What with Stateside success, big posh cars with his name on them and inheriting Bebe Buell from whoever she was knocking around with last, it looks like Elvis has become a proper, real-life star. Next thing you know he'll be hot-footing it to LA to join the ranks of the Beverly Hills Mutual Admiration Society. (Qualifications for joining: A few hit records and a lot more money than sense.)
I s'pose this new-found status also justifies all the bits and pieces you get with this album — a give-away single, featuring a good live version of the album's opening track "Accidents Will Happen" and not-so-hot versions of "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives" (still, can't grumble I suppose — what can you expect for nuffink? ), an arty farty full colour fold out sleeve, and free postcards, marked, significantly enough, with the words "Don't Join." A reference, one supposes, to the album title — or then again, it could be the other significant phrase on the inside sleeve, "Emotional Fascism." There's a tie-up there, I expect (a concept maybe? ) but it's all a bit wearying and obscure for a simple brain like me, especially when they haven't included a lyric sheet (presumably designed to follow this highly irritating policy of deliberate obscurity).
What's it all about? Search me. Is it a concept. Dunno. But the thing is, I don't really care, either. Whereas such obliqueness would normally incense me (I like things clear and simple myself — I mean, what's the use of writing a song that nobody but you is going to understand?) but in Costello's case, his melodies are so beguiling and seductive that I can forgive him. A word here, a phrase there, even a verse over there, it's enough. Just the music is sufficient.
So what of the music? Well, at first listen, the album sounded low-key and a bit plodding (thanks to the sound quality of the office stereo, which is comparable to Radio Luxembourg on a bad night). But further investigation proves that there is more to it than at first met the ear. Maybe it does lack the bitter bite of the first efforts, but there are other things to make up for that — like depth, and a little subtlety and new textures which make this record a grower, revealing fascinating new facets with each fresh play.
Of the two, side one is the mellower, with at least three songs which inspired love at first hearing — "Accidents," "Senior Service," "Oliver's Army" with its jangling keyboards, and "Green Shirt," with the hook line which has already made it a personal fave rave. "Big Boys" is perhaps the slightest track, though still attractive, and "Party Girl," with its unusual but effective use of bass guitar and vocals, ends with a happy pinch from the Beatles' Abbey Road. (Don't believe me? Listen again and you'll see what I mean).
Side two has a harder kick off with "Goon Squad" (which if I follow it, fits in correctly with the "Don't Join" message) through "Busy Bodies," "Sunday's Best," the up-tempo "Moods For Moderns" and "Chemistry Class" to "Two Little Hitlers," another stand out, some pointed lyrics, and a killer finish. That's the way Elvis, leave 'em begging for more...
And there will be more, if Costello's first three, uniformly excellent albums are anything to go by. Let's hope so, anyway — because Costello, awkward sod that he is, is still our best exponent of the art of snappy songs.
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