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Mighty Like A Rose
Elvis Costello
Malcolm Steward
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There are few artists who regularly release albums of consistent quality. Elvis Costello does. Even fewer are able to cram quite as much contrast and intelligence into their collections of compositions. Elvis Costello can. Very few indeed put out albums without filler tracks. Elvis Costello doesn't.
Mighty Like A Rose is a particularly consistent album. It leaves you wondering how a writer as prolific as Costello manages to maintain the quality and inventiveness his writing exhibits (he reputedly composes new songs on a daily basis). It can only be a result of the passion that's painfully evident in every song — even on ersatz pop songs like "The Other Side Of Summer" the customary vituperative Costello emerges, virtually spitting out the lyrics. Even when he's happy it seems that venom still courses through his veins.
This Mitchell Froom-produced album shows that the varied repertoire of styles which vie for inclusion in Costello's compositions remains ever-expanding, as does the number of musicians with whom he works since the Attractions-years. Former Attractions drummer Pete Thomas still gets a look-in but the rest of the credits are familiar session names like Jim Keltner, Marc Ribot and Benmont Tench. There are writing collaborations too: two tracks are credited to MacManus (Costello) and (Paul) McCartney, the latter having co-written two songs on the Spike album.
As I said at the beginning, Costello remains consistent in every respect. Long may he continue so to do.
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Page scan.
Cover and contents page.
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