Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Overview

One of two albums released as a celebration of the 50-plus years of collaboration between Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Revamp: The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin was spearheaded by the singer, who hand-picked the artists on this pop-oriented tribute. John did take pains to cast a wide net. In addition to arena rockers Coldplay and the Killers, there's the modern folk of Mumford & Sons, contemporary R&B from Mary J. Blige and Alessia Cara, hip-hop from Logic and Q-Tip, diva moves from Sam Smith and Lady Gaga, darkly seductive hard rock from Queens of the Stone Age, and operatic pop from Florence + the Machine. Plus, Ed Sheeran showed up for good measure. Given this, it's a bit of a shock that Revamp sounds as homogenous as it does. After beginning with a neon-lit remake of "Bennie & the Jets" from P!nk and Logic -- goofy, but endearing -- Revamp sinks into somnolence with Coldplay's monochromatic reading of "We All Fall in Love Sometimes," and the album never quite recovers. Cara rallies with "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," Miley Cyrus offers a nicely modulated version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," Q-Tip & Demi Lovato embrace the silliness of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," and QOTSA end proceedings on an alluring note with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," but these are surrounded by tracks that are so slickly produced, they not only sound like glass, but they're nearly indistinguishable from each other. Taken on its own terms, Revamp is dull, but its companion album Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin -- a modern country tribute that takes chances -- reveals what a missed opportunity this is. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	04/06/2018
Label:	Republic
UPC:	0602567428428
Rank:	187246

Tracks

1. Bennie and the Jets [2018 Version]
2. We All Fall in Love Sometimes
3. I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
4. Candle in the Wind [2018 Version]
5. Tiny Dancer
6. Someone Saved My Life Tonight
7. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
8. Don't Go Breaking My Heart
9. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
10. Daniel
11. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
12. Your Song
13. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Album Credits

Performance Credits

P!nk   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ed Sheeran   Primary Artist,Bass,Vocals,Percussion,Guitar (Acoustic)
John Metcalfe   Primary Artist
Alessia Cara   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mary J. Blige   Primary Artist,Vocals
Queens of the Stone Age   Primary Artist
Q-Tip   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums
Miley Cyrus   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Killers   Primary Artist
Coldplay   Primary Artist
Elton John   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mumford & Sons   Primary Artist
Logic   Primary Artist,Vocals
Lady Gaga   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Demi Lovato   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Davide Rossi   Primary Artist
Sam Smith   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Florence + the Machine   Primary Artist
Louis Cato   Guitar
Ben Jones   Guitar
Dean Fertita   Keyboards
Charlie Hugall   Percussion
Jeff Alan Ross   Keyboards,Wurlitzer
Marcus Mumford   Drums,Guitar,Vocals
Joshua Homme   Guitar,Vocals
Tom Monger   Harp
Reuben James   Piano
Jacob Braun   Strings
Trevor Brown   Bass,Guitar (Electric)
Brendan Grieve   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Blake Mills   Synthesizer,Vocals (Background),Drums,Guitar
Thomas Bartlett   Piano
Jake Shears   Vocals
Ronnie Vannucci   Drums
Gayle Levant   Harp,Strings
Greg Kurstin   Bass,Drums,Guitar (Acoustic)
Charlie Bisharat   Strings
Andrew Wyatt   Bass,Piano,Guitar,Keyboards
Gunnar Olsen   Drums
Chris Martin   Piano,Vocals
George Moore   Piano
Michael Shuman   Bass,Vocals
Florence Welch   Vocals
Brandon Flowers   Vocals,Keyboards
Ben Lovett   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Casey Benjamin   Strings,Keyboards
Jon Theodore   Drums
Sally Herbert   Conductor
Peter Asher   Percussion,Guitar (Acoustic)
Ann Marie Calhoun   Mandolin
Songa Lee   Strings
Troy Van Leeuwen   Slide Guitar
Mark Stoermer   Bass
Jacknife Lee   Guitar,Keyboards
Ted Dwane   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Winston Marshall   Banjo,Vocals (Background)
The Regiment Horns   Horn
Ed Carlile   Drums
Alma Fernandez   Strings

Technical Credits

Todd Monfalcone   Engineer
Terry O'Neill   Photography,Cover Illustration
Alex Pasco   Engineer
Paul Kremen   Executive Producer
Darren Heelis   Engineer
Robert Root   Engineer
Charlie Hugall   Producer,Programming,Drum Programming
Emile Haynie   Producer
John Metcalfe   Engineer,String Arrangements
Bill Rahko   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Joshua Homme   Mixing,Producer
Marshall Bryant   Engineer
Carte Blanche   Composer
Darhyl Camper   Producer
Julian Burg   Engineer
Zach Nicholls   Engineer
Jose Balaguer   Engineer
Aleks von Korff   Assistant
Riccardo Damian   Engineer
Trevor Brown   Producer
Bizness Boi   Producer
Will Purton   Assistant Engineer
Alfredo Pasquel   Assistant
Wes Period   Producer
Barry McCready   Engineer
Nicole Llorens   Assistant Engineer
Zaire Koalo   Producer,Drum Programming
Chaz Sexton   Assistant Engineer
Brendan Grieve   Producer
Abbey Smith   Vocal Producer
Jacob Munk   Engineer
Vasya Kolotusha   Artwork
Blake Mills   Producer
Nathaniel Kunkel   Mixing,Engineer
Q-Tip   Producer
Bernie Taupin   Composer
Matt Bishop   Engineer
Dan Grech-Marguerat   Mixing
Ann Orson   Composer
Davey Johnstone   Composer
Mitch Allan   Engineer,Vocal Producer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Brendan Dekora   Assistant Engineer
Steve Fitzmaurice   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Elton John   Composer,Executive Producer
Greg Kurstin   Engineer,Producer,String Arrangements
Dan Crean   Producer
Andrew Wyatt   Engineer,Producer,Programming
Justin Smith   Engineer
Eric J. Dubowsky   Mixing
Chris Kahn   Assistant Engineer
Jacknife Lee   String Arrangements,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Sally Herbert   Orchestral Arrangements
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing
Mark Ronson   Producer
Peter Asher   Producer,Executive Producer
Justin Tranter   Producer
Thomas Brenneck   Engineer
Warren Felder   Engineer,Producer,Programming
Tom Elmhirst   Mixing
Jaymz Hardy-Martin III   Mixing
Tchad Blake   Mixing,Engineer
Blair Wells   Mixing,Engineer
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Gloria Kaba   Assistant Engineer
Aaron Rauber   Engineer