The Big Picture
finds
Elton John
in strong form, turning in a by-now-predictable collection of
ballads
and
pop
songs designed to appeal to the
adult contemporary
audience. The difference is inspiration. With
Made in England
,
John
and his collaborator
Bernie Taupin
showed signs of life, and they continue that winning streak here. There may be nothing new on
, but it's well-crafted professional
, demonstrating
's knack for catchy
hooks and his way with a ballad. As with any latter-day
album, hits like
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight"
are balanced out by some filler, but the key to the album is how album tracks like
"Recover Your Soul,"
"If the River Can Bend,"
"The Big Picture"
carry emotional and melodic weight. It's a solid effort from one of
's most reliable artists. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine