Who Believes In Angels? (Exclusive)＜Purple Marble Vinyl＞

Brandi Carlile and Elton John are part of a two-person mutual appreciation society, and had worked together in the past, so making an album seemed like a good idea. On 2025s Who Believes in Angels? the two singer/songwriters spilt the writing duties -- with Eltons longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin on board as well -- and trade off vocal duties. They brought in Andrew Watt to produce and were backed by a crack group of pros like drummer Chad Smith, bassist Pino Palladino, and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. It took only 20 days to write and record the album, but nothing sounds rushed or tossed off. No doubt everyone involved were such old hands that things came together easily, and when the songs click, the best aspects of each artist mesh perfectly. The openhearted rocker "Swing for the Fences" combines Carliles intimate vocals and warm persona with Eltons exuberance and buoyant energy. She takes the lead on this track, with Elton providing staunch backing vocals and some trademark piano thunder. The same dynamic gives the hard-rocking "The River Man" some live-wire energy and makes it one of the albums finest moments. They also sound great on the empowering ballad "A Little Light" and the jangling midtempo song "Someone to Belong To," where Carlile returns the favor and backs Eltons lead vocals. She also provides a nice assist on the jumping retro-rocker "Little Richards Bible," a song that will answers any doubts about whether he can still cut the mustard vocally. These loose and lively songs are the best part of the record and show off what a good team they can be. Oddly, there are also two songs included that were done by each artist without the input of the other: Carlile dips into some sweetly hushed indie folk on the Bon Iver-esque "You Without Me," while Elton indulges in a little piano-led gospel on "When This Old World Is Done with Me." If they had kept things simple like they did on the aforementioned songs, the album might have been something special. Unfortunately, the pair give into the pull of grandeur, and too much of the record veers into musical theater territory. The title track dances on the edge of being overblown, bereft of a memorable melody, and features both singers going a little too far, while "The Rose of Laura Nyro" comes across less like a moving tribute to the late singer/songwriter and more like an overly obvious song from a musical about her life. The stately ballad "Never Too Late" is another track that lays things on a bit thick, with smothering strings and too many glossy bass runs dragging the somewhat mawkish melody into the muck. These two songs dont ruin the album, though, and no doubt fans of both artists will embrace this project as a great idea that, for the most part, works really well. A little more restraint and a little more Elton taking the lead vocals, and the "most part" could have been stricken from that sentence. ~ Tim Sendra

これまでも交流のあった両者が、アンドリュー・ワットをプロデューサーに迎えてタッグ・アルバムを完成。これが想像以上に素晴らしい出来映えで、ブランディの凛とした歌唱を重ねて力を増した本気のエルトン節はやはりモノが違う。ローラ・ニーロを引用した冒頭のゴージャスなアップ・ナンバーから得意のロックンロール、フォーク、哀愁のバラードまでマジの名曲揃い!
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