Bernie Taupin Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Elton John's lyricist could have come up with a more interesting project given the enormous talent involved. Many of the Elton John mafia from the early seventies participate - producer Gus Dudgeon, Davey Johnstone, Caleb Quaye, Clive Franks, and others accompany Bernie Taupin on this lyrical excursion. Side 1 contains the poem Child which has nine separate elements listed "a" through "i". The second portion of Child which is sub-titled The Greatest Discovery, is the only Elton contribution, credited to John/Taupin. It is also one of the more musical pieces. For the most part Caleb Quaye and Davey Johnstone provide backing for the relentless recitation. Former Velvet Underground keyboardist Willie Alexander has earned a good reputation for his spoken word discs, and if Bob Dylan and Lou Reed pursued this avenue, it would be a revelation to their fans, but Taupin doesn't convince as he reads his poetry as if it were the Sunday paper and the impatient wordsmith feels like he is heading for his fourth cup of coffee. There's no contest if compared to Kongos, the brilliant musical work by John Kongos, produced by Dudgeon with Caleb Quaye on guitar; this album, released around the same time on Elektra as well, conveys John Kongos message unmistakably. Bernie Taupin, on the other hand, needs to deliver lines like "...for as the days feed time command. I thank all those within whose arms I learnt to live and love..." with a little more enthusiasm. This bit, entitled Conclusion, has the same energy as a priest during a weekday Mass. saying some obscure prayer for the six thousandth time. Given the bevy of albums released around 1971 by Davey Johnstone, Caleb Quaye's Hookfoot, James Newton Howard and the aforementioned Kongos, all with musicians from the Elton John/Bernie Taupin stable, one would think When The Heron Wakes or Like Summer Tempests from this methodical essay would have more compelling lines than "not I to wear the gospel. When I only wrote my own, your chapters shall go unwritten." Taupin has a unique voice which fails to command the respect he has earned with his work with Elton. However all is not lost, a double CD "best of" featuring material from all of the musicians who recorded with Elton in the early 70's and who released records such as this one, would be of interest to the legion of fans out there. Bernie Taupin reciting the lyrics to some of his more fascinating songs with Elton John might really be something. It's not that this is a bad recording; with all the talent converging here, they could have come up with something better than just average. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Bernie Taupin named his band and 1987 RCA album Tribe, displaying even more of his affinity for the Native American culture he gave listeners on Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection over a decade before. If you think "Friend of the Flag" sounds like "Country Comforts" from those Tumbleweed days crossed with Starship, it does. Collaborator Martin Page co-wrote "We Built This City" with Taupin and though this episode is pleasant enough, it would have been more fun to hear the songwriters take on their hits for Starship and Heart. "These Dreams" would have done much to introduce these behind-the-scenes fellows to the masses. The album has some fascinating moments, but nothing big enough to lift it over the top. "Corrugated Iron" is strong; dedicated to Nelson Mandela, it owes much to John Stewart's 1979 Top Five hit "Gold" and John Kongos' sublime minor hit "Tokoloshe Man." Taupin cohorts, including Gus Dudgeon, were involved with the Kongos effort, and it is nice to hear them resurrect "Tokoloshe Man" somewhat. It is also nice to hear what sounds like Elton John's voice on "Citizen Jane" and "Billy Fury." Tribe is one of the more derivative albums you'll ever hear, melodies and production ideas lifted from all sorts of material that shot out over the Top 40 airwaves. What's missing is identity. Bernie Taupin's debut effort, Taupin, suffered the same dilemma and it is distressing that 16 or so years later the brilliant lyricist who was involved with so many hit recordings couldn't sprinkle the magic on this effort to help himself. Of course, if "Citizen Jane" had been pushed into the consciousness through incessant radio play, it might have stuck. The other problem could have been RCA Records. Sure, they propelled Taupin's Starship work to the top -- but the label had no clue that the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, released around the same time as this, would fly. A decent and interesting enough project, it just needed a little bit more from the lyricist turned singer as well as the record label. Now, had Elton John performed a duet as Martha Davis does on "She Sends Shivers".... The music here begs the almost rhetorical question -- has Procol Harum lyricist Keith Reid put his voice on record yet? Tribe might be part of the answer to that query. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
