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In brief, the new Elvis Costello record is one of the best of his career.
That is all.
Okay, that is not all.
I spent three solid spins with "The Boy Named If" and the last was better than the first.
It's not just because we are 45 years on from "My Aim Is True."
Or, that Mr. McManus has tried the patience of his fans with more genre hopping releases than they'd care to remember.
Or, that no band members were in the same place at the same time at any point during the making of this album.
It's all of those things and the fact that this record reminds me of so many classic Elvis moments both solo and with his bands The Attractions and The Imposters, that I couldn't help but play "Name That Tune" while each song unfolded. For this alone, "The Boy Named If" is the most fun I have had with an Elvis Costello record in years.
This is not to say I haven't loved his output for the last 25 years. I have. From his trip-hop experiments to his collaborations, I have loved most of it. But "The Boy Named If" is a blast from the needle drop. You don't need to figure it out. It's rock and roll.
It's hard to ignore the "Goon Squad" keyboards and "5ive Gears In Reverse/Beaten To The Punch" drive of the opener, "Farewell OK."
Or the subtle vibe and keyboard quotes of "The Beat" on "Magnificent Hurt."
Or, the similarities between "Trick Out The Truth" and "God's Comic."
Or, the melody and arrangement of "Paint The Red Rose Blue" owing more than a bit to Costello's cover of Bill Anderson's "Must You Throw Dirt In My Face."
Or, the absolutely gorgeous album closer, "Mr Crescent," which sounds like an unintentional mash-up of "All The Rage" and "Sleep Of The Just."
Intentional or not, Elvis & The Imposters have taken their greatest moves and created something brand new. "The Boy Named If" is not only musical in ways Costello hasn't been since "Imperial Bedroom," it rocks in ways Costello hasn't rocked since "Blood & Chocolate."
I can't recall the last Elvis release where I thought, "I love every single track."
Kudos to the band: Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, & Davey Faragher.
And to the genius producer Sebastian Krys, for making "The Boy Named If" sound like the band was feeding off each other's sweat and chops in a studio together.
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