The title may sound like sea-faring pedophilia, but The Captain and the Kid is really the continuation of Elton John’s 1975 release Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Its sequel status makes this album not so much a comeback, but a throw-back to Elton John’s earlier career. Both albums seem intended as semi-autobiographical references to Elton and his long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin.
The Captain and the Kid features Sir Elton doing what he does best; belting out lyrical nostalgia and playing a few rolling piano solos along the way. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was a hit in the seventies, and while there’s nothing specific to fault the sequel, The Captain and the Kid lacks some of the excitement and panache of its predecessor. It features 10 typical verse/chorus tracks recalling life lessons and the days of yore. Any fan will likely find themselves satisfied, but no one should expect any surprises.
Ultimately, Sir Elton’s latest effort sounds as though it could have been written 30 years ago, and provides little more than easy-listening background music. The songs “The House Fell Down” and the title track “The Captain and the Kid” stand out enough to be enjoyable, but forgettable little ditties. Sadly, both these tracks are fairly indicative of the album’s quality as a whole: The interesting part ends as soon as you’ve finished reading the title.