After nearly 50 years filled with smash-hit singles, albums and countless awards, it would be hard to argue that Sir Elton John is not a legend. And instead of his talent declining, the years have only brought a richness to his voice that makes each new performance even better than the last.
At this point, it would be fair to give the man a break; let him be content continuing with the piano rock he has made so famous. But with the release of his 30th studio album, Sir Elton John wants his listeners to know he isn’t done making music, and more impressively, he isn’t afraid to branch out into completely new genres.
In his latest, The Union, he teams up with the equally legendary Leon Russell, to create a series of tracks that are very much a departure from what the world is used to hearing. Instead of pop/rock songs with strong accompanying piano, he takes a big risk by stepping into the areas of country, folk and even gospel.
Although listeners may at first be taken aback by the unique pairing and John’s new direction, after giving it time it is clear that Elton John can do country, and he can do it well. So many of the songs on the album, including tracks like “Hey Ahab” and “Jimmy Rodgers’ Dream,” reveal that his talent extends far beyond the pop hits and powerful ballads that have made him famous. The Union marks a nearly flawless transition into genres some may have never predicted him capable of attempting.
But for those unsure about him as a country singer, there’s no need to worry: the Elton John everyone has known for years hasn’t disappeared by any means. From the first track on the album (“If It Wasn’t For Bad”), there are still hints and echoes of the celebrated Elton John-pop, which continue throughout the album. And with “The Best Part of the Day,” listeners will find a pretty, melodic track highlighting John’s powerful vocals, which is reminiscent of his “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” Although one of the strongest genres on the album seems to be country, John hasn’t completely stepped away from his roots.
And like much of what has come to be expected from this music icon, the album is simply done well; each song reveals that great amounts of time and effort went in to ensuring this album radiated nothing but the highest quality. The lyrics and melodies expose talent and musical maturity, exemplified in the dark, yet powerful, “There’s No Tomorrow.”
In The Union, John and Russell present a unique blend of musical genres and styles that somehow work together extremely well. The album takes the listener on a journey, from gospel, to folk, to country, to melodic rock and in the end, leaves them fulfilled. The pairing of these two musicians gives the tracks consistency, but the exploration of different genres gives the album depth and a sense of cohesion.
As good as the album is as a whole, towards the end there are a few tracks that don’t stand out quite as much as the others. Those like “I Should Have Sent Roses” and “The Hands of Angels” become a little redundant and unmemorable, with their repetitive lyrics and melodies. In listening to the album, one hopes that each selection will keep getting better and hold its own against those earlier, but unfortunately it just doesn’t happen – there are a select few tracks that are simply not exciting enough.
But in the end, a great deal of credit must be awarded to John – 30 albums into his career, he keeps pushing himself and he continues to improve. The Union is a terrific album, and it is evident that he is still taking risks and branching out, marking the fact that he is a true musician, and a very good one at that.
4 out 5 stars.
