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In just four years Elvis Costello has proven to be the most consistent and prolific songwriter to emerge in the seventies. Since 1977 he has released five albums containing over seventy-five songs and received praise from critics and fellow musicians alike. He now ranks with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Graham Parker as an entertaining yet intelligent songwriter but like these other musicians he has yet to reach his peak.
Costello has just released his fifth album, Taking Liberties, which contains a mere twenty songs, most of which have already been released on European albums and singles. Since few of these songs had been released in America, Columbia records was kind enough to put all of his songs on one record so that Costello fans can now own all of his work.
The songs on Taking Liberties run the gamut of Costello's career, from "Radio Sweetheart," the B-side of his first single in 1977, to an alternate version of "Clowntime is Over," originally released earlier this year on the Get Happy album. But although all but three of these songs have been available only on import singles and albums, Taking Liberties can stand up next to the best work on his first four albums.
On Taking Liberties, Costello's versatility as a songwriter shows through like never before. He can write a song for every style of music to fit every occasion, from pure C&W ("Stranger in the House"), to fifties rock and roll ("Wednesday Week"), to smooth ballads, ("Just a Memory"). But even more amazing is that the Attractions, his backing band, can play any style of music that Costello's songs demand.
Taking Liberties would be a particularly good choice for those who are unfamiliar with much of Costello's music, for it contains a sampling of most of the many styles of music that he performs. And not only is the sampling representative, but it includes Elvis's versions of songs you might already know. Some of these songs you may not have realized were written and recorded by Elvis originally.
For example, both "Girl's Talk" and "Talking in the Dark," the two Costello songs that Linda Ronstadt recorded on her Mad Love album, are here in their original versions. These two songs are enough to prove that Ronstadt's songs often lack the proper degree of emotion required by the lyrics.
"My Funny Valentine," the old Rodgers and Hart song, and "Getting Mighty Crowded," a former hit for Smokey Robinson, are the only non-original songs on the album and together they provide an idea of the extent of Costello's vocal ability.
Costello's genius lies in his ability to borrow from numerous influences yet create a sound which is now uniquely his own. He can sound like everyone you've ever heard but he doesn't sound like anyone in particular. From "Big Tears" with its Sixties-styled organ borrowed directly from old Monkees songs, to "Hoover Factory," complete with his Sinatraesque vocal, Costello's songs remind us of the music that we used to know. Fortunately, through the songs of Elvis Costello we can know that music once again.
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