Post by jptheprofessor on Nov 30, 2006 17:29:11 GMT -5
ELTON JOHN – THE CAPTAIN & THE KID (Interscope Records) In 1975, Elton John issued his legendary album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, a symbolic and autobiographical tribute to how he and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin rose to the top of the pop music world in the 70’s. Besides celebrating their rise, that concept album also marked the pinnacle of John’s and Taupin’s creativity together. Over thirty years later, John “The Captain” and Taupin “The Kid” revisit and reflect on that magical period in their career on The Captain & The Kid. The tone of this album is not theatric or dramatic like the original Captain Fantastic album, but more reflective and relaxed like John’s last album, Peachtree Road, with a more gentle and upbeat rock, pop and country vibe. John begins retelling the story on the developing opening track, “Postcards From Richard Nixon,” recounting the pair’s arrival in America in the late 60’s as two naïve young men unaware of “the way things ticked in Hollywood.” Slightly recalling “Philadelphia Freedom” from Captain Fantastic, the upbeat “Just Like Noah’s Ark” recounts how John and Taupin learned the ropes and grew wiser about the workings of the big time music business. After musing about his fascination for the Big Apple on “Wouldn’t Have You Any Other Way (NYC), John reflects on how he and Taupin’s relationship became strained on “Tinderbox,” and how excesses hastened his fall from dominance on the uptempo shuffle “And The House Fell Down.” From this point, the album shifts gears from John and Taupin’s story to some of the wisdom and lessons learned from the adventure. John recalls departed friends – most notably John Lennon – on “Blues Never Fade Away,” and ponders the crossroads of his and Taupin’s current careers on the philosophical and serious “The Bridge.” The country-flavored “I Must Have Lost It on the Wind” reminisces past relationships and lessons learned and forgotten from each, while the bluesy “Old 67” celebrates the two songwriting partners’ ability to reminisce and look back on their career together. The title track “The Captain and The Kid” then closes the album as the pair accepts the twilight of their journey, and what a memorable and interesting journey it has been. As he did on Peachtree Road, Elton John sticks with his traditional 70’s brand of pop songcraft, and the songs on this album are pleasant easy to digest. John’s performance is warm and heartfelt; he cherishes his career memories here without ever sounding too sugary and sentimental. With help from Matt Still, John keeps the production fairly simple and uncluttered, with his voice and piano constantly in the forefront, and his supporting cast – again including longtime collaborators Davey Johnstone on guitars and Nigel Olsson on drums – serving to complement and accent his sound. While The Captain & The Kid certainly won’t rival or eclipse the original Captain Fantastic in its impact or popularity, it is a smooth and pleasant album that reveals further insight and wisdom from the most prolific period in Elton John’s and Bernie Taupin’s partnership. This album is a must for hardcore Elton John fans, and even casual fans should find plenty to enjoy here as well.