Elvis Costello Albums to be Reissued -- Again

I completed the Rhino reissues of the Elvis Costello catalog by picking up the first three albums, which I was slow to upgrade because I still have Rykodisc's 2 1/2 YEARS box set.

I just don't have much confidence that Universal will do a good job with the sonics on the proposed fourth-generation reissues. Of the major labels, their in-house remastering seems to be the weakest.

Universal will only hook me if they include a complete concert with the discs while charging only a single-disc list price, as Rhino did for their two-disc sets. What EC really needs is a nice series of live recordings. It doesn't have to be as exhaustive as Pearl Jam's or as extensive as DICK PICK'S, but a one- or two-disc set of highlights from each tour would be worthwhile.

 

Correct.

Costello sold the rights to his early catalog, which was managed in the UK by Demon and in the US by Ryko then Rhino to Universal, certainly because they manage his current output. The "middle years" belong to WB and Rhino will stay in charge in the foreseeable future. It has little to do with creative "improvement" of the catalog, everything with consolidation. If they put together a carrier-spanning compilation worldwide, it will ask two companies to reach an agreement, not three or four.

I'd bet that the Universal reissues will stay very close to the "old" definitive Rhino editions. If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

And, BTW, is in-house remastering at Universal really worse than the one at Capitol-EMI? Peter Mew, anyone?

 

Any new news/tracklists on these?

I'm just curious as to what the content is..I have all the Rhinos and love them

 

Well, I may be the only one to buy them here since I only have 2 Rhino's and find their sound very thin and bright. That stopped me from buying more and I can now only hope that these guys will make it all much better!

 

Which titles did you buy?

 

Armed Forces and Imperial Bedroom.

 

It's going to be awhile, I think ... IIRC, both the Ryko and the Rhino deals were announced months -- up to a year, perhaps -- before the actual CDs were released.

 

Well, I can't comment since i don't have those. I was going to assume you had Get Happy, which is a bright recording in general (the vocals particularly). But I think the Rhino is head and shoulders above the Ryko. Never heard the UK vinyl though.

On another note... I just picked up a UK LP of Blood and Chocalate. I thought it sounded good, but a little laid back for such a raw record. I haven't heard the Rhino version yet. Can anybody here compare/contrast the UK LP and the Rhino CD?

 

Wow...this has to be the first time I've ever heard Blood And Chocolate be described as "laid back."

One of my two favorite Costello records, btw.

 

Just the mastering! It wasn't in my face... not compressed/limited, just a little mellower than I expected.

I hate using these words to describe sound! Sorry if it doesn't make sense.

It will probably sound great if I crank it up. I'll get back to you after I get the chance.

 

Each to their own, I suppose. Have you heard the Ryko versions? If you think the Rhino's sound bright - the Ryko's will rip your head off in a very unpleasant fashion (not that there's a good way to have your head ripped off). The original Columbia vinyl of the early Costello albums tended to be somewhat muddy sounding, so perhaps that's what you're basing your comparison on. The UK vinyl is a lot brighter.

I really doubt the Universals will sound any better - and I wouldn't hold my breath for hirez (although Costello's North album was available on SACD, and his recent releases have all had vinyl counterparts too)

 

I am keeping the Rhinos.


Evan

 

From MusicTAP.net:

Rock and Roll Music and The Best of the First 10 Years are presumably new compilations.

 

In the future, each of us will have our turn to re-release the Elvis Costello on our own personal record label.

Hip-O isn't known for releasing any of their titles on high-res disc formats are they?

Craig(VC).

 

Any info, if anything NEW is on these?

I can't imagine there's much left the Rhino's didn't cover...

 

Me too! Personally I love them! (especially Armed Forces and Blood And Chocolate for the great bonus discs!)

 

Jeez, let's see: Demon/Edsel. Columbia. Radar. Ryko. Rhino. Universal.

I think I'll hold off on buying any more until the Elvis titles end up on Curb.

 

Judging by the track listings on Universal's B2B site, these May 1st reissues may be completely bare-bones without any bonus tracks. (Either that, or they just haven't posted the bonus material yet.) If these are just basic reissues to get the titles back out in stores again, I would presume that we could expect expanded versions as part of UMG's "Deluxe Editions" line somewhere down the road.

"The Best Of Elvis Costello: The First Ten Years" is 22 tracks, pretty much what you'd expect. But the "Rock And Roll Music" release is a little more interesting:

1. Lipstick Vogue
2. No Action
3. Big Tears
4. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
5. This Year's Girl
6. Miracle Man
7. Pump It Up
8. Clean Money
9. Tiny Steps
10. Wednesday Week
11. Mystery Dance
12. You Belong To Me
13. Peace, Love & Understanding
14. Girls Talk
15. King Horse
16. Lover's Walk
17. Uncomplicated
18. Honey Are You Straight Or Are You Blind
19. Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo
20. I Hope You're Happy Now
21. Tokyo Storm Warning
22. Welcome To The Working Week

Interestingly, the cover of this one is a great live shot of a young Elvis on stage, but there is no indication whether this is a live album, or just a compilation of EC's more rocking studio tracks. (The track list is too varied for it to be just one show.) Guess we'll have to wait for the official press release to find out...

 

Thanks! Please also post the "First Ten Years" tracklist, if it's not too much trouble.

At least two of those tracks have never been performed live ("Clean Money" and "Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo"), so I think we can rule out that it's a live album.

 

When is the duets album with Diana coming out? As that will be his next rip off.

 

Sure, no prob!

BEST OF: THE FIRST TEN YEARS
1. Red Shoes
2. Alison
3. Watching The Detectives
4. Chelsea
5. Pump It Up
6. Radio Radio
7. Accidents Will Happen
8. Oliver's Army
9. Peace, Love & Understanding
10. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
11. High Fidelity
12. Clubland
13. New Lace Sleeves
14. Good Year For The Roses
15. Beyond Belief
16. Man Out Of Time
17. Almost Blue
18. Everyday I Write The Book
19. Shipbuilding
20. Brilliant Mistake
21. Indoor Fireworks
22. I Want You

 

Thanks! That's just about identical to the Ryko best-of, only with "Red Shoes," "New Lace Sleeves," and "Almost Blue" replacing "New Amsterdam," "Watch Your Step," and "Love Field."

 

You obviously know your EC pretty well... where do you think that live shot was taken? All the guitars on stage are throwing me off. Is it maybe from the Live Stiffs tour?

 

Good question! I'd guess the Live Stiffs tour as well, but it's hard to tell since I can't identify the mystery guitarists.

 

Nice live pic. But I'd say it's not from the Live Stiffs era - EC's hair was cropped short in all the pics/footage I've seen from then (1977) and he was always pictured with his Jazzmaster. That red Strat came along a few years later, the Get Happy era...