Elton John Album: “Songs From the West Coast”

After the mid-1970s, Elton John's superstar days diminished in a litany of personal problems, addictions, and insecurities that effectively rendered his glory days over. His commercial successes still continued along virtually unabated, but after 1976's double album BLUE MOVES, the majority of Elton's albums were hit-and-miss affairs with some occasional glimmers of brilliance, but more than a few amounts of coasting. But at the start of the 1990s, Elton finally cleaned up his life and got back on the ball creatively for the most part. However, in the rush to re-establish his commercial dominance, the genius that had characterized his early works had been soft-pedaled. Then at the start of the new millennium, Elton & his lyricist Bernie Taupin (who Elton had worked with only sparingly throughout the '90s) were essentially reborn thanks to 2001's SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST.

While to claim it as one of Elton's all-time best would be a rush to judgement, it's still nonetheless astounding that with SONGS, Elton finally tried his hardest to create another masterpiece like his early '70s music, using the same intelligent songwriting that was reminiscent of TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION and CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, along with getting back behind his piano on a larger basis than before. The only thing that is different is that Elton's voice is now deeper than it was in the early days, owing perhaps to age or the long-lasting signs of his addictions. But it's a voice of experience nonetheless, and SONGS shows just how far Elton has come after 3 decades of celebrity.

The first single "I Want Love" was hailed as Elton's finest in almost 20 years, and this John Lennon-inspired ballad is certainly worthy of that honor. While the singer may want something a little akin to a one-night stand rather than truly lasting love, it still speaks to any listener who has wanted some kind of affection, no matter what. Not since the title track to 1992's THE ONE had Elton created such an affecting ballad.

Elton's ballads have always been the surefire winners in his career, and those on SONGS do not disappoint. "Original Sin", the heartfelt "Ballad Of The Boy In Red Shoes" & the anthemic closer "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (perhaps hinting at a final break with his decadent past) are further additions to that long list of great slow songs in Elton's catalog. The fact that producer Patrick Leonard decided to give the album a more roots-based production (he's Elton's most sympathetic producer since Gus Dudgeon) makes the strengths of these tunes even more crystal clear.

But of course, "American Triangle" is the reigning king of the album's ballads for its emotion alone. An intensely moving tribute to the late Matthew Shepard, you can tell Elton felt a kinship with Shepard, as an openly gay man himself. While the lyrics could be misinterpreted as homophobic, this is definitely not the case, and is just simply a case of not whitewashing its subject. Hopefully, one listen to this song will turn any hateful person around.

Because Elton's most recent big hits have been Adult Contemporary-leaning ballads, his status as a credible rocker back in his early days is often overlooked. Yet SONGS helps put paid to the fact that Elton still can rock, and perhaps even better than before. The opening "The Emperor's New Clothes" is the siren call that Elton the rocker has returned. "Dark Diamond" is a borderline funk experiment with the welcome help of Stevie Wonder on harmonica. The blues-based "The Wasteland" has been denounced as a sour apple, but it's not half-bad, even if it does warrant perhaps a finer-crafted experiment on the next album.

The other songs do indeed take a while to register, but once they do, you can't overlook their stellarness. "Look Ma No Hands", the countryish "Birds" (finally seeing Elton return to TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION days successfully), "Love Her Like Me" (which is a slight descension back into AC gloss) & "Mansfield" all work their ways into your subconscious eventually. Just give them time!

At Elton John's age (he just turned 57), a veteran like him would maybe be expected to lose the genius of their early years & just let the accolades from the product of that era keep rolling in. After constantly being accused of coasting along for the last two decades or so, re-energizing himself was probably the last thing Elton could be expected to do. But with SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST, he did that and then some. Hints of the album may point to being a certain valediction (Elton commented a year or two ago about it being his last album), but I don't think Elton is leaving us for good. He could just be weary from all the activity of the last few years, and is in need of a rest. When he does come back, we can best be sure that another modern masterpiece like SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST is definitely in the offing.

The songwriter team of Elton and Taupin is synonymous for excellent lyrical and moving music. Many of the tracks here rank up there with Elton's best, echoing many of his 70s best writing - Sorry Seem to the Hardest Words, Empty Garden, Blue Eyes etc... The songs here are wonderfully produced by Madonna's long-time producer/songwriter, Patrick Leonard (Like A Prayer, True Blue). The entire album is produced in an almost acoustical setting - mostly with drum, bass, acoustic guitar, percussion and Elton's piano, bringing out both the music, vocal and excellent lyrics. The appearance of Elton's 70s backing vocals, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone, and guests musicians, Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston make this one of Elton's best albums in recent years. Every track is excellent, esp. The Emperor's New Clothes, I Want Love, Dark Diamond, Original Sin and This Train Don't Stop There Anymore (I can't stop playing this song!). Definitely Grammy material and Album of the Year.

Once upon a time there was a singer and songwriter by the name of Elton John. He sounded very different from other artists of the day, creating hit album after hit album based on the often nonsensical lyrics of his friend Bernie Taupin. And somewhere around 1976, this creative genius went away, except for flashes of brilliance.

This Elton John person began to come back in the 90s with albums like "The One", "Made in England", which included his first non-Disney #1 song in nearly 20 years, and "The Big Picture". Each of these albums had some of the flavor of that pre-1976 Elton person. And now, "Songs from the West Coast". The original Elton John is back, grown up, older, wiser, and better than ever.

The orchestration that cluttered so many of his albums in the late 70s and into the 80s is gone. Elton has found his piano again, prominent in this CD, as it was in his earliest albums. The sound is much simpler, and yet, somehow more sophisticated in its maturity, than so many of the albums that came after 1976. In a word, this is Elton John as I would have wanted him to sound in the new millenium.

"The Emperor's New Clothes" has a sound right out of "Don't Shoot Me", with backup vocals that are reminiscent of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", without being retreads. "Dark Diamond" is vaguely reminiscent of some of Elton's 80s music, only constructed with the skill that only occasionally surfaced in that period.

"Look Ma, No Hands" is solid pop, Elton style, not overblown, sparse, good music. There is a wonderful piano solo in the bridge...if only it was a little longer.

"American Triangle" laments intolerance in the United States, and wonders what inheritance was given to the children of America. The song may be a reference to the gay-bashing murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming. A sad song about a sad subject.

Another bluesy song, "Original Sin", follows. A love song that would seem to be about someone's first true love, and perhaps first sexual experience.

The CD then breaks the depression with an almost whimsical song, "Birds", a song about being shy or introspective. In a way it fits with Elton John.

"I Want Love", released with a video with Robert Downey, Jr., follows. The video was pretty novel with Downey lip-syncing the words to the song as he walked through a house. In many ways the song style was similar to videos by Lisa Loeb and one 80s video by Elton, but the lip-syncing was an interesting touch. The music to match the lyrics are so basic that the sparsity of orchestration well-matches the topic. And yes, there is a flavor of John Lennon in the music.

"The Wasteland" is a jazzy tune with a reference to a blues musician, Robert Johnson. I admit that I am not familiar with Robert Johnson, so I can't speak to the appropriateness of the reference. This particular song may be the weakest on the CD.

"The Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes", "Love Her Like Me", "Mansfield" and "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" end out the CD. The first of these four has a "Madman Across the Water" flavor to it. "Love Her Like Me" reminds me of "The Big Picture", which I enjoyed as well as this CD. "Mansfield" is a love song, but with a wonderfully mature touch versus schlocky teenager lyrics. These songs generally have an upbeat feel to them, even when the subject matter is serious. I hate to end a good review on a downbeat note, but "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" has the weakest lyrics of any song on this CD, a touch trite and corny in places. Oh well...skip over it if you can't deal with it, or try to focus on the music.

I grew up with Elton John, and was disappointed when his music did not keep pace with my tastes. While he continued to be a top 40 success, I longed for his music to mature into something serious. I felt his maturity growing in "The One", "Made in England", and the "The Big Picture". Elton has achieved a very wonderful piece of serious adult music with "Songs from the West Coast". I will buy every CD he creates from this point forward as long as the quality is similar to this one and those that just preceded it. Elton John has hit a new creative peak.

I didn't think it was possible for an artist to make an album that seems pulled from a certain point in his/her career without having it sound like a cheap "trade-in" on the past. Elton John, having emerged from his mid-to-late 90's side projects, has reunited with partner Bernie Taupin to do just that. This album doesn't deserve to be rated with stars, but rather with the label, "INSTANT CLASSIC." Unlike the last John/Taupin collaboration, "The Big Picture," "Songs from the West Coast" oozes a sense of purpose in lieu of paint-by-the-chords songs. This album finds Elton on the West Coast -- Los Angeles -- the true destination of the longings of his classic "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Madman Across the Water" albums. And he's brought his PIANO with him. Elton hasn't used a regular piano as consistently and effectively since November 17th, 1970. This record could literally have been recorded following "Madman"; it's like the third part of a trilogy, told 30 years later. The highlights of this joyous, sometimes dark, yet always introspective work are many; the opening cut, "The Emperor's New Clothes," lets the listener know that Elton's musical airlines have just landed in 1972ville; "Look Ma, No Hands" could easily be an outtake from the "Friends" soundtrack; "Birds" is a wonderful reminder of why we fell in love with Elton's music in the first place; "The Wasteland" is a great funky song that'd be right at home on the "Caribou" album. I won't mention every song, but the lyrics and the music are so marvelously wed on this CD that any true Elton fan should welcome it to their collection more warmly than anything he's produced in over two decades. It can't go unsaid that Taupin's songwriting is some of his best; check out "Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes," "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" and "American Triangle." These are Taupin's most thought-provoking lyrics since the "Yellow Brick Road" album. Though this album seems "pulled" from a certain point in time, the music and themes are as applicable today as if this record had been recorded 30 years ago. I didn't think it was possible, but the John/Taupin team has apparently pulled off a modern musical miracle.

Maybe I've always taken Elton John too personally. I remember in grade school and junior high, even into high school in the late 1970s, thinking--hoping, I suppose--that he had somehow picked up and put on the crown of Pop dropped by the Beatles in 1970. Those first few years of his career, when he was averaging an LP every 8 months and two hits per LP, it was hard not to think that this was the man who would save popular music.

But, after an unprecedented series of great Pop LPs, he tripped. He stopped writing with Bernie Taupin, he fell into the drink and drug trap and, to paraphrase Elton himself, he got fat and lazy and stupid. Listening to his daliances with disco, funk, and some of the blandest Pop of the 1980s and 90's, all those drecky duets and contract fulfilling-CDs, I really thought we'd all seen the end of Elton. The bug-eyed wonderboy whose poster hung on Valerie Bertinelli's wall, who sang "Crocodile Rock" on a shiny new 45 at my 6th grade dances, who provided the sweet soundtrack for my adolescence, was no more.

Or so I thought.

So when I listen to SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST, and hear that wonderfuld warm voice restored, hear those solid melodies that once again seem to flow from a bottomless pool of talent, the tasty production, the effortless hooks, the peerless piano playing, the sterling backing vocals---all of the things that made me fall in love with Elton John records all the way back at the beginning--well, you'll just have to excuse me if I wax poetic. Great Elton John records do that to me. And this is a GREAT Elton John record.

When he starts off the album with the bitter sweet reminiscing of "The Emperor's New Clothes," it's hard for me (and a lot of other long time fans, I'm sure) not to once again take Elton John too personally.

It's not as sedated as his most recent records, not as rocking as ROCK OF THE WESTIES, but there is something of GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD, his very best LP, in SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST. There's been a lot of talk of this record sounding like the first ELTON JOHN LP, but I see the reach of YELLOW BRICK ROAD and the sound of HONKY CHATEAU in SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST.

It is, I think, an album about redemption and forgiveness and seeing the world for what it is. It isn't sacherine--"American Triangle" is pretty intense stuff, lyrically--but there seems to be a willingness to recognize the harshness of the real world and to still find a way to love.

Thank God for Elton John.