Neil Young is pissed and Sir Elton tends to reminisce

In March of 2006 there was a flurry of excitement regarding a new recording Neil Young had just completed, titled, "Let’s Impeach The President." This prompted CNN to air an impromptu interview with the artist. Living With War, the subsequent album, is a masterpiece of political opinions and emotions stirred heavily into a thick brew of furious fuzzy guitars and a 100 member choir. This is thankfully another one of Young’s cohesive recordings that rides high among his most guttural and direct.

Living With War succeeds over other new anti-war recordings in recent years because Young’s outrage is also coated with a plaintive veil that makes this an emotionally complex record. This is contradicted by the brown paper bag artwork and the inherently charging yet simple rock riffs. Musically, there is nothing new aside from the exuberent choir. Yet, Neil Young has always sounded like a wise bluesman that delivers his messages through familiarity not ingenuity. In a way, we have all heard this music before, but when Young sings here it is breathtakingly vital.

This album serves as one long 40 minute attack on all that have defaced what Young holds near and dear and as a call to restore peace. The visceral, "Families," "Flags of Freedom" and "Shock and Awe" sit comfortably next to the subjective title track and "Let’s Impeach the President." The latter track includes a section where Young and company yell, "Flip....Flop" as audio clips of President Bush are played. This is a cutting device which hopefully will motivate and perturb the listener and serve as the centerpiece to the record. Hopefully, Neil Young will continue to make inspirational music like this for years to come.

Elton John has been on a winning streak critically for the last 5 years. His past two records, Songs From the West Coast and Peachtree Road have recaptured that earthy flame of his early 70’s sound. The Captain and the Kid continues that trek through the days of yore. The Captain is actually a follow up to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. This new album is the supposed continuation of the story that ended in 1975; It chronicles the aftermath of fame with all its accolades and cocaine overdoses. There is but one problem: there is no glitz, glamour or guts here.

Everything on Captain and the Kid is tastefully done with Elton’s trademark piano playing that bridges the blues and gospel with rock and roll and Bernie Taupin’s idiosyncratic lyricism. There are moment’s of glory on "Postcards from Richard Nixon" and "Old 67", but where are the retched drug abuse tales? The disco-era sellout? The 80’s revival? The tabloids and cover-up marriage? The hair transplants and arguments? Where is the reality here? Songs like "And the House Fell Down" just don’t and can’t sum it up. Likewise, a song like "Wouldn’t Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" just won’t cut it.

The answer to enjoying this record is simple: never mind the supposed theme and forget the connection to Captain Fantastic. This music percolates and is passionately showcased with the time and attention Elton John never seemed to give many of his records from the 80s and 90s. Captain and the Kid does gush with nostalgia yet it also is strongly planted in the present.

Despite the contrivances, this is one of the most straighforward sounding albums from Sir Elton in years. From beginning to end it is a joy to listen to even if he doesn’t mention all those fashion faux pas.