Customer Reviews

The Captain & the Kid [Vinyl]

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Having grown up with the radio during Elton John's reign on top of the American charts in the early-to-mid 1970s, I've always had a soft spot for his music, even after moving on musically in college in the 1980s. Especially since I learned to play piano by butchering his songs from this period, and was lucky enough to see him live at his famous Dodger Stadium gig in 1975 (my first rock concert) and in intimate shows like his pre-"Unplugged" tour with Ray Cooper in 1979. His classic albums from Madman through Capt. Fantastic were always within reach in my collection even when I more often listened to the Clash or R.E.M., and despite the lack of radio hits, Captain Fantastic was always my favorite, due to the strength of the highly personal songs and the superb production by the late Gus Dudgeon. I still recall listening to the album while poring over the "scrapbook" included in the packaging in my bedroom in southern California, wondering what a "Bank Giro Credit" and other Britishisms meant, and marvelling at how the flashy showman and his writer started out as a shy musical dreamers composing in his mother's living room.

So it was with some trepidation that I ordered The Captain and the Kid, given that a less-than-stellar outing from the Rocket Man would leave me with the feeling that they were trying to cash in on the old magic with longtime fans like me by releasing something not worthy of the connection to the great original. Like Paul McCartney, Elton is a musical genius who bears the curse of artistic survival and longevity, so that any new material released inevitably pales next to the timeless output of his peak years. Some will no doubt recoil at the McCartney comparison, as Sir Elton has clearly had more shining moments past his prime than has Sir Paul. But these are relatively few and far between when you look at the 1970s catalog, and we are all a lot older now. As Bernie notes so succinctly in the final track, "You can't go back, and if you try you fail..." But sometimes you have to try anyway, and the results can be deeper and richer than ever imagined.

The album opens with "Postcards from Richard Nixon," highlighting the wide-eyed wonder of the English-country and London-suburb "pale kids" as they hit America and their careers rocket to the stratosphere, with name-checks of Brian Wilson and Walt Disney to boot. A fun way to open the retrospective ride, picking up where Capt. Fantastic left off.

The debauchery of rock-star tour life is the theme of "Just Like Noah's Ark," a swampified southern R&B raver with a nifty organ solo and some dirty slide guitar from Davey, (the only time) cranked to an appropriate level. Living in Atlanta so long, it sounds like Elton has absorbed a lot more of the authentic feel of New Orleans R&B, Memphis blues and even Lynryd Skynyrd than in his previous English pastiches, like "Dixie Lily" off the Caribou album. Lyrically, the song shares a close connection to "Tower of Babel," which was superior in my view, but the infectious music pushes this one forward -- you can tell the band are enjoying themselves as this one winds down.

Things quiet down for "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)", Bernie's awkward paean to New York. Not his best lyrics, perhaps reflecting his reported ambivalence to the city over the years. In that uncanny way they have always managed, Elton matches this uncertainty with a musically unresolved verse that meanders down through minor chords and numerous key changes, before sliding into a celestial chorus. The meter of the words don't seem to fit Elton's tune in the chorus, but he moves the melody around in such a way to leave a poignant ache in the heart like the memory of an old girlfriend.

"Tinderbox" is another piano-driven song that reflects the strain of their close partnership toward the end of their chart-topping days, with a gorgeous chorus that echos "Harmony" off of Yellow Brick Road, and features the trademark backing vocals of Davey and Nigel in his classic years. This one really grows on you with repeated listening.

Next it's time to ramp it up again with the fevered, clipped R&B piano of "...And the House Fell Down." Bernie's most honest and evocative portrayal of Elton's drugged-up years is matched again with music and a vocal performance that perfectly suits the lyric, showing how all the hard work and they success they earned almost collapsed around them. As noted in another review, the musical resemblance to "I'm Still Standing" is no coincidence, and this song is also notable for Elton's jumpy, agitated R&B piano solo that is undoubtedly his best since "Bennie and the Jets."

While earmarked as a single, I did not love "Blues Never Fade Away," with its lugubrious piano and "We Are the World"-type vocals. It documents the loss of some of their closest friends, such as Gianni Versace and John Lennon, with a nod to Ryan White and an unidentified young woman. While no doubt sincere, the lyrics border on trite in spots ("All that matters is they came around and brightened up our lives"), and the overall feel is too charity-proceeds single for me -- sorry to be such a cynic. More typical of his recent work musically, it sounds like something he would have written for the stage or screen. I appreciate his talent in branching out that way, but it's not my favorite.

"The Bridge", the other rumored single, follows, and is another piano-only song that is much better in several ways. One, the music is stunningly beautiful, matched with his best vocal performance on the album. Secondly, Bernie's lyric is far more metaphorical than the previous track, and stronger because of it. Its mystery is part of the appeal -- is the bridge their career, their success where so many others failed? Or is it about overcoming other challenges in life and being a survivor? The choir-like coda concludes this beautiful song with echoes of the final track on Capt. Fantastic. Simply a gorgeous song.

It's back to a southern hoe-down with the bluegrass-tinged "I Must Have Lost it On the Wind," a close-harmony toe-tapper with a nostalgic look at their loves and losts, and some nice mandolin.

The album closes with two of the strongest and most personal tracks, wistfully and perfectly summing up their long career and friendship, with all of the ups and downs. "Old '67", referring to the year they met and started their long, hard climb to the pinnacle of the music world, is a nostalgic reflection of those simple, deprived days. You can see them shaking their heads and laughing at where they've come, set to another relaxed R&B piano tune. Davey contributes some nice slide guitar and steel guitar fills in something that sounds like it could have been recorded by The Band or Bonnie Raitt. The album then closes (perhaps too soon?) with the country/western twang of "The Captain and the Kid". Another simply perfect pairing of lyric and tune, this reprises the opening lines of Captain Fantastic before easing into a chugging brush-drum beat and the kind of hook-laden major-minor chord progressions that sold this guy about a billion albums back in the day. Just a song you could listen to over and over even if he was singing the phonebook. Bernie's lyric pretty much suffices as the entire summation of their brilliant career -- witty, sardonic, appreciative, sentimental -- it is all of these things without be cloying or predictable. If they had done nothing more than this song, it would have been a worthy cherry on top of the career cake. How nice that instead it can close the book on a fine album that more than lives up to the expectations of "completing the cycle," as Elton remarks in the liner notes.

A few minor quibbles. Clearly, Elton's soaring vocal range of the 1970s, epitomized by songs like "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," is long gone. This is not surprising, but I tend to associate some of his recent vocal sounds as much with the "Lion King" songs as with the occasional gem like "The One" or "I Want Love." But he opens it up a bit on the R&B/blues-tinged songs and reveals a much richer vocal sound than he had back in the day.

Second, the production quality is a big departure from Captain Fantastic's tremendous sound -- Nigel's booming drums, spacious instrumentation, and the soaring vocal mix. Many of the songs are recorded quite "dry" on the new album, giving one the impression having Elton in your car or living room (the beginning of the first track especially), but in turn losing some of that wall-of-sound quality that Gus Dudgeon created. He was truly an under-rated contributor to Elton's career and body of work during that period.

Finally, I would have liked to have heard more guitar from "Musical Director" and longtime collaborator Davey Johnstone. His subtle fills with acoustic guitar, mandolin, and slide guitar are great, but we're missing the recognizable electric guitar sound he created with rockers like "Meal Ticket" and "Saturday Night's Alright...", or the chunky Fender-Strat blues fills he brought to "Tell Me When the Whistle Blows." While Elton's piano work is as inventive as ever (bringing to mind songs from Tumbleweed and Madman), more electric guitar would have been welcome. Of course, the point was not to re-create Capt. Fantastic, but Johnstone's guitars were almost always a critical aspect of Elton's hit songs and classic album cuts like "Funeral for a Friend."

But these are minor complaints. Every Elton fan should have this CD, to me it is far better than Songs From the West Coast, and the personal, affecting lyrics are poignant and meaningful to anyone with the slightest appreciation for their remarkable career and the body of musical work that has enriched our lives. Thanks to the boys for saddling up one more time before they ride off into the sunset.

I've been an Elton John fan since 1972 when I was 12 years old. Elton and Bernie were my introduction into the adult music of pop and rock and roll. I won his 1st Greatest Hits album from a local radio station and bought Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shortly thereafter. It was my 1st album. I remember buying Captain Fantastic the day it came out, the record cover seemed to be worth the price of admission alone. The songs on this album had a more unique and intricate structure than his usual pop hits and this soon became a very special and personal album for me. Its been my favorite. I love all of his classic work through Rock of the Westies and even though I followed all of his releases throughout the 80's, he kind of lost me along the way. While it was always a treat to see him perform live, his studio efforts just didn't reach me anymore.

While Songs from the West Coast was a return to form, it hasn't appeared in my CD player for a while. And now Elton and Bernie are releasing a follow up to Captain Fantastic? Why even try to attempt something so challenging? It seems that they are just setting themselves up for a big fall with this one. It would seem an impossible task to follow up that classic and it was certainly impossible to create anything 3 decades after Rock of the Westies that could hold a place in the pantheon of those classic early EJ albums. Yes, what they are trying to do here is totally IMPOSSIBLE!!!

Well ladies and gents, I have news for you. Elton and Bernie have done the impossible. You can read all the details about the songs and music in other reviews, but for this long time EJ and BT fan, a miracle has happened. This album is as tight as Tumbleweed, Honkey Chateau, and even Captain Fantastic. No filler, just that old magic that they must have sold their souls (once again?) to produce. And sentimental fools beware. When that final track begins, just try not to get all emotional when that familiar theme begins to play. Where Captain Fantastic ended with a melancholoy note, this new album ends with a uptempo ramble looking back on their success as they stayed true to themselves and ahead towards the promise of a bright future.

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy ride off into the sunset in grand style! Long may you run....

Let me state right off the bat, so as not to be accused of being a troll, that I'm an Elton John fan. Like many, I eagerly awaited this sequel to Elton's 1975 album Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy with fingers firmly crossed. I must say, after having a month to let the new record sink in, that The Captain And The Kid, while definitely attempting to capture a little of that old genie in the bottle of Elton's classic period, is a fairly pedestrian, average affair.

On a positive note, Elton has wisely found his way back to the creative side of the tracks (vs. crass commercialism) - a trend that started with Songs From The West Coast in 2001 and has continued on with 2004's Peachtree Road and this current album. While Songs was a triumphant return to form in my opinion, Peachtree, though well intended, was somewhat less successful. While that same commitment is obvious on the new record, sadly it seems to fall closer to Peachtree in terms of overall consistency.

The album starts out on a strong note. In fact, Postcards From Richard Nixon might be my favorite cut on the record. With its infectious piano riff, memorable melody and Bernie's clever lyrics (coupled with those vintage Davey/Nigel harmonies of days gone by), it starts the record off with a bang. If only the rest of the album could have maintained this level. Here is where the biggest problem lies in my opinion - an overall lack of melodic inventiveness. We've heard most of these melodies in similar form on other Elton tunes over the years. In fact, at times I found myself predicting where the verse melody or bridge was heading next - only to have it come to be. I'm sure a lot of this stems from the fact that Elton's somewhat frozen, even shredded at times, voice is no longer the soaring and clear, falsetto-driven instrument it once was. Thus, the melodies are tailored for this. Just Like Noah's Ark is virtually the same "rocker" we've heard Elton do before - on the last album it was "called" They Call Her The Cat. Conversely, the album's first single, The Bridge is pretty much every middle-of-the-road, over-dramatic ballad that seemed to rule the 90's for Elton. Even Tinderbox, while definitely one of the better songs on the album, seemed utterly predictable to me. Maybe not offensive...just not inspiring.

The one other album highlight for me was Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC). In this particular case, Elton was able to conjure up the spirits of his musical past in a satisfying way. Owing more than a lyrical nod to Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters and even a stylistic nod to something like Come Down In Time, this valentine to New York City did manage to move me due to it's melodic freshness, lyrical imagery and some really great production touches by Matt Sill (a sweeping orchestra and what sounds like a moog synthesizer that would have respectively made Paul Buckmaster and David Hentschel proud...and probably the late Gus Dudgeon as well for that matter).

Other than that:

The title song, a cop of the original Capt. Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy riff (admittedly by Elton) and meant to serve as a bookend to the entire concept, ends up sounding like a Muzak-lite version of its predecessor. Again, not offensive, but one which will probably have you reaching for the earlier tune afterward. I'm sure many will also say that it's not valid to draw comparisons between this album and the records of Elton's classic period, but the fact that this is a concept album that's tied to an earlier work makes it fair game in my opinion. .

In conclusion, the rest of the album just left me hollow. While certainly not atrocious, or even bad for that matter, I didn't find myself remembering much of what I just listened to. A month later, and after repeated listenings...I still don't. While this is definitely miles up from bottom-of-the-barrel Elton (those honors can safely go to something like Victim Of Love or Leather Jackets), or even mediocre Elton (much of the 90's), this isn't really the monster return to form that many have been hyping it as. Songs From The West Coast can still proudly wear that badge in my opinion. "Best album in 30 years?" Not quite. 3 out of 5 stars.

The sound on Elton John's The Captain And The Kid is a definite risk. It could have easily sounded like a lame re-creation. But it actually does sound like classic Elton John! There's a lot of piano, and instead of sounding outdated, it drives along his thoughtful lyrics and strong melodies like it always did. There are also no overdone or obvious hooks - the hooks are there, but they don't overwhelm the music. Elton also sounds very good, though perhaps with a little less range. Overall, this ranks among his better albums, even if not quite up to some of his old stuff.

In 2001 "Songs From The West Coast" was definitely a return to form, albeit a somewhat contrived return. Yes the songs were brilliant and the album was met with critical acclaim. Yet to me it always sounded a bit like Elton trying to sound like the old Elton.

With "The Captain and The Kid" Elton has accomplished something that I did not believe possible. He has produced an album, figuratively and literally, that can proudly stand next to all of Elton's classic 70s albums. Nothing Elton does will ever match those 70s albums, call it the "curse of the classics" as someone recently coined the phrase on the forum. Even if some future album does equal or surpass any of those 70s album the critics and the fans would never admit it. "The Captain and The Kid" comes as close as Elton will ever come to accomplishing that feat.

From the 45 second opening piano intro on "Postcards From Richard Nixon" you immediately sense that this album is different. You get the feeling that Elton is on to something and that he knows it. The track, about Elton and Bernie's arrival in the USA, has a country feel to it similar to the title track from the original album. Next in line is "Just Like Noah's Ark" which also mirrors the original with similar subject matter. It is arguably one of the more enjoyable uptempo tracks that Elton has recorded lately taking some inspiration from the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar."

Elton's self-proclaimed love song to New York City is "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" with its beautiful melody and vocal from Elton along with majestic and soaring background vocals. The line "no matter what might happen, you'll never sink this ship" makes you think of the way New York and New Yorkers came back so strong after 9/11 as well as referring to Elton and Bernie as survivors. "Tinderbox" chronicles Elton's fall from grace with lyrics like "but a wind of change blew across our sales." Easily this track could be the next single.

The gem of the set is "...And The House Fell Down" featuring some of the best funky piano playing from Elton on record in quite some time. The song is the most uptempo Elton has been in a long time and also contains what could be what an Elton hip-hop record may sound like with an Elton-rap on the bridge. This is a track that I did not think Elton still had in him and proves to any doubting Thomas's that the guy still can surprise even fans of 35 years.

The album doesn't disappoint the ballad lovers with one of the most emotional vocals ever from Elton on "Blues Never Fade Away." A song about the loss of friends and loved ones that asks the question "how did we get so lucky?" References to Ryan White and John Lennon only make the track more powerful.

Probably the weakest track on the album was chosen as the lead single. "The Bridge is a song about decisions, life altering ones. This song serves as a bridge to the final three songs that are about Elton and Bernie looking back at their careers and lives. "I Must Have Lost It On The Wind" and "Old '67" could both fit perfectly on Tumbleweed Connection or Honky Chateau.

The final track "The Captain and The Kid" serves as a love letter to the fans by lifting the intro from the original title track and using it in the album closer creating a 30 year old bookend.

Yes Elton has done the impossible, created an album that comes as close as possible to the 70s classics without being one.

Or did he?

I bought the Captain and the Kid last saturday and intially i thought it was a pretty good CD. In the meantime i have listened to it several times and i am noticing that i am finding the whole cd better after each time i hear it. I am fan of 'songs of the west coast'...but that CD has in my opinion a couple of forgetable songs mixedwith some fantastic songs. I don't like peach tree road so much i must say. But this one, the captain and the kid, is in my opinion a very strong candidate to become an Elton Classic. There's not one weak song on the CD and a couple of them (..and the house fell down, captain and the kid) are absolutely brilliant.

For all of you who written an average review on the day they bought this cd i am curious to know if they have changed there opinion as well.... because this one deserves to be listened to several times before writing a review in my opion. I am deeply impressed that Elton after 35 years is still capable of writing such incredible songs. 2 thumbs up!!

It always amazes me how some passionate fans can be so uncritical of their heroes. As much as I love Elton, it always takes a few listens for me to decide on a new album. It took a few before I realized that Peachtree Road contained some great songs. I liked Songs From the West Coast a lot--Original Sin and Birds to me are Elton classics--but was very overrated. I've given this a few listens so far and I don't think it measures up to the last two CDs. You hear the pre release buzz and think, "okay, this is going to be the next Tumbleweed Connection, but alas, those days are long gone. Now we just have to realize that each CD will have two to four terrific songs and the rest will be rehashes of old stuff. On The Captain, as usual, a few cuts are outstanding. Tinderbox is a typical Elton style classic, but even that has a weak bridge. The House Fell Down is very funky but something Elton can write in his sleep. Just Like Noah's Ark a terrific uptempo piece and I love Old 67 (but again, that has a weak bridge. Speaking of The Bridge...what's the big deal. While I loved the ballads on West Coast and Peachtree, I think they are run of the mill here. Although I think Bernie's lyrics are as strong as ever here, it drives me crazy when he gets redundant and lazy. How can you have two cuts in a row that use the phrase "fade away" as the lyrical key of the song. Immediately after Blues Never Fade Away (which is an okay ballad, but not an Elton classic by any means) we have to hear about "crossing the bridge or fading away?" Yeesh, Bernie, cmon. Postcards from Richard Nixon reminds me of the way West Coast started with Emperor's New Clothes. Not very memorable. The other thing about Elton you know as a fan is that after writing so many songs at this point, it's impossible for some song riffs not to sound as if they are recycled. Is it just me or does a long passage of I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (which is fine, by the way) sound like Mansfield from West Coast. I Must Have Lost it On the Wind is a fine homage to Bob Dylan and a cool song, but not that memorable. Anyway, with a few more listens, some of these songs might grow on me more, but until then I wouldn't call it a consistently great piece of work. Like almost every other recent Elton CD, there are four or five songs I really like, a couple I enjoy and three or four I can do without and that just sound like throwaways.

Still, you have to admit, this CD is infinitely better than anything he's writing for Broadway, including Billy Eliot, which is also way overrated.

This limited edition imported version of "Captain and the Kid" contains an additional DVD that includes an interview of Elton John and Bernie Taupin discussing the creation of their latest album and looking back at their stellar career in music. It is also rumored to contain live versions of some of the songs from "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" which were recorded during Elton's concerts at Madison Square Garden here in New York City approximately a year ago. As for this new CD, I regard it as an essential Elton John album. I've lost count how many times I have played the entire album or selected songs - at least nearly half of it - constantly.

Thirty-one years after "Captain Fantastic", Elton John and his long-time partner, lyricist Bernie Taupin, have quite literally returned to their roots in "The Captain and the Kid", yielding an album that sounds as fresh and poignant as their great mid 1970s album. And yet, it sounds much more like a return to their earlier musical roots, most notably such classic early albums as "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Honky Chateau", than a full-fledged sequel that is also a satisfying conclusion to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy". All the praise that this album is acquiring so far is quite well earned; demonstrating that Elton's 21st Century musical revival - beginning with "Songs From The West Coast" - hasn't been a fluke. I doubt I have heard as consistently fine a collection of songs as those on this album from Elton lately; indeed, I have to search as far back as his early 1990s hit "The One" to find among his recent albums, one that is both a great body of work, as well as yielding quite a few Elton John/Bernie Taupin hit singles; it is definitely Elton's best album since "The One". Without a doubt, "The Captain and the Kid" should be regarded more as an album with a consistently great set of songs - than a collection of memorable hit singles and other songs - due in no small measure to the introspective nature of Taupin's lyrics chronicling their history - both together and apart - since Elton's triumphant American debut back in 1970, a memorable performance at Los Angeles' Troubadour Club. Moreover, Elton hasn't sung as well as in a long, long time, even if his youthful falsetto has given rise to a deeper, often richer, sound. And here on this album, he's often backed with classic harmonies from Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson - as well as the rest of the current Elton John Band - bringing back fond memories of Elton singing with Davey, Nigel, and the late Dee Murray on his classic 1970s albums.

"The Captain and the Kid" ranges all over the map musically, paying homage to country, bluegrass, blues, folk, rhythm and blues, as well as pop and rock and roll. Stylistically, Elton and Bernie cover musical terrain that may remind some listeners of Tucson's late great Irish Celtic/Mexican/Country/Bluegrass band, The Mollys, or some of Mary Chapin Carpenter's early work. I almost expected hearing Jean-Luc Ponty playing his electric violin - which he did memorably on two songs from "Honky Chateau" - or the great Irish-American Celtic violinist Eileen Ivers, or another, younger New York City-based bluegrass/country violinist, the still unknown, but quite brilliant, Dotty Moore, on a few of the songs (Indeed, these songs are so good, that I hope bluegrass and country musicians from Nashville and Austin to Tucson, and yes, even those here in New York City, will consider covering them.).

My favorite songs from "The Captain and the Kid" include its potential hit singles. "Just Like Noah's Ark" is a rollicking honky tonk tune which has an opening piano riff that's reminiscent of fellow Brunonian Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Feel Lucky", but actually owes more musically to "Honky Cat" and "Bennie and the Jets" (I can easily imagine both fellow Brunonians Mary Chapin Carpenter and Dotty Moore lending their considerable musical talents to this very song; indeed I think that both talented ladies would be splendid guest soloists on the next studio-recorded Elton John album.); it's a joyous ode recounting Elton's early success here in the United States, and all the youthful indulgences associated with it. "..And The House Fell Down" is a somber, yet funky sounding, rhythm and blues/country tune in which Elton recalls his severe drug and alcohol addiction from the 1980s (Melodically the song sounds similar to "I'm Still Standing", but there's a brief section where Elton raps - I still can't believe it - Bernie's lyrics.). "Blues Never Fade Away" is a classic Elton John/Bernie Taupin bluesy country ballad that's in the same mode as "Candle in the Wind", mourning the tragic loss of lives cut too short, especially in the veiled - and not so veiled - references to Gianni Versace and John Lennon. "The Bridge", the current single, is yet another classic John/Taupin ballad, featuring only Elton and his piano, with background harmonies from Davey, Nigel, Bob, John and Matt (album co-producer and recording engineer Matt Still) that sound so much like the classic 1970s harmonies from Davey, Nigel and Dee; it is unquestionably one of my three favorite songs from this album, reminding me most, both stylistically and thematically, of "The Last Song". "Old '67" is yet another fine John/Taupin ballad, but with more than a bit of a country twist, in which the two remember well the year they met (1967), and reflect upon a solid musical partnership that has endured for nearly forty years (It's another personal favorite, and definitely one of the best songs on this album.). "The Captain and The Kid" opens and closes with the same musical chords (It's Elton on the piano accompanied by Davey's mandolin and Nigel's drum kit and John's percussion, with Bob's bass in the background.) from the title song of the "Captain Fantastic" album, and like that song, it is a country/pop/rock and roll ballad, in which Elton sings wistfully of the life-long paths that led him and Bernie Taupin to become "Captain Fantastic" and the "Brown Dirt Cowboy", looking back with ample amazement at what he and Bernie have wrought artistically these past four decades (This is yet another favorite song from the album, vying for top honors with the others.).

The other songs in "The Captain and the Kid" are just as memorable as the potential hit singles I've mentioned. "Postcards from Richard Nixon" is an uptempo, slightly honky tonk-inflected, pop/rock and roll song recounting Elton's muscial conquest of the United States in the early 1970s. "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" is yet another splendid valentine to New York City from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, with musical reminders of "Tiny Dancer" and "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters", but sounding more like Elton's early to mid 1980s period, resembling songs such as "I'm Still Standing" and "Sad Songs (Say So Much)". "Tinderbox" is a caustic, bluesy country ballad from John and Taupin recounting their bitter breakup and separation, which lasted from the mid 1970s into the early 1980s (I'm starting to like this song so much that I could regard it as yet another potential single from this album.). "I Must Have Lost it On the Wind" is a country-tinged ballad in which John sings of lost loves and their poignant, and often bittersweet, memories; with Davey's harmonica and mandolin solos, the song sounds almost like something crafted by Bob Dylan back in the early to mid 1960s, before he discovered rock and roll.

Elton John and Matt Still have co-produced yet another classic Elton John album, with Elton and his piano once more at the center of attention (I have no doubt that the late Gus Dudgeon, Elton's original producer, would be proud of their accomplishment.). Davey Johnstone offers a multitude of superb banjo and mandolin solos, and Nigel Olsson provides once more his elegant melodic drumming, which, unfortunately, does sound slightly muted in several songs. Keyboard wizard Guy Babylon, who also orchestrated the arrangements on this album, can be heard in several memorable organ solos, most notably on "Just Like Noah's Ark" and "Old '67". And of course, there's excellent playing too from bassist Bob Birch and percussionist John Mahon. Long-time fans of Elton's music will also appreciate the collection of photographs of him, Bernie and his bands, stretching from 1967 until now, and the Ryan McGinley photographs of him playing the piano and Bernie Taupin riding a horse - the first time they've appeared together on an album cover since "Captain Fantastic" - at Bernie's California ranch. Those unfamiliar with Elton's work should nonetheless enjoy "Captain and the Kid" as yet another of his recent musical triumphs; diehard, long-time fans of Elton's music will surely want to add this fine album to their collections. In the album's final song, "The Captain and The Kid", Elton sings, "And you can't go back and if you try it fails..."; well, I'm sorry, Elton, but you have gone back, by making one of the finest albums in your glorious musical career; may it endure for a long, long time, always delighting the hearts and minds of countless fans like yours truly.

Thirty-one years after "Captain Fantastic", Elton John and his long-time partner, lyricist Bernie Taupin, have quite literally returned to their roots in "The Captain and the Kid", yielding an album that sounds as fresh and poignant as their great mid 1970s album. And yet, it sounds much more like a return to their earlier musical roots, most notably such classic early albums as "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Honky Chateau", than a full-fledged sequel that is also a satisfying conclusion to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy". All the praise that this album is acquiring so far is quite well earned; demonstrating that Elton's 21st Century musical revival - beginning with "Songs From The West Coast" - hasn't been a fluke. I doubt I have heard as consistently fine a collection of songs as those on this album from Elton lately; indeed, I have to search as far back as his early 1990s hit "The One" to find among his recent albums, one that is both a great body of work, as well as yielding quite a few Elton John/Bernie Taupin hit singles; it is definitely Elton's best album since "The One". Without a doubt, "The Captain and the Kid" should be regarded more as an album with a consistently great set of songs - than a collection of memorable hit singles and other songs - due in no small measure to the introspective nature of Taupin's lyrics chronicling their history - both together and apart - since Elton's triumphant American debut back in 1970, a memorable performance at Los Angeles' Troubadour Club. Moreover, Elton hasn't sung as well as in a long, long time, even if his youthful falsetto has given rise to a deeper, often richer, sound. And here on this album, he's often backed with classic harmonies from Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson - as well as the rest of the current Elton John Band - bringing back fond memories of Elton singing with Davey, Nigel, and the late Dee Murray on his classic 1970s albums.

"The Captain and the Kid" ranges all over the map musically, paying homage to country, bluegrass, blues, folk, rhythm and blues, as well as pop and rock and roll. Stylistically, Elton and Bernie cover musical terrain that may remind some listeners of Tucson's late great Irish Celtic/Mexican/Country/Bluegrass band, The Mollys, or some of Mary Chapin Carpenter's early work. I almost expected hearing Jean-Luc Ponty playing his electric violin - which he did memorably on two songs from "Honky Chateau" - or the great Irish-American Celtic violinist Eileen Ivers, or another, younger New York City-based bluegrass/country violinist, the still unknown, but quite brilliant, Dotty Moore, on a few of the songs (Indeed, these songs are so good, that I hope bluegrass and country musicians from Nashville and Austin to Tucson, and yes, even those here in New York City, will consider covering them.).

My favorite songs from "The Captain and the Kid" include its potential hit singles. "Just Like Noah's Ark" is a rollicking honky tonk tune which has an opening piano riff that's reminiscent of fellow Brunonian Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Feel Lucky", but actually owes more musically to "Honky Cat" and "Bennie and the Jets" (I can easily imagine both fellow Brunonians Mary Chapin Carpenter and Dotty Moore lending their considerable musical talents to this very song.); it's a joyous ode recounting Elton's early success here in the United States, and all the youthful indulgences associated with it. "..And The House Fell Down" is a somber, yet funky sounding, rhythm and blues/country tune in which Elton recalls his severe drug and alcohol addiction from the 1980s (Melodically the song sounds similar to "I'm Still Standing", but there's a brief section where Elton raps - I still can't believe it - Bernie's lyrics.). "Blues Never Fade Away" is a classic Elton John/Bernie Taupin bluesy country ballad that's in the same mode as "Candle in the Wind", mourning the tragic loss of lives cut too short, especially in the veiled - and not so veiled - references to Gianni Versace and John Lennon. "The Bridge", the current single, is yet another classic John/Taupin ballad, featuring only Elton and his piano, with background harmonies from Davey, Nigel, Bob, John and Matt (album co-producer and recording engineer Matt Still) that sound so much like the classic 1970s harmonies from Davey, Nigel and Dee; it is unquestionably one of my three favorite songs from this album, reminding me most, both stylistically and thematically, of "The Last Song". "Old '67" is yet another fine John/Taupin ballad, but with more than a bit of a country twist, in which the two remember well the year they met (1967), and reflect upon a solid musical partnership that has endured for nearly forty years (It's another personal favorite, and definitely one of the best songs on this album.). "The Captain and The Kid" opens and closes with the same musical chords (It's Elton on the piano accompanied by Davey's mandolin and Nigel's drum kit and John's percussion, with Bob's bass in the background.) from the title song of the "Captain Fantastic" album, and like that song, it is a country/pop/rock and roll ballad, in which Elton sings wistfully of the life-long paths that led him and Bernie Taupin to become "Captain Fantastic" and the "Brown Dirt Cowboy", looking back with ample amazement at what he and Bernie have wrought artistically these past four decades (This is yet another favorite song from the album, vying for top honors with the others.).

The other songs in "The Captain and the Kid" are just as memorable as the potential hit singles I've mentioned. "Postcards from Richard Nixon" is an uptempo, slightly honky tonk-inflected, pop/rock and roll song recounting Elton's muscial conquest of the United States in the early 1970s. "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" is yet another splendid valentine to New York City from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, with musical reminders of "Tiny Dancer" and "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters", but sounding more like Elton's early to mid 1980s period, resembling songs such as "I'm Still Standing" and "Sad Songs (Say So Much)". "Tinderbox" is a caustic, bluesy country ballad from John and Taupin recounting their bitter breakup and separation, which lasted from the mid 1970s into the early 1980s. "I Must Have Lost it On the Wind" is a country-tinged ballad in which John sings of lost loves and their poignant, and often bittersweet, memories; with Davey's harmonica and mandolin solos, the song sounds almost like something crafted by Bob Dylan back in the early to mid 1960s, before he discovered rock and roll.

Elton John and Matt Still have co-produced yet another classic Elton John album, with Elton and his piano once more at the center of attention (I have no doubt that the late Gus Dudgeon, Elton's original producer, would be proud of their accomplishment.). Davey Johnstone offers a multitude of superb banjo and mandolin solos, and Nigel Olsson provides once more his elegant melodic drumming, which, unfortunately, does sound slightly muted in several songs. Keyboard wizard Guy Babylon, who also orchestrated the arrangements on this album, can be heard in several memorable organ solos, most notably on "Just Like Noah's Ark" and "Old '67". And of course, there's excellent playing too from bassist Bob Birch and percussionist John Mahon. Long-time fans of Elton's music will also appreciate the collection of photographs of him, Bernie and his bands, stretching from 1967 until now, and the Ryan McGinley photographs of him playing the piano and Bernie Taupin riding a horse - the first time they've appeared together on an album cover since "Captain Fantastic" - at Bernie's California ranch. Those unfamiliar with Elton's work should nonetheless enjoy "Captain and the Kid" as yet another of his recent musical triumphs; diehard, long-time fans of Elton's music will surely want to add this fine album to their collections. In the album's final song, "The Captain and The Kid", Elton sings, "And you can't go back and if you try it fails..."; well, I'm sorry, Elton, but you have gone back, by making one of the finest albums in your glorious musical career; may it endure for a long, long time, always delighting the hearts and minds of countless fans like yours truly.

If you are reading this review,first let me direct you to the Deluxe edition of this album Captain & the Kid that comes with a bonus DVD doco and a web-link on the CD to download exclusive tracks online that are not on the album but one of which appears in the lyric book.I highly recommend the Deluxe edition to the standard edition for those two reasons.One of the download tracks "Across The River Thames" is awesome,and part of the Captain and the Kid Story!

Elton toured Australia in late 2006 on the back of this album and had a good deal to say about it getting no airplay or promotion.Indeed he performed a block of the album's songs(5 or 6 of them if my memory serves me),right in the middle of the show preceded by "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" from the original Captain Fantastic.He spoke of the fondness he and Bernie share for that album(as do a lot of his fans)and the reasons for doing a follow up to that autobiographical masterpiece.If you buy the Deluxe edition of the album,it's all explained on the bonus DVD interview.

After the show I could hear a number of disgruntled patrons complaining about too much new music and the volume of all things(and I thought I was getting old!).But as Elton said in his monologue before the "Captain and the Kid" block of songs,and I quote,"If we don't play them,how else are you gonna hear them."So he must have known there would be a few out there who only want to hear Candle..,Your Song and Crocodile Rock etc.Indeed!

But,I digress,just to point out that I think this album really did go over every-one's heads or slipped under their radar.And for the life of me,I don't know why.It is probably the best thing he's done for quite some time.It leaves Peach-tree Road and Songs From The West Coast for dead.

I dare anyone to listen to some of these tracks("The Bridge,"Blues Never Fade Away") and once you know the story behind the song,be genuinely moved!The lines in "Blues..." that refer to Gianni Versace had me in tears!And the obvious reference in "The Bridge" to the demons in all our lives is some of the best words Taupin has EVER written!

If you are an Elton fan and have not bought this album(shame on you,add it to your cart this instant)you won't be disappointed.