Elton John is back in the news after the release of his 30th studio album last week. Wonderful Crazy Night is the latest effort by John to remain in the industry and create music that has been legendary since the 1970’s. His newest installment brings back some of the sounds that were just beginning in the 80’s and combines it with a newfound zest for life that he has been practicing. His appearance on the Late Late Show with James Corden, where he sang several of his hits and dished on some of his fondest memories all in Corden’s car, allowed people to be reminded of all the classics he has given us over the years and prepare us for his new project.

Wonderful Crazy Night is an ode to happiness and Elton John himself has said that when putting this album together, he wanted to celebrate his husband and his family and his positive outlook on life.

“Wondeful Crazy Night” is the first track on the record. It is an upbeat, laid-back, rock song that is reminiscent of classic Elton John. Slamming on those piano keys, he shows us that he’s still got it. One thing you can hear throughout the album is the age in his voice, now stricken with a new roughness that he uses as artistically as only Elton John can. “Looking Up,” at first listen, sounds similar to the opening to “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum. It is a classic rock song put in 2016. It’s another example of John’s hopeful nature and positive attitude in life. “The Open Chord” is a slower, western-influenced song that is a musical metaphor for talking about a loved one. If you’re looking for a song to dance around your room to, “Guilty Pleasure” is the one for you. This upbeat song is about exactly what the title says. While describing situations we’ve all experienced, Elton John taps into that unique human phenomenon of a guilty pleasure. It’s also a great song to dance to.

Elton John just keeps reminding us that he’s not stopping any time soon. When you get to produce 30 records in over 40 years, its hard to compare which ones are best. But the attitude that Elton john is embracing is that each project is different, along with each day. His latest album, Wonderful Crazy Night, is a happy-go-lucky anthem for people looking for music with a live feeling to it. This album was great and it shows how versatile an artist Elton John really is.