Customer Reviews

Ice on Fire

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really like this CD. To enjoy some of Elton's 80s work, you have to either enjoy that type of production that was employed in the music at the time, or simply get past it. Behind the production of this album, there are some classic Elton tunes. Cry to Heaven, Nikita, Wrap Her Up, Satellite, Candy by the Pound, and Shoot Down the Moon are great songs. A lot of folks may disagree with me on the last two, but I think they are fun and funky. If you like 80s music, you'll probably appreciate this CD.

Is this the best Captain Fantastic cd?..............NO. Is it a very good cd?..............Yes. That's the key. Never compare Elton John to himself.........Compare him to the other's on the radio. That's when you can start appreciating his brilliance even on a cd like Ice On Fire. It's Very Good.

On Fire is right! Elton John didn't receive enough acclaim for this 1985 album. Bernie Taupin and John teamed up, once again, for this collection of songs....and what resulted was more hits for them to add to their, already, impressive long list of Top 40 songs! Wrap Her Up is a clever dance hit with John and, guest singer, George Michael naming off the most beautiful and sexiest famous women in the world; whom they both fantasize of being with....for a cup of tea :) Nikita is the showstopper hit, and is my very favorite Elton John song to this date: 6/4/01! Nikita is a wonderful ballad....of a man proclaiming his love for a Russian female soldier who is alienated from him by way of a large fortress wall. The beautiful music and lyrics of Nikita are sheer perfection of John and Taupin; with George Michael adding his backing vocals superbly to this one-of-a-kind love song! I would recommend this album simply for these 2 songs alone....I also would suggest his "Greatest Hits 1976-1986" CD(which also feature these hits)! Get it here at Amazon.com! Peace.

This is the cd that gave birth to "Nakita" - A Great Song. The standout along with Wrap Her Up, but some pretty fair music on this cd.

Elton's career has had its ups and downs, but this album came at a time when he was in top form. It followed Breaking hearts (featuring Sad songs say so much, Passengers) and that in turn followed Too low for zero (featuring I'm still standing, I guess that's why they call it the blues). Both of those albums contained some fine album tracks as well as those major hit singles and some lesser hits, and this album followed the pattern. Gus Dudgeon, producer of Elton's albums from his classic 1970 to 1976 period, returned to that position for this album.

The biggest hit here was Nikita, which by making the UK top three, was Elton's biggest UK hit for nearly ten years, although he'd had plenty of UK top ten hits in between. Nikita also made the top ten in America. The follow-up single from this album, Wrap her up made the top twenty on both sides of the Atlantic without capturing the public imagination to the extend of its predecessor. Both hits featured George Michael on backing vocals. A third single from the album, Cry to heaven, became a minor UK hit. By that time, anybody who wanted the song probably had the album. Other great tracks on the album include This town, Tell me what the papers say and Candy by the pound.

When one thinks of Elton John's albums, this one isn't usually among the first to come to mind, but that's only because Elton recorded so many great albums. There is much to like about this album, which was later expanded to include four bonus tracks. This may not be the place to begin a collection of Elton's studio albums, but no serious Elton John fan should be without it.

If Elton John had produced this album in the first half of the 1970's or in the same way as 'Songs from the West Coast'/'The Captain and the Kid' was made it would probably be a fine album. As it is its an average album spoilt my the 1980's production values.

There are some very good songs on here: This Town, Cry to Heaven, Shoot Down the Moon. There are at least a couple of others that merit a few listens. Eventually once you get though the treacled layers of 80's keyboards you will find Elton's unique melodic gift shining through.

All the musicians on this album are top notch, but to a large degree they are wasted. If you want final evidence of the souless nature of this recording compare the album version of 'This Town' with Elton's performance on the UK TV show The Tube. There is no comparison the live version on the Tube is absolutely stunning. The album version sounds castrated by comparison.

So its worth getting, but be prepared to have to listen to it a few times to find the gems.

Elton John's reunion with his 70's producer Gus Dudgeon is one step below his previous work with producer Chris Thomas ("Jump Up", "Two Low For Zero", "Breaking Hearts"), but it is still worthy of recommendation. There are a few exceptional tunes here: "Cry to Heaven", "Nikita", and "Shoot Down the Moon". There are also some very good tunes, such as "Soul Glove", "Satellite", and "Candy by the Pound". But alas, then there's also "Wrap Her Up" and "Act of War". This decent album is another musical barometer showing how Elton John and his primary lyricist, Bernie Taupin, have kept in step with changing tastes in popular music. Fans of early 1980's music should find this album as enjoyable as diehard Elton John fans.

This CD can only be appreciated by someone that already likes Elton John. NOTE: Do not use this CD to try and convert a non-fan. Cry to Heaven and Nikita are the more popular tracks but I liked Wrap Her Up and Shoot Down the Moon as well. I however have to agree with the others that Act of War is the WORST track on this CD. Not Elton's best but worth listening to.

just when elton was on a roll with his last 3 albums,he basically stinks again here. There are slight glimpses of light on this album but not many.The first is in the form of cry to heaven ,the next is Nikita and then the rest is boring.

Generally forgettable album from 1985 that seemed to stunt the resurgence seen on albums like "Jump Up" and "Too Low For Zero." There were a couple of hits from this one and both of them, "Wrap Her Up" and "Nikita" keep this one from being a complete lost, but you'd be better off looking for these songs on various "greatest hits" compilations.