Elton John and Leon Russell "The Union," CD Review

For those of us Elton John fans who remember or were old enough to hear of the legendary landing of the young fresh faced Brit on our shores in 1970 at the Troubadour Club in Los Angeles, this is quite a moment in time. I read every interview I could get my hands on back when I discovered the spectacled one in 1974. Sorry folks I wasn't there at the beginning (I was listening to bubble-gum pop back then) but I certainly made up for lost time. There was one interview in particular I remember. John was re-accounting his debut in L.A. at the famed club and was in total awe that HIS idol Leon Russell was sitting in the front row. Imagine that, Russell had come to see this relatively unknown pianist/songwriter/singer perform. It seems only fitting forty years later (can you believe it?) that these two heavy weights finally worked on a project together.

For those fans not familiar with Leon Russell's work, he was and still remains at the forefront of folk rock and is simply one of best piano players in the world. Favoring small clubs rather than huge arenas Russell never disappeared from the scene. If anything he faded into the background of disposable 'pop/rock' music and stayed true to form, playing his music his way on his terms. If that meant the spotlight didn't always shine brightly, then so be it. He never stopped playing or inspiring a generation of musicians. His return to the charts with John is far overdue, and what a return it is. "The Union ," is a superb CD; I'm not just saying that because I basically love everything John puts out musically. However I will be the first to call a dud a dud and John's definitely had a few ("Victim Of Love," always comes to my mind, sorry Elton). Fear not, this release is so far away from a musical disaster it isn't even funny.

"The Union ," for me falls a bit under Leon Russell's musical influence and background more so than Elton's. It's got a genuine country vibe that is undeniably Leon . On board is Elton's long-time collaborator and lyricist Bernie Taupin. It's great to note even after all these years together the guys still have the songwriting chops to pull off this type of album. It's not merely an Elton 'rock/pop' release but a cohesive body of work of two artists with varying musical styles. Don't get me wrong John and Russell are certainly in the same ballpark but John has certainly struck the 'commercial' chord in rock music more so than Leon . I don't mean that to sound like a bad thing if that's how it's coming across but lets face facts; John is one of the most successful and creative musicians of all time. You don't stay around for over forty years in the music business relying on pure luck. He's got talent, staying power, and an incredible catalog of songs that even if you don't like him, you know at least one or two (maybe twenty) Elton tunes. Though Elton has tapped into the country vein in the past it hasn't been with this great a result. Taupin's lyrics for the most part have always been on the money when it comes to sentiment, romanticism, and illustrating an emotion with words. Though these elements may sound the same in retrospect, any writer worth their salt will tell you there is a defining difference between being a sentimentalist and romantic; at least when it comes to the written word.

The CD produced by super guru T-Bone Burnett could not have landed in better hands. Though he does have a solo career as a recording artist he is probably best known for his work in the recording studio behind the scenes. Burnett has always been able to squeeze out the best work in the artists he's worked with. Among them Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, and the Counting Crows. The CD's fourteen tracks are as varied in style as Russell and John themselves. The opening song "If It Wasn't For Bad," (written by Russell) is pure Leon at his best. He's got the country rock thing going like a train that's missed its stop. My favorite tunes come on the later half of the cd. All penned by John/Taupin (the two main influences in my life that made me want to become a writer) the first "When Love Is Dying," literally stopped me in my tracks. I stopped surfing the net, sat back in my chair, and listened, I mean really listened to the song. The CD was no longer merely background music. The chorus isn't rocket science as far as words go but Taupin has always had a way of putting the simplest of notions down on paper, cutting threw the B.S., and laying it all out. Easy as it may seem it's not, believe me. It's attention grabbing and John and Russell's shared vocal brings the song home and close to the heart. "And nobody ever tells you / When love is dying / When love is dying / It just gets a little colder / And we stop trying, we stop trying, yeah we stop trying / Oh when love is dying." A sentiment everyone can relate to and has probably been through at one or more times in their life. Another one of my 'duh' moments is "Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)." Catching my theme here? What can I say; I'm a sap for love ballads especially when they're well crafted and not over-the-top sweet saccharine. "Don't abandon life / Don't step away / Don't give up that tune / That you never could play." For me, it doesn't get any better than that unless of course we jump to "I Should Have Sent Roses."

"The Union ," by Elton John and Leon Russell was appropriately titled. If this CD doesn't garner an award or two or at least a few well deserved nominations I will be surprised. It's strong, crafty and a damn fine musical collaboration from every angle. Bravo Elton and Leon.