‘Revamp(rēˈvamp) and Restoration(ˌrestəˈrāSHən)’ review: Elton John(jän) and Bernie Taupin reinterpreted(ˌrē-inˈtərprət)

‘Revamp(rēˈvamp) and Restoration(ˌrestəˈrāSHən)’ review: Elton John(jän) and Bernie Taupin reinterpreted(ˌrē-inˈtərprət)

By Glenn Gamboa

When Elton John announced his upcoming retirement(riˈtīrmənt), he said he wanted to go out with a bang, not a whimper(ˈ(h)wimpər). As if there were any doubt(dout).

In addition to the intense(inˈtens) three-year farewell(ferˈwel) tour(to͝or), John also planned to leave fans with new looks at his work. The first of those new interpretations(inˌtərpriˈtāSHən) arrive(əˈrīv) in a pair of new albums(ˈalbəm) — “Revamp,” which finds pop acts such as Lady Gaga and Coldplay taking on his catalog(-ˌäg,ˈkatlˌôg), and “Restoration” (Universal(ˌyo͞onəˈvərsəl)), where country greats such as Miranda(məˈrandə) Lambert and Chris Stapleton find inspiration(ˌinspəˈrāSHən) from him and songwriting partner(ˈpärtnər) Bernie Taupin.

Miley Cyrus(ˈsīrəs), who has stepped into John’s platform-heeled boots to push the boundaries of pop culture(ˈkəlCHər), appears on both albums. And her versions of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” on “Revamp,” and “The Bitch Is Back” on “Restoration,” show the possibilities and challenges(ˈCHalənj) for the artists on both sets. When she takes risks, as she does at the beginning of “Don’t Let the Sun,” it is stunning(ˈstəniNG). When she moves closer to John’s original(əˈrijənl), she ends up paling(pāl) by comparison(kəmˈparəsən).

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https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/restoration-and-revamp-elton-john-review-1.17861107