tell me what the papers say .....

da UNCUT novembre 2004

HONKY GATEAU
Reg's unexpected winning streak continues

Loudly trumpedeted as a
return to his '70s roots, Songs
From The West Coast saw the
Rocket Man fall back to earth
after a full quarter-century spent
underachieving in the murkiest outer reaches
of the AM/FM stratosphere. Stripped of studio
frippery and with piano reinstated in a central
role, that 2001 album was, by a country mile,
Sir Elton's most impressive workout since 1976's
Blue Moves, and served notice that he wasn't
about the coast for the rest of his days writing
Broadway bombast or fluff for cartoon lions.

The self-produced Peachtree Road more or less
duplicates the formula. A pared-down, organic
sound that recalls Madman Across The Water and
Honky Chateau. Lyrics (courtesy of Bernie Taupin)
that are never less than unflinchingly honest.
Twelve songs that might best he described as
superior adul-contemporary rock. Not eveyone's
cup of meat but, like or lump, it's what Elton does
and it's what Elton does probably better
than anyone else on the planet.

He once said, "You can say I'm a fat
poof, you can say I'm a rotten singer,
but you mustn't tell lies about me."
That distinctively undistincitive
voice, with its tow of ever-egged
sincerity is, as ever, the main obstacle to
wrming to these songs. Get past that if you can
and there's muche to admire. "Freaks In Love" and
"Answer In The Sky" are Gamble & Huff-style
ballads with swooping great chorus hooks.
"Porch Swing In Tupelo" is as affecting a piece of
blue-eyed pop as he's turned in since "Daniel". On
"They Call Her The Cat", the former Reg Dwight
manages to rock convincingly without, for once,
bringing to mind the image of a drunken vicar
getting on the good foot down at the youth
club disco wearing a giant duck costume.
Best of all are the torched confessionals
"My Elusive Drug" and "It's Getting
Dark In Here", where Elton does Rufus
Wainwright almost as well as Rufus does.
Enjoy the return to near-top form of
pop's favourite panto dame.

JON WILDE

da www.bbc.co.uk

Elton John
Peachtree Road
(Mercury)

It's easy to rag on Elton John. A formerly great artist drifting aimlessly in a world content to pass him by, Britain's premier pantomime dame continues to gamely trot out the hits. He's gradually edging towards self-parody as the flamboyant knight of M.O.R. dinner-music, condemned to soundtracking occasional Disney movies and flouncing his way through Royal Mail ads. Indeed, amidst all the bitching and tales of diva-like behaviour, it's easy to forget that musically he's done little of note in the past 25 years - it's hardly a coincidence that the last decent tune he released (2003's rogue hit "Are You Ready For Love?") was a spruced-up 70s out-take.

However, as his occasionally scathing public outbursts suggest, there's still a bit of spunk in the old dog yet, albeit in somewhat diluted form on Peachtree Road. "Porch Swing In Tupelo", for example, is a likeable slice of Americana which hints at past glories, recalling his countrified excursions on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the hopelessly bland "Turn The Lights Out When You Leave", which quickly squanders its initial appeal on a forgettable chorus.

It's not that this is a particularly bad album - at its best, it offers the listener a harmless insight into the life of an artist comfortably coming to terms with his twilight years. At its worst, however, it is hideously self-indulgent both musically and lyrically (witness the egregious "Freaks In Love"), and prone to becoming mired in the kind of third-rate power ballads which soundtrack a dozen faceless Greatest Love of All-type compilations.

Too often here, Sir Elt coasts on past glories ("My Elusive Drug" harks back to "I've Seen That Movie Too", but his strained vocals at the songs conclusion reveal severe deficiencies), and too often it's all bluster and precious little substance: "Answer In The Sky" ladles on the power-chords, synthesised strings and gospel choir with gusto, but to limited impact.

'Fortune and fame are so fleeting these days / I'm happy to say: I'm amazed that I'm still around', he croons on weary album opener "Weight Of The World". Frankly, on this evidence, so am I.

Reviewer: Chris Carter

da www.accessatlanta.com

Elton John: 'Peachtree Road'

By SHANE HARRISON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/07/04

New tricks are fine, but it's good to know that one of our most venerable pop stars still understands that sometimes the old tricks are better.

Elton John is a master at piano-based pop, and on 2001's "Songs From the West Coast," he began the trip back to what he does best. The journey continues down "Peachtree Road," where he sounds more like his revered '70s self than he has in decades, though his voice has grown deeper, richer and warmer.

• Elton John
"Peachtree Road." Rocket/Universal. 12 tracks.
Grade: B+

Some might make a big deal out of the country and gospel elements in an album, largely recorded in Atlanta and named for its most famous thoroughfare, but it's nothing John hasn't done before (see "Tumbleweed Connection" and the gospel-drenched "Border Song"). His country comfort might have a little more sweet tea and fried chicken in it these days ("Porch Swing in Tupelo") since he's been a part-time Atlantan for more than a decade.

The album glows with an organic elegance liberally laced with a gospel choir and anchored by long-serving guitarist and musical director Davey Johnstone and drummer Nigel Olsson. It's a polished sound that could do with fewer sugary strings and more of Johnstone's guitar. "They Call Her the Cat," a rocking tale of a transsexual, is the album's most joyous moment, but it begs for an injection of the galloping guitar riffing of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting." The quibbles are all minor, though.

Lyricist Bernie Taupin deserves ample credit for the album's confessional charisma. You'd swear he's done some sort of Vulcan mind-meld with John, who's responsible for the music. Knowing someone for more than 30 years probably helps, but "Weight of the World" and "My Elusive Drug" could be excerpts from an autobiography in progress.

Most striking is the feeling this music exudes. Despite his recent moments of sniping (at Madonna, Taiwanese photographers, etc.), the man who made this record sounds happy. On the blessings-counting "All That I'm Allowed," the repeated refrain "I'm thankful" is believably heartfelt, and the romantic professions of "I Can't Keep This From You" and "My Elusive Drug" are downright chivalrous. How very knightly.

da www.allmusic.com

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

4 STARS

Elton John returned to the sound and aesthetic of his classic early-'70s work with 2001's Songs From the West Coast, finding critical acclaim, if not much commercial success. Not that the lack of sales greatly bothered Elton -- in many interviews, including one with Entertainment Weekly the week before Peachtree Road was released in November 2004, he claimed he was "disappointed" that it just barely went gold, but he was tired of making "uneven" records. John wasn't merely doing publicity: Peachtree Road proves that he's back to making good, solid records focused on songs, not hits, the way he did at the outset of his career. Since this is an album by a veteran, not an artist on the rise, it doesn't have the sense of discovery, or the hunger, that the early records still retain, and the production -- the first self-production by John with no collaborators -- is a little cleaner and crisper than the rich, warm sound of the late Gus Dudgeon (to whom this record is dedicated), who helmed such masterworks as Tumbleweed Connection. This means Peachtree Road is about craft, both in the writing and recording, which also means that it's a grower, with each song sounding stronger, better with each spin. While the sound of the record is bright and polished, this album makes few concessions to radio: this is certainly adult pop, but it never panders to adult contemporary radio, and the music is a little too rugged and sturdy to fit alongside the stubbornly sweet sounds of 21st century MOR. Which is precisely the point, of course: Elton has consciously returned to the reflective singer/songwriter template of the early '70s, both in his writing and production. Not that this is as lush as Elton John or country-tinged as Tumbleweed Connection -- "Answer in the Sky" recalls the high-flying disco of "Philadelphia Freedom" quite deliberately, and "They Call Her the Cat" finds a halfway point between "Honkey Cat" and "The Bitch Is Back" -- but it fits alongside those albums quite nicely because the focus is on songs, not trying to have hits. These songs may not rival his standards, but they're in the same tradition, and there's not a bad song in the bunch, resulting in a sturdy, satisfying record that proves that the comeback on Songs From the West Coast was no fluke and, hopefully, this latter-day renaissance for Elton will not be short-lived either.

da www.billboard.com

ELTON JOHN
Album Title: Peachtree Road
Producer(s): Elton John
Genre: POP
Label/Catalog Number: Rocket/Universal 3647
Release Date: Nov. 9
Source: Billboard Magazine
Originally Reviewed: November 13, 2004
 

For his 43rd(!) album, "Peachtree Road," Elton John takes listeners to a destination that is musically reminiscent of many of his earliest works. Melodies are straightforward, produced with a lighter touch, even twangy from time to time. And yet lyrically—through lifetime writing partner Bernie Taupin—John focuses on the wisdom and resilience that accompany growing older and gaining experience. Opener "Weight of the World" best embodies those themes and is quintessential Elton. Playful "They Call Her the Cat" and bluesy "Freaks in Love" show how many dimensions these guys still possess. "Peachtree" is much less self-conscious than previous CD "Songs From the West Coast" and succeeds in cutting John loose so that he sounds like he's doing it because it still matters. The enduring master has plenty to be proud of in this "Road" traveled.—CT

da  www.eonline.com

Elton John
Peachtree Road

 our grade
 B-

Artist / Band:  Elton John
Record Label:  Universal
Release Date:  November 09, 2004

Our Review:
While Elton John was busy bitching about Madonna, American Idol and the citizens of the foreign countries he's visiting, piano-pounding bands like Scissor Sisters and Keane came along and cashed in on his funky old sound. On his own zillionth album, John sounds as old and crusty as his recent tirades. He spends much time either fretting over his party-hard past ("My Elusive Drug," "The Weight of the World") or aiming to please AARP members with dry southern-tinged ballads ("Answer in the Sky"). But it's the tacky-as-glue Elvis tribute "Porch Swing in Tupelo" that makes us think he should just stick to singing in Vegas. They can keep him.
 

da THE GUARDIAN

Elton John, Peachtree Road

(Mercury)

Betty Clarke
Friday November 5, 2004
The Guardian
 

For a reformed character, Elton John's looking troubled. First he called media in Taiwan "vile pigs". Then he indulged in Madonna-baiting. Stranger still, having released a greatest hits album, he has gone country. The Weight of the World, with its rain-splattered intro and slide guitar, sets the reflective tone. Porch Swing in Tupelo sways gracefully; Turn the Lights Out When You Leave is pure, pithy Nashville. "You can take the car, it won't break my heart," he sings, dismissing love with a shrug.

It's an old-fashioned sound that casts him in a new light. But he can't quite leave his mind-numbing AOR behind. My Elusive Drug sounds like the worst of Billie Holiday and Robbie Williams; Answer in the Sky could have been written by an American televangelist. The emperor's new clothes look good on John - now he needs the confidence to wear them.

da www.indielondon.co.uk

Review: Jack Foley

ELTON John reunites with trusty long-time collaborator, Bernie Taupin, for another album, featuring 12 new songs that were influenced by the sound of the American south.
Anyone expecting a marked change of style, based on this influence, however, is likely to be relieved/disappointed in equal measure, for while there are some nice touches, Peachtree Road is unmistakeably the sound of Elton John.
The piano remains at the forefront and the love songs remain as meticulously constructed as ever, making this a very difficult album to pick apart in terms of quality.
It's just that, try as hard as I might, I couldn't escape the feeling that there is a certain over-familiarity about it, in spite of the odd flourish here and there.
Elton John clearly know his listener base and isn't really attempting to reach out to anyone new; merely throwing in the new influences as a means of mixing up the established format somewhat.
Hence, diehard fans will probably welcome the use of a choir, pedal steel, and acoustic guitar at certain points, while also noting the rock and R&B-infused blues elements, but this is first and foremost an Elton John album - and not that exciting to boot.
It's all very heartfelt, especially during yearning ballads such as Turn The Lights Out When You Leave, or the extremely personal former single, All That I'm Allowed, but it veers towards piano lounge music a little too often, and lacks any real zest or zip.
The choir gets a look in for My Elusive Drug, but lacks the sort of breathtaking conviction of, say, The Killers' use of a choir (or Razorlight, during their Parkinson appearance), while Freaks In Love is a tremendously tedious affair, that pretty much sums up the bland nature of the long-player. Too many tracks sound the same and play too rigidly to formula.
There's no denying Elton John's songwriting talent, or his ability with the piano, it's just that the PR in the album seems to suggest so much more, particularly given those influences.
Things only really briefly liven up during the rock and country-tinged, They Call Her The Cat, which is fun, and the up-tempo Too Many Tears, which features some of the album's finest lyrics (and recalls the early brilliance of Yellow Brick Road).
But, in the final analysis, the tinkling of those piano keys lacks the same sort of magic of his earlier work, and isn't adventurous enough.
So while it will probably serve as an equally successful follow-up to 2002's multi-platinum Songs From The West Coast, and keep Elton at the top of his game, Peachtree Road was not a journey that I particularly enjoyed taking.

DAILY MIRROR
4 STARS

Fresh from taking a pop at Madonna, wigmaker's friend Sir Reg has to prove his worth. The results are more than comforting -lustrous piano, sumptuous melodies and long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin eking his way ever deeper into Elton's big heart and blue soul. Elt's best album in years. What a peach!

MIKE ROSS, EDMONTON SUN

4 stars

If you believe that Elton John can get all misty over country roads and
Mississippi sunsets, you might believe that he's managed to capture the
zeitgeist of the American south on an improbable new album.

Seriously, Sir Elton's "country record" is his best in years - bubbling
with spirituality, passion and energy. And just a little camp. Hard to
know where his zeitgeist is at when he brays like Toby Keith in the
honky-tonk swing of They Call Her the Cat: "Just a little boy lost in
the land of the free ... they took a little of this, she got a little of
that ... and now they call her the cat," and the song is about a
transsexual. The meowing backup singers is a nice touch. Perhaps there
won't be a duet with Toby Keith after all.

Better look up "zeitgeist." It means "spirit of the times." The "times"
in this case is an American south of peace, tranquility, magnolia
blossoms and all that - not the one that supported slavery or re-elected
W. Just so we're clear. It's a romantic image that has bewitched many a
writer and artist. Consider that Elton John has a home in Atlanta. He
must like it so much that for the first time in his career, he's decided
to both produce himself and record in the "city too busy to hate." The
emotionally-charged results seem to reflect the 57-year-old star's
feisty attitude of late - freaking out on paparazzi, insulting Madonna,
bashing lip-syncers, pitching a new reality series. It's like he's taken
some kind of psychic viagra or something. He's re-energized. Hope it's
not just a manic phase.

On Peachtree Road, partner Bernie Taupin is the voice of Elton in a way
that Elton could never be, having him sing such deep south-evoking lines
as "humidity hangs like a curtain, it fogs up my glasses sometimes" in
the opening song, Weight of the World - expressing the thoughts of a
multi-millionaire British pop star at peace with his place in the world.
From here, you get the imagery-laden Porch Swing in Tupelo and the
stone cold hurtin' song, Turn the Lights Out When You Leave - "you can
take the car, but you won't break my heart." In growly form not heard
since the '70s, Sir Elton even sounds like Elvis in songs like My
Elusive Drug. Spirituality is the key in Answer in the Sky - the
message: don't you dare not believe in God- Too Many Tears and It's
Getting Dark in Here. There are signs this isn't your usual "country"
record, of course - a full-blown orchestra competing with the dobro,
distinctive piano flourishes you'd never hear Floyd Cramer try and so on
- but despite some of the grand and lofty touches throughout, Peachtree
Road is as down to earth as Elton John is going to get.

4 stelle

Elton maintains the righteous path of 2001's Songs From the West Coast
 

The 2001 disc "Songs From the West Coast" returned Elton John to the piano tang, the discursive tunes and the chewy pop rock that made his Seventies albums indestrucible. John and lyricist Bernie Taupin stay the course on this follow-up. Peachtree Road was mostly recorded in Atlanta, where John has a house and where a main thoroughfare helped to inspire the album's title. Midtempo ballads such as "The Weight of the World," where flies buzz in the kitchen, and "Porch Swing in Tupelo" which references various country comforts, portray John as Dixie's premier English-born R&B singer. On "Answer in the Sky," he promises listeners that gloom needn't prevail, even as he acknowledges, per the Nashville-esque breakup stunner "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave," that sometimes people just split to Jacksonville. Peachtree highlights once again just how soulful John's music can be.

NEW YORK POST

With longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin in tow, Elton John makes the tumbleweed connection again with a musical love letter to the American South.

Yes, it's ballad heavy, but that's Elton's musical nature. At least he's figured out how to get nostalgic without sending us into sugar shock. His signature vocal bombast is intact here, but it's tempered with Taupin's intelligent lyrics.

The instrumental orchestration is good, but vocally the music aches for John to be supported by an enthusiastic gospel choir.

There is optimism in the album's repeated theme that longs for things past. "Porch Swing in Tupelo," "Turn Out the Lights When You Leave" and "My Elusive Drug" are testament to that unfulfilled desire.

DAILY NEWS

Elton John starts his new CD with something of a warning.

In the very first track, "Weight of the World," he sings about how glad he is to be an older guy with a long track record and no need to win over everybody.

"You know, I'm no longer 30," he sings. "These days I'm happy to play one or two hands of cards."

Translation: John, at 57, isn't going to break his back on this one. "Peachtree Road" arises as a workmanlike effort that owes more to craft than inspiration.

That's something of a letdown after John's previous studio effort, 2001's "Songs From the West Coast." There, he tried to return to the dynamic sound of his '70s prime, which he did with relative success. Certainly, the "West Coast" CD wiped the floor with Elton's drippy movie and theater projects of the past few years, from the treacly "Lion King" to the strident "Aida."

As the new CD's title signals, "Peachtree Road" takes key inspiration from John's adopted Southern home. In Bernie Taupin's lyrics you'll hear allusions to various romantic places within Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Similarly, Elton's music goes for a sultry Southern mood. All the songs are ballads except one. But in the end, the recording sounds less languorous than lazy.

Barnes & Noble

The title of Elton John's 43rd album nods to his adopted hometown of Atlanta, as does the easygoing, southern-fried music within. Peachtree Road isn't, however, Sir Elton's attempt at crafting a "country album." It's more an exercise in laid-back, stripped-down songcraft that harks back to his earliest days, particularly on the swinging, blues-based Elvis homage "Porch Swing in Tupelo," which lopes along with a laconic, decidedly Delta-ish gait. "Turn the Lights Out when You Leave" is dappled with an understated twang, much like the classic Glen Campbell–Jimmy Webb confections from the late 1960s. Elton being Elton, Peachtree Road is peppered with grandiose ballads that could pass muster in any piano bar, but thanks to Bernie Taupin's always incisive lyrics, nothing gets too saccharine -- not even the heart-on-sleeve "My Elusive Drug," on which Elton serenades longtime companion David Furnish. There's even a smattering of old-school rockers that recall the vibe of Tumbleweed Connection, albeit with a modern lyrical twist -- like "They Call Her the Cat," a lovingly loopy bio of a feisty transsexual. A refreshing southern breeze blows across Peachtree Road, and it's the sound of a legendary artist getting a welcome second wind.

USA Today

di Edna Gundersen

Elton John, Peachtree Road (***½ su 4) Your Song was everyone's song. These songs are his. On his 43rd album, Elton John, enabled by uncannily intuitive lyricist Bernie Taupin, opens his heart in some of the warmest and most revealing tunes of his career. Brimming with wisdom, gratitude and fulfillment, My Elusive Drug shares the struggle of finding love after emerging from addiction. The deeply personal tone doesn't mean Captain Fantastic has left out hooks, sumptuous melodies and pop zest, most potent in the lively They Call Her the Cat. Sonically, Peachtree is a country-fried, gospel-infused valentine to the South, complete with a nod to Elvis (Porch Swing in Tupelo). More than that, with his robust voice and soulful songcraft, it's an instant Elton classic.

UK TELEGRAPH

One of the world's most prolific as well as celebrated songwriters, Elton John seems to have rediscovered both a sense of purpose and dignity. No longer chasing hits, he concentrates on his musical strengths: insistent melodies, soulful vocals and classic piano-led rock-band arrangements, often augmented by gorgeous strings and stacks of gospel backing vocals.

Produced (for the first time in more than three decades of recording) by Elton himself, Peachtree Road harks back to his southern-influenced albums of the early '70s, notably Tumbleweed Connection. There is even a straight-out country song, Turn the Lights Out When You Leave, which may be a first for the man from Pinner.

The album that marked his artistic revival, Songs From the West Coast, had a dark aspect, examining masculinity and mortality. Here, Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin have lightened up considerably. The oddest thing is how autobiographical the songs sound, given that Elton doesn't actually write the words. Celebrating love and commitment, the torturous ballad My Elusive Drug and light-hearted romp Freaks in Love directly address Elton's passion for his partner. It might all get a little smug but for the hard-worn grit that is starting to appear in Elton's voice. Neil McCormick

By Shane Harrison - COX NEWS SERVICE

ATLANTA -NEW tricks are fine, but it's good to know that one of our most venerable pop stars still understands that sometimes the old tricks are better.
Elton John is a master at piano-based pop, and on 2001's "Songs From the West Coast," he began the trip back to what he does best. The journey continues down "Peachtree Road," (Rocket/Universal) where he sounds more like his revered 1970s self than he has in decades, although his voice has grown deeper, richer and warmer.

Some might make a big deal out of the country and gospel elements in an album largely recorded in Atlanta and named for its most famous thoroughfare, but it's nothing John hasn't done before (see "Tumbleweed Connection" and the gospel-drenched "Border Song"). His country comfort might have a little more sweet tea and fried chicken in it these days ("Porch Swing in Tupelo") since he's been a part-time Atlantan for more than a decade.

The album glows with an organic elegance liberally laced with a gospel choir, and anchored by long-serving guitarist and musical director Davey Johnstone and drummer Nigel Olsson. It's a polished sound that could do with fewer sugary strings and more of Johnstone's guitar. "They Call Her the Cat," a rocking tale of a transsexual, is the album's most joyous moment, but it begs for an injection of the galloping guitar riffing of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting." The quibbles are all minor, though.

Lyricist Bernie Taupin deserves ample credit for the album's confessional charisma. You'd swear he's done some sort of Vulcan mind meld with John, who's responsible for the music.

Most striking is the feeling this music exudes. Despite his recent moments of sniping (at Madonna, Taiwanese photographers, etc.), the man who made this record sounds happy. On the blessings-counting "All That I'm Allowed," the repeated refrain "I'm thankful" is believably heartfelt.

Herald Sun, Melbourne, Australia 11/11/04.

The reinvention of Elton John from a rug-wearing, tantrum-throwing serial buyer of flowers to serious musician continues here.
As on 2001's songs from the West Coast, Elton relives his singer/songwriter glories of the '70s, not the excesses of the '80s/'90s/
"I'm happier to see a sunset instead of a line," Elton sings on the moody, bluesy opener Weight of the World. My Elusive Drug ("I've been loose as a cannon and dumb as a wall") details how he beat his demons with, you bet, love.
Turn the lights out when you leave tips its hat to country, Answer in the Sky tips its hat to Philadelphia Freedom, and They call her the Cat is a honkytonk rocker to highlight his reborn voice.
Now, about that hair.....

The verdict: ***

BOSTON HERALD

Elton John
Peachtree Road

( Rocket/Universal )
4 stars
Elton John
Review by Sarah Rodman
Friday, November 12, 2004

Employing the same ``let Elton be Elton'' formula of 2001's splendid ``Songs
From the West Coast,'' ``Peachtree Road'' has all the classic Rocket Man
signposts.

His throaty rasp and stately piano work are front and center. Soaring
background harmonies and sweet strings provide a security blanket on this,
his 43rd album, produced with a warm coziness by, for the first time, John
himself.

With lyrics by longtime partner Bernie Taupin, Sir Elton sounds happy
in the autumn of his life. He sings of being glad to have the ``Weight of
the World'' off his shoulders and appraises his once turbulent life without
ruefulness on ``My Elusive Drug,'' a song that evokes a ``Someone Saved My
Life Tonight'' grandeur.
Though a few yawners pad the proceedings, ``I Stop and I Breathe'' is
classic John/Taupin. Underneath the surface romantic interpretation, it
could easily be about their synergy when John sings ``no one really knows
what it is that we have.''

Taupin's ``Brown Dirt Cowboy'' also rides again in several rolling and
tumbling countrified numbers. The punchy, horn-enhanced Southern soul of
``They Call Her the Cat'' is a nice return to rock 'n' roll boogie. Download
pick: ``I Stop and I Breathe.''

In addition to ``Peachtree Road,'' John also has released a four-DVD
set, ``Dream Ticket,'' only sold at Best Buy. This treasure trove of Eltonia
includes three full-length concerts performed at famous venues in solo, full
band and orchestral modes. The final DVD is rich with archival footage from
throughout John's 35-year career

It's relatively easy to launch a comeback. It's far harder to maintain one. The follow-up to 2001's warmly received (by critics, anyway) Songs from the West Coast indicates Elton John is committed to following through on his late career critical renaissance. Entirely self-produced and featuring his trusty band on each song (and have any sidemen been more stalwart than Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson?), Peachtree Road's noble ambitions aren't entirely realized. Starting strong with the telling "Weight of the World" ("Happy to play with the weight of the world off my back") and Americana-flavored "Porch Swing in Tupelo," the 12-song set loses momentum as it progresses. Overproduction rears its glitzy head most egregiously in "All That I'm Allowed." Still, the young Elton John who took the singer-songwriter movement to new heights in the early '70s with the likes of Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Chateau is in evidence on Peachtree Road. He's laid the groundwork to totally throw caution to the wind and make a truly great album. Next time, perhaps? --Steven Stolder