Robert Ellis’ career has come a long way since his 2009 debut The Great Re Arranger and even since his 2014 song and album The Lights from the Chemical Plant, (one of the best songs in the last decade). So, yes, his latest effort comes highly anticipated. Count on Ellis to do something a bit different. The accomplished guitarist eschews that instrument in favor of the grand piano, upon which he wrote most of these tunes. Ellis plays only piano and keyboards on Texas Piano Man, marrying some of the Texas piano traditions with pop sensibilities of Elton John and Leon Russell, accompanied by guitar, bass, drums, and percussion.
Unlike his previous material, Texas Piano Man doesn’t come across as contemplative and melancholy. Instead, it’s mostly wild and bright, even raucous in places. Ellis likens the musical experience to being behind the wheel of “a rock solid muscle car.” It’s a heavy thing, with beautiful lines. From the staccato rhythms of “Passive Aggressive”, Ellis can shift moods rather suddenly though as he turns into a fond balladeer on “Father,” “Let Me In” and “Lullaby.”He embraces humor in “Nobody Smokes Anymore” and croons love in the opening tune “Fucking Crazy,” as if to spread the message that the only sane approach to life is recklessly falling in love.
In minutes the listener could easily be transported from a honky tonk Texas saloon to an elegant concert hall, depending on the track, but the shimmer and glow remain throughout. The album art characterizes it well, with Ellis perched on top of a mountain in Marfa, TX seated at a grand piano, wearing a white tuxedo. He describes the Texas Piano Man as the guy who wears the tuxedo everywhere. If there’s a ribbon to be cut, he’s there. A groundbreaking? He’ll hold the shovel and deal with the dirty suit later. “It’s more about a spirit,” he says, “than an aesthetic. There’s the classic play of the piano man, and with a little fashion behind it. I want you to listen to the songs. But also to see the rings and the glitz and the glamor.”
Only two tracks in, on “When You’re Away”, the oohs and ahhs recall the Beatles and Beach Boys, indicating that Ellis has honed in on that classic pop sound, belying any Texas stereotype. “With Texas, people expect a certain thing and they want a certain thing, and I fought that for a long time,” he says. “I’ve realized though that Texas shouldn’t be made a category. I want to redefine to the outside world what it means to be Texan a little bit.” Yet, Ellis’ Texas vision is broadly encompassing. He knows it well down to the roadside attractions and the favored drinks and foods. That’s how one ends up with the album-closing song “Topo Chico.”
This is a majestic pop album that, with tunes like “He Made me Do It,” could have been made by a pop master like Billy Joel. Instead of a New York state of mind, we get Ellis’ Lone Star state of mind, which in many places doesn’t feel that different. That’s why Ellis ends with “Topo Chico,” a reminder of where his music emanates, with its Tex-Mex groove and references to margaritas. Ellis proves to be a grand pop master. This, albeit somewhat surprising, is his most cohesive album to date.
