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Costello's 'Punch' has a new hook
Jon Marlowe
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He used to be angry. Now British singer-songwriter Elvis Costello is playing in the same emotional-musical leagues as Joe Jackson and Rickie Lee Jones. These three, as well as many others — The Talking Heads, Brian Eno and yes, even The Police — have been making eclectic-electric music for some time that can no longer be classified as simply "rock 'n' roll." Ironically, Jackson was initially compared to Costello when he first appeared, and now Costello's latest LP — Punch the Clock (Columbia) — will probably be compared to Jackson's diverse and haunting Night and Day. Costello added a four-piece "TKO Horns" section to his Attractions band and used session musicians to help craft the 13 good-to-simply astonishing songs here.
While Punch the Clock lacks the lyrical fire and anger of Costello's earlier works (then again, how long can one man stay mad at the world?), it more than compensates with its hypnotic moods and shifting musical styles. There's everything from lilting anti-war songs ("Shipbuilding") to punchy horn-driven Stax workouts ("Everyday I Write the Book"). Best song: "The Greatest Thing." Best lyric (from "The World and His Wife"): "Daddy went out with the rubbish and he kept on walking / Between Mum and the walls / God only knows who does the talking."
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