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A man heralded as rock 'n' roll's savior emerged in 1977. His name was Elvis Costello, an unimposing figure who neither looked nor dressed the part of your typical rock hero. His horn-rimmed glasses, outdated clothes, scruffy hair and small frame pegged him as the classic nerd. His lyric venom and tough instrumentation, however, carried enough muscle to receive attention.
Elvis recently released his latest effort, Get Happy, containing 20 songs on a single disc. Although many of the songs clock in at under two minutes, they are not skimpy. Each song delivers full potential, without a loser in the bunch.
The Attractions, Elvis' band, (Bruce and Pete Thomas on bass and drums and Steve Naive on keyboards) play a large part in the success of Get Happy. Steve Naive's keyboards are especially enjoyable. His clever precise fills are central to the strength of many of the songs. The rhythm section provided by the Thomas brothers is more pronounced than in previous efforts.
The problem with Get Happy isn't serious. It's more a distraction or disturbance. The abundance and brevity of the material makes it difficult to get a feel for them. Many fine songs remain unnoticed after hearing them several times.
After the listener becomes familiar with the material, the greatness of the song is realized. From the opening cover version of Sam and Dave's "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" to the concluding "High Fidelity," Elvis has created another vinyl masterpiece. Attempts at discussing the merits of each track is futile. Suffice it to say that Get Happy is yet another victory of the man who would be king.
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