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I once saw Chrissie Hynde (the frontwoman of the Pretenders) described as being punk but having a classic rock heart. The same could be same of Elvis Costello. He’s someone who, over the course of his career, may have been identified with punk, but it’s not necessarily how I think of him; I’ve always thought of him as more of a rocker, one who combines classic sounds with completely modern lyrical perspectives. Costello’s taste for that classic, retro, roots-rock sound is evident on the on the new release Rusty – ‘The Resurrection of Rust’.
In 1972, just 18 years old, Costello still went by his given name Declan MacManus, and he was in his first band Rusty, with Allan Mayes. For a year, they heavily toured around the United Kingdom, but they never made it to the recording studio. Now, 50 years later, backed by Costello’s band, The Imposters, the pair has teamed up to release an album of some of the classic tunes they played for nearly the year they spent on the road.
Roots music aficionados will find much to love in the selections here, which are culled from the band’s live sets: there are two Nick Lowe songs, ‘Surrender to the Rhythm’ and ‘Don’t Lose Your Grip on Love’, (Lowe would later become Costello’s producer, and he wrote ‘What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding?’) and Kentucky songwriter Jim Ford’s ‘I’m Ahead If I Can Quit While I’m Behind’ (which is dipping into Americana or country territory). We get a medley of Neil Young’s ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’ and ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’. The album also contains two strong originals, ‘Warm House’ and ‘Maureen and Sam’ a collaboration with Mayes.
The musicianship here is the real attraction. The Imposters are a fine band, and there are some interesting things going here, like Costello making his debut playing the electric violin (on ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’). The album grooves and boogies, and it sounds like a really good band — a band that has decades to perfect their technique — journeying back in time to 1972 to play what was already somewhat retro. The production here is fully modern, so it sounds as clean and as good as any modern album, making this a joy to listen for ears that are accustomed to the way albums have come to sound.
This album is a lot of fun, and if I have one gripe, it’s that I wanted more. This album felt a lot like some stuff I really love, like Rockpile, and I really want to hear more of it. If you love rock ‘n roll, this album will be a good time for you. I cannot emphasize enough that this an album that you are going to enjoy, and that you will probably put on for at least a few spins. It’s so good, in fact, that, when it’s over, you’re probably going to say to yourself, “I wish Elvis Costello had made 6 more tracks.” I know that Elvis Costello isn’t going to see this, but you gotta do it, EC!
Track listing: 1. Surrender to the Rhythm 2. I’m Ahead If I Can Quit While I’m Behind 3. Warm House (And an Hour of Joy) 4. Don’t Lose Your Grip on Love 5. Maureen and Sam 6. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere/Dance, Dance, Dance Record label: Release date: 10th June 2022
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