I enjoy a good Elton John pop song as much as the next guy, but Tumbleweed Connection is truly my jam, so it’s great news around here that John, Bernie Taupin, and company have “cut fifteen songs ranging from Stones like rockers, Country tinged ballads, Gospel and even a Sinatra like weepy similar to something torn from the grooves of ‘In the Wee Small Hours’.”
That quote is from Taupin’s official site, where John’s longtime lyricist provided an update on their forthcoming as-yet-untitled album with Leon Russell, one of rock’s unsung heroes. T Bone Burnett is producing the album with a backup band featuring the one and only Marc Ribot, drummer Jim Keltner, Jay Bellerose, Dennis Crouch, and Keefus Ciancia. Pretty exciting lineup so far, but wait, there’s more!
ABC News reports that Neil Young and Booker T. Jones are also among the album’s guests. Well played, Sir Elton.