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The title of Elvis Costello's new album matches the tone of weary resignation in his singing, but someone still could have come up with a better name: "New Wave Hits Nashville," "Cynic Goes Country" or perhaps "THIS Is Elvis?!"
Almost Blue, a collection of country tunes, is quite a switch for this Elvis, who might be expected to fit into the Tennessee music scene about as well as Meat Loaf fits into a size 36 leisure suit.
The album is a mild success at best, but given the changes Elvis puts himself through, it isn't bad, either.
Elvis Costello's two best weapons — anger and alienation — abated on his last album, Trust, and they are completely gone on Almost Blue. Elvis before was bent on getting mad and getting even, but here he settles for sounding almost blue, rather than truly heartbroken. He just wasn't made to convey the "my baby done left me" sadness that, despite its soddenness, a good country singer always can make you feel.
Just as bad, he settles for songs written by others. Sure, he had to do that to cut an album of country standards, but the absence of his sharp, twisting lyrics and musical hooks — both among the best around — is sorely felt.
Those factors are enough to make the album disappointing, less than what fans have come to expect from Mr. Costello. But there are enough redeeming qualities to make the record interesting and worth hearing at least a few times.
You have to remember that Elvis is trying to adapt to a whole new scene. In his own songs, he never came close to getting the girl, but in the standard country tune he at least had a woman before she walked out on him.
Once you get past the fact that these aren't Elvis' songs, the choice of material is great, and he handles about half the selections well. Such country heroes as Hank Williams, Charlie Rich, Don Gibson, Merle Haggard and George Jones are represented, along with Gram Parsons, the father of the country-rock revival of the late '60s and early '70s. There are some clever lines, too, such as, "He changed your name from Brown to Jones, and mine from Brown to Blue."
Beginning when he sang "Alison" on his first album, Elvis has shown that his aim is true when it comes to singing ballads. His voice can be truly pleasant when he isn't snarling, as he shows especially well on two Parsons songs, "I'm Your Toy (Hot Burrito #1)" and "How Much I Lied."
"A Good Year for the Roses," with strings and a female backup chorus, is enjoyably schlocky — as close as Elvis comes to parody. In addition, his "I give up" tone for once is appropriate as he sings lines like, "Funny, I don't really care."
He also sounds good on the album's fastest number, "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)," putting his motormouth to use spitting out Hank Williams lyrics against a background of thumping bass and honky-tonk piano runs.
No one will mistake Elvis for Merle Haggard, but on "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" he does loosen up. A guest artist, John McFee, tosses in some splashy steel guitar, and the guitar and piano licks add to the swing.
The Attractions, with some help from Mr. McFee, are on the mark instrumentally, even when Elvis' vocals aren't quite right. The keyboard work is especially good, and the piano is alternately punchy and soft and pretty. Two songs, "I'm Your Toy" and "Sittin' and Thinkin'," even have hints of the junky organ — Tex-Mex but certainly not country — that's almost an Attractions trademark.
Elvis Costello is an imaginative musician who has made at least five fine original albums. He has a right to try something different, so it's hard to get angry with Elvis for an experiment that didn't really work. But I hope he gets mad again — soon — and tells us all about it on his next record.
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