LOS ANGELES — The wait appears to be over for Elvis Costello fans. The singer's Warner Bros. Records debut album Spike has been scheduled for release this week.
The first single from the disc will be "Veronica" which will feature a double B side — Costello's interpretation of the Betty Everett classic "You're No Good" and another tune titled "The Room I Live In."
The album's title is reference to pioneering pop absurdist Spike Jones. The disc, which features the first fruit of Costello's well-publicized collaborations with Paul McCartney was recorded in Hollywood, Dublin, New Orleans and London. Songs include "Let Him Dangle," "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror," "This Town" and "Stalin Malone."
Spike is a watershed album for Costello. It's the singer's first full-length album since 1986's Blood & Chocolate. A 1987 import collection of B sides titled Out of Our Idiot was the closest fans got to new release since then.
Costello's three-year absence was a surprise to some. Ever since his 1978 Columbia Records debut album My Aim Is True, the prolific Costello had released one or two albums a year.
Whether Costello will renew that exhausting pace with his new record company remains to be seen. But you can bet industry analysts will be watching to see if Warner Bros. Records can do what Columbia Records could not — make Costello the household name critics say he should be.
Warner Bros. is planning to commemorate the album's release with collectors-edition compact disc which will go out to radio stations and journalists.
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