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Maturity seems to be a recent trend in music during the past few years. It happened to the Stones, it happened to David Bowie, and it's seem to have happened to Elvis Costello on his latest album release Punch the Clock. Costello not only has a maturing attitude, but a maturing sound as well. And with one listen to this new album I think you'll know what I mean. This man has come a long way since My Aim is True, and if Punch the Clock is any indication as to where he's going, I certainly like the direction.
Punch the Clock's most distinguishing feature is the advent of the TKO horn section, which certainly lives up to its name. With the recent trend back to the sound of Motown, TKO gives Elvis' new album a certain drive and appeal that seemed to have been lacking in his sound lately. Punch the Clock is not Elvis's best, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.
"Let Them All Talk" starts off side one and the album with a sound that can be heard throughout, upbeat, with effective horns and a catchy chorus that seems to bring the word "Motown" to mind. Side one continues with "Everyday I Write the Book" and I can't say enough about this song. Breaking down romance and love to chapters in a book. "Everyday..." has all the appeal and wit of a true pop single. "Chapter one, we really did get along, Chapter two I fell in love with you. You said you'd stand by me in the middle of chapter three, but you were up to your old tricks in chapters four, five and six" sings Elvis in what could be his best lyrics since "Accidents Will Happen." With its funky, Steely Dan type appeal, "Everyday I Write the Book" is by far the strongest song on this album.
"The Element Within Her," and "Love Went Mad" show off the latest Costello trend towards maturity that I mentioned earlier. Again the sound is very upbeat, the lyrics hopeful, and the mood of a great talent whose come of age. Only "The Greatest Thing" interrupts this mood with its Armed Forces type sound and its denial of the merits of marriage. "Shipbuilding" ends side one in fine style. "With all the will in the world, diving for dear life, when we could be diving for pearls" sings Costello in a slow, bluesy tune that is as brilliant an ending to a side that an artist can hope for.
Unfortunately, side two pales in comparison to the first. Although the idea and sentiment are there. the music is not. Out of the seven songs on side two, only "TKO (Boxing Day)," "Mouth Almighty," and "The Word and His Wife" continue the standard that was set forth on side one. (Note: "Mouth Almighty" seems to be an apology for an episode that occurred in the late 70's involving Elvis Costello. Sitting in a bar with Stephen Stills and his road crew, Elvis is supposed to have referred to the immortal Ray Charles as a "blind nigger." Costello subsequently had his arm broken). "The Word and His Wife" is a smooth, easy type of shuffle that praises the comforts of home in the same vein that the Talking Heads "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" does. The remaining cuts, "Charm School," "The Invisible Man," "King of Thieves" and "Pills and Soap" are insignificant and sometimes boring.
It's always nice to see a young artist come of age and Elvis Costello seems to have done just that. Armed Forces continues to be Elvis's finest work to date but as was mentioned earlier, if Punch the Clock is any indication as to the direction that Costello is taking, I can't wait for his next album. On a scale of one to ten, I'm giving Punch the Clock a six.
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