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Initially released on vinyl, Costello's latest epic was cut in a week and thus is named after the inventor of the instant noodle (the New York restaurant of the same name came later).
Like recent rock efforts — 2002's When I Was Cruel and 2004's The Delivery Man — the music recalls past efforts rather than plowing new ground.
But after Costello's experiments with everyone from Burt Bacharach to soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, this may be welcome. While more eclectic than his last album, the new one's hard-charging sound makes up for it. His band, The Imposters, is actually The Attractions minus bassist Bruce Thomas.
The songs are vintage Elvis, full of wounded love and the venom it produces. The music wanders through the Costello songbook of styles, starting with classic rock ("No Hiding Place"), a stop at the lounge ("Harry Worth") and a bit of soul ("Flutter & Wow") before returning to a classic slab of Costello rock ("Stella Hurt").
Things peter out a bit by the end of the disc, and while not a classic, it will be close enough for Costello's longtime fans.
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