Elton John (The Captain & the Kid)

[Slim Zaddy]

Released ;September 18, 2006
Recorded 2006
Genre: Rock
Label: Interscope Records (US)
Mercury Records
Producer: Elton John ,Matt Still

overview:
The Captain & the Kid is the twenty-ninth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 2006. It is his second autobiographical album with lyricist Bernie Taupin, picking up where 1975's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy left off. The Captain & The Kid chronicles the events in their lives since they started working together nearly 40 years ago.

Interscope Records announced that there would be no physical single released from this album as the emphasis is on presenting the album as a body of work. However, a radio single would be found in "The Bridge." The album's booklet has photos of Elton John and Bernie Taupin all throughout their career, and on the lyrics section, two songs are included, "Across the River Thames" and "12," which do not appear on the music album. "Across the River Thames" was available as a free download to anyone inserting the CD into their computer. This is the first album created by Elton John and Bernie Taupin to have Taupin on the cover with John.

The Captain & the Kid reached UK #6, a considerable improvement over the performance of John's preceding Peachtree Road in 2004, which peaked at #21. It has already sold around 3.5 Million worldwide and reached #18 in the US, before quickly falling off the charts. John has made clear his dissatisfaction at Interscope's promotion for the album at concerts in early 2007, having threatened to nix his contract with the label.

Track lists:
All songs by John/Taupin.
1."Postcards from Richard Nixon" – 5:15
2."Just Like Noah's Ark" – 5:33
3."Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" – 4:38
4."Tinderbox" – 4:25
5."And the House Fell Down" – 4:48
6."Blues Never Fade Away" – 4:45
7."The Bridge" – 3:38
8."I Must Have Lost It On The Wind" – 3:53
9."Old '67" – 4:01
10"The Captain and the Kid" – 5:03
11."Across the River Thames" – 4:31 (UK Bonus track & download)
And the House Fell Down tells the story of John's drug addiction and alcoholism in the 1970s and '80s and how this caused his world to collapse on him.

Bonus Tracks
1."Across the River Thames" UK Edition
2."Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Live)" Best Buy (CD included download link) / iTunes
3."We All Fall in Love Sometimes/Curtains (Live)" Best Buy (CD included download link)
4."Tell Me When the Whistle Blows (Live)" iTunes
5."(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Live)" iTunes
6."Better Off Dead (Live)" iTunes

Credits:
John Antenucci :Management
Guy Babylon Arranger, :Keyboards
David P. Bailey :Photography
Bob Birch Bass, :Vocals (bckgr)
Keith Bradley :Management
Adrian Collee: Studio Coordinator
David Costa :Art Direction, Design
Laura Croker: Assistant
Emil Dacanay
Patrick Demarchelier :Photography
Bryan Forbes :Photography
Jill Furmanovsky :Photography
Greg Gorman :Photography
Bob Halley : Director
Elton John Piano, Vocals, :Producer
Davey Johnstone Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Mandolin, Vocals (bckgr), Musical Direction
Lucy Lawler :Administration
Nadine Levy
Peter Lindbergh: Photography
Emerson Loew :Photography
Bob Ludwig :Mastering
John Mahon Percussion,: Vocals (bckgr)
Ryan McGinley: Cover Photo
Merck Mercuriadis: Management
Barry Morgenstein: Photography
Philip Ollerenshaw: Photography
Nigel Olsson Drums, :Vocals (bckgr)
Terry O'Neill: Photography
Danny Porter :Mixing Assistant
Frank Presland: Management
Sian Rance
Thomas Rickert :Assistant Engineer
Herb Ritts: Photography
Michael Ross :Photography
Kent Smith Production :Coordination
Chris Sobchack Drum: Technician
Matt Still Vocals (bckgr):, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Juergen Teller: Photography
Mark Weiss :Photography
Andy Williams :Piano Tuner

Chart & Awards :
Billboard Albums
2006 The Captain & The Kid The Billboard 200 18
2006 The Captain & The Kid Top Internet Albums 18
Billboard Singles:
2006 The Bridge Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 19

My Review:
The Captain & the Kid is nothing if not a proudly nostalgic piece of work bearing no modern touches even the synths that occasionally color this country-ish rock are old fashioned analog synths. It sounds like an dream project on paper, but like a lot of dream projects, The Captain & the Kid doesn't quite live up to its lofty ideals The Captain & the Kid isn't quite the second coming of Captain Fantastic, but it's hardly a cash grab by an aging diva — in other words, it's no Basic Instinct . John's intentions are pure and even if he doesn't quite make an album as good as his '70s work, it does stand alongside that work nicely — it's clear that he and Taupin are really trying, and it's far better to have albums like this and Peachtree Road that fall short of the mark but nevertheless get close than to have an endless series of well-produced but empty records like The One and Made in England.