ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Elvis Costello & the Imposters
THE RETURN OF THE SPECTACULAR SPINNING SONGBOOK!!! UNIVERSAL 5.12.11 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
This has had a lot of news coverage, since Elvis advises fan NOT to buy it, pointing out the price is either satire or a misprint. At something over £200, we at Vanguard Towers have to agree, so we were pleased that the nice people at his record company sent us a freebie (just the music, mind), since we think Elvis is a great songwriter and deserves to be celebrated. Elvis suggests you buy a recent box of Louis Armstrong, and his Hot 5 and Hot 7 bands certainly changed jazz and made a lot of people happy. Elvis’ box is unfortunately just another release. It has a live CD and DVD from the show, plus a 10” vinyl of four other tracks. It also has a 40 page hardback cover book. There are only 1500 copies being made, and each is individually signed by Elvis himself. Which is a lot of fuss for a concert release, however good. It seems this is one of the few ways record companies can make money these days; add a lot of content that can’t be downloaded online. We’ve not seen the added book and box but can tell you that the DVD and CD will be released separately at a much lower price soon. And the music? Elvis Costello isn’t one for the live album so this is a treat, giving a simple, live sound and tight dramatics for these often highly-strung songs. The DVD is drawn from one gig in May 2011 in LA, the CD from that gig and the previous night. Sound is good but the video has the over contrasty, under-detailed look of a US TV broadcast. Maybe that’s just the promo, but it doesn’t look good compared to normal UK TV and would be a tad annoying if you’d shelled out £200 for it. The DVD is an hour and a half of Elvis and band in front of a giant wheel. Members of the audience are brought up to spin the wheel – where it stops, the band play the song named. And what a band – Steve Nieve on keyboards and Pete Thomas on drums are from the original Attractions. Pete is busy on drums, whilst a bearded Steve plays reedy organ and a remarkably tuneful Theramin. Davey on bass is clearly enjoying it, doing little groove steps. Elvis is almost timeless, behind hat and plastic specs. Elvis has the same intensity he always had, tempered with some showmanship. Now in his late fifties, he wasn’t a youngster when Stiff Records were pushing his career with the charming “Elvis is dead, long live Elvis” campaign. They launch straight into a run of uptempo oldies to warm up – hammering with fury on song like I Hope You’re Happy Now. A go-go dancer, demure in retro dress and horn-rimmed glasses wiggles. As alter-ego, Napoleon Dynamite, in a top hat, he explains he last did this twenty-five years ago and brings his glamorous assistant up to bring punters up to spin that wheel. First selection, Clubland, is full in sound but punky in attitude and much longer than on disc, full of dramatics. Later ballads, like God Give Me Strength, have an equal intensity. The Bangles appear and help out on vocal duties. I Want You is fabulously intimate and one of the best known songs – there are a number here drawn from deep in the album collection and A Slow Drag and Jimmie are two of these, providing slower, thoughtful interlude songs. Costello has a remarkable back catalogue – literate, emotionally insightful and tense as all hell – but he chooses to close on old label-mate, Nick Lowe’s What’s So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding. A great song and one that draws thoughts to the legendary Live Stiffs tour, with Lowe, Wreckless Eric and Ian Dury. There are 3 bonus songs on the DVD, a very short featurette, 4 different songs on the CD and, if you have £200 and a record player, 4 more on a 10” single. Quite a complicated and annoying package but, leaving the packaging aside, this is a celebration of thirty-odd years of a career, some hits, some excellent less-known tracks, played with attack and brio. I prefer some of these versions over the studio songs for the dramatic intensity and once Costello gets a grip on his record company, maybe he could put out more live compilations. This CD will be getting some mileage in the car CD player. www.elviscostello.com |
