"A Single Man" by Elton John is a hard one to evaluate. On the one hand, the songs are mostly good ones; and the production is super sweet! Very soft and understated. But Elton's vocals are mostly dis-engaged and generally charmless.

"Return to Paradise" might just be; what with those beautiful falsetto vocals, "Georgia" might  be an under-rated one of those Southern Anthems that filled up "Tumbleweed Connection". But, for me, the real nuggets are the final three songs "Madness", "Reverie" and "Song for Guy", which all sit well together, kind of a trio of darkness, really; "Madness" is a spine chilling disco-prog-rocker with lots of haunting piano chords; "Reverie" is brief but effective, and "Song for Guy" is suitably melancholy and ethereal, given it's essentially a requiem. The vocal part is particularly evocative.

The other songs aren't bad. "I don't care" is a fun rocker in the style of his earlier ones, but the vocals don't relay the fun. "Part-time love" is the best of the rest, a pumpy little tune with a big production. Not a bad album, Rating **1/4 or 2.25
"A Single Man" by Elton John is a hard one to evaluate. On the one hand, the songs are mostly good ones; and the production is super sweet! Very soft and understated. But Elton's vocals are mostly dis-engaged and generally charmless. "Return to Paradise" might just be; what with those beautiful falsetto vocals, "Georgia" might  be an under-rated one of those Southern Anthems that filled up "Tumbleweed Connection". But, for me, the real nuggets are the final three songs "Madness", "Reverie" and "Song for Guy", which all sit well together, kind of a trio of darkness, really; "Madness" is a spine chilling disco-prog-rocker with lots of haunting piano chords; "Reverie" is brief but effective, and "Song for Guy" is suitably melancholy and ethereal, given it's essentially a requiem. The vocal part is particularly evocative. The other songs aren't bad. "I don't care" is a fun rocker in the style of his earlier ones, but the vocals don't relay the fun. "Part-time love" is the best of the rest, a pumpy little tune with a big production. Not a bad album, Rating **1/4 or 2. 25