New Musical Express, June 21, 1980

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NME

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New Amsterdam / Dr. Luther's Assistant /
Ghost Train / Just A Memory


Max Bell

Costello's rise to the top of his profession would be almost frightening in its single mindedness were it not for the fact that the results are so listenable, so intriguing, beautiful even — certainly not an adjective that sprang to mind in the days when I only half caught his drift and was taken in by the bitter and twisted myth which bears no relevance in this context. Out with that. The level of intellect at work in writing a song like "New Amsterdam" is not one you'll meet very often in the rock business. How often do people turn up with a song book as stuffed full of wit, even wisdom, as this man Costello's? The standard standards, Porter, Coward, Lennon and McCartney (of course) must give credit to Elvis for his black comic punning and layered meaning.

"New Amsterdam" begins its life stabbing backs in retrospect, and then suddenly flowers into an account of high fashion and low life; contrasts imagery drawn from childhood (Liverpool) and a docklandscape, the reality of Rotherhithe against the pose of Wapping. Costello's language is never the hackneyed rubbish that passes for normal with his contemporaries, neither does he talk down to himself or his listener, assume some false street credibility — disgusting practices all. No, Costello's language at its best, rides a fine line close to poetry. A combination of literary traits that Ezra Pound and Eliot would probably endorse allied to a series of highly effective steals and reworked influences (some of them from Lennon, a la "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," even "Ob-la-di Ob-la-da" on "Ghost Train" — I could be wrong) gives these songs a longevity and sense of tradition.

Before this gets too bogged down in supposition it's worth noting that "Dr. Luther's Assistant" is extremely funny peculiar, (an Owsley figure meets Marlowe at a nightmare drugged pace) that, yes, some of this is Elvis' back pages and that "Just A Memory" is soul baring on a chilling.

As the 50 pence version of the single isn't exactly an all-time best seller you might think that the better Costello gets the less records he sells. That's ridiculous; at a time of recession this bloke is heading for an ascendancy where few can follow. Just as long as he doesn't get religion...


Tags: New AmsterdamDr. Luther's AssistantJust A MemoryGhost TrainNew Amsterdam (single)Cole PorterNoël CowardJohn LennonPaul McCartneyLucy In The Sky With Diamonds

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New Musical Express, June 21, 1980


Max Bell reviews the single for "New Amsterdam."

Images

1980-06-21 New Musical Express page 19.jpg
Page scan.

Cover.
1980-06-21 New Musical Express cover.jpg

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