After forty years in the music business and thirty albums; Elton John goes home again with, The Diving Board. The album was produced by T-Bone Burnett and the songs were written by long time musical partner Bernie Taupin. The Diving Board is Elton John’s most mature, stripped down, piano driven record since the seventies.
Elton John has been trying to recapture his signature sound since Songs from the West Coast in 2001, but it wasn’t until his project with Leon Russell entitled, The Union (2010) also produced by T-Bone Burnett, that got Elton revitalized and re-connected to his past ; leading him to, The Diving Board.
T-Bone Burnett’s stripped down approach to the recording; having only Elton and a rhythm section work together; to the album brings a simplicity and warmth to the songs. It allowed Elton John’s vocal and piano skills to tell the stories within the songs thus proving that Elton John is truly one of the most renowned singers and piano players in music history.
The Diving Board is dark album and will take a few listens to really get into it, for those of you looking for the next Bennie and Jets, you may be disappointed. For those looking for a good body of work, The Diving Board hits the mark.
At this stage of his career Elton John has nothing left to prove, but it warms my heart to hear that he can dig deep from within and deliver a great album, and that’s all I or any music fan can ask for…welcome home again.
“We all dream of leaving but wind up in the end Spending all our time trying to get back home again”
Elton John/ Bernie Taupin