Chicago Tribune, June 2, 1991: Difference between revisions
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{{:Chicago Tribune index}} | {{:Chicago Tribune index}} | ||
{{:Illinois publications index}} | {{:Illinois publications index}} | ||
{{:US publications by state index}} | |||
{{Bibliography article header}} | {{Bibliography article header}} | ||
<center><h3> The last word from Elvis Costello </h3></center> | <center><h3> The last word from Elvis Costello </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Greg Kot </center> | <center> Greg Kot </center> | ||
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'''"Anything I've got to say will be in the music" | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
Elvis Costello may be a little difficult to recognize these days with his shoulder-length hair and beard. | Elvis Costello may be a little difficult to recognize these days with his shoulder-length hair and beard. | ||
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Costello answers questions with a mixture of garrulous combativeness and congeniality. He has been the proverbial great interview ever since his [[:Category:1st US Tour|first]] American tour in 1977, even though he has been known to shut out the press for years at a time. | Costello answers questions with a mixture of garrulous combativeness and congeniality. He has been the proverbial great interview ever since his [[:Category:1st US Tour|first]] American tour in 1977, even though he has been known to shut out the press for years at a time. | ||
Several of his records have sold as many as a half-million copies each, but those figures hardly reflect his artistic impact. He's perhaps the greatest pop songwriter in the post-Dylan era, and also one of the wariest. When he sang ''"I wanna bite the hand that feeds me"'' on one of the best of his early songs, "Radio Radio," he wasn't kidding. | Several of his records have sold as many as a half-million copies each, but those figures hardly reflect his artistic impact. He's perhaps the greatest pop songwriter in the post-Dylan era, and also one of the wariest. When he sang ''"I wanna bite the hand that feeds me"'' on one of the best of his early songs, "Radio, Radio," he wasn't kidding. | ||
"I've always been fed up with the music business. It's crass, ugly and demeaning," he says, after briskly taking care of business recently on ''Saturday Night Live'' to promote his new album, ''Mighty Like a Rose'' (Warner Bros.), his 16th domestic release. | "I've always been fed up with the music business. It's crass, ugly and demeaning," he says, after briskly taking care of business recently on ''Saturday Night Live'' to promote his new album, ''Mighty Like a Rose'' (Warner Bros.), his 16th domestic release. | ||
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Compared to the almost unanimous praise that greeted that early phase of his career, critical reaction to Costello's recent work, particularly ''Rose'' and its 1989 predecessor, ''Spike,'' has been mixed. And no wonder: They're easily the two most varied, most difficult-to-categorize albums of his career. With the exception of Pete Thomas, session pros have replaced the members of his longtime backing band, the Attractions, on these two albums. The songs on ''Spike,'' recorded at four studios, were elaborate production pieces, the album a kaleidoscope of clashing styles. | Compared to the almost unanimous praise that greeted that early phase of his career, critical reaction to Costello's recent work, particularly ''Rose'' and its 1989 predecessor, ''Spike,'' has been mixed. And no wonder: They're easily the two most varied, most difficult-to-categorize albums of his career. With the exception of Pete Thomas, session pros have replaced the members of his longtime backing band, the Attractions, on these two albums. The songs on ''Spike,'' recorded at four studios, were elaborate production pieces, the album a kaleidoscope of clashing styles. | ||
''Mighty Like a Rose'' is a somewhat more organic, less jarring collection that was recorded entirely in Los Angeles, but it again spreads a variety of players and production effects over 14 songs. They range from a waltz ("All Grown Up") to a march ("Invasion Hit Parade"), a rueful whisper ("After the Fall") to a mocking wail ("How to | ''Mighty Like a Rose'' is a somewhat more organic, less jarring collection that was recorded entirely in Los Angeles, but it again spreads a variety of players and production effects over 14 songs. They range from a waltz ("All Grown Up") to a march ("Invasion Hit Parade"), a rueful whisper ("After the Fall") to a mocking wail ("How to Be Dumb"), herky-jerk novelty ("Hurry Down Doomsday") to stark confessional ("Broken"), anguished ballad ("So Like Candy") to, as Costello describes it, "a lot of shouting and screaming and running around in your underpants" ("Playboy to a Man"). | ||
The lead track and first single, "The Other Side of Summer," overdubs no less than 14 keyboard parts, a galaxy apart from the live-and-kicking approach of the early Costello records with the Attractions. | The lead track and first single, "The Other Side of Summer," overdubs no less than 14 keyboard parts, a galaxy apart from the live-and-kicking approach of the early Costello records with the Attractions. | ||
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Costello was more obviously "letting go" on his early records, but even that was part of the plan, he says. | Costello was more obviously "letting go" on his early records, but even that was part of the plan, he says. | ||
"Some of the most calculated, affected music I made was on those early records, but there was less variation there, so it reinforces the feeling that it was somehow spontaneous," he says. "But I don't think it would be as good if it were totally spontaneous. The more you diversify, the more people assume you've become very calculated." | "Some of the most calculated, affected music I made was on those early records, but there was less variation there, so it reinforces the feeling that it was somehow spontaneous," he says. "But I don't think it would be as good if it were totally spontaneous. The more you diversify, the more people assume you've become very calculated." | ||
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But beginning with ''King of America'' in 1986, his lyrics have became more direct, the wordplay less convoluted. | But beginning with ''King of America'' in 1986, his lyrics have became more direct, the wordplay less convoluted. | ||
"I did become aware of certain mannerisms starting to creep in | "I did become aware of certain mannerisms starting to creep in — 'Oh, there's a good turn of phrase,' 'Oh, there's one of my things,'" he says. | ||
"I reached a point where I just got tired of it, just left it behind." | "I reached a point where I just got tired of it, just left it behind." | ||
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'''Chicago Tribune, June 2, 1991 | '''Chicago Tribune, June 2, 1991 | ||
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[[Greg Kot]] interviews Elvis Costello ahead of concerts with [[The Rude 5]], Friday, [[Concert 1991-06-07 East Troy|June 7, 1991]], Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, | [[Greg Kot]] interviews Elvis Costello ahead of concerts with [[The Rude 5]], Friday, [[Concert 1991-06-07 East Troy|June 7, 1991]], Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin, and Saturday, [[Concert 1991-06-08 Tinley Park|June 8, 1991]], World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, Illinois. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | |||
[[image:1991-06-02 Chicago Tribune Section 13 cover.jpg|380px]] | |||
<br><small>Section front.</small> | |||
<small>Page scans.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1991-06-02 Chicago Tribune Section 13 page 04.jpg|380px]] | |||
[[image:1991-06-02 Chicago Tribune Section 13 page 05.jpg|380px]] | |||
<br><small>Page scans.</small> | |||
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{{Bibliography box}} | |||
<center><h3> The sounds of Elvis, from <br> San Francisco and beyond </h3></center> | |||
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<center> Greg Kot </center> | |||
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'''An overview of Elvis Costello's records: | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | |||
''My Aim is True'' (1977) {{3.5stars}} <br> | |||
Pithy shots of pop, recorded with San Francisco bar band Clover. | |||
''This Year's Model'' (1978) {{4stars}} <br> | |||
The hovering keyboards of the Attractions' Steve Nieve give this tour de force of frustration and betrayal a claustrophobic tension. | |||
''Armed Forces'' (1979) {{4stars}} <br> | |||
Perhaps Costello's most overtly "political" record, and also one of his most irresistibly melodic. | |||
''Get Happy!!'' (1980) {{4stars}} <br> | |||
The Attractions do an impressive Booker T & the MG's imitation on these 20 tunes. | |||
''Taking Liberties'' (1980) {{3stars}} <br> | |||
B-sides and outtakes galore, including the essential "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea." | |||
''Trust'' (1981) {{3stars}} <br> | |||
A shift to a less obviously subjective, more measured writing and performing style. | |||
''Almost Blue'' (1981) {{2stars}} <br> | |||
Costello sings country classics. | |||
''Imperial Bedroom'' (1982) {{4stars}} <br> | |||
An elaborately produced meditation on sexual politics. | |||
''Punch the Clock'' (1983) {{3stars}} <br> | |||
A partially successful stab at mainstream success. | |||
''Goodbye Cruel World'' (1984) {{2stars}} <br> | |||
Some fine ideas scuttled by glossy production. | |||
''The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions'' (1985) {{3stars}} <br> | |||
19 would-be hits, later eclipsed by ''Girls Girls Girls''. | |||
''King of America'' (1986) {{4stars}} <br> | |||
Raw performances and spare production illuminate emotionally direct, melodically seductive tunes. | |||
''Blood & Chocolate'' (1986) {{3.5stars}} <br> | |||
The Attractions' swan song contains some of Costello's most impassioned singing, especially the riveting "I Want You." | |||
''Spike'' (1989) {{3stars}} <br> | |||
Jarring juxtapositions, showy production and a handful of magnificent tunes ("This Town," "Let Him Dangle," "Tramp the Dirt Down"). | |||
''Girls Girls Girls'' (1990) {{3.5stars}} <br> | |||
A retrospective that's perfect for beginners (47 songs on CD, 51 on cassette). | |||
''Mighty Like a Rose'' (1991) {{2.5stars}} <br> | |||
At 14 songs instead of 10, this contains too much chaff to be ranked with his best. | |||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-06-02/entertainment/9102190177_1_album-records-music-press ChicagoTribune.com] | *[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-06-02/entertainment/9102190177_1_album-records-music-press ChicagoTribune.com{{t}}][http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-06-02/entertainment/9102190176_1_star-elvis-costello-sexual-politics {{t}}] | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Tribune Wikipedia: Chicago Tribune] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Tribune Wikipedia: Chicago Tribune] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:57, 18 July 2021
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