Boston Globe, October 22, 1993: Difference between revisions
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But, yes, there was something special and supercharged about Costello's early years, before it was certain that the British singer-songwriter would endure. Costello's first three albums, ''My Aim Is True,'' ''This Year's Model'' and ''Armed Forces,'' released 1977-79, contained songs that burned, songs that just screamed to get out of the creator's head. There was passion, wit, anger, violence, wordplay, historical references, craftsmanship. | But, yes, there was something special and supercharged about Costello's early years, before it was certain that the British singer-songwriter would endure. Costello's first three albums, ''My Aim Is True,'' ''This Year's Model'' and ''Armed Forces,'' released 1977-79, contained songs that burned, songs that just screamed to get out of the creator's head. There was passion, wit, anger, violence, wordplay, historical references, craftsmanship. | ||
Salem's Rykodisc has licensed the North American rights to at least 11 Costello albums and, on Tuesday, released the first three albums with digitally remastered versions of the original songs, additional rare demos or B-sides (some from the ''Taking Liberties'' album), and various obscurities. The entire thing can be purchased as ''2½ Years,'' a four-pack box (which includes the widely circulated 1978 live bootleg ''Live At El Mocambo'') or the albums can be purchased individually. You might get flashbacks like this one | Salem's Rykodisc has licensed the North American rights to at least 11 Costello albums and, on Tuesday, released the first three albums with digitally remastered versions of the original songs, additional rare demos or B-sides (some from the ''Taking Liberties'' album), and various obscurities. The entire thing can be purchased as ''2½ Years,'' a four-pack box (which includes the widely circulated 1978 live bootleg ''Live At El Mocambo'') or the albums can be purchased individually. You might get flashbacks like this one. | ||
Costello was about to take the Paradise stage in 1978 — his [[Concert 1977-12-09 Boston (early)|first]] Boston concert — and he was introduced by a perky, headset-wearing WBCN DJ, Tracey Roach. | |||
"Who was that little Martian?" Costello barked upon taking the stage. "This song is about radio — ''the radio is useless!''" | |||
A few weeks earlier on ''Saturday Night Live,'' Costello and his band, the Attractions switched course at the last minute, cutting short "Less Than Zero" to jump-start "Radio Radio." They baffled the ''SNL'' camera crew and confounded director Lorne Michaels, who kept a camera pinned on Costello's angry, angular face. | That was "Radio, Radio," and it was packed with righteous rage, directed toward his would-be benefactors. ''"I wanna bite the hand that feeds me,"'' sang Costello. ''"I wanna bite that hand so badly / I{{nb}}wanna make them wish they'd never seen me."'' It remains the best song ever written about rock radio. | ||
A few weeks earlier on ''Saturday Night Live,'' Costello and his band, the Attractions switched course at the last minute, cutting short "Less Than Zero" to jump-start "Radio, Radio." They baffled the ''SNL'' camera crew and confounded director Lorne Michaels, who kept a camera pinned on Costello's angry, angular face. | |||
I saw Costello at the Rat two months later and asked him about it. He said Michaels shot him the bird throughout the song and later vowed Costello would never work there again. | I saw Costello at the Rat two months later and asked him about it. He said Michaels shot him the bird throughout the song and later vowed Costello would never work there again. | ||
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Time and again, Costello cut to the emotional core — love, fallout, betrayal. Clever wordplay was part of the game, but it | Time and again, Costello cut to the emotional core — love, fallout, betrayal. Clever wordplay was part of the game, but it | ||
served the song and didn't come off as clever for its own sake. Listening to it all again — this time with better sound — the thrill comes back. Along with the kick that comes with strong antagonistic rock. In tune with the zeitgeist of the late-' 70s? Certainly. Today? More than ever. | served the song and didn't come off as clever for its own sake. Listening to it all again — this time with better sound — the thrill comes back. Along with the kick that comes with strong antagonistic rock. In tune with the zeitgeist of the late-'70s? Certainly. Today? More than ever. | ||
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{{Bibliography notes}} | {{Bibliography notes}} | ||
{{Bibliography next | |||
|prev = Boston Globe, June 19, 1991 | |||
|next = Boston Globe, June 13, 1994 | |||
}} | |||
'''The Boston Globe, October 22, 1993 | '''The Boston Globe, October 22, 1993 | ||
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[[Jim Sullivan]] reviews ''[[2½ Years]]''. | [[Jim Sullivan]] reviews ''[[2½ Years]]''. | ||
{{Bibliography | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1993-10-22 Boston Globe page 64 clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | |||
<br><small>Clipping.</small> | |||
<small>Page scan.</small><br> | |||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boston_Globe Wikipedia: The Boston Globe] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boston_Globe Wikipedia: The Boston Globe] | ||
*[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/a-c/boston_globe.931022a.txt elviscostello.info] | *[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/a-c/boston_globe.931022a.txt elviscostello.info] | ||
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Revision as of 18:18, 13 December 2019
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