costume drama, showing up in full Mozart gear and powdered wig. "Live In Australia" even paved the way for "Candle In The Wind" to finally become an American hit, hitting number 6 in 1987. It is a gorgeous album, lush in sound and giving justification to all claims of the brilliance of Elton and Bernie's songwriting.
Only one problem: Elton's voice was almost shot. He was mere weeks away from major, voice threatening throat surgery and the roughness on his vocal chords shows. He can't sustain the highs and his falsetto is gone. On some of the songs, he makes up for it admirably. In fact, he sounds really good on the songs where range isn't a major requirement (like the dramatic "The King Must Die" or "Take Me To The Pilot"), but the ballads occasionally show the frayed spots (like "Tonight," where the orchestration is very Gershwinesque, or "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"). Had it not been for those moments where Elton's voice betrays him, this could have been a five-star definitive work, on a par with "Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra." While "Live In Australia" is still pretty darn good, the definitive live Elton remains the remastered "Here and There."
Definitive Elton John/Taupin Live Album 
2007-05-17 - The music of Elton John and the lyrics of Taupin are showcased in this album of lush orchestral rock. The choice of songs has some of the best loved as well as some of the most underrated songs of the John/Taupin classic years.
All the songs are powerful, evoking emotions that are encouraged by the full rich sound of the orchestration. The resulting album starts off with less well known songs such as 'The Greatest Discovery' and builds to the signature tunes of 'Candle in the Wind' and 'Your Song'.
For younger fans, this is a definitive look at Elton at the peak of his career. For the older fans this is a wonderful look back at the classic years, using pivotal songs, not necessarily the most popular.
For those lucky enough to see Elton John live, this album is a treasured memory. Great live sound, combined with technically superb stagecraft.
Remastered, But Not Improved
2007-03-16 - I am a huge Elton John fan. Just saw his Captian and the Kid tour in February. Fantastic! Best 2 1/2 hour show I have ever seen. Just as good as the Fleetwood Mac 2003 Say You Will tour. Anyway, let's all just keep hoping and praying that Universal / Chronicles Music group will put out a Deluxe 2-disc set of Elton John's Live In Australia album, the complete show, including the 90 minute opening set of Elton's band without the Melbourne Symphony (check out the video of the show).
This quote "Remastered" version is no more than a re-issue by Island Records. It has no more output or better sound than my original Live In Australia issued by BMG back in 1986. Don't waste your money if you are looking for improved sound. It does have a nicer booklet and new liner notes, but that's all.
The same thing happened to me when I purchased the 2001 Island version of Elton John's Greatest Hits 1976-1986. I figured the newer version surely would sound better than the old 1992 original version. WRONG. They were exactly the same.
Now you know.
If I could only own one CD this would be it
2007-02-22 - I can listen to this CD over and over and over without getting tired of it. I just absolutely love the orchestra backing up ELton's raspy singing voice, the combination is magical to me. I am not as fond of the music coming from Elton John in the last decade or two as I was in his earlier days, and this album to me is ELton singing the best of the best. I also especially like that at least half of the songs are not his most known songs and so they have not been played on the radio ad nauseum (even though I play them in my car ad nauseum!)
