Elvis Costello is back, with material that dates back, most of it from the back, sides of records that is. Let me put this in English. Taking Liberties contains seventeen songs that were released previously by Costello, cuts available only on import albums, giveaways, and the like. Two more songs, "Hoover Factory" and "Clean Money," were never released, the former having been performed live at some time, the latter being new. "Black and White World," from Elvis' last album, Get Happy, is a re-make.
Costello rarities have been found to be more fascinating to most of his fans than his widely distributed stuff, as could be expected. Grouping them together on an American release has not taken the oomph out of them at all.
|