San Diego State Daily Aztec, March 1, 1989

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Spike

Elvis Costello

David Moye

Back in 1977, Elvis Costello said he didn't want to be around for his own artistic decline.

Well, it's been nice knowing you, Elvis.

The problem with Costello's latest, Spike, isn't that it's bad; it's just been done before.

Production-wise, Spike's sound is an amalgam of Imperial Bedroom, King of America and especially Goodbye Cruel World, full of decent-yet-derivative rehashings of old Costello tunes.

For example: "Let Him Dangle" sounds identical to Cruel World's "Inch By Inch," and "Victoria," the album's first single (and a collaboration with Paul McCartney) ventures far into the very familiar territory already crossed in Punch the Clock's "Love Went Mad." However, despite the rewritten tunes, some of the songs sound better in their new versions.


Using guest players instead of the Attractions, Costello, along with co-producers Kevin Killen and T Bone Burnett, opts for a layered production sound as opposed to a live in-studio approach, with performances from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Chrissie Hynde, Paul McCartney, Roger McGuinn and others. Spike can't help but sound good, but so what! It's still the same ol' same ol'.

Still, despite Spike's lack of originality, there are some good moments. "Veronica" is a tuneful diversion and "Baby Plays Around" co-written with his wife and ex-Pogue Cait O'Riordan sounds like a beautifully mournful torch ballad from the 40's. "Chewing Gum" is probably the funkiest thing Costello has ever done and "This Town" does have the appealing chorus "You're nobody In this town / till everyone/ thinks you're a bastard."

But surprisingly enough, the album's best cut is the swing instrumental(!) "Stalin Malone," surprising considering Costello's way with words.

Costello still has the songwriting goods as anyone who has heard "The Comedians" on Roy Orbison's new record can attest. But maybe he's been listening to old music too much and needs to branch out — perhaps he should record with Metallica or Guns 'N' Roses or some other band with a completely opposite approach to music in order to gain some new perspective before his well of songs dries up completely.

Costello desperately needs to stop mining his past gems and go prospecting for some new music. Until he does that, Costello completists can buy this album knowing all the songs before they even play it. On Spike, his aim isn't very true.

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The Daily Aztec, Stanza, March 1, 1989


David Moye reviews Spike.

Images

1989-03-01 San Diego State Daily Aztec Stanza page 07 clipping 01.jpg
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1989-03-01 San Diego State Daily Aztec Stanza page 08 clipping 01.jpg


1989-03-01 San Diego State Daily Aztec Stanza page 07.jpg 1989-03-01 San Diego State Daily Aztec Stanza page 08.jpg
Page scans.

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