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Elvis, the true King of Rock and Roll, is alive. No, not Elvis Pelvis, but the man of many different names, from Napoleon Dynamite to Emotional Toothpaste to Elvis Costello.
For his latest album, Brutal Youth (Warner Brothers), Costello assembled his original backup band, the Attractions. He reached way back to his original influences and his past performances to produce an album true to his original works on Columbia in the late ‘70s – My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model and Armed Forces.
Brutal Youth is much like the rock and roll that made him popular – simple, driving and fun. But Costello, who during his early years came off as an angry version of Buddy Holly in looks, mannerisms and music, toned down the Angry Young Man Routine. But he still writes from the hip and from the guitar.
All the original members of The Attractions perform on Brutal Youth. In addition, Pete Thomas of Squeeze plays drums, and Nick Lowe, who produced Costello’s first three albums and had several hits in the late ‘70s, plays bass. Former Attraction Bruce Thomas, who wrote a tell-all book calling Costello a “bastard” after the band split, performs on five tracks. Costello refused to speak to Thomas until cutting the album last year.
This project is a sharp turn from the path Costello has taken lately. His last rock album, Mighty Like the Rose (Warner Brothers) was influenced by Costello’s interest in classical music. The album, however, sold poorly and received little airplay.
His last album, The Juliet Letters (Warner Brothers), joined Costello with the classical sounds of The Brodsky Quartet and met with better reviews and more success.
Brutal Youth returns to the rock roots that made Costello great. Some of the best songs are “13 Steps Lead Down,” “Still Too Soon To Know” (which is reminiscent in its tone, delivery and pain of “A Good Year For The Roses”), “20% Amnesia,” “My Science Fiction Twin” and “Just About Glad.”
The album is a shining gem for Elvis, the once and future king of rock and roll.
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