With Elton John’s Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace coming to an end in May, myself and the missus packed our bags and headed down. Catching the show that made it into the news due to an unruly fan trying to touch him saw our performance end on a bit of a sour note, however Elton was phenomenal throughout. If you have the chance, do absolutely try and catch him on his last ever tour that starts later this year. With the anticipation of the show, I picked up Diamonds, the latest in a long line of greatest hits sets Elton has put out through the years. Track listing is very similar to the greatest hits that came out in 2002 with a few minor changes.
Opting for the two-disc set of Diamonds instead of the super deluxe edition, the first CD is extraordinary. Front to back classics from “Your Song” to “Rocket Man”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Daniel”, “Bennie and the Jets”, etc. These Elton John/Bernie Taupin compositions make-up some of the greatest compositions of all time. Disc two starts with “Song For Guy” before giving way to the hits of the 80s up to 2016. Highlights include the sentimental “I Guess Why That’s Why They Call It The Blues” and “Sad Songs (Say So Much)”, the defiant “I’m Still Standing” and the disco house mix of 2003 UK chart topper “Are You Ready For Love”.
The second disc can fall into schmaltzy territory with “Nikita” and wedding reception staple “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”. “I Want Love” updates Elton’s sound to the point of sounding like a Robbie Williams knockoff, not necessarily a terrible thing. After his 70s heyday, even the best songs sound slightly less substantial and at times suffer from 80s production. That being said, the performances are always spot on and having virtually all the hits in one spot for a legendary artist like Elton John is fine indeed.
9/10
The Light Appears 