They say the long-term memory is the last thing to go.
The new album from Elton John and Brandi Carlile, Who Believes In Angels?, opens in a grand fashion that fans of John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album from 1973 should recognize. The song is The Rose of Laura Nyro, a big bouquet to a long-gone singer-songwriter who influenced John. Nyro believed in Broadway flash as much as Brill Building craft, and one supposes John does too.
The Rose of Laura Nyro is built for the stage. Its instrumental intro is all epic twinkle and swirl, leading to the type of shiny, squealing guitar solo that went out with Tang, Slinkies and Margaret Thatcher.
“This has the energy of something I did in the seventies,” John said at an album launch last week at the London Palladium. He’s not wrong about the energy: The old John razzle-dazzle certainly makes appearances.
The 78-year-old legend, who just won the Glenn Gould Prize, shares co-billing on the album with Grammy-winning Americana artist Carlile, who makes a living these days facilitating the comebacks of Joni Mitchell and others. There’s much to like about Who Believes In Angels?, a vitalized effort and worthwhile adventure in mix-and-match collaboration.
Both Carlile and long-time John lyricist Bernie Taupin contributed the words. I’m going to hazard a guess that Taupin wrote “Christmas Eve is melting dumb as rocks on Monterey” on the opening track, and “Vanity won’t prevail, it’s hot down south/But shut your mouth, grab that old boy by the tail” on the next song, Little Richard’s Bible. On it, John boogies, woogies and occasionally tutti-frutties.
There’s not a lot of Taupin whimsy elsewhere. Either someone else penned most of the lyrics, or the legend who once dared to rhyme “sugar bear” with “didja dear?” isn’t trying so hard any more.
I have issues with producer Andrew Watt. The music is strong, but Watt’s sound is compressed and sterile. There’s no vocal magic between John and Carlile, either. Carlile has shown a great voice on her own albums, but she often comes off as emotionless here. Where have you gone, Kiki Dee?
Contributing players include bassist Pino Palladino, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
Most of the material is sentimental, motivational and hopeful. Swing for the Fences, an encouragement anthem for the marginalized, has the ubiquitous upbeat groove of today’s corporate country rock. The previously released title track is a lovely ballad that explodes sky-high in the chorus: “What are the angels gonna do with you and I?”
The River Man pulls the same dynamic trick. With Carlile at the microphone, it starts with a rootsy trickle. But the chorus rocks like it’s 7 o’clock. Also, dig the piano moments from the Elton John machine.
Closing track When This Old World Is Done with Me is John’s spotlight moment. A gospelled ballad about mortality – “When I close my eyes, release me like an ocean wave, return me to the tide” – ends in an elegant instrumental motif. It feels like closure – a funeral for a friend.
