Syracuse Herald American, April 3, 1994

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
... Bibliography ...
727677787980818283
848586878889909192
939495969798990001
020304050607080910
111213141516171819
202122232425 26 27 28


Syracuse Herald American

New York publications

Newspapers

University publications

Magazines and alt. weeklies


US publications by state
  • ALAKARAZCA
  • COCTDCDEFL
  • GAHI   IA      ID      IL
  • IN   KSKYLA   MA
  • MDME   MIMNMO
  • MSMTNC  ND  NE
  • NHNJNMNVNY
  • OHOKORPARI
  • SCSDTNTXUT
  • VAVTWAWIWY

-

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

Rick Shefchik / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

2½ star (of 4) reviews2½ star (of 4) reviews2½ star (of 4) reviews2½ star (of 4) reviews

Believe it or not, Costello's inching up on a 20-year career now, so this return to form is more remarkable than you might think. Not many artists ever come to the realization that their first few albums held all the elements of their public appeal, but even those who do find it hard to recapture their original form once they've strayed as far away from it as Costello has.

His last supposed "rock" album, Mighty Like a Rose, was a dreadful collection of bad ideas badly executed, and then he followed it with The Juliet Letters, a hopelessly flawed concept album featuring the most accomplished New Wave rocker of the '70s warbling with a string quartet. It looked like whatever talent he had left was destined to be squandered on ever-weirder stuff until no one cared anymore.

Brutal Youth may be no This Year's Model, but you'll be just as happy to bear it as most of his other earlier pop albums. The reason is obvious. Pop/rock is the only idiom he thoroughly understands. He has reunited with the Attractions and Nick Lowe; drummer Bruce Thomas, in particular, seems to give him the boot in the butt he's been needing for years.

Each of these songs sounds like a study of a particular Top 40 hit from the '60s, but you can't quite put your finger on which one. That — along with his smart lyrics — is Costello's talent in a nutshell, and it's on full display here. Again.


Tags: Brutal YouthMighty Like A RoseThe Juliet LettersThis Year's ModelThe AttractionsNick LowePete Thomas

-
<< >>

Syracuse Herald American, April 3, 1994


Rick Shefchik reviews Brutal Youth.

Images

1994-04-03 Syracuse Herald American clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

Page scan.
1994-04-03 Syracuse Herald American page S27.jpg

-



Back to top

External links