Sir Elton John’s 32nd studio album, ‘The Lockdown Sessions’, was produced during the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and released October 22, 2021.
The album had great versatility, dabbling in all genres, including rap, country, pop, and R&B and soul. The featured lineup was also greatly diverse, including both legends with over forty years of hits under their belts such as Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and Glenn Campbell, and more recent stars, such as Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, Miley Cyrus, and more.
Elton John’s deep, rich voice complimented other styles of singing and rapping, and all of the collaborations were very natural. The instrumentals were very satisfying, and they complimented but never outshined the vocals.
In one of the more unexpected collaborations, ‘Always Love You’ featuring Nicki Minaj and Young Thug, there was an interesting overlay of piano under the rap portions, and trap music under Elton John’s deep, nostalgic tone.
Considering Elton John’s experience, it was no surprise when he was able to easily produce fantastic music with a sound that is not his usual. His music brought along refreshing, interesting new additions to his discography and it should be taken as an example for more artists to step out of their comfort zones.
His collaboration with people that were experienced in their own genres allowed for this diversification of sound to sound organic, and for the interesting meld of Elton John’s classic rock sound and the many other genres he included in the album.
Although he didn’t really change his style drastically, he made the adjustments necessary for a seamless blend of styles, which was better.
With musical diversity, and an interesting new sound achieved without sacrificing the iconic sound of the Rock super star, ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ is a must listen to for anyone interested in joining Elton John’s fanbase. Also, it makes for a great transition from any genre featured on the album to another. The album gets a 9/10.
Laura Pinto Alton // Staff Writer
