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When Elvis Costello made his recording debut last year with his My Aim Is True LP, I was quite enthusiastic. After wading through all kinds of hype and buildups for various punk-rock and new wave bands like the Sex Pistols (only to have them turn out to be essentially social phenomena rather than true musical units) it was easy to be enthusiastic about anyone who put musical integrity above pure cultural shock value.
Which is in no way to imply that Costello was content to say-nothing-but-say-it-well. Lord knows there's enough of that, too. But like his kindred spirit Graham Parker, Elvis took his anger, frustrations and disillusionment and with them squeezed off tight, pithy little rockers that didn't have to hide behind intellectual (or anti-intellectual) pretense.
I did however, have a few reservations about the situation. His Buddy Holly outfits and obvious stage name came across as a bit of a burden in establishing a serious posture (I theorized) and more importantly his bit on Saturday Night Live was a real disappointment. Backed by The Attractions (his usual three-piece band) rather than the fine musicians on My Aim Is True (who were apparently members of Crack the Sky) the TV gig was very rough indeed, with Costello himself seeming frightened and uncomfortable. In short, I was afraid that My Aim Is True might have been, if not a one-shot success, than perhaps a well-honed studio magnification of a lesser talent.
For these reasons Costello's new album This Year's Model had some questions to answer, at least in my mind. And to the credit of Costello, Columbia Records and everyone involved, this LP offers answers aplenty. For openers, one need go no further than the cover. The disc's front photo features Costello in a far more typical pose; catching his own frozen, nervous stare rather than his aping the famous Buddy Holly guitar stance. And there are actual liner credits — at least insofar as the backing musicians are listed. More telling still, those backing musicians are the Attractions. Not only is costello now coming across in his own physical image, it's clear he's going to put-to-vinyl his own music without the input of an independent band.
The best part is that, for the most part, the whole transition works. Not surprisingly the music here is not as full or as studio-smooth as on his debut, but it is by no means as choppy and crude as what was seen on national TV. The Attractions are getting a firm grip on mood changes and punctuation while incorporating appropriate bits from the sounds of groups like the Doors and Dylan's Highway 61-era backup. Elements of familiarity and spontaneity are in the forefront while never blocking the light urgency of Elvis' continually compelling three minute epics. Tunes like "No Action," "Pump It Up" and "Lip Service" are vital, forceful and... ...listenable. A combination that few New Wave artists can produce.
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