Elton John & Brandi Carlile - Who Believes In Angels?

 

Elton John & Brandi Carlile — Who Believes In Angels?

Collaboration includes producer Andrew Watt and longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin

In 2024 Pete Townshend broke some surprising news in an interview: His fellow British rock legend Elton John had gone to Los Angeles to record a collaborative album with Brandi Carlile. Townshend wasn’t lying.

The result of that surprising collaboration is Who Believes In Angels. It mixes Elton-led songs and Brandi-led songs, with long-term collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi both contributing lyrics, and producer and co-writer Andrew Watt acting as the producer, mediator and creative conduit. They are backed by a world-class band of musicians comprising Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, former Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, and world-renown bass wizard Pino Palladino.

The future of the project once seemed doubtful, since John has recently been talking about how he's been losing his vision and can't really record in his current state. But John and Carlile recently released "Never Too Late," an Oscar-nominated song for the soundtrack of the Disney+ documentary of the same title.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile recorded Who Believes In Angels? with producer Andrew Watt at LA's Sunset Sound Studios.

"Never Too Late" is on the album, and so is the brand-new title track. "Who Believes In Angels" is a pounding, urgent duet, and it's got both Elton John and Bradi Carlile singing at the top of their lungs. Says Elton, in a press release: "This record was one of the toughest I've ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I'm pushing the door open to come into the future. I have everything I've done behind me, and it's been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I'm concerned, this is the start of my career Mark 2."

Brandi Carlile says: "I'm still reeling from the fact that I got to do it. I think all ships rise with Elton John's standards for songwriting, and it was an incredibly challenging and inspiring environment to work in, everybody throwing in ideas, everybody listening to everybody else's ideas. It felt like a family. The world is a wild place to live in right now. It's hard to find peace and triumph. It's a radical act to seek out joyful and euphoric happenings. And that is what this album represents to me."

 

 

Side A

1. The Rose of Laura Nyro

2. Little Richard’s Bible

3. Swing for the Fences

4. Never Too Late

5. You Without Me

Side B

1. Who Believes in Angels?

2. The River Man

3. A Little Light

4. Someone to Belong To

5. When This Old World Is Done with Me

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