Alternate Elton
Various Artistes Revamp & Restoration: Reimagining The Songs Of Elton John & Bernie Taupin Universal
WHEN it comes to covers of famous songs, there’s always a tendency to pit the new with the original.
All that doesn’t seem to matter with Revamp & Restoration: Reimagining The Songs Of Elton John & Bernie Taupin, which sees some of the hottest names in music right now giving their interpretations of the works of iconic songwriting partners Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
The well-loved tunes on the two tribute albums sound like completely different songs at the hands of contemporary singers ranging from singer-songwriter sensation Sam Smith to indie rock act Florence + The Machine.
Revamp features songs sung by pop, rock, R&B artises while Restoration is performed by country acts.
Like the title suggests, there are tracks on Revamp where an entirely unexpected musical styling is injected. For example, Mary J. Blige’s R&B spin on Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word is almost unrecognisable from the original at first listen.
Such a drastic makeover may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But for the most part, the songs don’t veer too far from the original, but still manage to sound inherently different.
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues employs the same musical arrangements as the classic, but Alessia Cara’s raspy voice brings something new to the table.
Speaking of raspiness, Cyrus’s spin on Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me is a powerful and poignant rendition of the ballad.
Lady Gaga also makes Your Song her song with her distinctive vocals accompanied by a simple piano arrangement.
As for Restoration, the songs here are sung as they are too, perhaps with a stronger country vibe. Highlights include Little Big Town’s breathtaking vocal harmonies on Rocket Man and Don Henley and Vince Gill’s heartfelt delivery of Sacrifice. Most of the artistes’ unique vocal character alone on both Revamp and Restoration set the songs apart from the original.
I love that these contemporary singers don’t try too hard to breathe new life into these old songs to sound good. These are already good songs and you can’t go wrong with them, which speaks volumes about the duo’s songwriting prowess.