--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only criticism heard with any…" description: "\"The only criticism heard with any frequency of Elton John's first American album, 'Elton John,' was that the production was too grandiose. The melodies..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/jon-landau-11785_album_the-only-criticism-heard-with-any-freque_235660.jpg" --- # The only criticism heard with any frequency of Elton… ![“The only criticism heard with any frequency of Elton John's first American album, 'Elton John,' was that the production was too grandiose. The melodies were superb, and lyrics frequently very good, and the performances flawless.” quote by Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/jon-landau-11785_album_the-only-criticism-heard-with-any-freque_235660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/jon-landau-11785_album_the-only-criticism-heard-with-any-freque_235660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/jon-landau-11785_album_the-only-criticism-heard-with-any-freque_235660.jpg) > “The only criticism heard with any frequency of Elton John's first American album, 'Elton John,' was that the production was too grandiose. The melodies were superb, and lyrics frequently very good, and the performances flawless.” [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The album was praised for its grand production, superb melodies, strong lyrics, and flawless performance, despite some criticism of being overly grandiose. **In simple terms:** The album is excellent but maybe too big‑sounding. Key Takeaway Appreciate the music while noting production choices. Themes music criticism production songwriting Mood analytical reflective Type critical contemporary When to use this quote - listening to classic albums - discussing production styles - writing reviews - comparing 1970s rock - teaching music appreciation Key Concepts grandiosity melodic quality artistic ambition Questions to Reflect On - How does production affect your enjoyment of a song? - Do you prefer subtle or lavish arrangements? A Different Perspective Some listeners may find the production overwhelms the songs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Album](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album/) [Albums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albums/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elton/) [Flawless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flawless/) [Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [Melodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melodies/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) ## Related quotes > [As long as Elton John can bring forth one performance per album on the order of 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight,' the chance remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/as-long-as-elton-john-can-bring-forth-one-performance-per-album-on/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Elton John himself never seems pretentious but Bernie Taupin's lyrics often do - sometimes pretentious in a clever sort of way, but pretentious nonetheless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/elton-john-himself-never-seems-pretentious-but-bernie-taupin-s-lyrics/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [I don't care if it's a Cole Porter song, or George Gershwin, or Lennon/McCartney, or Elton John, or you know, whoever, Bob Dylan. Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-a-cole-porter-song-or-george-gershwin-or-lennon/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [I've become a workaholic. When the shows slow down and there's no press and I can get my time to myself in the studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/i-ve-become-a-workaholic-when-the-shows-slow-down-and-there-s-no/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I have been listening a lot to The Carpenters and Neil Diamond, Elton John, and thinking, like, 'God, it'd be great to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-have-been-listening-a-lot-to-the-carpenters-and-neil-diamond-elton/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [If it weren't for Liberace, there would be no Madonna or Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bette Midler, or Elvis because it was Liberace who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/if-it-weren-t-for-liberace-there-would-be-no-madonna-or-lady-gaga/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [I got to know Elton John's older music by learning to like his newer stuff. 'The Lion King?' That's what I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/i-got-to-know-elton-john-s-older-music-by-learning-to-like-his-newer/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [I hope that somewhere in Small Town, U.S.A., a 15-year-old kid looks to me as a role model the way I looked at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/i-hope-that-somewhere-in-small-town-u-s-a-a-15-year-old-kid-looks-to/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [You don't hear a film director saying 'Money mustn't go out of the industry' to actors. You don't hear a concert promoter saying 'We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-taylor/you-don-t-hear-a-film-director-saying-money-mustn-t-go-out-of-the/) [Gordon Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-taylor/) > [It's really important to me to promote worthy causes. But not in a heavy, obligatory, responsibility way. I really admired that as a kid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/it-s-really-important-to-me-to-promote-worthy-causes-but-not-in-a/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [Sometimes it's good to do something that you've never done before, so yesterday, I went out to buy Elton John's new album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-smith/sometimes-it-s-good-to-do-something-that-you-ve-never-done-before-so/) [Arthur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-smith/) > [I grew up with 'best-of' cassettes. My first Smiths record was 'Hatful Of Hollow,' and I had hits albums by Elton John and The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-flowers/i-grew-up-with-best-of-cassettes-my-first-smiths-record-was-hatful-of/) [Brandon Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-flowers/) > [My songwriting is so influenced by orchestrated music, dramatic, super glam rock-y stuff. Two of my biggest influences in songwriting were Elton John and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/my-songwriting-is-so-influenced-by-orchestrated-music-dramatic-super/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [I'm a big fan of piano-based rock music like Elton John, Ben Folds, and even Queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-axel/i-m-a-big-fan-of-piano-based-rock-music-like-elton-john-ben-folds-and/) [Ian Axel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-axel/) > [My influences are Alice in Chains and Elton John.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-kane/my-influences-are-alice-in-chains-and-elton-john/) [Christian Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-kane/) ## More by Jon Landau > [Often, equipment can as easily function as a security blanket for musicians unwilling or unable to risk anything personal in the studio. Whether one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/often-equipment-can-as-easily-function-as-a-security-blanket-for/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [There is absolutely no doubt that the extraordinary Donna Summer belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/there-is-absolutely-no-doubt-that-the-extraordinary-donna-summer/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [There is a 'patrician arrogance' to James Taylor that accounts in part for his popularity while it at the same time explains the critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/there-is-a-patrician-arrogance-to-james-taylor-that-accounts-in-part/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [The greatness of Mac Rebennack, alias, Dr. John, also known as John Crieux, rests on his command of the musical use of idiomatic expression.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/the-greatness-of-mac-rebennack-alias-dr-john-also-known-as-john/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Part of me believes that the completed record is the final measure of a pop musician's accomplishment, just as the completed film is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/part-of-me-believes-that-the-completed-record-is-the-final-measure-of/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Bob Dylan was the source of pop music's unpredictability in the Sixties. Never as big a record-seller as commonly imagined, his importance was first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/bob-dylan-was-the-source-of-pop-music-s-unpredictability-in-the/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > ['Call Me' is not an exceptional Al Green album, but it is as solid as a rock at its center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/call-me-is-not-an-exceptional-al-green-album-but-it-is-as-solid-as-a/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [The Rolling Stones are constantly changing, but beneath the changes they remain the most formal of rock bands. Their successive releases have been continuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/the-rolling-stones-are-constantly-changing-but-beneath-the-changes/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Since her landmark 'Tapestry,' Carole King has both oversimplified and over elaborated that masterful album's style until her music has become something more overtly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/since-her-landmark-tapestry-carole-king-has-both-oversimplified-and/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [It is by now beyond question that Elton John is a competent and classy entertainer. Few people who have achieved his popularity have succeeded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/it-is-by-now-beyond-question-that-elton-john-is-a-competent-and/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > ['Let's Get It On' is a classic Motown single, endlessly repeatable and always enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/let-s-get-it-on-is-a-classic-motown-single-endlessly-repeatable-and/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Atlantic's Jerry Wexler believes first-rate records are made by first-rate voices. He certainly has worked with enough of them: Clyde McPhatter, Joe Turner, La…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/atlantic-s-jerry-wexler-believes-first-rate-records-are-made-by-first/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [The early Stones were adolescent rockers. They were self-conscious in an obvious and unpretentious way. And they were committed to a musical style that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/the-early-stones-were-adolescent-rockers-they-were-self-conscious-in/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [On the surface, rock and roll changes at an amazing pace. The influence of a figure like the Maharishi can appear and disappear in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/on-the-surface-rock-and-roll-changes-at-an-amazing-pace-the-influence/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [On first listening, Joni Mitchell's 'Court And Spark,' the first truly great pop album of 1974, sounds surprisingly light; by the third or fourth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/on-first-listening-joni-mitchell-s-court-and-spark-the-first-truly/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) [Explore all 58 Jon Landau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) ## More Album quotes > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. 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Only thing I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/i-give-you-everything-you-want-as-an-artist-for-so-long-consistency/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/doing-my-own-album-provided-me-the-opportunity-to-say-whatever-i/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [I never thought I would be on the tour or that people would want to talk about my album. It was never about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-never-thought-i-would-be-on-the-tour-or-that-people-would-want-to/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. 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