UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus, November 6, 1986

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Proof that Elvis lives!


Walker Wells

Isn't it just like Elvis. In order to make us respect him as an artist in his own right he did his last album almost exclusively with non-Attractions and he officially changed his name back to Declan (no wonder he changed it) McManus. So we think okay, that's alright if it's what he wants to do it's cool with me. Then what does he do. He lists his name on the new album as Napoleon Dynamite. Is this man schizophrenic? Is he suffering from an identity crisis? Is he just too clever for his own good? Who knows, but probably Elvis is just sick, tired, and a little bored with show business. After spending the last five or six years experimenting with the music called rock 'n' roll, his new album, Blood and Chocolate is a sort of homecoming.

Soundwise, the latest addition to Costello's discography is reminiscent of My Aim is True. The album was produced by Nick Lowe and the only other musician on the record is Cait O'Riordan, bassist for The Pogues and the future Mrs. McManus. In other words, Elvis has abandoned the horns, The Confederates, the synthesizers, and the acoustic sound, to create a straight ahead, no frills, rock 'n' roll album.

Some people have been waiting eight years for this record and it delivers the goods.

The only problem is that people change. The Declan McManus of today is not the Elvis Costello of 1978 and the album reflects this change. Costello has always been a master of the English language and the tradition continues with lyrics like, "There's a second-hand emotion on a battered forty-five / My tears were never enough to keep that girl alive." What's changed is that today's Elvis isn't an angry young man with a guitar but a thoughtful, mature guy who's soon to be wed. The result is an album with much the same sound as his earlier works but without as much sarcastic anger and frustration.

There are too many good songs on this piece of vinyl for me to go through each one. So here goes a basic rundown.

It starts off with "Uncomplicated" which is basically the title track. This strange song opens the album in a somewhat dissonant way. Next comes "Tokyo Storm Warning" which, although having the longest set of lyrics I've ever seen, doesn't get boring or verbose. What a songwriter. The side closes with an obsessively repetitive, and passionate ballad titled "I Want You." Although not much of a pop song, this is arguably the best track on the record.

The second side, or flanko du, is highlighted by "The Crimes of Paris" and "Next Time Round." "Paris" is a thinking man's pop song. The confusing, complicated love story is broken up by a great chorus which features O'Riordan on backing vocals. The album's closer, "Next Time Round" is in my estimation a perfect song. It's a short love tune with a catchy-as-hell chorus.

It seems that Elvis has spent the last few years finding himself and decided it was time to start playing some straight-forward rock music for awhile. The King of Rock is back on his feet and, although it took a long time to get here, Blood and Chocolate was worth the wait and worth giving a spin. I guess '78 was a pretty good year.

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Daily Nexus, November 6, 1986


Walker Wells reviews Blood & Chocolate.

Images

1986-11-06 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 4A clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

1986-11-06 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus pages 4A-5A.jpg
Page scans.

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