Elton John and Brandi Carlisle Deliver Some Sweet Tunes in Their Latest Album
Image Courtesy of NPR
By Luis Zonenberg
In an ocean of iconic musical artists and gay icons, none stand out better than the Rocketman himself, Elton John. With a career spanning over sixty years, the living legend has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time! After Elton John performed his farewell tour back in 2023, it seemed like it was about time for him to relax and consider retiring.
However, earlier this year, to our surprise, he announced he was working on a new album titled, Who Believes in Angels Anymore? On top of this, the album marks his first collaboration with another artist, this one being Brandi Carlisle. They released the single “Who Believes in Angels Anymore?” a month in advance of the coming album. The only thing that made this better was how great the rest of the songs were!
The album itself is split into parts, with the last song of each part featuring a solo from each one of them. The opening track, “The Rose of Laura Nyro,” starts with a slow progression that eventually kicks into a really enjoyable rhythm. The slow melancholy tune it starts with slowly morphs into a synth rock that just makes you wanna get up and dance right away.
The next track kicks things into full gear with “Little Richard’s Bible.” Its jazzy beat and uplifting rhythm makes it impossible to sit down without tapping your feet. The song’s story definitely touches on the importance of faith with the lyrics highlighting, “To cast off sex and idols, God whispered in his ear, ‘Come on over here Son, get yourself a Bible.’” It preaches the good Lord while touting a good beat so irresistible you can’t stop listening to it.
The next two tracks are just as good, following off the high “Little Richard’s Bible” left. “Swing for the Fences” transitions into a more upbeat pop tune, with their enchanting vocals guiding you every second. The next track kicks back with “Never Too Late,” emphasizing the importance of always pushing forward. The lyrics paint a beautiful picture, detailing, “We’ll go dancing in graveyards, You can keep your balloons.” The song shows the power of determination and that it is never too late to try or for anything you want in life.
As far as the first part goes, it consistently gets you pumped up and energized enough to go on the dance floor. The only sore spot might be Brandi Carlisle’s solo track, “You Without Me.” Not to say that it is anything bad but its more somber and modernized tune fails to live up to all the hype the other songs built up. The track doesn’t keep with the consistency of all the other songs, with the beauty of the lyrics and voice getting cast aside by such a distracting shift in direction.
Luckily the second part is jam packed with nothing but bangers, with the first track “Who Believes in Angels?” leading the charge. It takes that more somber approach and balances it out with the beauty of the piano rhythm and the duo’s enthralling voices. The lyrics detail them asking, “What does it cost to buy your soul back when you die?
What are the angels gonna do with you and I?”
Other tracks like “The River Man” continue the hot streak by showcasing their excellent voices and engaging tunes. Even Elton John’s closing solo track, “When this Old World is Done With Me,” builds off somber piano to deliver one killer song that feels so personal from such an iconic legend. The album is dare I say close to being pitch perfect, with 10 tracks of enthralling songs all worth listening to. If you’re looking for a new tracklist to start jamming out to or relax with, then Who Believes in Angels Anymore? is a dang good pick to check out as soon as possible!
Rating: 9/10
