Revamp: The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin is a new album in which a variety of contemporary artists put their own unique stamps on the songs of music legends Elton John and Bernie Taupin. John, one of the 20th century's greatest rock stars, is also a gay icon, having publicly come out many years ago. He is currently on an extended three-year tour, after which he'll be retiring to spend more time with his family.
Some of the performances on Revamp underscore the beauty of Taupin's often-unforgettable lyrics and the intense magnetism that John conveys on stage. But some of the tracks are a disappointment.
Mumford & Sons' "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is a snoozer, featuring dull vocals that lack the raw emotions of John's original recording. The same can be said for "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Queens of the Stone Age. The track just doesn't have any power. The band's lead singer Josh Homme sounds bored, nearly killing the song.
It should be noted that Queens of the Stone Age is an odd choice for inclusion on this CD. According to Wikipedia, Homme came under fire for calling an audience member "a chicken-shit fucking faggot" and "a 12-year-old dickless fucking turd" at a 2008 concert in Norway. Homme said that he's not homophobic, and attributed his behavior to food poisoning and a high fever. But should a man who uses such language be part of a tribute to one of the rock world's most accomplished gay artists?
That aside, there are some lovely tracks on Revamp. Ed Sheeran's take on "Candle in the Wind" has the haunting quality that this Marilyn Monroe homage requires. Like John's unforgettable original, the track captures the lonely isolation and tragedy of Monroe's life and death.
Sam Smith, well on his way to becoming a gay icon, offers a personal cover of "Daniel." Smith has developed a reputation for weeping with his voice, a talent which lends itself beautifully to lyrics like, "Daniel my brother, you are older than me, do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?"
Lady Gaga takes us all the way back to 1970 with a simple and sweet rendition of the plaintive, romantic "Your Song," one of rock's greatest love ballads.
Florence and the Machine give us an equally sweet version of "Tiny Dancer," John's homage to "the seamstress for the band." The vocals are intensely emotional on this track.
One track is a bit weird. "Bennie and the Jets" opens with John's synthesized voice followed by Pink's performance of the song's well-known lyrics. She's interrupted midstream by a bizarre, out-of-place rap by Logic. The rap has nothing to do with the song itself, so what's it doing there? Equally out of place is Q Tip and Demi Lovato's club remix of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a song that is anything but a dance tune.
Revamp features a total of 13 tracks. As you can tell from our review, the selections are a mixed bag. Truth be told, it's highly unlikely that even the best of the bunch will usurp the brilliance of John's original recordings. Nor will this album inspire anybody to stop listening to their Elton John's Greatest Hits CDs. But Revamp still has some delightful moments that are worth a listen. The album is now on CD and streaming at Spotify.