Elton's sequel takes us back
Published Sept. 22, 2006
Thirty years seems like a long time to wait for a sequel, but for fans of Elton John and long-time lyrical partner Bernie Taupin, the wait is worth it.
The Captain & The Kid serves as a musical autobiography of Elton and Taupin's relationship and a sequel to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The 10-track album spans the rebellious anthems of the Nixon/Carter years to reflections on the hollowed life of the drugged-out rock star.
The Captain & The Kid is a welcome gift to listeners who had to endure the VH1/contemporary musical fallacy that was Songs from the West Coast. Elton heard the cries of his fans and went back to what made him a Grammy Legend Award winner: emotional vocals piano and accompanied by a set to the poetic lyrics of Taupin. What results is a fusion of the sounds that made the '70s so great.
"Postcards From Richard Nixon" sets the backdrop for the pending journey with peppy chords and nostalgic lyrics. From there, it blends into the gospel-meets-rock "Just Like Noah's Ark," a story of Elton and Taupin taking on the world. Visions of the Elton from the '70s are reminiscent throughout the electric organ and piano solos.
"And the House Fell Down" brings soul-induced piano playing and steady bass to a tragic tale about a singer who has hit rock bottom. Vocally, Elton returns to his emotional belting of earlier years. During "Blues Never Fade Away," a tribute to people who are corrupted by Hollywood, you find yourself waiting for Elton to bust into "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." The album ends with "The Captain and the Kid," a song that raps up the pair's frustration and joy over the past three decades in just five minutes.
The Captain & The Kid is exactly what Elton's fans have been asking for in the new millennium. But though the producers suggest the album is showing what direction Elton is heading, it seems to celebrate more where the artist has come.
Elton makes the album his own musical memoir, more of a retrospect than a sequel. It's no doubt he has grown musically during the past 30 years, and Taupin's lyrics have changed into a remembrance of the past rather than a commentary of the present.
John isn't trying anything new in his latest effort; he's merely enjoying and sharing what he does best with his listeners. He states it well in the closing lyrics of the album: "And that's just what we did/ No lies at all just one more tale/ About the Captain and the Kid."
Artist: Elton John
Album: The Captain & The Kid
Genre: Pop rock
Record Label: Interscope Records
Release Date: Sept. 19
Most Listenworthy Track: 'And the House Fell Down'
Reviewer's Rating: 4 out of 5 Ms