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For the past 10 years, Elvis Costello has been one of pop's most prolific songwriters. This, his 11th album since breaking onto the scene in 1977 with My Aim Is True, is Costello's love letter to the Colonies Blues, rockabilly, country laments, and Dylanesque folk tunes are on the menu, and the British singer serves them up with passion and his usual dash of acerbic wit.
And for the occasion, he's changed his name. Goodbye Elvis Costello, hello Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (his given name). But rather than alienating record buyers with that hefty handle, Columbia is billing this as "The Costello Show featuring The Attractions and Confederates."
The Attractions, his former band (Bruce and Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve) appear on the rock-ish "Suit Of Lights," one of the few tunes on this album that harken back to past works like Armed Forces or This Year's Model. The pretty rock ballad "Jack Of All Parades" and the clever "Brilliant Mistake" both have that same Costello-ish feel. But the rest of King Of America is strictly unadorned rock with a definite country flavor, thanks in large part to the presence of legendary session guitarist James Burton.
The former Elvis Presley/Ricky Nelson sideman delivers his precise chicken-picking Telecaster work on the Nashville-styled breakdown "Glitter Gulch" and the driving Sun-styled romp "The Big Light." Burton also overdubs some tasty dobro fills on "Glitter Gulch" and "Our Little Angel" to give them that unmistakable country feel, reminiscent of Costello's '81 Nashville album, Almost Blue.
Throughout King Of America, Costello...er, um, MacManus... relies on upright bass and drums with brushes to affect a more intimate, more subdued setting. Nothing here is so revved up as "Radio, Radio," so rockin' as "Peace, Love And Understanding," so driving as "Pump It Up," so funky as "Everyday I Write The Book," or soulful as "The Only Flame In Town." Yet, this album is charged with emotion.
"Little Palaces" is a chillingly dramatic showcase for a passionate voice. "I'll Wear It Proudly" is another stripped-down affair that has the singer delivering his poetic verse with uncommon urgency against a lone acoustic guitar, minimal backbeat, and haunting Hammond organ (a la early Dylan).
The man gets downright gruff and gritty on the raunchy "Eisenhower Blues," and he has a stab at the Animals' '65 hit "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," done up here with marimba and sparse backing. "American Without Tears" is his nod to Cajun music, featuring the buoyant French accordion playing of Jo-El Sonnier. And "Poisoned Rose" is a good old-fashioned country lament, while Lovable is a souped-up rockabilly romp with simple 4/4 backbeat, walking bassline, and Everly Brothers harmony vocals by MacManus and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos.
There's a lot to like here and it's mostly derived from American traditions. Whether it's blues, rockabilly, honky-tonk, country, folk, or Cajun, MacManus wears it well. The knock-kneed punk of 10 years ago is long gone. Sure, he spread some joy while he was around, but now that he's put that persona to rest, Mr. MacManus can get on to tapping some deeper emotions, as he does so successfully on King Of America.
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