Evening Post, Wellington, NZ, 1996-06-27
Author: Simon Morris

"Good news for those who (like me) thought that Costello over-reached
himself on Kojak Variety, his Pinups-style set of old faves from his record
collection. Mind you, All This Useless Beauty is a collection of old faves
too -- songs Costello has had lying around for a while, played by his first
and best band the Attractions, with help from the Brodsky Quartet on
strings and co-produced by Geoff Emerick.

But there's a big difference, mainly in the material. For all his
razor-sharp pop sensibility and taste, Costello isn't really a stylist of
other people's stuff unlike Bryan Ferry or the other Elvis. He's a
songwriter first and foremost, and never better than when singing his own.
Bonus: this is the best bunch of songs he's produced in a decade.

He said nearly 20 years ago that his aim was true. It still is."

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