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The abbreviation in our heading is not incorrect. This is not a story about the Common Market but this week I'm in a rather vociferous mood about Elvis Costello Country (E.C.C.) or to give it the correct title, Almost Blue, the new L.P. which makes Elvis Costello like Big Tom a "persona grata" in the field of country music.
Many of Costello's fans will look rather disdainfully upon me for linking the Rock star with Ireland's Country King but with "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" from Elvis Costello spinning away on the turntable as I write, I can't help but note that the tinkling piano sounds are somewhat reminiscent of Derry session man Jim Bradley playing on an early Big Tom album.
Not that there is anything even remotely similar between the vocal style of Elvis C and Big T and indeed I would be loath to advise any Big Tom fan to rush out and buy "Almost Blue" but if you like the Dr. Hook style of Country music then you will love this album.
I'll admit that I know little or nothing about this man, his music never interested me before, except for my ability (or lack of same) to roar out the twelve line chorus of one his singles "Oliver's Army." But Almost Blue will have a permanent and prominent place in my record collection.
For fans of Costello and indeed for the more progressive minded Country Music readers the following might help to give you an insight into this excellent 80s style Country L.P.
Side one opens with the only weak track in the whole set, a rather banal and almost Rockabilly treatment of Hank Williams song "Why Don't You Love Me" but Elvis gives a fresh feel to the old Don Gibson classic "Sweet Dreams," taking us on to a most emotive treatment of an absolutely beautiful song titled "Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home."
The fourth track on this side is an ordinary enough opus named "I'm Your Toy" then comes that fast modern version of the Merle Haggard song "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" with "Brown To Blue" a song that is on a par with "Good Year For The Roses" bringing up the rear of side one.
Side two opens with his current single success "Good Year For The Roses" which was a best seller in the Country charts for George Jones, once husband of Tammy Wynette and idol of Elvis Costello in 1970. This is followed by a predictable enough track from the pen of Charlie Rich "Sittin' And Thinkin'" while "Blue Aint The Colour Of the Blues" is one of the finest tracks of the whole album, a sad slow Country song with the vocals of Elvis Costello towering over a prominent pedal steel backing. "Too Far Gone" is back in the Dr. Hook vocal mould.
"Honey Hush" could be Rock, Pop or Rock 'n' Roll but with vocals which are a little elusive it sure aint Country and the slow ballad "How Much I Lied" written by the late great Gram Parsons is the last track on this side.
The producer of this record is Billy Sherrill and despite what many people (including some in the record company) told me it was not recorded two years ago but between May 18th and 29th of this year.
Billy Sherrill is also the guiding light behind Tammy Wynette — what a contrast! Almost Blue is an excellent album, Elvis Costello by his unique styling gives new life to many old standards. He is an innovator, when it comes to singing Country and Western songs and not just another impersonator.
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