Elton John reveals excitement for upcoming album
and more. But then he hit big in 1983 with “I’m Still Standing” – and since then, he’s steadied himself between crowd-pleasing pop and serious songwriting.
His 2023 album, The Lockdown Sessions, saw him collaborating with huge stars like Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, Gorillaz, Stevie Nicks, and Dua Lipa. The results were interesting, but maybe kind of what you would expect – which is no shame at all. But the news that he is teaming up with Brandi Carlile really grabbed my attention. Carlile’s 2021 album, In These Silent Days, is near-perfect. It sounds like classic ‘70s California pop, singer/songwriter music! I feel like this one is going to be interesting! Having never met, John and Carlile have both been fans of one another for years, and performed duets from their homes during the early days of the pandemic. They’re still working out the details, but it’s something to look forward to for sure.
I’m looking forward to hear what they bring out of each other. On one hand, it would be cool if they tried on sort of ‘70s soft rock: Could you imagine Elton and Brandi doing a take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Never Going Back”? Or how about “Willin’” by Little Feat? But maybe they’ll want to do something that feels very of the moment: Maybe they’ll take on one of Carlile’s songs or come up with something brand new. Or maybe this is the final push Elton John needs to release his notorious album that he records with Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Young at Heart.
No matter what direction they take, I’m betting it’ll be a good one. Regardless, I think it’s about time for a conversation about how Elton’s ‘80s hits are totally underrated. Sure, some of them are cheeseball – but aren’t a lot of Elton John songs a little cheesy? And some of them are genuinely great: sure, “Nikita” is kind of hokey, but it’s still beautiful. And “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” should be considered one of his best songs of the decade! The way it builds is absolutely spine-tingling. And “Empty Garden” – his tribute to John Lennon – is both touching and beautiful.
I’ve long said that 1989’s “Sacrifice” is his last truly great ballad. It’s on the level of all his hits – “Your Song,” “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” and “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.” So many of his lesser-known ballads from The One and The Big Picture were great, too. The Big Picture, in particular, is an underrated album. In other words: I can’t wait for a new Elton album. And it gets even better with the news that he is making it with Brandi Carlile.