While some of our rock legends are returning to form (like Springsteen’s Letter To You), others, like Elvis Costello, are taking more of a “give no fucks” attitude: His latest release Hey Clockface is eclectic, to put it mildly. Costello recorded some tracks solo in a studio in Helsinki, like the anarchist rage of “No Flag” and the pointed, remorseful ballad “We Are All Cowards Now.” He then travelled to Paris to record with an ensemble to record the rest, making songs like “I Do (Zula’s Song)” and “The Whirlwind,” which sound like they could fit right in on a Sinatra record, evoking a smoky, deserted after-hours blues bar with Costello’s heartfelt vocals front and center. The cheery title track, by contrast, goes the opposite tonal route, right into spirited New Orleans jazz. While the off-kilter spoken-word cuts like “Revolution #49” or experimental multitracks of “Hetty O’Hara Confidential” may not be for everyone, there’s a lot of joy to be discerned from this record, as it documents a longtime artist who’s managed to find unlikely and disparate inspiration in troubled times.
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