Music assessment: Elton John and Brandi Carlile's cooperation deepen "Who believes in Angels?"

01 April 2025 09:41 PM IST MUSIC Review: Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s cooperation deepen “Who believes in Angels?” New York – It started with a movie. Country Star Brandi Carlile, so moved to a rough cut of the 2024 music documentary “Elton John: Never too late”, started writing a song inspired by John’s incredible career. With the title ‘Never Too Late’, it became the title track for the film and a collaboration with John, producer Andrew Watt and John’s longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin. “This song was about my life,” John told The Associated Press earlier this year. “I was through hell … and I still fought the other side. So, you know, it’s very true to what I am. ‘ Music assessment: Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s cooperation deepen “Who believes in Angels?” ‘Never too late’ is listed for the 2025 Oscars. It didn’t win, but it didn’t matter. Now it appears on a new, full album’s collaboration between John and Carlile, called “Who believes in Angels?” The introductory national anthem, ‘The Rose of Laura Nyro’, indicates that it may be a Carlile-Does-John record, largely decorated with call-and-response harmonies of the man himself, instead of something approaching a true partnership. The concern is rapidly raised by the swinging rock ‘n’ roll of track two, ‘Little Richard’s Bible’, led by John. A pattern is determined: The duo takes turns with the reign. Yet Carlile’s voice often appears hardest. Power ballads are shockingly minimized. The best example is probably the title track, written by Carlile about her lifelong admiration-long term friendship with John. Positivity is not a deficit. “A Little Light” was written by Carlile the day Israel invaded Gaza; It serves as an exclamation to bring the world together. The mid -rate “someone to belong to” mirrors, “never to leave” because the pair harmonizes its optimistic message: “Hang there, honey, right? “I thank my lucky stars / for having someone / someone to belong.” Approaching “When this old world is done with me” is a peak-John piano ballad, a timeless offer that raises the question: Will the world ever see a new solo plate of the pop hero again? Just like “never too late”, Taupin and Carlile both contributed lyrics, and Watt “who believes in Angels?” It was included in Los Angeles ‘Sunset Sound Studios in October 2023, written and recorded in just 20 days, backed by All-Star Musicians: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith, basser Pino Palladino, and keyboard player Josh Kinghoffer. Despite his expedition, the album is a complete collection. This directly reflects a deepening cooperation relationship between John and Carlile, perhaps not different from the one who recently established the Country singer with Joni Mitchell, and gets the folk icon back on stage. It is only natural for fans to leave to hear more John. But on the whole, “Who believes in angels?” is full of life – and it is a joy to hear an energetic John just a few years after he started his farewell tour. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without edits to text.