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Review of When I Was Cruel
Elvis Costello The most talented Elvis ever to grace popular music - damn, if only
he had looks and sexual charisma - is back with his first solo album
in seven years. What Declan McManus has never lacked though is "a
look" - sweaty and speccy - coupled with a sneering vocal charisma.
Elvis may not be able to sing, in the classical sense, but boy can he
sting. The title track has a Latin feel, and subverts lines from Abba's Dancing Queen - not the only time he's used Sweden's finest for inspiration, though probably the first time since the clanking piano sound of Oliver's Army. It's a fine effort - Costello at his best: oblique lyrically, direct emotionally. More bile is spat on the scary Alibi that sees a return to the psychotic mode that powered I Want You on Blood & Chocolate. Sonically there's experimentation. Episode of Blonde features a pounding drum machine, distorted guitar and jazzy horns - give it a miss, otherwise its annoying messiness will put you off the rest of a fine album. That said, the use of melodica on Soul For Hire gives it an eerie feel, while the looping of Italian singer Mina on the aforementioned title track, is a hypnotic stroke of genius. Unlike his contemporaries like Weller, Costello is still trying for
something different while remaining instantly familiar. Don't let the
title fool you - he's still got an edge. |
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home - bibliography
- biography - clips
- concert reviews - discography
- faq - gigography
- guestbook info services - links - lyrics/chords - pictures - recent - shop - trading - upcoming - what's new |