London Telegraph, March 2, 1993

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London Telegraph

UK & Ireland newspapers

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Costello meets Bartók


Cheal

Tim Rostron watches the intense liaison of old rocker Elvis Costello with the Brodsky Quartet at the Theatre Royal

Elvis Costello's latest musical collaboration is with the Brodsky Quartet, one of those chamber ensembles who are marketed as rock bands manqués but whose repertoire has been, until recently, deadly serious. "I hope you'll know what we're up to by now," said Costello in his introduction at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. "And I hope we do too."

Like, so many old rockers, Costello has been searching lately for seemlier musical excitements. When he discovered that one of his favourite new discoveries, the Brodskies, had been to a Costello concert on one of their nights off, a meeting was arranged that resulted in the five composing an album's worth of songs together.

The cooperation was unusually close for musicians from such different worlds. Violinists Michael Thomas and Ian Belton, violist Paul Cassidy and cellist Jacqueline Thomas (Michael's sister) shared writing responsibilities, lyrics and all, with the singer.

The result, like all other Costello records, is full of obvious influences.

Previously, though, the collages of quotations have come from Costello's record collection: r 'n' b, country and western, jazz. But on The Juliet Letters album, a phrase reminiscent of Bartók gives way, before it can be placed, to — what? a bit of Dvorák? which in turn is submerged by Palm Court vamping, and so on.

Above the musical voices, Costello whines in transatlantic English with a wobble like Gwyneth Jones on a pogo stick. The words — with the theme of "letters," from junk mail to a suicide note — are less convoluted than Costello's solo writing, but suffer from the usual awkward pile-ups of syllables at cleverer moments.

The Juliet Letters is an admirable but unlovable artefact as a record. But the songs proved intensely enjoyable in performance, with the emphasis on intense. The quartet played very well: something that is rarely noticed of musicians giving a rock concert, even when it's true.

It was also a novelty to share with performers the worry that something might go terribly wrong at any moment. Edginess has always been part of Costello's stage persona, so it was difficult to tell at first, as he clutched at jacket sleeves four inches too long for his arms, just how nervous he really was to be in such an exposed setting. But as the reception grew warmer, his relief was obvious.

He even mugged for laughs in a lighter number about an elderly woman being swindled by her relatives.

The band, as it by then had proved to be, answered the enthusiastic calls for encores with seven songs, including "Scarlet Ribbons," Kurt Weill's "Lost in the Stars" and Jerome Kern's "They'll Never Believe Me." Live, Elvis and the Brodskies had suspended disbelief.


Tags: Theatre Royal, Drury LaneLondonThe Brodsky QuartetMichael ThomasIan BeltonPaul CassidyJacqueline ThomasThe Juliet LettersBéla BartókThis Offer Is UnrepeatableDear Sweet Filthy WorldI Almost Had A WeaknessScarlet RibbonsKurt WeillLost In The StarsJerome KernThey'll Never Believe Me

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The Daily Telegraph, March 2, 1993


Tim Rostron reviews Elvis Costello with The Brodsky Quartet, Sunday, February 28, 1993 , Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.

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1993-03-02 London Telegraph page 14.jpg

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