In brief, the new Elvis Costello record is one of the best of his career.
That is all.
Okay, that is not all.
I spent three solid spins with "The Boy Named If" and the last was better than the first.
It's not just because we are 45 years on from "My Aim Is True."
Or, that Mr. McManus has tried the patience of his fans with more genre hopping releases than they'd care to remember.
Or, that no band members were in the same place at the same time at any point during the making of this album.
It's all of those things and the fact that this record reminds me of so many classic Elvis moments both solo and with his bands The Attractions and The Imposters, that I couldn't help but play "Name That Tune" while each song unfolded. For this alone, "The Boy Named If" is the most fun I have had with an Elvis Costello record in years.
This is not to say I haven't loved his output for the last 25 years. I have. From his trip-hop experiments to his collaborations, I have loved most of it. But "The Boy Named If" is a blast from the needle drop. You don't need to figure it out. It's rock and roll.
It's hard to ignore the "Goon Squad" keyboards and "5ive Gears In Reverse/Beaten To The Punch" drive of the opener, "Farewell OK."
Or the subtle vibe and keyboard quotes of "The Beat" on "Magnificent Hurt."
Or, the similarities between "Trick Out The Truth" and "God's Comic."
Or, the melody and arrangement of "Paint The Red Rose Blue" owing more than a bit to Costello's cover of Bill Anderson's "Must You Throw Dirt In My Face."
Or, the absolutely gorgeous album closer, "Mr Crescent," which sounds like an unintentional mash-up of "All The Rage" and "Sleep Of The Just."
Intentional or not, Elvis & The Imposters have taken their greatest moves and created something brand new. "The Boy Named If" is not only musical in ways Costello hasn't been since "Imperial Bedroom," it rocks in ways Costello hasn't rocked since "Blood & Chocolate."
I can't recall the last Elvis release where I thought, "I love every single track."
Kudos to the band: Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, & Davey Faragher.
And to the genius producer Sebastian Krys, for making "The Boy Named If" sound like the band was feeding off each other's sweat and chops in a studio together.
24 comments:
Thanks for the details. I now know how I shall spend my day. Happy Monday indeed.
I'm an Elvis from of some time now (although I was late to the party - didn't board the train until "Everyday I Write The Book" was a fluke hit and I got "Punch The Clock" sophomore year of high school) and love his work.
But I have to admit I haven't paid attention to his last few albums. This is shallow: but I think it has partly to do with the artwork - it seemed tossed together and irrelevant, and I thought the music might be too other than a few good tracks.
One advantage he has over other "legacy acts" (ouch) is I don't really have a particular period I want him to keep being in, like everyone has for Dylan or the Stones. I mean, "King Of America" is surely his most fully-realized mature album, but I don't need him to repeat it.
But the track you posted sounds great so I will check it out.
I listened to it a few times over the weekend and while I like it a lot, I'm not sure I'd put it amongst the best of his career. I also stuck on Spanish Model and Imperial Bedroom, and that highlighted the difference between merely very good EC and top notch EC.
But we all have our opinions, I guess.
Curious as to why Spanish Model would be compared to Imperial Bedroom? Or anything. It's the exact recording of "This Year's Model" (which most consider "top notch") with new Spanish vocals. It shouldn't be downgraded to merely "very good" because of that experiment. Did the new vocals make you like the original less, or did you never think "This Year's Model" was top notch?
Agreed
I wonder if SNL will have him on where he'll start to play "Radio Radio" stop mid-song and launch into "The Man You Love To Hate"
Thanks for posting! Listened once so far, and really liking it (the energy especially). Going to listen again when I take a drive later, let it really sink in as I move. I get best acquainted with new releases that way. Cheers.
I'm in full agreement. They sound like a new band. Elvis's writing has never been better. Album of the year 2 weeks in?
Looking forward to checking it out!
I'm loving it!! I've been an EC fanatic since the beginning. While Hey Clockface got very few spins, I've already listened to this 4 times in 2 days. My only complaint is that the vinyl doesn't come with a DL code so I can't yet listen while I'm on the move. I may need to test my turntable MP3 output feature! Cheers.
@Sal...
I wasn't directly comparing it, it just happened that at I also listened to those 2 EC records at the weekend. Hearing the new vocals on Spanish Model tuned me in again to how good the songwriting and the performance of the Attractions were. Indeed it sounds better than my CD of TYM. I was lumping Spanish Model (and TYM) and Imperial bedroom together as top notch EC.
Not sure why that had me as anonymous.
@Honest Ed,
Gotcha. I read it differently.
(Yeah, it's hard to beat TYM and Bedroom.)
It's been said before, but I'll say it again: The bottom line is that while it wouldn't seem to matter all that much, the substitution of Davey Faragher for the devilishly brilliant-but-broken Bruce Thomas reduced the quartet from its perch as the greatest rock 'n' roll band of its time to something far more...serviceable. As a result, the records just don't take flight in the way that they used to - despite the plenty of pleasures that they still occasionally impart.
On the first few listens, though, it appears that the unusual recording circumstances of "ABNI" - not having the bass as a part of the basic tracks - provided Faragher with an opportunity to create somewhat more expansive parts than usual, and perhaps that is indeed lending an extra air of excitement to the band and the record.
Well put as always! Thanks!
"This is not to say I haven't loved his output for the last 25 years. I have. From his trip-hop experiments..."
I know ofWise Up Ghost with The Roots, but is there really trip-hop Elvis. Clue me in.
Totally agree with Sal's love for A Boy Named If. But surprised there's not more love here for Don't Look Now and Hey Clockface, which I think are also both terrific albums. Haven't listened to the new one enough to be 100 percent convinced it surpasses the previous two, but clearly EC is on a roll. I will confess that I even now like the two spoken word tracks on Clockface, which initially annoyed me to no end. Speaking of which, I also wholeheartedly agree with Sal's capsule review of Punch the Clock, which I also initially found dismaying but am now quite fond of. For me, Goodbye Cruel World has also worn well. Not that I"m totally in the Elvis tank: I've never loved Blood and Chocolate as much as some do....
Bruce H
@NO
Half of "When I Was Cruel," most of "Cruel Smile," a few singles off "All This Useless Beauty" got remixed.
A fantastic new album from Elvis and his chums. I listened to it first on headphones, and I'm glad I did. The thing that popped out to me was the more prominent bass playing, which is a delight to us old Attractions fans. I echo Billy Budapest's comments above regarding the more serviceable backing Elvis has received since 1986. Just a different band philosophy after then. Under Lime from Look Now had some of that bass playing again. And now The Boy Named IF brings it all forward to great effect.
Great playing, really great songs. Elvis is on a roll!
Bill
Gave it one listen in the background- it sounds great, will certainly listen a lot more, and quickly!
I've had the Elvis album on repeat since Friday--and eagerly awaiting my signed book edition, which is supposed to be delivered today. This and Look Now really highlight the Imposters as a group--almost as well as Nick Lowe did with the Attractions.
Bill
Finally got a chance to listen, and I like it as much or more than anything he has done in 20 years. Some great songs in there.
Lots of people weighing in on their favorite EC albums, but I haven't seen mention of my favorite, which is Trust. Not sure what it is about that one, but I go back to that (plus IB, PTC, and even Get Happy) more than the others. Any thoughts about Trust?
A friend asked me for my Elvis Top Ten on Monday. This is what I texted back.
"Number One has not changed since 1985/1986. The one-two punch of KOA & Blood/Choc blew me away then and continues to blow me away now.
The only EC albums I don't like are "National Ransom" and "North." Otherwise, I think most everything is better than most artist's catalogue.
But here's the Top Ten, with "The Boy Named If" taking the last spot just because I am still excited by it.
1. King of America/Blood & Chocolate
2. This Year's Model
3. Imperial Bedroom
4. Get Happy
5. My Aim Is True
6. Trust
7. Painted From Memory
8. All This Useless Beauty
9. Brutal Youth
10.The Boy Named If
Hearing these made me feel about 40 years younger.
Sal, seeing your Top Ten prompted me to shar mine. The top three will rotate, depending on which one I listened to most recently. :)
1. Blood and Chocolate
2. Get Happy
3. Imperial Bedroom
4. King of America
5. All This Useless Beauty
6. Momofuku
7. National Ransom
8. Trust
9. Look Now
10.Armed Forces
Bill
Post a Comment