April 4, 2025 • 7 mins
‘Who Believes in Angels?’ is a trip outside of the comfort zones of Elton John and Brandi Carlile.
The collaborative album features ten songs, written and recorded from scratch in just 20 days.
Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the joint release from these two talented artists.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at Me.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's Who Believes in Angels by Elton John and Brandy Carlyle.
It's the name of the album that they've just released
as well. Of course, Sir Elton has stopped touring, but
he's still recording and a still Clifford our music reviewer
is still listening to Sir Elton as he belts them
out like the beast of them? How are you Stelle?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, I'm doing good And that is one of those
stadium fellas that song, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
You can just imagine everyone waving their lights in the
air having a good sing along. A couple of months ago,
I saw the teaser trailer video for this album and
I was like, what is this going to be? Because
it's a clip of Elton John losing his marbles like
he is just throwing his toys in the studio Heavenless
massive tentrum. I'm like, oh my god, how did Brandy
(01:38):
Carlisle like go in a studio and record an album?
Like what a great little teaser to be, Like, yeah,
come of this album like so clever because the bit
that they've done alongside the album as they've also done
a thirty minute doco behind the scenes of putting this
album together, so that comes out later on today. It's
the first time Elton John's actually let anybody film the
(01:59):
writing album process, and so you know, he has seen himself.
There's some stuff that he's quite embarrassed about, and he
was in a dark place. He'd finished his tour, he'd
gone out on this massive high, and he was kind
of tired, and then got into the studio. There's twenty
days they'd blocked out for him and Brenda Carlole to
come together and write this album, and they went in
(02:21):
with nothing, and I think he just, you know, he
started off kind of not on the right place and
the head SATs, which is a pretty honest thing to say,
right when you've had a however many decade career to
then kind of have to front foot and go there's
all these other people in the studio going, well, we
want to write at one hundred percent, so let's get
on with this. So that was kind of interesting, a
few sort of stumbling days for them, I think, but
(02:42):
at the end of it, they've come out with ten
complete tracks and a full album and a documentary and
you can just hear the passion for both of them,
I think four. I mean, they're very, very talented musicians.
Branda Carlole is an excellent songwriter in her own right,
and then to come together with someone who can just suddenly,
you know, get her on the keys and smash out
(03:04):
this massive riff or oh, I know, I want to
do like this real orchestral end to a song. So
I'm just gonna write that right the second, you know,
in ten minutes later, she's kind of standing there in awe,
being like what has happened? So I think that they
definitely have brought out the best in each other. The
first three tracks are quite rock and roll, and they're
(03:25):
sort of like a tribute to who Sir Elton John
and Bernie Torpin idolized when they were young and coming
up through the ranks. The opening track the Rows of
Laura Nero. If you haven't heard her music before, listen
to this album and then go back and have a
listened to her stuff through the sixties and seventies. It's
got this real rolling, rambling intro to it, and it
(03:47):
starts the whole album and you don't hear anyone sing
for like the first two minutes. It's got this massive
long intro, and you've got musicians in. They're like Chad
Smith on the drums from Red Hot Chillies. You've got Brandy,
You've got Alton and Andrew wat is their producer, and
they're just like, we're just all gonna lead it in
with our music stuff and you're not gonna hear anyone
(04:08):
sing yet, you know, like it's quite an interesting start
for these guys. Brandon Carlo actually leads most of the
songs in the vocals and Elton does a lot of
the backup harmony vocals. He said that was a huge
challenge for him because everyone has their their rhythm rights
or how they would a phrase like they're phrasing, and
so he's had to kind of match his phrasing. And
you know, he's got that big voice where often people
(04:30):
have to sort of match into him, and he's had
to change that style to fit in with her. So
I think it's kind of interesting to know that someone
like Sir Elton John wants to sell challenge himself and
that's what keeps it him going, I think, and keeps
them refresh and keeps them wanting to do this and
but yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah yeah, and yeah so
one of that you're want to play this a little
(04:51):
bit later, but Little Richard's Bible. So that's the second
song on the album, again a tribute to Little Richard.
I mean, people like se Elton John having around long
enough that they've performed with people like this and then
to like sort of have these influences style the music
I think has been kind of a really beautiful place
for them to go. I can't imagine also being Brenda
(05:12):
Carlisle saying here's some lyrics I wrote, would you like
to write a song like I don't imagine it?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Would you like to take part in this?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
And some real strength in the singing. Swing for the
Fences is a song that both of them have said,
you know, it's encouraging our young gay youth to embrace
their identity and your dreams. If you can look to
both of them, have how to live your truth, doesn't
matter what politically is happening around you. You know, there
is hope for that and giving strength to those communities,
which I think is a beautiful place for both of
(05:41):
them to, you know, to lead from. And at the end,
so they've done it in two halves because they want
it to be like an actual album that you flip over.
There's disc one, there's disc two. Disc one ends with
Brandy singing a song called You Without Me. It is
an absolute hair jerkish. Yeah, sounds beautiful, Honor. It's all
about that moment where you're so proud because your kids
have grown and they're about to do some things on
(06:02):
their own, but you're also devastated because they don't need
you so much anymore. For anyone who's a parent that
is going to you know, you can let some tears
out over that one, which is quite beautiful. And then
the second half ends with Elton, So it's kind of
like this full wrap up where they've really showcased all
their talents, but they've also given space to each other.
And I think that's a pretty awesome place to be.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Sounds great. I'm looking forward to listen to it. Okay,
what did you give it?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
This hasn't really changed so because the more I slip
with it, the more I like it. I started somewhere
like a seven, but then I've just gone hard on
it for the last sort of two hours. And yeah,
I'm going to say maybe more like a nine. Okay, yeah, yeah,
it grows on you and I think that's a great place.
And I just love Branda's I love her voice on
(06:48):
this was a great.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Superb alright looking Yeah yeah, okay, cool fig yourself. So
nine out of ten for who believes in angels. We
will get that Little Richard's Bible song. Play that to
you in a couple of minutes right now at seven
to twelve on News Dogs.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
You'd be for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame.
Listen live to news Talks ed B from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at Me.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's Who Believes in Angels by Elton John and Brandy Carlyle.
It's the name of the album that they've just released
as well. Of course, Sir Elton has stopped touring, but
he's still recording and a still Clifford our music reviewer
is still listening to Sir Elton as he belts them
out like the beast of them? How are you Stelle?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, I'm doing good And that is one of those
stadium fellas that song, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
You can just imagine everyone waving their lights in the
air having a good sing along. A couple of months ago,
I saw the teaser trailer video for this album and
I was like, what is this going to be? Because
it's a clip of Elton John losing his marbles like
he is just throwing his toys in the studio Heavenless
massive tentrum. I'm like, oh my god, how did Brandy
(01:38):
Carlisle like go in a studio and record an album?
Like what a great little teaser to be, Like, yeah,
come of this album like so clever because the bit
that they've done alongside the album as they've also done
a thirty minute doco behind the scenes of putting this
album together, so that comes out later on today. It's
the first time Elton John's actually let anybody film the
(01:59):
writing album process, and so you know, he has seen himself.
There's some stuff that he's quite embarrassed about, and he
was in a dark place. He'd finished his tour, he'd
gone out on this massive high, and he was kind
of tired, and then got into the studio. There's twenty
days they'd blocked out for him and Brenda Carlole to
come together and write this album, and they went in
(02:21):
with nothing, and I think he just, you know, he
started off kind of not on the right place and
the head SATs, which is a pretty honest thing to say,
right when you've had a however many decade career to
then kind of have to front foot and go there's
all these other people in the studio going, well, we
want to write at one hundred percent, so let's get
on with this. So that was kind of interesting, a
few sort of stumbling days for them, I think, but
(02:42):
at the end of it, they've come out with ten
complete tracks and a full album and a documentary and
you can just hear the passion for both of them,
I think four. I mean, they're very, very talented musicians.
Branda Carlole is an excellent songwriter in her own right,
and then to come together with someone who can just suddenly,
you know, get her on the keys and smash out
(03:04):
this massive riff or oh, I know, I want to
do like this real orchestral end to a song. So
I'm just gonna write that right the second, you know,
in ten minutes later, she's kind of standing there in awe,
being like what has happened? So I think that they
definitely have brought out the best in each other. The
first three tracks are quite rock and roll, and they're
(03:25):
sort of like a tribute to who Sir Elton John
and Bernie Torpin idolized when they were young and coming
up through the ranks. The opening track the Rows of
Laura Nero. If you haven't heard her music before, listen
to this album and then go back and have a
listened to her stuff through the sixties and seventies. It's
got this real rolling, rambling intro to it, and it
(03:47):
starts the whole album and you don't hear anyone sing
for like the first two minutes. It's got this massive
long intro, and you've got musicians in. They're like Chad
Smith on the drums from Red Hot Chillies. You've got Brandy,
You've got Alton and Andrew wat is their producer, and
they're just like, we're just all gonna lead it in
with our music stuff and you're not gonna hear anyone
(04:08):
sing yet, you know, like it's quite an interesting start
for these guys. Brandon Carlo actually leads most of the
songs in the vocals and Elton does a lot of
the backup harmony vocals. He said that was a huge
challenge for him because everyone has their their rhythm rights
or how they would a phrase like they're phrasing, and
so he's had to kind of match his phrasing. And
you know, he's got that big voice where often people
(04:30):
have to sort of match into him, and he's had
to change that style to fit in with her. So
I think it's kind of interesting to know that someone
like Sir Elton John wants to sell challenge himself and
that's what keeps it him going, I think, and keeps
them refresh and keeps them wanting to do this and
but yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah yeah, and yeah so
one of that you're want to play this a little
(04:51):
bit later, but Little Richard's Bible. So that's the second
song on the album, again a tribute to Little Richard.
I mean, people like se Elton John having around long
enough that they've performed with people like this and then
to like sort of have these influences style the music
I think has been kind of a really beautiful place
for them to go. I can't imagine also being Brenda
(05:12):
Carlisle saying here's some lyrics I wrote, would you like
to write a song like I don't imagine it?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Would you like to take part in this?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
And some real strength in the singing. Swing for the
Fences is a song that both of them have said,
you know, it's encouraging our young gay youth to embrace
their identity and your dreams. If you can look to
both of them, have how to live your truth, doesn't
matter what politically is happening around you. You know, there
is hope for that and giving strength to those communities,
which I think is a beautiful place for both of
(05:41):
them to, you know, to lead from. And at the end,
so they've done it in two halves because they want
it to be like an actual album that you flip over.
There's disc one, there's disc two. Disc one ends with
Brandy singing a song called You Without Me. It is
an absolute hair jerkish. Yeah, sounds beautiful, Honor. It's all
about that moment where you're so proud because your kids
have grown and they're about to do some things on
(06:02):
their own, but you're also devastated because they don't need
you so much anymore. For anyone who's a parent that
is going to you know, you can let some tears
out over that one, which is quite beautiful. And then
the second half ends with Elton, So it's kind of
like this full wrap up where they've really showcased all
their talents, but they've also given space to each other.
And I think that's a pretty awesome place to be.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Sounds great. I'm looking forward to listen to it. Okay,
what did you give it?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
This hasn't really changed so because the more I slip
with it, the more I like it. I started somewhere
like a seven, but then I've just gone hard on
it for the last sort of two hours. And yeah,
I'm going to say maybe more like a nine. Okay, yeah, yeah,
it grows on you and I think that's a great place.
And I just love Branda's I love her voice on
(06:48):
this was a great.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Superb alright looking Yeah yeah, okay, cool fig yourself. So
nine out of ten for who believes in angels. We
will get that Little Richard's Bible song. Play that to
you in a couple of minutes right now at seven
to twelve on News Dogs.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
You'd be for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame.
Listen live to news Talks ed B from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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