Elton John and Brandi Carlile have made a record built on shared singing, and that decision shapes everything about Who Believes in Angels?. Across ten tracks and 44 minutes, the pair trade lead vocals, harmonize, and let their voices sit side by side on almost every song. It is a deliberate move away from John’s usual solo spotlight, and the album works best when both singers trust each other enough to let the other take the lead.
Opening With Laura Nyro
The record opens with “The Rose of Laura Nyro,” a six-and-a-half-minute cover that sets the tone immediately. The track is a tribute to the late singer-songwriter, and it plays like a mission statement for the whole album: John and Carlile are paying homage to a musician who believed in angels, and they want listeners to hear that belief in their own voices. The song stretches out its verses, giving both singers room to stretch their range.
“Little Richard’s Bible” follows, and it is the clearest evidence that this partnership is worth pursuing. The track is built around a driving rhythm that feels urgent, and Carlile’s guitar playing matches the urgency of the lyrics. Rolling Stone called it a brilliant partnership, and this is the song that proves it. The two voices lock into a call-and-response pattern that sounds effortless, and the song earns its place as one of the record’s best.
Swing for the Fences Through Never Too Late
“Swing for the Fences” slows things down after the energy of “Little Richard’s Bible.” It is a mid-tempo rocker that leans on Carlile’s guitar work to carry the melody, and it works as a palate cleanser before the album’s emotional core starts to surface.
“Never Too Late” is the first moment where the record shows its vulnerability. It is a ballad about second chances, and both singers sing it with a weariness that feels earned rather than performed. The song does not reach for a big payoff; it simply lets the feeling sit.
The Middle Stretch
“You Without Me” is where the album hits its peak. It is a piano-driven ballad that pairs Carlile’s country-rock sensibility with John’s theatrical pop instincts, and the result is one of the most emotionally direct moments on the record. The song’s central image is a relationship that ended badly, and both singers sound like they have lived through it.
“Who Believes in Angels?” is the title track, and it is a question the album spends its runtime answering. The song is built on a simple chord progression, and it lets John and Carlile’s voices do the heavy lifting. It is not flashy, but it is effective.
“The River Man” is a character study dressed as a folk-rock tune. It tells the story of a man who has spent his life moving from place to place, and Carlile’s storytelling instincts come to the fore. The song is solid, but it does not reach the heights of the tracks around it.
“A Little Light” is a gentle, acoustic-led ballad that leans on Carlile’s more tender side. It is a brief respite before the album’s final stretch, and it works as a palate cleanser without asking for too much attention.
Closing With Someone to Belong To
“Someone to Belong To” is the album’s emotional anchor. It is a song about loneliness and connection, and both singers deliver it with a sincerity that lands. The track builds slowly, adding layers until the chorus arrives, and it is one of the four tracks that critics singled out for praise.
“When This Old World Is Done With Me” closes the record on a hopeful note. It is a song about acceptance, and it ends the album on a high note. The song’s optimism feels earned after everything that comes before it.
What Works and What Does Not
The album’s strengths are its collaborations and its honesty. John and Carlile clearly enjoy singing together, and that enjoyment translates to the listener. Their voices complement each other in a way that feels natural rather than forced. When the record works, it works because both singers are fully present in the moment.
The weaker tracks are the ones where the partnership loses focus. “Swing for the Fences” and “The River Man” feel like they are waiting for the next great song to arrive. They are competent, but they do not add much to the overall picture. “A Little Light” is pleasant without being essential.
| Track | Role on the Album |
|---|---|
| “Little Richard’s Bible” | The song that convinced the pair this endeavor was worth pursuing |
| “You Without Me” | The peak emotional moment |
| “Someone to Belong To” | The album’s emotional anchor |
| “Swing for the Fences” | A solid but unremarkable mid-tempo rocker |
The Verdict
Who Believes in Angels? is a record about faith, love, and the power of two voices singing together. It is not perfect, but it is frequently excellent. The title track asks a question, and the album answers it by showing two artists who believe in each other.
John and Carlile have made a record that rewards attention, and it is one of the best collaborations of either artist’s career. The weaker tracks do not sink it, and the strong ones lift it.
8 of 10.
- The Rose of Laura Nyro6:39
- Little Richard’s Bible3:00
- Swing for the Fences3:23
- Never Too Late3:37
- You Without Me4:36
- Who Believes in Angels?5:13
- The River Man4:42
- A Little Light4:22
- Someone to Belong To4:20
- When This Old World Is Done With Me4:17
