Some artists are judged by sales alone, while others must be measured by the impact they have had on their art. "Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendevous: Songwriting by Elvis Costello" brings together 21 Costello penned songs performed by as many artists (all but one of which are available elsewhere but separately). The disc, due on May 19 on Rhino and compiled by label VP Gary Stewart, spans 20 different record labels and has a running time of over 78 minutes.

Costello himself wrote the liner notes, often weaving interesting stories and offereing candid opinions. For example, when discussing the first song, dave Edmunds "Girls Talk" he writes: "Visiting a Rockpile session in 1979, I showed off my new song to Edmunds and Nick Lowein a fit of drunken bravado. That was the last I ever saw of it!" The rest of the tracks/artists: - (and then it lists the tracks....)

---