Altoona Mirror, March 20, 1994: Difference between revisions
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{{:Altoona Mirror index}} | {{:Altoona Mirror index}} | ||
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<center><h3> Elvis Costello reaches back, <br> but the songs come up short </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello reaches back, <br> but the songs come up short </h3></center> | ||
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<center> J.D. Considine </center> | <center> J.D. Considine / Baltimore Sun </center> | ||
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{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
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From the first notes of ''My Aim Is True'', Elvis Costello struck a chord with rock fans who saw his work as a much-needed tonic against the banal excess of the era's mainstream rockers. Much of that had to do with his songs, which were at once bitingly funny (who could resist lines like ''"They call her Natasha — But she looks like Elsie?"'') and gloriously tuneful. | From the first notes of ''My Aim Is True'', Elvis Costello struck a chord with rock fans who saw his work as a much-needed tonic against the banal excess of the era's mainstream rockers. Much of that had to do with his songs, which were at once bitingly funny (who could resist lines like ''"They call her Natasha — But she looks like Elsie?"'') and gloriously tuneful. | ||
But an equal amount of our enthusiasm was directed toward Costello's backing band, the Attractions. It wasn't just that this trio — drummer Pete Thomas, | But an equal amount of our enthusiasm was directed toward Costello's backing band, the Attractions. It wasn't just that this trio — drummer Pete Thomas, keyboardist Steve Nieve and bassist Bruce Thomas -- could handle anything from the Spectorian flourishes of ''Armed Forces'' to the neo-soul sound of ''Get Happy!!''; at their best, they played with though razor-edged intensity to energize the most venomous of Costello's verses. | ||
So when word got out that ''Brutal Youth'' (Reprise 45535) would reunite Costello with the Attractions, quite a few fans found themselves dreaming aquiver in anticipation. Could the old fire be rekindled anew? | So when word got out that ''Brutal Youth'' (Reprise 45535) would reunite Costello with the Attractions, quite a few fans found themselves dreaming aquiver in anticipation. Could the old fire be rekindled anew? | ||
Lord knows, Costello could use the help. After breaking with the Attractions in 1985, his output has been uniformly disappointing — from | Lord knows, Costello could use the help. After breaking with the Attractions in 1985, his output has been uniformly disappointing — from the rootsy overreach of ''King of America'' to the laughable pretense of his string quartet "song cycle," ''The Juliet Letters''. It was as if the angry young man who thrilled us back then had suddenly been replaced by a bilious old crank who thought himself too clever for rock 'n' roll. | ||
Fortunately, that side of Costello is pretty much in abeyance on ''Brutal Youth''. In fact, there are moments on the album — "13 Steps Lead Down," say, or "You Tripped at Every Step" — where you could almost close your eyes and imagine that it's 1978 again. | Fortunately, that side of Costello is pretty much in abeyance on ''Brutal Youth''. In fact, there are moments on the album — "13 Steps Lead Down," say, or "You Tripped at Every Step" — where you could almost close your eyes and imagine that it's 1978 again. | ||
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These guys may have been shooting for the magic they used to make, but it looks like their aim isn't as true as it used to be. | These guys may have been shooting for the magic they used to make, but it looks like their aim isn't as true as it used to be. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Brutal Youth]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Pete Thomas]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Bruce Thomas]] {{-}} [[13 Steps Lead Down]] {{-}} [[You Tripped At Every Step]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[Pony St.]] {{-}} [[Clown Strike]] {{-}} [[Trust]] {{-}} [[This Is Hell]] {{-}} [[You Tripped At Every Step]] {{-}} [[20% Amnesia]] {{-}} [[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[Blood & Chocolate]] {{-}} [[Spike]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea]] {{-}} [[Phil Spector]] {{-}} [[Armed Forces]] {{-}} [[Get Happy!!]] {{-}} [[King Of America]] {{-}} [[The Juliet Letters]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography notes}} | {{Bibliography notes}} | ||
{{Bibliography next | |||
|prev = Altoona Mirror, March 7, 1993 | |||
|next = Altoona Mirror, December 23, 1997 | |||
}} | |||
'''Altoona Mirror, March 20, 1994 | '''Altoona Mirror, March 20, 1994 | ||
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[[image:1994-03-20 Altoona Mirror clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1994-03-20 Altoona Mirror clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | ||
<br><small>Clipping.</small> | <br><small>Clipping.</small> | ||
[[image:1994-03-20 Altoona Mirror page E4.jpg|x120px | <small>Page scan.</small><br> | ||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Latest revision as of 23:39, 21 January 2023
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