 ALANIS MORISSETTE
ELTON JOHN |
ELTON JOHN - “SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST” – 2001 – Universal
It’s been a long time since Elton John has released a great album. Reflecting on his classic sound of the early ‘70s, it’s a refreshing surprise to find him returning to the type of songs that defined his career. Be it the recent resurgence of The Beatles, his own solo tours with Billy Joel or his reconnection with his legendary songbook, John is back on track. It was easy to think that he wasn’t interested in writing like this anymore, given not just his continued success, but the ease with which he was crafting pleasant adult contemporary records. There are still elements of that on “Songs From The West Coast”. A few of the ballads are a little too even-handed, and since this is a modern recording, it lacks the warmth of such classics as “Honky Chateau” and “Tumbleweed Connection”. Still, this is the richest, best record he’s released in a long time, an album where it feels like a hit single is secondary to the pleasure of craft. And this is an album that flows easily and naturally, starting with the story sketch “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and then heading in a number of scenic directions. “American Triangle”, his elegy for Matthew Shepard, the bluesy “Wasteland”, “Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes”, which recalls the “Tumbleweed” epics, “Dark Diamond” and the soulful “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore”. Each is modeled in the organic style of Elton John’s earliest productions, designed to spotlight the poetic lyrics of long time lyricist Bernie Taupin. He also throws in numerous new twists and turns that show that he refuses to be tied too closely to his past. His songwriting hasn’t been this diverse or consistent since the early ‘80s and “Songs From The West Coast” is unquestionably John’s best outing in years. Clearly, John’s final chapter has not yet been written, and he still has plenty left to say. |
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