It’s Christmasss! Hahaha, as Noddy Holder from Slade once bellowed. I find it wholly appropriate to say that because, once again, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe sit atop the album chart, and it always makes for a great Christmas present. The duo first teamed up in 2014, and six records on have been quite a success. This album is also a poignant milestone—it marks a decade of their beautiful collaboration.
I am also surprised to discover that I might just well be the FIRST individual to review this new record. No pressure, then, eh? One of the first tracks I would like to highlight is their cover of Heather Small’s ‘Proud’. The song represents the duo’s pride in their roots, welcoming people from all backgrounds into their world and feeling proud of their families.
‘Homeward Bound’ was chosen because it is about being on the road and longing for home. The great American sonwriter Paul Simon also wrote it in Widnes train station.
‘Welcome Home’ is by a small American band called The Welcome Home, which is from the same place as R.E.M. The song combines a modern hymn with a Southern American style of Coldplay. Boe discovered it while trawling through Spotify.
Seeing ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ by Gerry and the Pacemakers on the album was a personal highlight for me. As a fan of Liverpool, and knowing that Boe is also a red, it’s a special connection. Another standout is the timeless ‘Baker Street’ by Gerry Rafferty. The album is a treasure trove of classics like ‘Dirty Old Town’, Take That’s ‘Rule the World’, The Hollies ‘He Ain’t, He’s My Brother’. But my heart belongs to the closing track ‘What’s the Craic? (An Irish Medley)’. This track, a medley of traditional songs from Mother Ireland, including ‘The Irish Rover’, is a perfect ending to a brilliant album. It’s a medley that’s perfect for any celebration or festivity.
Song recommendations: ‘What’s the Craic? (An Irish Medley)’, ‘Dirty Old Town’, ‘Welcome Home’
James is a band that has been around since 1982 and has a large following. Their latest album has finally given them their first No.1, which is impressive considering they have had nine albums in the top ten. The album is a mix of their signature sound and experimental and eclectic tracks. The collaborations on this album are impressive, and the mixing by Cenzo Townsend is top-notch.
The album opens with ‘Is This Love’, which perfectly blends their quintessential sound with synths and Andy Diagram’s trumpet. ‘Life’s a Fucking Miracle’ is a deep house track that explores the ups and downs of life and then bursts into a grand instrumentation. ‘Better with You’ mixes disco with synths and continues the story of ‘Life’s a Fucking Miracle’ where the main character finds “the one”. ‘Stay’ is a powerful track that addresses mental health issues and encourages listeners to keep fighting against the condition.
Chloe Alper, who joined the band in 2018, shines as a backing vocalist on the album, especially on ‘Shadow of a Giant’ and ‘Way Over Your Head’. ‘Way Over Your Head’ features Jon Hopkins on piano and Saul Davies on the violin and is a beautiful ballad about alcoholism. The album’s tracks ‘Mobile God’ and ‘Our World’ showcase the band’s unity and optimism. ‘Mobile God’ explores the issue of smartphones from the phone’s perspective, and ‘Our World’ looks to a better future.
‘Rogue’ is a catchy song about rebelling against ageism, and ‘Hey’ is an experimental track that features gospel music and addresses conspiracy theories vs the media. The album closes with ‘Folks’, a powerful ballad about death. The album proves that James has improved since their reunion in 2007 and dared to go against the grain of what the music industry expects from them. The album is a must-listen for fans of James and anyone who loves great music.
Song recommendations: ‘Life’s a Fucking Miracle’, ‘Mobile God’, ‘Hey’
A mixture of brief and long track-by-track reviews:
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine:
Powerful bassline depicting the fictional story of a girl called Jenny who was murdered. Morrissey(who Brandon is a fan of)inspired him to write the song, which is part of the murder trilogy featured from the “Hot Fuss” period. Frontman Brandon Flowers also said that Alice Deejay’s 1999 smash ‘Better Off Alone’ inspired the sound.
Mr Brightside:
THE iconic anthem that has stood the test of time for the band. It doesn’t matter where you are; everyone will know the words( to the chorus, at least.) and sing them at the top of their lungs with their arms aloft or their fist punching the air. Brandon said this track came to life after he suspected his then-girlfriend was cheating on him. Brandon woke up and went down to the Crown and Anchor public house in Las Vegas and saw his girlfriend cheating. The backing track had already been done before Brandon added his heart-wrenching vocals, followed by the drum machine featured on the demo. The anthem was initially met with disdain during its initial live performances and gathered momentum after the release of ‘Somebody Told Me’.
All These Things That I’ve Done:
Brandon admitted to imitating the late Lou Reed’s vocal delivery for this track. The song features the Gospel group Sweet Inspirations. The bassline was lifted from the late David Bowie’s ‘Slow Burn’.
Somebody Told Me:
Their second single, which had an Oasis-esque vibe, is about trying to pull someone in a nightclub. Brandon cleverly added both sexes in the chorus so both could relate to the meaning behind the song. Pulsating drums and spacey synthesisers over raucous guitars will have you headbanging, dancing uncontrollably or stamping your foot.
When You Were Young:
The synthesisers are warmer than what was heard on “Hot Fuss” over lyrics referencing hurricanes, heartache, and Jesus, specifically in the chorus). The synthesiser takes centre stage with its riff featured on the chorus. There is an element of folk in this 80s synth-pop song.
Read My Mind:
Brandon has said this is the best song he has ever written and declared it his favourite for the band. Again, it is an 80s-inspired synth song with amazing vocals in the verses and a riff that still sticks into your head almost two decades later. Brandon said this originally started as ‘Little Angela.’
Human:
I never understood the lyrics ‘Are We Human? Or are we Dancer?’ However, it is an infectious hook, and maybe due to its melody, it makes the outlandish lyrics redundant. Furthermore, many people have questioned what the lyrics mean because, as you can see, they do not make sense. The track featured a synthesiser, snappy guitar riff, and hi-hat riff, with a second synthesiser coming in the second verse: catchy synthesiser, and full drums in the first chorus. The second chorus features high synth strings, which lead into the middle eight and are accompanied by drums, bass, and vocals. The third chorus is a breakdown featuring the sounds heard so far, with a fade out on the final chorus.
Spaceman:
It is a song about meeting an alien, which gradually affects the main character’s sanity over multiple synthesisers with driven guitars coming in on the chorus. The standout has to be the drumming by Ronnie Vanucci. On a side note: When Noel Gallagher met the band, he ignored the other members and approached Ronnie. At the time, the then Oasis leader was looking for Zak Starkey’s successor.
A Dustland Fairytale:
It’s a song that sounds like it could be in a school assembly. There is an updated version featuring Bruce Springsteen, which was recorded in 2020. The acquisition of the Boss makes the re-recording better than the original version.
Be Still:
An unimpressive ballad.
Runaways:
This track is Bruce Springsteen-esque.
the Man:
I am not a fan of it, to be honest. It has that 1980s feel to it (I tend to cringe at most of the music from the 80s when I hear them played.). Don’t get me wrong, I like some 80s disco, but this had far too much to my liking, and I certainly wouldn’t put it in the Nile Rodgers category (I would have liked it, then.).
Caution:
Sounds like four bands rolled into one song. The intro is very Tame Impala, the verses are the War on Drugs and Slowdive, and the chorus is the Killers. Once again, the lyrical content and the story draw you in. There’s even an appearance by Lindsey Buckingham on the lead guitar. The story is about rolling the dice and throwing caution to the wind regardless of the consequences because you don’t want to regret missed opportunities.
My Own Soul’s Warning:
It is a slow-building track that bursts into a traditional Killers wall of sound. You can never forget the sound for that reason alone. The fable is quite religious, and what happens when you start questioning its validity?
Dying Breed:
Brandon goes for it on this song, especially in the chorus, as his vocals grow in volume. It’s a typical Killers track with all the synthesisers, et cetera. One to get the seating section up on their feet for a dance at the gigs.
Pressure Machine:
This is my third choice recommendation from the album with the same name. However, apart from the story being told, it lacked a hook and a chorus. It felt more like Spoken Word than the bombastic sound we know the band for.
Quiet Town:
A fable about two individuals killed in a 1994 car accident in Utah 1994 when a train hit them at a crossing. This song has some meaning to Brandon because he hails from the same town in Utah where the incident happened. He also saw one of the victims that day morning on the way to school. The song is broken down into verse one: the accident. Chorus one: How it shook the town, and what these Mormons are like. Verse two: 20 years after the accident, discussing the opioid stories. Chorus two: How the people live their lives and how their faith will pull them through. Verse three: Brandon outlines how he feels when he returns to his hometown. Chorus three: The local folk are good people and help those in need—verse four Talks about the train remembering taking those lives. Overall, the song is taken from the point of view of a train worker who witnessed the incident. The worker also says how the train kills someone every two or three years, maybe depicting that individuals intentionally commit suicide by being struck by the train. Why? Well, one of the lyrics is, “You…I, I think the train is a way to find your way out of this life if you get hit by it”.
Boy:
Chopping hi-hats, dazzling guitar riffs, and Brandon’s personal lyrics over their usual synth rock. The topic is Brandon addressing himself and his children about the past and the optimism of the future.
Your Side of Town:
Quintessentially the Killers.
Spirit:
The sole new track on the album, and closer samples Underworld’s iconic ‘Born Slippy’ over the band’s quintessential sound.
Song recommendations: ‘Mr Brightside’, ‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘Spirit’
Pop-funk verse, acoustic guitar in chorus, tempo changes throughout with Brian Eno on synthesisers.
the Court:
Similar to ‘Panopticom with piano at outro and Brian Eno on synthesisers.
Playing for Time:
Emotional piano ballad accompanied by strings.
i/o:
Lyrically focused, it grows from a relaxing melody into a singalong anthem.
Four Kinds of Horses:
Briano Eno on synthesisers and electric worms, half-spoken verse, rousing bridge, and a subliminal message chorus.
Road to Joy:
Brian Eno on production, uplifting track with a catchy hook.
So Much:
An emotional track over the piano with Soweto Gospel Choir.
Olive Tree:
Classic Peter Gabriel with an air-punching chorus.
Love Can Heal:
Something of a lullaby.
This is Home:
Outstanding vocals over a fantastic production.
And Still:
An emotional track addressing the death of his mother.
Live and Let Live:
Brian Eno on synthesisers and rhythm programming, Soweto Gospel Choir also features. Peter said the late Nelson Mandela and the late Desmond Tutu inspired the track. It’s a track about love and forgiveness.
Conclusion:
This is a quintessential Peter Gabriel album, which isn’t a bad thing, but the tracks are incredibly long, and I would describe the production like a river—everything flows, but the songs all sound similar, with some exceptions. I don’t know how this got to No.1 when the kids these days stream music, and I wouldn’t have Peter Gabriel at the top of their list. I can only think that “i/o” has been bought for parents/grandparents, uncles and aunties as a Christmas present. Still, fair play to him for managing to score a No.1 album in this day and age.
Song recommendations: ‘Panopticom’, ‘Four Kinds of Horses’, ‘Live and Let Live’
Here is a track-by-track review of the band’s new material for a very long time:
Angry:
The teaser for the record is undoubtedly up-tempo and effortless. It reminded me of some of their songs from the 80s. More so with the riffs rather than Mick’s vocals, which never seem to change.
Get Close:
What I liked about this track is the band went rogue with this one and added a saxophone solo and harmonies that are hardly “a la mode”. However, I like all that avant-garde stuff, so fair play to them for not trying to follow the trend—the first of two tracks to feaure Elton John.
Depending on You:
It is a radio-friendly country ballad complete with soaring strings.
Bite My Head Off:
Paul McCartney (Who recommended they return to the studio for the first time in over a decade.) features on this punk-fuelled track. You wouldn’t know his presence on the track until Mick bellows, “Come on, Paul!”.
Whole Wide World:
Another high-energy track that discusses Mick and Keith addressing youngsters about the things to look out for before they grow old and wise.
Dreamy Skies:
This is the halfway point and the end of the A-side of the vinyl (if you happen to purchase it.). As you can imagine, as it is the final track on the A-side of the vinyl, the tempo eases to a plodding country ballad, yet instead of lulling you to sleep, it still maintains the energy enough to grab your concentration.
Mess it up:
The vinyl’s flip side, or the second half of the record, begins with an outro/intro to give you the sense of being involved in the recording process in the studio with the band. Disco is not their most robust genre for experimenting, but it works with the stomping piano thrown in at the breakdown—this is one of the final tracks to feature their late drummer, Charle Watts.
Live by the Sword:
This is the final track to feature his drumming, leading off from the Charlie Watts thing. It is fitting, then, that this is also another uplifting track with a vibrant piano riff. However, this one is less disco and more what can only be described as a nod to the late Elvis Presley with Elton John(second and final track.) providing the aforementioned vibrant piano riff. Although not lyrically strong, it is surpassed by Mick’s vocal skills and Elton’s dazzling piano playing. Don Was from Was(Not Was) is on production. Ex-bassist Bill Wyman also makes a cameo.
Driving Me too Hard:
It’s a quintessential Stones track with recycled riffs. One for the purists rather than the casuals who might find this “safe” and just a filler.
Tell Me Straight:
It was the first track to have guitarist Keith Richards take over vocal duties. His vocals suit this melancholic ballad. Surprisingly, you want this one to last longer because there appears to be beauty in listening to this. I like melancholic songs, which the Smiths and Noel Gallagher have mastered, so I’ll let you cast your aspersions here.
Sweet Sounds of Heaven:
A sublime track. With Lady Gaga singing and the great Stevie Wonder working his magic on the keys, it doesn’t feel like the Rolling Bones(Deliberate.)are on this in any way, shape or form. It’s quite surreal seeing the band cede control of their track. It is the longest, weighing in at over seven minutes. Although Lady Gaga soars with her vocal performance, what happens when Mick returns to duet is beyond words. This gospel-inspired song is just exquisite. My favourite by far.
Rolling Stone Blues:
We end the album with the cover ‘Rolling Stone Blues’ by the legendary and late Muddy Waters. This is the first time the band have recorded the cover, despite it inspiring their name. It is a comedown after celestial ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’, but it doesn’t feel inferior in the slightest.
Song recommendations: ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’, ‘Angry’, ‘Mess it up’
Who could forget 2015 when Hozier went toe-to-toe with James Bay for the anthem of the year? I am trying to remember who won precisely, but both anthems are now somewhat iconic. That was the beginning of Hozier’s already lengthy career. We might not have heard of him until then, but he was in a band before and did several live performances as a backing vocalist, et cetera. His anthem, ‘Take Me to Church’, finally got him noticed. The whole album was good, and the songs performed live were quite celestial. According to an interview with Jools Holland, “Unreal Unearth”, his third studio album, is inspired by literature, such as Danté.
What I found somewhat surprising is Hozier has written only two songs on the record, and the rest are co-written. You would think Hozier wouldn’t find this necessary, as he has shown he is a great songwriter on many occasions. As you can imagine, the two he wrote are by far the best work on the album. One of them would be seen as controversial over here as it details how the Irish citizens suffered at the hands of Britain during the invasion. Particularly the holocaust, which is dressed as the “famine”. The track in question is called ‘Butchered Tongue’, and over this plucked acoustic tune, Hozier gives a fiery vocal delivery about the injustices. If you can’t handle sheer honesty in the song, then don’t listen. He doesn’t hold back. It was also refreshing to hear a Gaelige song that introduces the album—further stamping his Irish identity. The second, written by him, is towards the end of the album ‘Unknown/Nth’, an ethereal track riddled with metaphors.
Another of my standouts are songs I had earlier in the year when he performed on Later…with Jools Holland. ‘Eat Your Young’ is quite a disturbing track. Still, it has some fantastic guitar work by Hozier and then ‘Francesa’, a highly emotional track about someone dying of an incurable disease. The vocal delivery on both are raw and sung with absolute conviction. Hozier’s lyrics go from biblical references, to the outlandish naming of car parts. It is beyond insane as the record progresses. The biblical references kind of blend in with the whole Danté-inspired premise.
In the Spring edition of Later…with Jools Holland this year, Jools felt the album was eclectic, and Hozier agreed. Indeed, this record has funk, soul, Celtic, and rock, to name a few. As well as having co-writers, Hozier also did an indie-inspired track called ‘Damage Gets Done’ with Brandi Carlile. Then there is a jazz track, ‘All Things End’. You would be forgiven for detecting a metronome, but it is surprisingly finger clicks, complete with a gospel choir in the chorus.
It was disappointing to find Hozier acquired co-writers for this album, and you feel cheated knowing he did. Yes, co-writers can write, but they need help understanding the meaning of your songs. As mentioned earlier, Hozier, in his own right, is a great songwriter, so this decision seems odd. Hozier is known for writing passionately about things he is interested in or his life. I can only think the record label browbeat him into using co-writers because they would be able to stem his creativity on what can be controversial opinions. The real test is how they hold up live. Although the album might be slightly manic with the genre-hopping, I still find it quite a good listen.
Song recommendations: ‘Francesca’, ‘Butchered Tongue’. ‘De Selby Part 1’
The opening track to her ninth studio album is called ‘the Grants’, and it features her in the studio( you can hear interactions between her and the production crew) that leads into a gospel intro with backing vocals. As with most of the record, it is her usual piano ballad. From what I listened to, this is the only track that slightly deviates away from the typical piano ballad. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a boring listen because she has plenty of conscious lyrics to compensate, but there is little regarding the instrumentation. The strings give some flesh to the ballads.
Song recommendations: ‘A&W’, ‘Candy Necklace’, ‘the Grants’
As everyone who reads my reviews knows, I reviewed Sam’s last two albums, which were less than complimentary. Straight up, brutally honest about how they sounded the same as his debut. He left his comfort zone twice on the last record, and every song sounded like the previous. However, this time, I am pleased to inform you he has left his comfort zone when tackling new genres. He has, on the main, stuck with his usual falsetto vocals.
Sam has also changed his perspective on life since becoming happy with who he is, which is evident in the album. Yes, once again, it is conscious, but there are uplifting lyrics this time. He also has a few collaborations on the album with Ed Sheeran and Koffee, among others.
The record starts with ‘Love Me More’ delving into Sam’s love for Gospel. The lyrics themselves are pretty dark. I will now go into why the album has shown Sam a bit more diverse sound this time. First, I already mentioned the opener ‘Love Me More’. He dives into RnB with ‘Perfect’ and then into the disco-infused ‘Perfect, where he discovers how he has learnt to accept himself as whole.
The one that did take me by surprise was ‘Unholy’. It has a Grime quality to it, and to be honest, the song’s theme fits the music. Sam foretells about a family man who indulges in unprotected sex.
There are plenty of more RnB tracks or his usual piano ballads. This isn’t the best for me, but the disco floor filler ‘I’m Not Here to Make Friends’ is a standout on the record, and you can go right when you get Calvin Harris to produce the track. The great Nile Rodgers would be proud of this one.
My favourite, however, is something I wasn’t expecting as I’m not too fond of extremely short tracks. The title track is fucking excellent; Sam is accompanied by a choir, as each lyric elevates and reverberates around the church the song is performed in. The album closes with ‘Who We Love’, a soft and gentle duet with Ed Sheehan where they talk about giving you into your heart because it knows who we love.
Sam surprised me this time. I was impressed he experimented with other genres, and it made the listen fly by rather than dragging on.
Song recommendations: ‘Gloria’, ‘I’m Not Here to Make Friends’, ‘Unholy’
I have enjoyed his previous two, but this one turned out to be disappointing. Unfortunately, Stormzy has discovered auto-tune, which makes a potentially good album utterly shit. I am not putting sugar on anyone’s cornflakes. This album was rather enjoyable to listen to until THAT kicked in. There was one particular song I was getting into (I believe it was the title track.) featuring the multi-instrumentalist/singer/beatboxer Jacob Collier, with his phenomenal harmonising. Still, it was unfortunately ruined by a rapper using auto-tune. Jacob features quite heavily on this record, but most songs could be better. I only enjoyed two songs because they were auto-tune-free. ‘Please’ is spoken word over keys and a gospel choir, and ‘Need You’ is spoken word over Afrobeat. This is the first time I have heard Stormzy perform spoken word, and it was refreshing to hear.
Who doesn’t know who Elton John is? The man is part of music royalty. I have no idea how I was introduced to his music because he has been a constant, and I probably first heard him while I was inside the womb. He has released over 30 albums, hit the top spot just shy of 10 times, and won many accolades.
But as he revealed on the recent episode of Later…with Jools Holland at Helicon Mountain, just like everyone else, he found himself in the same situation during the lockdown. Indeed, Elton had to postpone dates for what he says will be his final tour, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour”. Elton has said on several occasions that he will quit touring for good. Still, this time, in conversation with Jools, he said that by the time the tour has finished, he would be shy of 80, meaning that he will probably be close to his mid-eighties by the time another album tour commences. Elton declared he wants to enjoy his family rather than being out on the road because he doesn’t particularly like touring as it is. Although he will retire from touring, he has said he will continue to release material for himself or collaborate with other artists.
So, how was the concept of this record born? Elton wanted to do more than play family games and watch television,which he initially did and wanted to be more active. So, instead of starting an album from scratch, he elected to do a collaboration record that features an array of talented musicians from Brandi Carlile to Yo-Yo Ma. Is the guest list a surprise? No. Not really. He has collaborated with pretty much everyone in the industry. The most surprising of all was with 2pac on ‘Ghetto Gospel’ in 2004 from Pac’s “Loyal to the Game” album produced by Eminem, who, despite using derogatory language towards homosexuals, ended up becoming good friends with Elton. Elton, of course, also has the likes of Ed Sheeran signed to his Rocketman management service.
I liked most of the album, albeit four tracks out of the 16. The tracks on “the Lockdown Sessions” are split down the middle between old tracks that were hits of his being tweaked and reimagined and the other half being unreleased and unique material. ‘Learn to Fly’ features the Texas duo Surfaces, inspired by Elton’s love of jazz. ‘Chosen Family’ is the standout track for me, which features Rina Sawayama (In fact, it is her song.), where they talk about…well, what the song title is.
Now, I recently found out that it is supposed to be in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, of which both Elton and Rina are a part, but when I heard it, I listened to a song about us all being as one. I didn’t hear a reference to just one community but a message for the whole world. When put in the setlist, this track will be the moment when all the phones and lighters are lit up. It is a lovely slow-tempo ballad. By far, it is his best work on the album; believe me, there is plenty of it on this.
I am not a fan of Years & Years, but the reimagined version of the Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 smash hit, ‘It’s a Sin’, is brilliant. It is globa! Reach mix showcases the vocals of Olly Alexander signing over an acoustic guitar before Elton comes with his piano over a pulsating disco beat that will fill many a dancefloor at a wedding reception and those cheesy disco parties. I don’t know how the lads from Pet Shop Boys feel, but it doesn’t discredit the track for me. It is more upbeat and less sad.
If it weren’t for the beautiful collaboration with vocalist Rina Sawayama, the next track I am going to mention would haveprobably been my standout, and that’s the collaboration with Miley Cyrus, Watt, Yo-Yo Ma and Metallica bassist RobertTrujillo on, funnily enough, Metallica’s 1991 soft and melancholic ballad ‘Nothing Else Matters’.
Miley’s vocal delivery resembles Lana del Rey’s with her gravelly voice. The song doesn’t deviate much from the original but is slower and more acoustic throughout. In contrast, the original involves a lot of electric guitar during the chorus and the solo section. You have to say it was a stroke of genius to bring on board a member of the band, Robert Trujillo, who would have made sure that the version by Elton did the original justice rather than see it spoiled or maybe even murdered by overproduction or sending it into the cheesy pop realm.
The record’s diversity is quite something to behold, as you can tell by some of the tracks I have already touched on (Have you been paying attention? Hahaha.). Another disco and uplifting song is ‘Orbit’, featuring SG Lewis. I say disco, but is it? Well, yes and no. Yes, it is disco, but no, it ventures into the early days of what was to become house music, but with a retro twist. You are propelled back to the 1970s disco fever era but with an element of early house. Touching on the record’s diversity, Elton said it sent him back to his time as a session musician in the late 60s and how he has managed to balance the music he grew up with and the music that young people are currently listening to. Elton isn’t trying to appeal to just one audience, nor is he treating this as just a joke of a collaboration album. He has put serious work into this, and it has paid off.
The next song I will mention is with an artist I have heard an awful lot of late and watched, god knows how many documentaries about her, and that’s Elton’s excellent friend Brandi Carlile. They team up on ‘Simple Things’ that, as you can imagine, is embedded into Brandi’s country roots. Elton brings his country concept to the track and talks about the wisdom he has picked up throughout his years as a musician. I mean, there are just so many great tracks on “the Lockdown Sessions”. I am goingto sum up the following shortly and sweetly:
‘E-ticket Ride’ featuring Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder: This is their glam-rock take on the Beatles classic ‘Ticket to Ride’, but the lyrics are updated for a modern world. Hence ‘E-ticket’.
‘Finish Line’ featuring Stevie Wonder: Stevie is a music legend in his own right and brings gospel to this song,making it spiritual.
‘Stolen Car’ featuring Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks: This track could be mistaken for the same couple from ‘Don’t GoBreaking My Heart’ talking about their relationship through those 45 years.
‘I’m Not Gonna Miss You’ featuring the late Glen Campbell: Glen would be proud of Elton’s collaborations and his reimaginingof his songs and others. Indeed, I love Glen’s covers of the Foo Fighters ‘Times Like These’ and Green Day‘s ‘Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)’, respectively. It is a negative way to close the album and is probably the final wave by Glen. We lost him in 2017, but I imagine Elton has stored away this one for years, and through the lockdown, we have had the opportunity to say goodbye to Glen on this downtempo ballad.
My one disappointment with the record is that there has yet to be room for the late Leon Russell, who passed in 2016. Elton was a massive fan of Leon’s, even recording an album with him in the early 2000s. I was surprised not to have seen a collaboration with Leon on a track from those early 2000s sessions. I would have listed the ‘the Pink Phantom’, which also features on Gorillaz’s latest album, “Song Machine”. Overall, the track is excellent, and I have heard it at least four times on the band’s current tour. However, 6lack ruins it for me because he uses that software I detest, and the guy can’t sing anyway, so it doesn’t add any value to the track. It spoils it. Take him off, or get him to rap without the vocal software; you have a great track. This latest album is a testament to Elton’s ability to switch the creative tap on when necessary.
Song recommendations: ‘Chosen Family’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘Simple Things’
Honest Opinions 