Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello |
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Born Declan Patrick McManus, August 25, 1954, in London, England.
Costello and his band, The Attractions (keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas), were among the chief proponents of the British new wave. Emerging during the height of the punk era, Costello combined that form's anger with an astonishing sense of songcraft that combined beautiful melody with a smart and biting lyricism; it's no accident that Paul McCartney invited Costello to collaborate with him during the late `80s and into the `90s. Costello's two decades of recording, with and without the Attractions, has generated an impressive output of pop music as any of his contemporaries. His first three albums--My Aim Is True, This Year's Model and Armed Forces, all produced by fellow new waver and erstwhile pub-rocker Nick Lowe--form one of the most impressive pop trilogies ever. Since then, Costello has remained an intriguing, important and changing artist, unafraid to cover country songs (Almost Blue) or to record with a string quartet (Juliet Letters). We may not always like it, but we always check it out. (Note: Costello's Columbia catalog was reissued by Rykodisc during 1993-94, with appropriate bonus tracks for each album.)
Source: MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
Hardly a country artist, Elvis Costello instead emerged as the chief songwriting voice of the New Wave movement. He quickly outgrew that tag, though, and has evolved into something of a songwriting icon in the pop field, though his U.S. success (only 1983's "Every Day I Wright the Book," a minor number by most Costello fans' standards, reached the Top 40) has not matched his reputation. He's long had an affinity with Nashville, recording there and also duetting with George Jones on Jones' 1979 My Very Special Guests album.
Source: MusicHound Country: The Essential Album Guide
Like fellow new-waver David Johansen, Costello has always been drawn to lounge singing--as an establishment form to be tweaked, but also as a way to pay homage to previous generations of solo performers. But while Johansen ultimately disengaged from rock 'n' roll to reinvent himself as Buster Poindexter, the ultimate lounge lizard, Costello has limited himself to periodic forays into the genre. His 1981 album Almost Blue, mostly covers of U.S. country songs, shows Costello's range as a crooner. But he is never as effective there as in his cover of Rodgers and Hart's "My Funny Valentine," released as the B-side of an import single of "Oliver's Army" and then paired with "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" for concert giveaways, radio contests, and other promotional uses. Though he was still the lean, hungry Elvis of his early career, prone to an anarchic worldview deftly packaged in wonderfully approachable, commercially viable pop tunes, he doesn't so much deflate the old romantic standard as elevate it. It was always hard to determine how much of Costello's vaunted emotion was real and how much he fabricated for effect--which is even a better reason to classify him as a lounge singer--but in the brief rendition of "My Funny Valentine" (running time 1:28), he reveals an emotional depth other artists need entire CDs to unearth. (The same can be said for his collaboration with lounge-pop songwriter Burt Bacharach on 1995's Grace of My Heart soundtrack.)
Source: MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide to Martini Music and Easy Listening
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MY AIM IS TRUEOrder from: |
1. Welcome
To The Working Week |
Personnel includes: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); John McFee, Alex Call (guitar); Sean Hopper, Steve Nieve (keyboards); John Ciambotti, Andrew Bodnar (bass); Michael Shine, Steve Goulding (drums). Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All tracks have been digitally remastered. All songs written by Elvis Costello. The Rykodisc reissue of MY AIM IS TRUE includes nine tracks that weren't on the original LP, including demos and songs performed with Costello's first band, Flip City. It is also available as part of the box set 2 1/2 YEARS (Rykodisc 90271/74), which also includes THIS YEAR'S MODEL, ARMED FORCES and LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO. Singer/songwriter Declan MacManus' debut album sported the stage name his manager gave him: Elvis Costello. Recorded in London with an expatriate American band called Clover, MY AIM IS TRUE demonstrated Costello's gift for bitter wordplay. The first single was "Less Than Zero" (an attack on the fascist leader Oswald Mosley and his popularity in England), and subsequent singles ("[The Angels Want To Wear My] Red Shoes" and "Alison") became hits in the U.K. Upon the album's release in America, critics praised Costello as the finest songwriter in the New Wave/punk movement. |
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THIS YEAR'S MODELOrder from: |
1. No Action |
Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All tracks have been digitally remastered. The Rykodisc reissue of THIS YEAR'S MODEL includes several tracks that weren't on the original LP. It is also available as part of the box set 2 1/2 YEARS (Rykodisc 90271/74), which also includes MY AIM IS TRUE, ARMED FORCES and LIVE AT THE EL MOCABMO. For his second album, Costello fine-tuned his aesthetic by abandoned the California studio cat accompanists of his debut for the more aggressive, quirky and very British Attractions, who would virtually define EC's sound over the next several years. Where MY AIM IS TRUE highlighted Costello's rootsy influences (the Band, etc.), THIS YEAR'S MODEL wholeheartedly embraces the "new wave" out-with-the-old mindset, favoring tightly-wound ferocity over back-porch-isms. Irresistibly catchy, in a twitchy, neurotic, white-knuckled way, THIS YEAR'S MODEL is Costello at his edgiest. The classic "Pump it Up" pummels the listener with garage band organ, pounding drums, and HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED-style ranting. "Radio, Radio" turned into something of an anti-authoritarian anthem for Costello. The snaky guitar and reggae-tinged drums of "I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea" complement Costello's verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown vocal performance nicely. Come to think of it, so does nearly everything else here. |
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ARMED FORCESOrder from: |
1. Accidents
Will Happen |
Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). All tracks have been digitally remastered. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?" (Nick Lowe) and "My Funny Valentine" (Rodgers/Hart). The Rykodisc reissue of ARMED FORCES includes the LIVE AT HOLLYWOOD HIGH EP, which was includes as a bonus with the initial EP release. It also includes five songs from the out-of-print TALKING LIBERTIES LP. ARMED FORCES is also available as part of the box set 2 1/2 YEARS (Rykodisc 90271/74), which also includes MY AIM IS TRUE, THIS YEAR'S MODEL and LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO. Many regard this as Costello's finest album, the point at which he merged his punk-influenced anger with his pop tunesmith leanings to create a rich, layered record spilling over with insanely catchy songs and frothy arrangements. There's an almost baroque feel to Nick Lowe's masterful production here, as Steve Nieve emerges as the primary architect of the Attraction's sound. Nieve's spindly piano, '60s garage-rock organ and primitive, quirky-sounding synthesizers color the songs in a kind of rococo fashion. The reference point for many of the arrangements seems to be late-'60s Beatles, or even Left Banke; "Party Girl" even contains an almost-direct Beatles quote. From "Goon Squad" to "Two Little Hitlers" and the timeless anthem "Peace, Love and Understanding" (written by Lowe), Elvis is at his most ruthless here, excoriating his verbal targets with passion and glee, and his singing is at its most passionate. |
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GET HAPPY!!Order from: |
1. Love For
Tender |
The Rykodisc reissue of GET HAPPY!! includes 11 tracks that weren't on the original LP. Eight of them were originally released in the U.S. on the now out-of-print TAKING LIBERTIES LP. The demo version of "Love For Tender" is not listed on the CD. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, organ); Steve Nieve (piano, organ); Bruce Thomas (bass, harmonica); Pete Thomas (drums). Additional engineer: Paul "Bassman" Riley. Recorded at Phonogram Studios, Wisseloord, The Netherlands; EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England; TW Studios, Fulham, England; Ampro Studios, Shephard's Bush, England; Archipelago Studios, Pimlico, England. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All tracks have been digitally remastered. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" (Homer Banks/Alan Jones), "I Stand Accused" (Colton/Smith), "Getting Mighty Crowded" (Van McCoy) and "So Young" (J. Camilleri/T. Faehse/J. Burstin). After the triumph of ARMED FORCES, Costello felt he'd painted himself into a corner. He couldn't go back to the punky fury of MY AIM IS TRUE, but he didn't want to make ARMED FORCES II either. His solution was to go forward by looking back. The songs on GET HAPPY are, for the most part, either covers of '60s soul classics ( a genre dear to Costello's heart, which he would continually revisit) or original tunes molded in that style, all filtered through an amphetamine-driven, gonzo sensibility that put the finished product closer to the Jam than James Brown. Notable exceptions to this rule are the poignant acoustic ballad "New Amsterdam" and the loping, mid-tempo "Secondary Modern." |
TEN BLOODY MARYS & TEN HOW'S YOUR FATHERSOrder from: |
1. Clean
Money |
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TRUSTOrder from: |
1. Clubland |
The Rykodisc reissue of TRUST includes nine tracks that weren't on the original LP. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, various instruments); Steve Nieve (piano, organ); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Additional personnel: Glenn Tilbrook (vocals); Martin Belmont (guitar); Billy Bremner (Spanish guitar). Principally recorded at DJM Studios, Holborn, England and Eden Studios, London, England in October and November 1980. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. Digitally remastered by Roger Bechirian. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "Sad About Girls" (Brain/Hart), "Love For Sale" (Cole Porter), "Gloomy Sunday" (Sam Lewis/Rezso Seress) and "Boy With A Problem" (Elvis Costello/Chris Difford). In retrospect, TRUST can be seen as a warm-up for the career-peak of IMPERIAL BEDROOM. While many of the songs are rooted in the sound Costello had established on previous albums, several point toward a more sophisticated approach to song structure, departing from the rockist mentality that prevailed in his work up to that point. The elliptical, synth-colored "New Lace Sleeves" could have come off ARMED FORCES, as could the elegant, midtempo "You'll Never Be a Man." Songs such as "Big Sister's Clothes" and the sinister, piano-led "Shot With His Own Gun" point towards the future, though, with their unusual harmonic twists and turns. A pivotal album for Costello, TRUST found him midway between rock geek and pop auteur. |
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ALMOST BLUEOrder from: |
1. Why Don't
You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); John McFee (guitar, pedal steel); Tommy Millar (fiddle); Steve Nieve (piano, organ); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums); Nashville Edition (background vocals). Engineers: Billy Sherrill, Ron "Snake" Reynolds. Recorded at CBS Studios, Nashville, Tennessee in May, 1981; live at the Mean Machine, Aberdeen, Scotland on July 30, 1981; live at The Palomino Club, North Hollywood, California on February 16, 1979; live at The Royal Albert Hall, London, England on January 7, 1982. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. This is where Costello began to display the chameleonic tendencies that would serve him so well throughout his career. Abandoning snappy, "new wave"-associated rock for the first time, Elvis decided to visit Nashville and record his take on the country classics he loved so much. Enlisting the services of George Jones producer Billy Sherrill, Costello cloaked himself and the Attractions in countrypolitan trappings (including lush strings) for some distinctive version of country evergreens like "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" and "Sweet Dreams." Only the punk-derived fervor of "Why Don't You Love Me Like You Used To Do" and the bar-room raunch of "Honey Hush" interrupt the elegant, emotional balladry. Costello also pays tribute to a more recent generation on aching covers of Gram Parsons' "I'm Your Toy" and "How Much I Lied." Ryko's bonus cuts sweeten the pot considerably, especially the live version of Leon Payne's self-explanatory "Psycho." |
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IMPERIAL BEDROOMOrder from: |
1. Beyond
Belief |
Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); Steve Nieve (keyboards, accordion); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums, percussion). Recorded at Air Studios, London, England. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All tracks have been digitally remastered. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "Boy With A Problem" (Elvis Costello/Chris Difford). Elvis clearly had a lot to get off his chest on this album dealing with emotional turmoil. While much of its lyrical brilliance deals with his thoughts, a small percentage slipped through with which we mortals could empathize. Now, having shown us he can tackle humour, politics and romance like no other, Imperial Bedroom was his most substantial album, as the issues covered will always be relevant and important. Chris Difford pitched in with one composition, `Boy With A Problem'; perhaps Elvis found it too painful to write so directly about himself? Every track is powerful, simply read the lyrics. A gigantic record. |
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PUNCH THE CLOCKOrder from: |
1. Let Them
All Talk |
Rykodisc's reissue of PUNCH THE CLOCK includes 7 tracks (tracks 14-20) that weren't on the original LP. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Steve Nieve (piano, organ, keyboards); Bruce Thomas (electric bass); Pete Thomas (drums). TKO Horns: Jeff Blythe (alto & baritone saxophones, clarinet); Paul Speare (tenor saxophone, flute); Dave Plews (trumpet); Jim Paterson (trombone). Additional personnel: Stuart Robson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chet Baker (trumpet); Morris Pert (percussion); Claudia Fontaine, Caron Wheeler (background vocals). Producers: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley (tracks 1-15); Allen Toussaint (track 16); Elvis Costello (track 17). Engineers: Elvis Costello (track 18). Principally recorded at AIR Studios, London, England in 1983. Originally released on Columbia (38897). Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "Shipbuilding" (Clive Langer/Elvis Costello) and "Walking On Thin Ice" (Yoko Ono). PUNCH THE CLOCK is Costello's most commercial, accessible pop album. Producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley had brought chart success to other early-'80s Brits like Madness, and they endeavored to do the same with Elvis. While an artiste like Costello proved not as easily malleable as their other clients, he was willing to meet his producers in the middle. The results, while markedly slicker than any other EC album, are far from overblown or saccharine. The arrangements add a bright pop sheen to R&B-influenced tracks like "Everyday I Write the Book" (the greatest song Smokey Robinson never wrote) and the bouncy, horn-driven "Let Them All Talk." Tunes such as "Pills and Soap" and "Shipbuilding" showcase Elvis at his most socio-political, with cutting lyrics that skewer their subjects, and gorgeous, elegant melodies that belie the songs' ominous nature. |
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GOODBYE CRUEL WORLDOrder from: |
1. Only
Flame In Town, The |
Rykodisc's reissue of GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD includes 10 tracks (tracks 14-23) that weren't on the original LP. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, anvil); Steve Nieve (keyboards, synthesizer); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Additional personnel: Nick Lowe, Daryl Hall, Green (vocals); Gary Barnacle (saxophone, electric saxophone); Jim Paterson (trombone); Luis Jardim (percussion); Maurice Worm. Producers: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Bassman. Engineers include: Colin Fairley. Principally recorded at Sarm West Studios, London, England in 1984. Originally released on Columbia (39429). Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. Don't believe the hype. Critics (and Costello himself) generally regard this as Elvis' worst album, but that's far from true. For one thing, it's hard to dispute the overblown MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE's claim to said title. For another, there are too many damn good songs to permit GOODBY CRUEL WORLD to be overlooked. There may be a lack of focus in the production and arrangements, but any album that opens with the pop-soul artistry of "The Only Flame in Town" and closes with the stirring anthem "Peace In Our Time" has plenty going for it. In between, there's media satire ("Worthless Thing"), classic Costello neurosis ("Inch by Inch") and effective R&B reverence ("I Wanna Be Loved"). Not a good starting point for neophytes, but recommended to true EC fans. |
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BLOOD & CHOCOLATEOrder from: |
1.
Uncomplicated |
Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Napoleon Dynamite (vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, harmonium); Steve Nieve (piano, organ, harmonium); Bruce Thomas (bass, saxophone); Pete Thomas (drums, saxophone). Additional personnel: Cait O'Riordan (vocals); Nick Lowe (acoustic guitar); Jimmy Cliff (guitar). Producers includes: Nick Lowe, Colin Fairley, Coward Brothers, J. Henry "T-Bone Burnett", Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus. Engineers: Henry Coward, Larry Hirsch, Colin Fairley. Recorded at Olympic Studios, Eden Studios, London, England and Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California between 1985 and 1987. The first 10,000 copies of Rykodisc's reissue of BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE include a bonus disc featuring an interview conducted with Elvis Costello by Peter Doggett. Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus and Napoleon Dynamite are pseudonyms for Elvis Costello. On this album the Attractions are fronted by Napoleon Dynamite. They perform with him as if they have played together for years. Napoleon trots out another powerful stream of angst, emotion and vitriol. Costello had so much lyrical frustration, he should be commissioned to write the entire Top 40. 'I Want You' is one of the most intense songs he has ever written; he really does open up his soul, and makes a public statement set over a simple melody, accompanied by Nick Lowe on acoustic guitar. The album is similar in feel to Imperial Bedroom and a record that needs the lyric sheet to be read, digested and acted upon. |
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KING OF AMERICAOrder from: |
1. Brilliant
Mistake |
KING OF AMERICA personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin); James Burton (acoustic & electric guitars, dobro); T-Bone Wolk (electric guitar, accordion, keyboards, electric bass); T-Bone Burnett (electric guitar); Jo-El Sonnier (French accordion); Mitchell Froom (piano, harpsichord, organ, Hammond organ); Tom Canning (piano); Michael Blair (marimba); Jerry Scheff (acoustic & electric basses); Ray Brown (acoustic bass); Earl Palmer, Ron Tutt, Jim Keltner, Mickey Curry (drums); David Hidalgo (background vocals). The Attractions: Steve Nieve (piano, Hammond organ); Bruce Thomas (electric bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Producers: J. Henry "T-Bone" Burnett, Declan Patrick Aloysius "Elvis Costello" MacManus, Larry Kalman Hirsch, The Coward Brothers. Engineers include: Larry Hirsch. Recorded at Ocean Way, Sunset Sound Studio and The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California in 1985. Originally released on Columbia (40173). Includes liner notes by Declan Patrick Aloysius "Elvis Costello" MacManus. Digitally remastered by Roger Bechirian. The Rykodisc reissue of KING OF AMERICA features five bonus tracks not found on the original release: "People's Limousine," "King Of Confidence," "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me," "Shoes Without Heels" and "Suffering Face." LIVE ON BROADWAY, 1986 is a bonus second CD included only with Rykodisc's first pressing of KING OF AMERICA. It features six tracks performed live in New York by Elvis Costello & The Confederates. Elvis Costello & The Confederates: Elvis Costello (vocals); James Burton, T- Bone Burnett (guitar); T-Bone Wolk (accordion, vocals); Ralph Carney (saxophone); Mitchell Froom (keyboards); Michael Blair (marimba, vibraphone, percussion); Jerry Scheff (bass); Jim Keltner (drums). On KING OF AMERICA, the ever-restless Costello reinvented himself yet again, using his Christian name (Declan MacManus) in the credits, and employing the other Elvis' old backing band (as well as Ray Brown and Earl Palmer) for his most reflective, mature-sounding album thus far. The overall sound here is closer to Costello's folk-rock roots (The Band, the Grateful Dead) than he'd ever dared come before, and the songs trade elliptical wordplay for considered emotional statements.Though the Attractions appear only on "Suit of Lights," their influence is felt on the album's poppiest tune "Lovable." Elsewhere, Costello offers poignant country ballads ("Indoor FIreworks," also expertly covered by Nick Lowe), jazz/blues torch songs ("Poisoned Rose") and even a bit of '60s Britbeat (an effective recasting of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"). In short, KING OF AMERICA contains some of Costello's finest, most understated work. |
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SPIKEOrder from: |
1. This
Town... |
Elvis Costello's Warner Brothers debut saw him shooting for new standards of literacy and sophistication. Leaving behind the raw spleen of Blood and Chocolate, Spike used a multitude of guests and luminaries--Paul McCartney, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, guitarist Marc Ribot--to flesh out wordy, acerbic tales of soldiers and graceless women (for example, the Margaret Thatcher of the enraged "Tramp the Dirt Down"). For many fans, the songs were too artful by half, with knotty arrangements that belied an absence of memorable music. The Beatle-esque hit "Veronica" notwithstanding, Spike smacked of cleverness on the grand scale. |
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MIGHTY LIKE A ROSEOrder from: |
1. Other
Side Of Summer, The |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Richard Page, Steve Soles, Steve George (vocals); Marc Ribot (guitar, banjo, cornet, Eb horn); James Burton (guitar); Roger Lewis (baritone saxophone); Ross MacManus (trumpet); Charles Joseph (trombone); Kird Joseph (sousaphone); Benmont Tench (tack piano); Mitchell Froom, Larry Knetchel (keyboards), T-Bone Wolk, Jerry Scheff, Nick Lowe, Rob Wasserman (bass); Pete Thomas (drums, percussion); Jim Keltner (percussion, vocals); Jenell Marshall, Lionel Batiste (snare & parade drum). Woodwind quintet: Nicholas Bucknall (clarinet); Richard Morgan (oboe); Andrew Findon (flute); Simon Rayner (French horn); Neil Levesly (bassoon). Producers: Mitchell Froom, Kevin Killen, D.P.A. MacManus. Recorded at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and Westside Studios, London, England. All songs written by Declan "Elvis Costello" MacManus except "Hurry Down Doomsday (Bugs Are Taking Over)" (Costello/Keltner), "Broken" (Cait O'Riordan), "So Like Candy" and "Playboy To A Man" (MacManus/Paul McCartney). By the early '90s, Elvis Costello had forgotten more about songcraft and record production than most musicians would ever learn, earning him titles like "modern-day Gershwin." MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE is where he starts showing off his smarts. It's far and away Elvis' most elaborate effort, both in terms of composition and arrangement, making his collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet sound like a Ramones album. Aided by Mitchell Froom and innovative guitarist Marc Ribot, Costello turns out arty, harmonically sophisticated tunes that never go where you expect them to, either musically or lyrically. Ironically, it's the simplest tunes on what could fairly be called Costello's SERGEANT PEPPER that make the most impact, like the very Leonard Cohen-ish "After the Fall" and the elegant melancholy of the McCartney collaboration "So Like Candy." |
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OUT OF OUR IDIOTOrder from: |
1.
Seven Day Weekend (Guest Star Jimmy Cliff) |
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THE JULIET LETTERSOrder from: |
1. Deliver
Us |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals); Michael Thomas, Ian Belton (violins); Paul Cassidy (viola); Jacqueline Thomas (cello). Producers: Elvis Costello, The Brodsky Quartet, Kevin Killen. Recorded at Church Studios, Crouch Hill, North London, England from September 14 to October 1, 1992. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All songs written or co-written by Declan MacManus and/or members of the Brodsky Quartet. After a couple of post-Attractions albums where Costello enjoyed his newfound freedom as a solo artist, he began to feel the need to collaborate with another group. This notion coincided with his growing interest in classical music. It seemed like a natural step, then, for him to collaborate with the Brodsky Quartet, a string ensemble he'd grown to admire. Neither pop nor classical, THE JULIET LETTERS resides mostly in the world of art song, with extended structures and lyrics based on a theme (a group of letters written to and by various characters). The album is a collaboration in the truest sense, even more so than the Attractions days-the Brodsky Quartet co-wrote not only the music, but some of the lyrics as well. THE JULIET LETTERS was a gutsy move for Costello, and is stands out as one of him most unusual albums. Little else in the pop world sounds anything like it. |
2 1/2 YEARS
Order from: This 4-CD box set contains the albums MY AIM IS TRUE, THIS YEAR'S MODEL, ARMED FORCES, LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO, and a booklet with color photos. MY AIM IS TRUE personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); John McFee (guitar, pedal steel); Sean Hopper (piano, organ, background vocals); Johnny Ciambotti (bass, background vocals); Mickey Shine (drums). Additional personnel includes: Steve Hazelhurst, Mick Jones (guitar); Nick Lowe (bass, background vocals); Mich Kent (bass); Malcolm Dennis or Ian Powling (drums); Dickie Faulkner (percussion); Dave Edmunds (background vocals); Mike Whelan, Ken Smith. Producer: Nick Lowe. Engineer: Bazza. Recorded at Pathway Studios, Islington, England between 1976 and 1977. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. All songs written by Elvis Costello. THIS YEAR'S MODEL personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Producer: Nick Lowe. Engineer: Roger Bechirian. Recorded at Eden Studios, London, England between 1977 and 1978. All songs written by Elvis Costello. ARMED FORCES personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums). Producer: Nick Lowe. Engineer: Roger Bechirian. Recorded at Eden Studios, London, England. All songs written by Elvis Costello except "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" (Nick Lowe). LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO was recorded live at El Mocambo in Toronto, Canada on March 6, 1978. MY AIM IS TRUE (90271), THIS YEAR'S MODEL (90272) and ARMED FORCES (90273) available separately on Rykodisc. The box set contains 23 tracks not available on the original LPs. This essential box chronicles the earliest and most influential phase of Costello's career, containing his first three albums and the previously bootleg-only LIVE AT EL MOCAMBO. Anyone unfamiliar with Costello, arguably the most important singer-songwriter of the post-punk era, is directed to this set, which showcases his "angry young man" phase in full bloom. On his debut MY AIM IS TRUE, Costello bridges the gap between pub-rock and "new wave" backed by members of Huey Lewis & the News (!), then known as Clover, and inaugurates his nerd-with-guitar-and-chip-on-shoulder aesthetic. THIS YEAR'S MODEL saw the introduction of Elvis' soul brothers the Attractions and a tighter, more frenetic sound. By the time ARMED FORCES rolled around, Costello and the Attractions had begun to stretch far beyond their new-wave roots, with lush, almost baroque arrangements that occasionally recall the Beatles. Steve Nieve's kaleidoscope of keyboard colors had become the primary sonic ingredient in the band's sound by this point. The live disc shows Costello and the Attractions at their punkiest and most stripped down, blazing through their repertoire like the Devil was jabbing their collective posterior with a pitchfork. Disc: 1
Disc: 2
Disc: 3
Disc: 4
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BRUTAL YOUTHOrder from: |
1. Pony St. |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals, bass, piano), Steve Nieve (piano, organ, harmonium), Bruce Thomas (bass), Pete Thomas (drums, percussion). Recorded at Olympic Studios, London, England; Pathway Studio, Islington, England; Church Studios, Crouch End, England. All songs written by Elvis Costello. After the rococo indulgences of MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE, Costello decided to return to his roots with BRUTAL YOUTH. Re-uniting with the Attractions, whose quirky, angular sound powered his finest albums, Elvis scaled down the arrangements to a more manageable level and brought his songwriting back to basics as well. The tunes here were the closest he'd come to rock & roll in several years, and there's a feeling of abandon that energizes the proceedings. As in the glory days, Steve Nieve's spindly keyboards provide most of the instrumental color as Elvis sings his spleen out on hard-hitting tunes like "Kinder Murder" and "13 Steps Lead Down." The black humor of "This is Hell" recalls the career-peak songwriting of Costello's SPIKE days, and the British Invasion-style raveup "Just About Glad" steals the show while exposing Costello's '60s influences. |
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THE VERY BEST OF ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONSOrder from: |
1. Alison |
In 1977, Elvis burst out of the gate with a series of poison pen letters set to music. It was wordy, angry, and as catchy as a cold. And the man was prolific; he kept writing and recording like a man possessed, bringing forth a stream of great songs that showed not only an encyclopedic knowledge of music, but also a passion for it. From "Alison" to "Everyday I Write the Book" it was almost impossible to fault what he was doing, and even harder to select a few songs as better than the others. This best-of, which cuts off in 1986 with the Blood and Chocolate album, attempts that impossibility, and does a very good job of it. As good an introduction as there'll ever be. |
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KOJAK VARIETYOrder from: |
1. Strange |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, electric guitar, harmonica); James Burton (guitar); Marc Ribot (guitar, banjo); Larry Knechtel (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ); Jerry Scheff (bass); Jim Keltner, Pete Thomas (drums). Recorded at Blue Wave Studios, Barbados. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. Costello was always something of a musical sponge, soaking up an eclectic bunch of influences and assimilating them into an original vision that was fed by tradition but pointed straight to the future. Here he pays tribute to the musical heroes of his youth, with cover versions of songs both obscure and familiar. The accent is on blues and R&B, as EC tackles James Carr's anguished, soulful "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man" and Willie Dixon's vibrant "Hidden Charms." Along the way, Elvis redefines some of his favorite tunes by radically recasting them. Dylan's "I Threw it All Away" become a soul torch ballad. The Louvin Brothers' "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face" is turned into an R&B lament. Session monsters like Jim Keltner and James Burton inject the proper amount of grit into the proceedings, making this a surprisingly fresh-sounding walk through the American roots of one of Britain's finest singer-songwriters. |
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ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTYOrder from: |
1. Other End
Of The Telescope, The |
ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTY is a collection of newly-penned Costello tunes and songs he has written for other artists throughout his career. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Elvis Costello (vocals, acoustic, electric & slide guitars, celesta, keyboards, bass); Pete Thomas (acoustic guitar, drums, percussion); Steve Nieve (piano, keyboards, programming); Bruce Thomas (bass). The Brodsky Quartet: Michael Thomas, Ian Belton (violin); Paul Cassidy (viola); Jacqueline Thomas (cello). Additional personnel: Ruth Causey (clarinet); Pete Whyman (bass clarinet); Roy Babbington (double bass). Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording, Dublin, Ireland and Westside Studios, London, England. After years of radical stylistic detours, Costello reunited with the Attractions for BRUTAL YOUTH, seeming to prove that Tom Wolfe was right about not being able to go home again. That album's followup, ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTY, is a logic-defying marvel, finding Costello and the Attractions at the peak of their powers. Though some of the arrangements hark back to THIS YEAR'S MODEL, EC and the boys don't really try to revisit the past. Rather, they apply the musical lessons they've learned over the years to create a new, more mature sound that still bears their unique sonic trademark. The song selection here is a bit of a grab bag, as many of these tunes were written by Costello for other artists, but there's such a consistency and vitality to the material that it all seems to be of a piece. "Why Can't a Man Stand Alone" is an emotive soul ballad that shows Costello's '60s R&B roots. "Complicated Shadows" has a whisper-to-a-scream arrangement that show off the band's dynamic facility. The harmonically sophisticated ballad "I Want to Vanish" is proof positive that Costello really is the Gershwin of the post-punk generation. |
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GIRLS GIRLS GIRLSOrder from: |
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Costello picks and chooses among his 1977-1986 work for a selection of cuts that, rather than tell a story, make implications and set moods. It's hardly vague, though, not with the likes of "Lipstick Vogue," "Watching the Detectives," and "Clubland" on board. The artist's liner notes are a must-read for die-hard fans. |
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EXTREME HONEY: THE BEST OF THE WARNER BROS. YEARSOrder from: |
1. Bridge I
Burned, The |
There are few things in the world as dependable, year after year, as the quality of Elvis Costello's music. He's neither as biting nor as rocking as he once was--and he's not always brilliant--but even in his third decade Costello is consistently good. The Warner Bros. years constitute a series of albums beginning with 1989's Spike through 1996's All This Useless Beauty, and Extreme Honey collects notable tracks from five albums. With the inclusion of a hit ("Veronica"), a rarity ("My Dark Life" with Brian Eno), and a never- before-released track, this doesn't encapsulate Costello's earlier brilliance, but it is a good summation of the best of the rest.Personnel includes: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, bass, toy piano, keyboards, celesta); Marc Ribot (guitar, banjo, cornet, E flat horn); T-Bone Burnett, James Burton (guitar); Donal Lunny (acoustic guitar, bouzouki); Davy Spillane (low whistle, uileann pipes); Steve Nieve (piano, keyboard, organ); Mitchell Froom (toy piano, Mellotron, organ, calliope, Chamberlain, Indian harmonium); Benmont Tench, Larry Knechtel, Allen Toussaint (piano); Matt MacManus (bass, drum loop); Paul McCartney, Bruce Thomas, Roy Babbington, T-Bone Wolk, Nick Lowe (bass); Jim Keltner (drums, drum loops); Pete Thomas (drums, percussion)l; Danny Goffey, Jerry Marotta (drums); Richard Page, Steven Soles, Steve George (background vocals); The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Producers include: Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett, The Brodsky Quartet, Mitchell Froom, Matt MacManus. Engineers include: Kevin Killen, Tchad Blake, Geoff Emerick, Jon Jacobs, John Hudson. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello. |
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PAINTED FROM MEMORYOrder from: |
1. In The
Darkest Place |
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals); Burt Bacharach (piano); Dean Parks, George Doering (guitar); Steve Kujala (flute); Jerry Hey, Gary Grant (flugelhorn); Steve Nieve (piano, keyboards); Rob Schrock (keyboards); Greg Cohen, Dave Coy (bass); Jim Keltner (drums); Bob Zimmitti, Dan Greco (percussion); Greg Phillinganes, Paulinho Da Costa. "I Still Have That Other Girl" won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. As far back as 1978, Elvis was paying homage to Bacharach, with a live version of "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" on the STIFFS LIVE album. When the two collaborated on "God Give Me Strength" (included here) for the film Grace of My Heart, they hit it off so well that they decided to write an entire album together, PAINTED FROM MEMORY being the glorious result. Bacharach and Costello are a natural fit; Costello has long been a proponent of extended melodic structures, irregular meter and sophisticated harmonies, on all of which Burt wrote the book. After Hal David, Bacharach never had another lyricist who could live up to his melodies-until now. Bacharach's melodies and orchestrations here all hark back to his salad days of Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield. On "Toledo," he even employs that classic double-flugelhorn sound that is the trademark of his '60s work. The string arrangements are characteristically tart and catchy as hell. Reigned in by the pure pop of Bacharach's tunes, Costello abandons wordplay and extended metaphor, contributing the most straightforward lyrics of his career. Vocally, Elvis is in crooner mode, pushing his upper range and vibrato for all they're worth, investing every tune with palpable emotion. |
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THE SWEETEST PUNCH: SONGS OF ELVIS COSTELLO AND BURT BACHARACHOrder from: |
1. Sweetest
Punch, The |
Guitarist Bill Frisell is first and foremost a song man. He has covered, sans irony, songs by Madonna and John Philip Sousa. He has even been witnessed performing "Beer Barrel Polka" when the mood strikes. His respect for classic songs and great singing has always been evident in his own playing and compositions. One singer Frisell has always respected is Elvis Costello, who was recording Burt Bacharach songs as far back as his Stiff Records days (check out the Live Stiffs anthology). Costello and Frisell make their collaboration on this recording a product of mutual admiration and shared love of Burt Bacharach, an unabashed melodic master. Recording simultaneously with Costello and Bacharach's Painted from Memory, Frisell arranged the same tunes working from bare piano-vocal demos. His small group orchestrations stretch but never break the songs, revealing a deep empathy for their mood and meaning. Bill and company (Brian Blade, Don Byron, Viktor Krauss, and others) are equally at home with the music's lyrical nature and quirky construction--both Bacharach trademarks. Costello and Cassandra Wilson add a few guest vocals, but it is the voice of Frisell's guitar and arranging that shines through here. |
Elvis Costello:
God's Comic |
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Let Them All
Talk: Elvis Costello |
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The influential rock musician Elvis Costello is recognized for the impressive breadth and scope of his music. His collaborations with such musicians as Tony Bennett and the Count Basie orchestra, however, attest to the many contradictions that define Elvis Costello, the punk rocker. This important guide to his music and career contains over 800 bibliographic citations and a complete discography of Costello's commercially released recordings. The discography, divided into two sections, separately details Costello's career as performer and composer. A brief biography traces his critically acclaimed career and highlights both the influences on his music and the myriad ways in which his music has influenced others. |
| What began as a songwriting collaboration conducted entirely by phone and fax bloomed into one of 1998's most acclaimed pop albums and, now, a satisfying video companion. Recruited to jointly pen a big, romantic ballad for Grace of My Heart, director Allison Anders's 1996 musical drama about the heady days of '60s pop, once and future angry young man Elvis Costello and eternal '60s mainstream maestro Burt Bacharach proved a match made in pop heaven. Bacharach's canny, classic pop inspired Costello's most emotionally direct lyrics; those lyrics, in turn, were arguably the sharpest ever wedded to the composer's lush, intricate music. That ballad ("God, Give Me Strength") led to 1998's album-length collaboration, Painted from Memory, which provides the compositional spine for this terrific episode taped for PBS's Sessions from W. 54th, hosted by David Byrne. With Bacharach conducting from the podium or his piano bench, Costello steps into the pre-rock shoes of a crooner, clad in an Eisenhower-era single-breasted tux, his hair cropped close. If that image defies his post-punk zeitgeist, the music doesn't lie, its exquisite heartbreak borne out by Costello's heartfelt vocals. His partner's sleek, subtle orchestrations likewise confirm that we're hearing classic love songs (including "In the Darkest Place," "Toledo," "I Still Have That Other Girl," and "Painted from Memory"), which build toward the climactic performance of "God, Give Me Strength." In between, the duo is interviewed by Byrne, and Costello slips in a solid version of his own "Accidents Will Happen," arranged by long-time Attractions keyboard player Steve Nieve. That the net effect of the program is mesmerizing, however, is no accident at all. | |
