“F*ck off Heavens Gate, It’s not a moment too soon if it’s never, never too late”
Elton John has returned with Brandi Carlile for what is possibly his final studio album Who Believes in Angels? The recording for the album began in October 2023, a process in which John, Carlile and producer Andrew Watt “pushed each other out of their comfort zones to write and record an album completely from scratch in just 20 days.” No mean feat!
John and his longtime friend Carlile, along with familiar face Bernie Taupin, from the very first note recreate the playfulness and sense of fun of some of John’s seventies’ gems. Musicians contributing to the album include; Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ back bone and beat master, the incredible drummer Chad Smith, and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist and genius multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer, as well as session bassist Pino Palladino of Nine Inch Nails fame. Lyrically, Carlile brings the magic sauce with her contribution. However, also contributing is John’s brilliant longtime songwriting partner Taupin. As a English Literature major I have been in awe of Taupin’s brilliant wordsmithing for some time. Carlile slips effortlessly into John’s personal and performance aesthetic to the point where they become one voice at times with Carlile owning the top end. When the close friends decamped to LA’s Sunset Sound Studios to begin recording, they found that John, who was coming straight off the back of his last-ever tour was exhausted, irritable and would just storm out of the studio. It was the magic pen of Bernie Taupin and his enduring friendship with John that saved proceedings. Once back in the studio it was the catchy sprightly honky tonk of ‘Little Richard’s Bible’, easily one of this record’s best songs in my opinion, that convinced the pair that this endeavour was worth pursuing and thank God they did!
Initially to me this seemed an odd pairing of artists for a whole album and possibly John’s last with Carlile being a Grammy winning powerhouse of Indie-Folk and Americana. Despite my initial reservations I was awestruck with how deep herself and John have gone on this one. Carlile is a Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) superfan, so it would seem the singer-songwriter from Washington has the British icon’s style embedded in her bones. The pair apparently have been friends for two decades, even taking family holidays together, and have previously collaborated on John’s 2021 duets album, Lockdown Sessions.
The album is recorded against a backdrop of John’s eyesight issues, and while the sessions were tempestuous, Who Believes In Angels? is a collaboration of equals. A career highlight for Carlile and a rejuvenation for John. The album starts strong with a two minute intro with a heavy 70s feel on ‘The Rose Of Laura Nyro’. “Eli’s coming!”, hollers John in a tribute to one of his idols, the late California singer-songwriter who died in 1997, aged 49. There’s timpani, swirling synthesisers reminiscent of John’s work with Pnau, a fearsome guitar solo, massed choral humming and John’s stately piano with Carlile and John harmonising, as they trip through Laura Nyro’s New York while evoking her classic 1968 Eli and the Thirteenth Coming album.
This is followed by ‘Little Richard’s Bible’ which is a real foot stomper of the ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’ ilk. Meanwhile, ‘Swing for the Fences’ is an up-tempo LGBT+ anthem with a rather chugging melody, fortunately elevated by the passionately unified force of the singers’ voices. They happily evoke the sound of the classic albums of his mid-1970s golden age, adding a reflective element that makes familiar gestures feel uniquely meaningful. When listening to the title track ‘Who Believes in Angels’ you can hear tellingly that the drums are the actual ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ drum kit which Chad Smith borrowed from the actor Ben Stiller, who bought them at auction. The pensive yet euphoric title track sees Carlile ask, “What does it cost to buy your soul back when you die?”
There is also a rebooted ‘Never Too Late’ from John’s recent Disney documentary of the same name. However the lyric change to the line “to hell with Heaven’s Gate” is now the less Disney-friendly “f*ck off Heaven’s Gate”, and in my opinion is one of the best lyrics in reflection on the inevitable sunset of his career.
The pair embrace roadhouse jukebox Americana on several tracks and on others it’s country gospel with “A Little Light” and twangier country rock on “The River Man” and “Someone To Belong To”. Solo moments sparkle as well. Carlile tenderly fingerpicks a song for the eldest of her two daughters, Evangeline (11) and looks forward to a time when she will “find your own records, choose what you believe” while reassuring her, “I would know you anywhere/ I found myself in you.” It’s such a lightly, deftly delivered tune, and so generous of spirit and emotional rawness.
‘When This Old World Is Done With Me’ is clearly Taupin’s work, and his lyrics feel like a man mulling over his inevitable demise with lyrics like “scatter me amongst the stars.” It’s moving without being slushy. If this is the closing song on Elton John’s possible last album (don’t make bets though), he’s exiting with self-awareness and dignity. John on the solo piano closer plays with gentle washes of ivory, he reminds us that “none of this came easy/ The shadows, the curtains, or the light…” You can hear his voice crack as he hits the chorus, asking that, “When I close my eyes, release me like an ocean wave, return me to the tide.” The album’s direct confrontation with ageing and death serves to intensify these artists’ joyful, companionable celebration of life.
The collaboration from John and Carlile on Who Believes in Angels? delivers a refreshing sound that diverges from what a typical solo Elton John album might offer today. Carlile’s contribution adds a welcome layer of depth and energy, especially in their vibrant vocal harmonies, giving many tracks a renewed spirit. Although I initially worried about Carlile’s influence potentially dominating, and while her lead vocals are more concentrated in the album’s middle section, the overall equilibrium feels well-maintained, truly reflecting a genuine partnership. As a result, my appreciation for the album has deepened with each subsequent listen, which has been a real delight – it was a bit of creeper for me. While there are no truly weak tracks, ‘Someone to Belong To’ is my least favourite with that distinct Smith drum intro. Pinpointing definitive highlights is challenging, but the evocative opener, ‘The Rose of Laura Nyro’, immediately captivated me. ‘You Without Me’, ‘The River Man’ and ‘A Little Light’ along with ‘Who Believes in Angels’, ‘Swing for the Fences’ and ‘Never Too Late’ are all standouts for me.
If there were a contest for best solo performance on this album surprisingly, I’d likely give the edge to Brandi, with ‘You Without Me’. Elton’s solo, ‘When This Old World is Done With Me’, is great, but it’s a tonal shift that doesn’t sit well with the rest of the album. I surmise this is why it’s also the album closer. Listening to this collaboration is an engaging and varied experience. The remarkable synergy between Elton and Brandi brings to mind iconic musical pairings and groups like Sonny & Cher, Run DMC and Aerosmith, and the flamboyant David Bowie and Queen’s ‘Under Pressure’. At times, I even detected hints of Queen’s majestic sound throughout the album.
For me, Who Believes in Angels? possesses an unexpectedly timeless quality. Despite Taupin’s description of the album as contemporary, it draws from a rich tapestry of musical history, lending it a significant weight and a resonance that feels relevant across at least the past five decades. If this is to be Elton John’s last album, then in my opinion this is one hell of a curtain call.
