The Elvis Costello album-by-album thread, part 2

This was probably my favorite album of the entire DECADE! Words cannot convey the beauty, the pain, the naked emotion and raw nerves that are on display with this album. Bacharach's orchestrations take those feelings a step further by offering colorful commentary to EC's honest vocals.

It's hard for me to pick out a favorite song in this collection. I love "God Give Me Strength," especially when the music stops and EC screams "I WANT HIM TO HUUURRRRRT!!!" and the music explodes on the word HURT and then recedes like a crashing wave and it's undertow. The symbolism in the words AND music is not only breathtaking, but causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

Then there's the cautious joy in "Such Unlikely Lovers," again with the perfect match of words and music.

Man, it has been ENTIRELY too long since I've listened to this album; I'll have to dig it out again and post while listening to it. Honestly, I think this is EC's finest album in the period bookended by Mighty Like a Rose and When I Was Cruel, and as I said before, my favorite album of the 90's.

 

I tried listening to this one many times, but couldn't stand it. Dull, not much happening musically; this is the only Costello album that I have unloaded at the used CD store. My least favorite of his catalog. Was I relieved when I heard When I Was Cruel!

 

Not even God Give Me Strength? What a wonderful song and performance that is, and there is a *lot* happening musically on it. It was the obvious pick for the 2-CD best-of on Rhino.

- Joe

 

Listening now on headphones and I realize: I've never heard it through headphones - usually only in the car. I guess I've never given this an intent listen before now. I like it even more than before. I remember the first time I heard the album and being struck by how different it is from any other EC album and thinking how it might take some getting used to, some warming up to (hey, it has female vocals and EC singing falsetto) - and then it didn't take any time at all. On the second run through it all clicked. Love it. I hear a lot happening here. It's definitely happening. Listen again and let it happen. If one doesn't hear it happening on "I Still Have That Other Girl" then one must never have had that other girl still in one's head. "This House Is Empty Now" is so sad. I felt sad after I heard it the first time. Man, this sounds good to me. I'm playing the UK 2-CD edition.

It's mixed emotions going on in this one, right? 'I want him.' 'I want him to hurt.' That moment in the song was a jaw-dropper when I first heard it at the Supper Club in NYC. I'd never heard EC sing like that.

The 2-CD edition adds live versions of "This House Is Empty Now", "I Still Have That Other Girl", "In The Darkest Place", "Painted From Memory" and "What's Her Name Today?" One UK single for "Toledo" includes live versions of "Tears At The Birthday Party" and "Inch By Inch/Fever". The other UK single for "Toledo" has live versions of "Such Unlikely Lovers" and "Baby Plays Around".

 

I have a Japan 2 cd edition that has the same 2nd disc you mention of 5 live tracks. I love this album. I was lucky enough to see them here in Washington, DC at Constitution Hall on Oct. 15, 1998. Fantastic show!
I really like the Sessions At West 54th "Painted From Memory" VHS tape that was released - I wish this would come out on dvd.

I remember, at the time, this album really polarized his fan base. Very strong division of those who loved/hated it. Sounds from the few comments here that this is still the case.

 

I'd buy the DVD, too, if it existed. I tried to dub it onto DVR but the tape is copy-protected.

 

I tried, too. No dice.

 

I too listened to this cd today - the first half of it anyway. It's one of only the two or three of his that I've never completely become engaged in. I think the melodies are a bit more far-reaching and herky-jerky (and more difficult to sing) than some of his previous work, imo. His voice sounds really strong, although I thought it sounded a bit too "pitchy" on some of the opening tracks - and I thought to myself that he could do better than that - but I like these songs a lot. And I think his vocal performance for Tears at the Birthday Party is tremendous! I'm going to be listening to this cd for the rest of the week and am impressed with it so far. When I previously heard it, I liked it, but now is a good time for me to revisit these songs.

Oh, and I love all the "Fades." Talk about knowing how to "fade" a recording, well, it's first-rate!

I didn't know there was a bonus disc for this release. Thanks for sharing the good news.

 

I think Toledo is wonderful and just about perfect!
In the Darkest Place is a bit too busy and blustery for my taste - whether it's the arrangement or the performance, or both - but I think EC has been playing this song alone, or with Steve Nieve, during the past few years at some shows, and although I haven't heard any of these performances, I am thinking that could be just the thing that would really get me into this song.
I too am a fan of That Other Girl and This House (or This House and That Other Girl).

 

Listening again, it's mostly just in spots In The Darkest Place that I hear this in. (I know it's yucky to quote oneself, but I find it helps keep me "honest" (wink and nod).
This House is sad - I agree. I also find that Birthday song is Pretty Melancholy too, even though, as usual with EC, it seems to have at least two meanings.

 

I thought this was released? Or was it only Juliet Letters and Case For Song that were recently released on dvd? I do have it on VHS too.

 

And so we come to the "Bacharach album". If you think that the success of Costello albums is related to how closely they resemble "This Year's Model", then this album is one of those that will have you heading for the hills. However, "Painted From Memory" does contain several strong songs. The only real dud is "The Long Division" which sounds like something the latter-day incarnation of Steely Dan might briefly try and then reject.

 

Do you mean when he sings, 'But I only have to tell myself that by now you could be with someone else/There's no light beneath your door and laughter from within'?

It reminds of "I'm Not Angry": 'I could hear you whispering as I crept by your door/so you found some other joker who could please you more/I'm not angry'

Except in "...The Darkest Place" he's not angry at all. He sounds - on that particular line - panicky and fearful, terrified the dark won't protect him from the dawning realization that she probably is with someone else. That's just the way I hear it and I like that delivery.

 

It's debatable whether this even belongs in the Elvis Costello album-by-album thread, but here goes...



01. No Wonder [Elvis Costello] (3:36)
02. Baby Plays Around [Cait O'Riordan, Declan MacManus] (3:12)
03. Go Leave [Kate McGarrigle] (2:50)
04. Rope [Elvis Costello, Fleshquartet] (3:56)
05. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) [Brian Wilson, Tony Asher] (3:12)
06. Broken Bicycles / Junk [Tom Waits, Paul McCartney] (4:06)
07. The Other Woman [Jessie Mae Robinson] (3:35)
08. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room [Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus] (5:02)
09. Green Song [Elvis Costello, Svante Henryson] (4:37)
10. April After All [Ron Sexsmith] (2:51)
11. You Still Believe In Me [Brian Wilson, Tony Asher] (3:08)
12. I Want To Vanish [Elvis Costello] (2:41)
13. For No One [John Lennon, Paul McCartney] (2:00)
14. Shamed Into Love [Rubén Blades, Declan MacManus] (3:46)
15. Just A Curio [Elvis Costello, Fleshquartet] (4:18)
16. This House Is Empty Now [Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello] (4:38)
17. Take It With Me [Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan] (3:17)
18. For The Stars [Elvis Costello] (2:45)

The Japanese CD includes the bonus track "You Go To My Head" [Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots].

For The Stars, released in 2001, is usually described as a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, which is true enough, but it creates a couple of misleading impressions.

First, despite Anne Sofie's background in opera, this really isn't a classical or opera album at all. These are pop songs sung in a traditional pop style by someone whose day job is singing opera.

Second, despite getting equal billing on the album cover, Elvis doesn't do much singing. That was probably a smart move, since his occasional vocal cameos show that his voice doesn't blend well with Anne Sofie's. But I have to wonder how many Elvis fans bought the album expecting more Elvis.

His main contribution is of the behind-the-scenes variety: as producer and songwriter (although only five of the nine songs he wrote or co-wrote are previously unrecorded). Elvis' involvement is significant, but this is really Anne Sofie's album.

 

Oh my, sorry to be so long away from this thread!
I don't know, I'll have to listen to that line again In The Darkest Place - I like the lyric you quoted. I know the I'm Not Angry lines happen quickly, and I like that song a lot! I find I like most all of the songs on PFM and, as on the Spike bonus disc, I would Love to hear these songs as voice/guitar/piano-only demo/live performances.

 

I'ver seen this cd in many a used cd store - or the same copies circulating in different stores maybe. Whatever the case, I think I bought this as a used cd, a few years ago, and look forward to reacquainting myself with it this weekend.

I remember liking both Rope and the title track - although wishing the title track was fleshed out a little more. Anyways, look forward to listening again.

 

I couldn't listen to this cd again for more than a total of five minutes last night. The unrecorded EC originals I wanted to listen to, he barely sings on, if at all. At the time I first bought and listened to this cd - and Il Sogno - I was going through a heavy EC phase. Anyway, this material just isn't my cup of tea!

 

No, I like how he sings those lines too. It's the second-half parts in each of the first two verses - when the melody seems to get a little bigger and the vocals get louder and more dramatic - where the vocals don't sound so great to me, imo. The vocals sound better, imo, in the second section of the third verse though.

 

I'm playing In The Darkest Place now. Sounds great. I hear what you mean about the third verse vocals. I think it's a clarinet at the very end during the end - and used elsewhere - that makes me think of The Carpenters (whose singles SACD I found for $7).

FOR THE STARS:

On "No Wonder" I hear little bits that make me think of a single or two from the 80s, and some swirls of King Of America.

The idea of combining Waits' and McCartney's "Broken Bicycles" and "Junk" is cool. I wouldn't hear EC sing more McCartney and vice versa.

"Green Song" reminds me (a little) of Down By The Salley Gardens.

We get a Ron Sexsmith tune, some Brian Wilson, Lennon & McCartney - nice.

I prefer EC's "I Want To Vanish" and "This House Is Empty Now" and really like every version of "Shamed Into Love" I've heard.

I think I hear The Carpenters again in "For The Stars" - the way EC sings "then I wouldn't be/always losing sleep".

I've never played this all the way through but I like what I hear on the (very) rare occasion I select it.

 

It sounds a bit like "Brilliant Mistake". I've heard Costello sing this - it would be great to hear him do a studio version

 

I haven't heard For The Stars but there was a South Bank Show documentary about the collaboration. I don't think the voice goes with the Elvis songs although it worked well on the Abba cover. A bit of a mismatch really.

 

On first listen, there is two or three songs that immediately 'work', although I must say that this album is one that (I have found) needs to grow on you. I understand what you wrote about Von Otter's voice and Costello's songs. I am not certain whether it is because English is not her first language or due to her operatic training. (It must be terribly difficult switching to a completely different musical style.) However, with patience I do believe that the listener will come to appreciate this as overlooked gem.

 

I meant to say I wouldn't mind hearing EC sing more McCartney and vice versa. I would like to hear some of each.

 

Nice post!

 

Next in line is 2002's When I Was Cruel. This is the first album to feature The Imposters, although they didn't actually acquire a name until they toured to promote the album.



1. 45 (3:29)
2. Spooky Girlfriend (4:21)
3. Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution) (3:31)
4. When I Was Cruel No. 2 (7:06)
5. Soul For Hire (3:55)
6. 15 Petals (4:01)
7. Tart (4:02)
8. Dust 2... (3:21)
9. Dissolve (2:23)
10. Alibi (6:42)
11. ...Dust (3:04)
12. Daddy Can I Turn This? (3:41)
13. My Little Blue Window (3:09)
14. Episode Of Blonde (5:00)
15. Radio Silence (4:58)

The UK CD includes the bonus track "Oh Well" (between "My Little Blue Window" and "Episode of Blonde"). The Japanese CD includes both "Oh Well" (in the same spot) and "Smile" (at the end).

Both of the bonus tracks appeared six months later on Cruel Smile, a limited edition compilation of b-sides, live tracks, and remixes:



1. Smile (Japanese A-side) (3:04)
2. When I Was Cruel (No. 1) (4:14)
3. Almost Blue (Live in Sydney) (5:04)
4. 15 Petals (Live in Sydney) (5:35)
5. Spooky Girlfriend (Live at KFOG) (4:42)
6. Honeyhouse (Cruel No. 2) (5:04)
7. Revolution Doll (3:43)
8. Peroxide Side (Blunt Cut) (3:46)
9. Oh Well (2:50)
10. The Imposter Vs. The Floodtide (Dust & Petals) (3:56)
11. Watching The Detectives/My Funny Valentine (Live in Tokyo) (7:09)
12. Dust (Live in Melbourne) (6:39)
13. Uncomplicated (Live in Tokyo) (4:45)
14. Smile (Japanese B-side) (3:29)
15. Soul For Hire (Live in Tokyo) (6:36) - hidden track

The Japanese edition of that release had an exclusive bonus track: an acoustic version of "Tart."

There was also a pointless 2CD "collectors edition" of When I Was Cruel issued in the UK. It had the main album on one CD and some (but not all) of the Cruel Smile tracks on the other. Did UK fans actually buy this, or did they just get the Cruel Smile import instead?