Review of Less Than Zero
NME, 1977-03-26
- Charles Shaar Murray

 

ELVIS COSTELLO: Half Past Zero (Stiff)

One day someone will make a neat - if shortlived – rockcrit splash by going into exhaustive detail about the legacy of Van Morrison as currently and highly and successfully promulgated by such disparate souls as Graham Parker, Phil Lynott and Bruce Springsteen. This week’s best nee - Van - via - Phil - Graham - and - of - course - Bruce is unquestionably the legendary Elvis Costello, who filters it all through an arrangement oddly akin to Billy Swan’s revolutionary revibe of "Dont Be Cruel". Great record; doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell; what a bleedin’ shame, etcetera.