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It's never been easy to pin down Elvis Costello. From his emergence as new wave's angry young man, to country crooner to latter-day pop maestro, Costello's musical stance has changed as many times as he's released albums.
Whether it be the classic breakneck Farfisa sound of This Year's Model, or the Stax/Volt inspired Get Happy, or the pseudo-Gershwinesque sophistication of Imperial Bedroom (some say his "classic" work), Costello has been able to switch musical gears at his whim.
Perhaps this is because of his desire to emulate the music he loves (especially American music), and his prolific output enables him to pay homage through his many musical facades. Yet it all strikes me as one big put-on. That's not to say Elvis Costello is insincere — just manipulative.
King of America is Elvis Costello's exorcism, both musically and personally. Although the LP is vaguely credited to "The Costello Show," he reverts back to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (his name given at birth with Aloysius thrown in for good measure) on the songwriting and production credits. He claims it's his effort to regain his true self.
For the most part, it shows. King of America may not be the best work of Costello, er MacManus — I still think This Year's Model and the underrated Trust are superior — but it certainly is his most inspired and relaxed in a long time. Co-produced by MacManus and T-Bone Burnett, along with Larry Hirsch, the LP is the first since My Aim is True which doesn't employ long-time cohorts the Attractions.
Instead, Burnett and MacManus opt for distinctly American session musicians, including the Hall and Oates rhythm section of Mickey Curry and T-Bone Wolk, hotshot Southern keyboard player Mitchell Froom, and jazzmen Ray Brown and Earl Palmer. The Attractions are found on only one track.
But the majority of the album finds MacManus fronting bassist Jerry Scheff, guitarist James Burton and drummer Ron Tutt, the legendary sidemen to (who else?) Elvis Presley. The sound is spare and simple, with most of the instrumentation done acoustically — no synthesizers here. MacManus even shows a bit of impish humor by labeling himself "Little Hands of Concrete" on all of his guitar credits, an attribution to his less-than-stellar talents.
Musically, King of America finds MacManus closer in style to My Aim is True than his last few efforts. But unlike Aim, the new LP avoids the violent diatribes and opts for a more reflective introspection. In fact, much of it is confessional.
"Brilliant Mistake," one of the strongest tracks, offers the following: "He thought he was King of America... I was a fine idea at the time / Now I'm a brilliant mistake." "Indoor Fireworks" painfully refers to MacManus' recent divorce. "American Without Tears" could be about a jilted lover back home. And the cover of the Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" speaks for itself.
Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus may never find his true musical style, but King of America offers a real glimpse behind his posturing as whatshisname.
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