Elton John, The Lockdown Sessions | Album Review 💿

Iconic pop/rock musician Elton John delivers an engaging, fun collaborative 32^nd studio album with The Lockdown Sessions. 

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omething stellar happened in 2021 – 🎙 Elton John dropped a new album, 💿 The Lockdown Sessions! While I’d personally longed for a new album from one of my musical idols, I didn’t expect it to happen.  When it came to pass, well, I was giddy like a schoolgirl! The thing is, The Lockdown Sessions is a collaborative album, finding the 🏆 decorated musician collaborating with musicians from all walks of life, many unexpected.  The resulting album is one starkly different from everything else in his catalog.  Perhaps that turns off traditional fans, but given the fact that Elton has nothing else to prove, why not? There’s plenty to like about The Lockdown Sessions in my humble opinion. 

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“Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”

✅ 🎵 “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” kicks The Lockdown Sessions off with a bang.  🎙 PNAU – 🎛 Nicholas Littlemore, 🎛 Sam Littlemore, and 🎛 Peter Mayes – create a transformative remix, period. 🎙 Dua Lipa joins the icon on a delightful mashup sampling the John classic, 🎵 “Sacrifice” and interpolates another, 🎵 “Rocket Man”. From the onset, “Cold Heart” grooves hard. The production is brilliant – colorful, picturesque, and incredibly slick. John is the first voice heard, adorning the warm, groovy backdrop with lyrics from “Sacrifice.”  Following verse and pre-chorus, a sublime sounding Lipa enters singing “Rocket Man” creating a super cool effect.  I like the way that Lipa’s vocals are layered as “Cold Heart” progresses.  Elton’s vocals get into the mix too, creating a truly scintillating listening experience. 

“Cold Heart” does a nice job of balancing old and new school.  Follow-up 🎵 “Always Love You” focuses on the present day.  Those opening vocals by John sound familiar (save for vocal effects), but soon enough, we know we’re “not in Kansas anymore.” Trap beats and a melodic, explicit 🎙 Young Thug feature proves to be a far cry from the likes of 🎵 “Rocket Man” or 🎵 “Philadelphia Freedom” (“Takin’ off your skirt, this the night I make you squirt”). 🎙 Nicki Minaj joins the mix as well, both rapping and singing as she has consistently throughout her career.  Does “Always Love You” work? Maybe, maybe not – depends on your open-mindedness – but it’s certainly fascinating. 

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“Learn to Fly” 

On ✅ 🎵 “Learn to Fly,” the positive vibes are endless.  “All the broken people put your hands up high,” 🎙 Surfaces sing on the chorus, adding, prudently, “If you loosen up, you might just learn to fly.” Notably, the positive duo (🎙 Forrest Frank and 🎙 Colin Padalecki) secured the icon for a guest feature.  Furthermore, John even includes the memorable collaboration on The Lockdown Sessions! Like Forrest and Colin, John spreads good vibes on the second verse: “Just keep your head up, don’t you worry, it will be alright.”

As an advance single, I was skeptical about ✅ 🎵 “After All”, a collaboration between John and 🎙 Charlie Puth (🎼✍ Jacob Kasher Hindlin co-writes).  With more listens, it’s grown on me, even if I don’t consider it the best of the best necessarily. “After All” is bright and energetic.  Sound wise, it lands somewhere between the 70s/80s and modern pop/rock.  Puth initiates things, performing the first verse and chorus, singing respectably. John arrives on the second verse (with modern vocal trickery) and likewise, performs the following chorus.  Puth returns for the bridge, kicking things up a notch, and setting up the proper duet on the final chorus.  By the final chorus, the energy has soared, as have the vocals.  Naturally, Puth has a higher upper range, and does the ‘heavy lifting’ 🏋 you might say. If nothing else, the chorus hits:

“Oh, oh, nothing compares to you
Oh no, baby
They were just doin’ it wrong
I gave up on love until you made me believe in it after all
After all, oh, ah.” 

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“Chosen Family”

“So, what if we don’t look the same? / We been going through the same thing, yeah / You are, you are / My chosen, chosen family.” 🎙 Rina Sawayama already had a phenomenal record with ✅ 🎵 “Chosen Family”, which appeared on her 2020 full-length debut, 💿 SAWAYAMA.  Sawayama is joined by Elton John on the impressive duet version, which lands on The Lockdown Sessions.  This collaboration feels right given the fact that both musicians are members of the LGBTQ+ community 🏳️‍🌈 and celebrate that notion of ‘chosen Family’:

“We don’t need to be related to relate
We don’t need to share genes or a surname
You are, you are
My chosen, chosen family.”

Gorgeous, meaningful lyrics (and theme), and expressive, nuanced vocals make “Chosen Family” a must-hear.  The unexpected is part of the charm of The Lockdown Sessions. 🎙 Gorillaz and Elton John together on the same track? Not expected! Furthermore, throw in 🎙 6LACK and 🎵 “The Pink Phantom” is nothing short of bizarre.  That said, the contrast of John and 6LACK vocally is compelling.

✅ 🎵 “It’s a sin (global reach mix)” with 🎙 Years & Years – now all 🎙 Olly Alexander – is a winner.  Contrast is part of the draw here, with Alexander inviting us with his youthful tenor, while John’s baritone (at this stage) has bite and power.  I love how they trade lines as the song progresses.  Furthermore, that danceable groove when John enters the song, is sweet. Sure, “It’s a Sin” is a cover (🎙 Pet Shop Boys), but the fact that it’s been modernized shows John’s willingness to embrace the music of today.  Among the most epic songs from The Lockdown Sessions is the rocking ✅ 🎵 “Nothing Else Matters.” 🎙 Miley Cyrus is credited as the lead artist, with those distinct, powerful, and cutting pipes.  Personally, I love her tone, particularly on this six-and-a-half-minute-plus 🎙 Metallica cover.  Yes, that’s right, Cyrus is covering the metal icons with the help of John, 🎙 WATT, 🎙 Yo-Yo Ma (!), 🎙 Robert Trujillo, and 🎙 Chad Smith. What! “Nothing Else Matters” doesn’t disappoint, delivering one of the high points from what must be the most diverse LP of John’s career.  John contributes his gift of keys here.  

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“Orbit”

After the high-flying Metallica tribute, Elton John dances… again! 🎵 “Orbit” pairs him with the talented 🎙 SG Lewis.  “Orbit” is in the same realm as “Cold Heart”, which kicked The Lockdown Sessions off spectacularly.  Perhaps not the ‘main attraction’ of the LP, it’s one of the better moments.  Perhaps 🎵 “Simple Things” with 🎙 Brandi Carlile feels more natural to Elton purists.  It’s no surprise he blends so seamlessly with Carlile –both possess expressive, powerful vocals.  Another pro is that musically, this falls in line with much of the newer music by John in the 2020s – the piano lines, harmonic scheme, etc. The chorus shines.

Much like “After All”, I was skeptical about 🎵 “Beauty in the Bones.” First, it’s a collaboration that seems out of nowhere without context.  How would Elton John know country musician 🎙 Jimmie Allen? Furthermore, while Allen sings ‘country,’ soon enough, “Beauty in the Bones” turns into more of a dance-pop joint.  It’s different, but John’s commentary provides context.  Give him credit for doing something different. On 🎵 “One of Me,” John is the featured guest.  “One of Me,” of course, is a highlight from 💿 Montero, the debut album by 🎙 Lil Nas X.  Here, X addresses skeptics who didn’t believe he’d have any career longevity following 🎵 “Old Town Road”.  “Word on the block is you fell off and I’m just sayin’ / If it ain’t ‘Old Town Road,’ Lil Nassy ain’t playin’.” Woo! As for Elton’s role, it’s in his fingers – he plays the piano. 

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“E-Ticket” 

Does paring Elton John and 🎙 Eddie Vedder make sense? Yes.  Both are assertive vocalists with storied careers.  I’m not sure that 🎵 “E-Ticket” is ‘the best thing since sliced bread,’ but the fast tempo, high energy, and dynamic nature of the record is notable.  Also, the piano playing is nice.  While I love the assertiveness of the vocals, I’m less sold on the quality all said and done. 

On the masterful ✅ 🎵 “Finish Line”, two highly decorated, iconic musicians – 🎙 Elton John and 🎙 Stevie Wonder – make sweet music together.  This compelling highlight – among the best of The Lockdown Sessions – was penned with 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Watt, 🎼✍ Ali Tamposi, and 🎼✍ Roman Campolo. The record commences with soulful keys – acoustic and electric – before a slick groove kicks in.  John ‘takes first blood,’ singing expressively with his full-bodied, mature vocals.  Following a fab verse, he delivers the centerpiece, the chorus, backed by gospel choir. As expected, the spirit is high, and ears perk up with the throwback vibes. The icing on the cake is the second verse performed by Wonder, who sounds as youthful as he did back in his heyday.  His marvelous tenor brings contrast and helps to drive the gem onward to the finish line.  He meshes well with John and choir on the chorus following his verse.  Amplifying the spirit and musicianship even more is his harmonica solo.  The finish line of “Finish Line” itself is eventful with John, Wonder, choir, and an unnamed soloist making all listeners want to witness – hallelujah!  

“Finish Line” has the perfect case as the closing song on The Lockdown Sessions.  In fact, if you don’t have something equally strong to follow-up with, you’re arguably diminishing the quality of the LP.  Thankfully, penultimate ✅ 🎵 “Stolen Car” with 🎙 Stevie Nicks is another winner.  Does it eclipse “Finish Line”? I’d say not, but the chemistry between John and Nicks is successful.  Again, as I listen to this musically, so many of the cues are quintessential Elton John.  The 80s cues + an epic chorus are big time selling points.  Given his death, it’s not surprising the 🎙 Glen Campbell record, 🎵 “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” closes The Lockdown Sessions.  Honestly, it’s the right thing to do – the appropriate tone.  This performance is obviously meaningful, regardless of if it’s the crowning achievement or not.

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Final Thoughts 💭

So, how does The Lockdown Sessions stack up for the iconic musician? Honestly, I’m just thrilled to hear a new Elton John album.  Perhaps I’m biased but God, do I love EJ! That said, I appreciate John’s willingness to collaborate with a mix of younger musicians as well as some of his own contemporaries considered to be iconic and legendary themselves.  Does everything work on The Lockdown Sessions? No, but it doesn’t need to.  John has nothing more to prove and if anything, this album showcases his versatility.  There’s plenty to like about this album.  If you’re a traditionalist and this isn’t your cup of tea, well, just stick to the classics, I guess!

✅ Gems 💎: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” “Learn to Fly,” “After All,” “Chosen Family,” “It’s a sin (global reach mix),” 🎵 “Nothing Else Matters,” “Finish Line” & “Stolen Car”

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🎙 Elton John • 💿 The Lockdown Sessions • 🏷 Mercury • 🗓 10.22.21
[📷: Mercury]

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