One thing about Elton John is that he will always want to make you dance, and in this collaboration with Brandi Carlile, “Who Believes In Angels?” fulfills that expectation.
“Who Believes In Angels?” was released on Friday, April 4 — marking the first release for both John and Carlile since 2021 — and I have been unable to stop listening to it since then. The album has everything people love about John — and with Carlile, this album is truly unstoppable.
The album makes people want to wear their dancing shoes, grab a friend and dance the night away. Although the album seems shorter with its 10 songs compared to most modern albums, I can’t even complain, as it was genuinely musical perfection.
“Who Believes In Angels?” reminisces the vinyl days — even split into two “discs.” The first disc begins with “The Rose of Laura Nyro,” which is the perfect way to start an album.
The slow beginning makes the sound feel whimsical, almost as if the listeners are waking up to this new album. As the bass drum picks up with the electric guitar, the excitement picks up as the lyrics begin. It was the perfect song to get me ready for the rest of the album.
After “The Rose Of Laura Nyro” provided a warm-up for the listeners, “Little Richard’s Bible” got me moving. It is only fitting, as the song is a tribute to the American singer Little Richard, known for his energetic music.
The tambourine creates a beat that is easy to tap along to, and the energy reminisces Little Richard’s electric rock-and-roll style. The rolling piano creates a build-up for the listeners, preparing them for the higher-intensity moments in the song where it feels that the piano is never-ending.
Next up is my favorite song on the album, “Swing For The Fences.” Carlile’s vocals absolutely shine in this song, and John could not harmonize any better. The lyrics encourage people to be unapologetically themselves, including “Be a heartbeat cannon in a quiet spot.”
With the chorus, I cannot help but hum the tune to myself and use it as my daily affirmation. It has everything that can start a day off right — upbeat, positive lyrics and the confidence people need to get through the most challenging days.
Onto “Never Too Late,” which slows the album down. John shows off his incredible piano skills, embracing that mortality is inevitable, but “it’s never too late” to keep living life.
This time around, Carlile complements John’s vocals in the beginning. It is one of those songs that is so perfectly written and produced that it brings a tear to your eye (and gives you borderline whiplash from “Swing For The Fences”), and I loved every second of it.
Continuing in the traditional vinyl days, “You Without Me” eases the listeners out of the first disc with Carlile’s solo song.
It grapples with the struggles of motherhood and watching your children grow up with lines of “I’m ever just a thought away/ If ever you need me.” The quiet strumming of the guitar in the background creates a highly emotional song that mothers, late high schoolers and early college kids can resonate with.
Switching to disc two, “Who Believes in Angels?” creates a similar vibe as “The Rose Of Laura Nyro.” The song embraces Carlile and John’s friendship but can apply to any close friendship that has seen the ups and downs of life.
The electric keyboard throughout the song complements Carlile’s lyrics incredibly well, and it is the perfect song to begin the second disc. It provides the same “waking up” feeling, and the listeners need it with “The River Man” up next.
Although the song starts slow with backup vocals and a simple guitar, it is clear that it will be used in jazz dance competitions in the coming years.
I need a kick-ball-change-turn sequence to this chorus as soon as possible, or I fear life will not feel complete. This song deserves neon sparkly dance costumes with lots of fringes and a group of eight-year-olds with smiles so big that you think their faces are stuck that way.
When those backup vocals began to shout behind Carlile and John’s vocals, I knew we were in for a treat. No chorus on this album makes you want to dance like this one, and I have no complaints.
“A Little Light” slows the album down again and in the best way possible. The lyrics encourage people to be the light in the world and to keep going, even if it seems that darkness is prevailing. “That’s why we’re gonna get up/ Point our chin towards the sun.”
Nothing could resemble Carlile and John better. Their music radiates confidence and both are lights in this world, so making a song about it is truly perfection.
“Someone To Belong To,” the second to last track on the album, stood out to me the least on the album. Although the lyrics are still perfectly crafted, the instrumentals are much tamer than the other songs, and I think there could have been a bit more with them.
This is the only song that slightly disappointed me, but I cannot complain too much, as the lyrics spread a beautiful message. “But even the water catches fire/ Even the moon is full of holes/ Hang in there darling, won’t you?” continues the theme of “A Little Light.”
Even as life gets hard, this song is a perfect reminder to continue to “hang on,” as you have gotten through it before, so you will get through it again.
Like disc one, John closes the album with a solo song, “When This Old World Is Done With Me.”
John’s unmistakable piano skills shine in this song, and his coming to terms with his inevitable death is the perfect way to end this album.
In 2023, John finished his final tour, leaving a bit of a question mark with the next steps of his career in his old age. In this song, he describes, “Release me like an ocean wave/ Return me to the tide,” signifying his peace with his mortality, and I could not help but shed a tear.
John has done so much for the world of music, and this album felt extra special — whether it be the love or passion that came behind these lyrics or just the overall joy, and I wish I could listen to it for the first time again.
This collaboration with Carlile was the perfect way to spice up his career, showing that age does not stop him from doing anything. This album reminded me of why I love Elton John and why I will listen to any album he is on until the tide finally takes him, as mentioned in the final song on the album.
“Who Believes In Angels?” by Elton John and Brandi Carlile is streaming on all major music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
This story was written by MaryKate Stepchuk. She can be reached at marykate.stepchuk@marquette.edu.
