Less than four months after issuing the landmark and autobiographical
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
,
Elton John
re-emerged with a new band and a slightly modified sound. However, the departure of bassist
Dee Murray
and drummer
Nigel Olsson
began a deceleration in terms of
John
's success, which rivalled only
the Beatles
' and
Elvis Presley
's in terms of global acclaim. The revamped band grew to include new associates
James Newton Howard
on keyboards and
Kenny Passarelli
on bass as well as drummer
Roger Pope
and guitarist
Caleb Quaye
, who had both performed with
as far back as his first long-player. (He also retained the services of guitarist
Davey Johnstone
and percussionist
Ray Cooper
from the most recent lineup.) Musically,
Rock of the Westies
maintains the balance of harder-edged material and effective ballads. In fact, one of the album's strongest suits is the wide spectrum of strong material. The ballsy no-nonsense "Street Kids" and the aggressive gringo rock of the
ZZ Top
sound-alike "Grown Some Funk of Your Own" contrast with the poignant power balladry of "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" or the dark and brooding tale of addiction on "Feed Me." Perhaps inspired by the crossover R&B appeal of "Philadelphia Freedom," the up-tempo "Island Girl" bears a distinct and danceable groove that lies somewhere between a slightly Jamaican vibe and disco. Perhaps more soulful in the traditional sense are the boogie-based "Hard Luck Story" or propulsive
Bo Diddley
beat that drives "Billy Bones and the White Bird." While the increasingly fickle public as well as lack of a strong follow-up to the chart-topping single "Island Girl" may have prevented
from becoming the heir apparent to
, in the wake of
's flawless predecessors it remains a strong and worthwhile entry that also set the stage for its follow-up,
Blue Moves
. ~ Lindsay Planer