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Ever-changing Costello scores another hit
Bob O'Bannon
Elvis Costello has done it again. With his latest release, Punch the Clock, he has managed the difficult task of not repeating himself and has generated another dynamic collection of pop tunes.
If Costello's rambling vocals on "The Greatest Thing" or the stunning harmonies on "The Element Within Her" don't grab you, the tasteful horn and keyboard arrangements on most of the remaining tracks will. Costello's subtle guitar work and the powerful bass licks by Bruce Thomas also deserve favorable mention.
It appears from the lyrics on "Mouth Almighty" that Elvis has done some thinking about the slanderous remarks he made about Ray Charles a few years ago. He initially admits that he can't control his tongue, but eventually confesses, "I wish I'd never opened my mouth almighty."
This album is not without weaknesses, but it is bewildering that the single "Everyday I Write the Book" is probably the only song that will see the light of day on an airwave. A little exposure is the only thing keeping Costello from acquiring a general reputation as one of the best songwriters of the last five years.
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