The Lockdown Sessions (Christmas Edition)

Forced off the road by the COVID-19 pandemic, Elton John kept himself busy by collaborating with friends, peers, admirers, and new guns. Those collaborations form the core of The Lockdown Sessions, a determinedly eclectic album that touches upon nearly every side of John's musical personality. Occasionally, John specifically dredges up the past, as on "Cold Heart," where Pnau remixes three Elton oldies while Dua Lipa sings the chorus to "Rocket Man," or he makes a sly wink at an old favorite as when he and Eddie Vedder stir up some "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" vibes on "E-Ticket." The fact that The Lockdown Sessions features the Pearl Jam singer along with the British pop sensation Lipa just scratches the surface of the eclecticism. Elton finds space for everyone from hip-hop sensation Lil Nas X to Americana stalwart Brandi Carlile, even resurrecting Glen Campbell for a posthumous duet on "I'm Not Gonna Miss You." Although Campbell released his solo version of "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," that's not one of the many previously released tracks here: "One of Me" shows up on Lil Nas X's debut, the version of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" with Miley Cyrus (and Yo-Yo Ma) shows up on the deluxe edition of The Black Album, Gorillaz put out "The Pink Phantom" on Song Machine, plus he duetted with Olly Alexander of Years and Years on a version of Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin" at the Brit Awards, a performance that shows up here. The presence of these records doesn't contribute to the patchwork feel of The Lockdown Sessions: the album was already plenty fragmented without these cuts. Part of the appeal is that it sounds like a shape-shifting, genre-bending playlist, an hour of snazzy modern pop where Elton John is the center of gravity. The record is at its best when it's close to an old-fashioned duet album. Carlile steers Elton back toward his AOR '70s on "Simple Things," he finds sympathetic partners in schmaltz with Charlie Puth and Jimmie Allen, and sounds at ease duetting with Stevie Wonder. Those are the moments where John's personality shines through, whereas some of the modern dance music feels as if he's endorsing the proceedings instead of participating. If Elton occasionally recedes from the spotlight, The Lockdown Sessions demonstrates how he remains a powerful presence in pop even when he's in the midst of a farewell tour. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine