ELVIS COSTELLO: 'WHEN I WAS CRUEL'

WHEN I WAS CRUEL IS MY FIRST RECORD FOR SEVEN YEARS. I'VE BEEN SINGING SO MANY BALLADS WITH OTHER PEOPLE RECENTLY THAT I WAS IN THE MOOD AGAIN FOR A ROWDY RHYTHM RECORD. WE USED A HIGHLY SKILLED TEAM OF MUSICIANS AND ENGINEERS TO ENSURE THAT WE DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY MAKE A RECORD THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RELEASED.

THE ALBUM WAS PRODUCED BY THE IMPOSTER: ELVIS COSTELLO, CIARAN CAHILL, LEO PEARSON AND KIERAN LYNCH AT WINDMILL LANE RECORDING STUDIOS IN DUBLIN. IT FEATURES STEVE NIEVE ON KEYBOARDS, DAVEY FARAGHER ON BASS AND PETE THOMAS PLAYING DRUMS. A HORN SECTION, FOR WHICH I WROTE THE ARRANGEMENTS, WAS ADDED AT A SESSION IN NEW YORK CITY. IT FEATURES KU-UMBA, FRANK LACY AND ROY NATHANSON. THEY GET RUDE AND VIVID ON "15 PETALS" AND "DUST."

I WROTE ALL THE SONGS WITH A SILVERTONE ELETRIC GUITAR, A 15-WATT AMPLIFIER AND A KID'S BEATBOX WITH BIG ORANGE BUTTONS. IN FACT, THERE IS A LOT MORE DISTORTED TREMELO GUITAR ON THIS RECORD THAN ON ANY OTHER ALBUM OF MINE. THIS IS TRULY THE RETURN OF "THE LITTLE HANDS OF CONCRETE."

THERE IS A RHYTHMIC TWIST TO "WHEN I WAS CRUEL NO.2," COURTESY OF A CLIP TAKEN FROM A '60's ITALIAN POP RECORD BY THE GREAT SINGER, MINA. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK BENNY AND BJORN FOR LETTING ME QUOTE THE WORDS OF "DANCING QUEEN".

"SPOOKY GIRLFRIEND" TELLS THE TALE OF A DELUDED SVENGALI WHO TURNS OUT TO BE JUST ANOTHER SHOW-BUSINESS WEASEL. THE FLIP-SIDE OF THAT STORY ARRIVES ON A ROCK AND ROLL RECORD CALLED "TEAR OFF YOUR OWN HEAD (IT'S A DOLL REVOLUTION)." I WOULD DESCRIBE "45" AS "AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ARITHMETIC."

I COULD TELL YOU MORE ABOUT SONGS LIKE "TART," "EPISODE OF BLONDE" AND "ALIBI" BUT THEN THERE WOULD BE NO REASON FOR YOU TO LISTEN AND THAT WOULD BE A SHAME.

E.C.