Review of When I Was Cruel
Sunday Tribune (Dublin), 2002-03-31
- Matthew Magee

 

Ireland`s latest adopted son has gone back to basics with When I Was Cruel, no doubt hoping to emulate the success of his raw, blistering early '90s release Brutal Youth. So there is no messing about with string quartets or song cycles or Tony Bennett croon-a-longs here, just a collection of Elvis songs stripped bare for a band and one of pop's most distinctive voices. There are some classic Costello numbers, full of passion and energy and smart melodic twists and turns, such as '45', 'When I Was Cruel No 2' or 'Oh Well'. But Costello simply misses songwriting form for most of this long album, saving best songs for its opening and closing sections. 3/5.