London Observer, April 21, 2002: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> The white heat of middle age </h3></center> | <center><h3> The white heat of middle age </h3></center> | ||
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Despite the Astoria's murky acoustics, the band seem tight and limber, while Costello's voice, which often seems to strain for effect outside the confines of rock and roll, sounds in fine fettle on this paean to "a lovely hooligan." Without pausing for breath, they attack "Waiting for the End of the World" in a similarly frenetic fashion. ''"Dear Lord,"'' the singer howls, "''I sincerely hope you're coming / Cos you really started something.''" Written two years before Thatcher came to power, and when Beirut was the main flashpoint for the Middle East's religious war, the song's cri de coeur sounds even more forceful — and desperate — today. | Despite the Astoria's murky acoustics, the band seem tight and limber, while Costello's voice, which often seems to strain for effect outside the confines of rock and roll, sounds in fine fettle on this paean to "a lovely hooligan." Without pausing for breath, they attack "Waiting for the End of the World" in a similarly frenetic fashion. ''"Dear Lord,"'' the singer howls, "''I sincerely hope you're coming / Cos you really started something.''" Written two years before Thatcher came to power, and when Beirut was the main flashpoint for the Middle East's religious war, the song's cri de coeur sounds even more forceful — and desperate — today. | ||
He introduces "Spooky Girlfriend," off the new album, as "a cautionary tale concerning a showbiz weasel" | He introduces "Spooky Girlfriend," off the new album, as "a cautionary tale concerning a showbiz weasel." Over Thomas's clattering percussive rhythm, the song's pared narrative wraps an array of dark, complex, overlapping themes — manipulation, obsession, fantasy, lust, power — in a disarmingly beautiful melody. ''"I want a girl who's helpless and frail,"'' he sings in the guise of an ageing pop svengali, ''"who won't pull on my ponytail."'' A few verses later, though, you are left wondering just who's controlling whom: ''"She says, 'Are you looking up my skirt?' / When you say, 'No' / She says, 'Why not?'."'' This is vintage Costello: complex, concise, loaded with all manner of dark psycho-sexual subtexts. | ||
"I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea," is taken at breakneck speed: a passing blur of the original that seems to suggest he does not want to dwell too long in the past, however stellar that past may be. Then, a brutally propulsive retread "Man Out Of Time" — the pop song as noir romance — suggests exactly the opposite. It continues like this, old and new songs tracing the mere outline of a creative trajectory that now stands as arguably the finest post-punk back catalogue in pop. Surprises come in the shape of a beefed-up "When I Was Cruel No. 2" | "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea," is taken at breakneck speed: a passing blur of the original that seems to suggest he does not want to dwell too long in the past, however stellar that past may be. Then, a brutally propulsive retread "Man Out Of Time" — the pop song as noir romance — suggests exactly the opposite. It continues like this, old and new songs tracing the mere outline of a creative trajectory that now stands as arguably the finest post-punk back catalogue in pop. Surprises come in the shape of a beefed-up "When I Was Cruel No. 2," structured around a looped electronic sample, and sounding like some chance meeting of Ennio Morricone and the best bar band in town. "Dust," which he introduces as "a song about the afterlife," starts off menacing and ends up plain demented, Costello wrenching a cacophony of feedback from his guitar while Nieve's keyboard revisists some long lost Hammer horror soundtrack. | ||
The best, though, is held back till the very end, when, at the culmination of the second encore, he performs the tightrope walk that is "I Want You." As songs about sexual obsession go, it is without par, and tonight Costello imbues every syllable with a mixture of restrained menace and naked plaintiveness. By the end, as he sings the title phrase over and over, moving slowly off mic, the audience falls silent, hanging on every word. This is high drama, and, once again, Costello proves himself the consummate method-actor, portraying obsession, longing, a devotion that borders on the pathological. It is delivered with an intensity of expression that one seldom encounters in the pop arena these days, and, for a brief while, we are all there in the song with him. It is a transformative moment that makes you remember what pop is capable of, but seldom strives for any more. | The best, though, is held back till the very end, when, at the culmination of the second encore, he performs the tightrope walk that is "I Want You." As songs about sexual obsession go, it is without par, and tonight Costello imbues every syllable with a mixture of restrained menace and naked plaintiveness. By the end, as he sings the title phrase over and over, moving slowly off mic, the audience falls silent, hanging on every word. This is high drama, and, once again, Costello proves himself the consummate method-actor, portraying obsession, longing, a devotion that borders on the pathological. It is delivered with an intensity of expression that one seldom encounters in the pop arena these days, and, for a brief while, we are all there in the song with him. It is a transformative moment that makes you remember what pop is capable of, but seldom strives for any more. | ||
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[[Sean O'Hagan]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Imposters]], Tuesday, [[Concert 2002-04-16 London|April 16, 2002]], Astoria, London, England. | [[Sean O'Hagan]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Imposters]], Tuesday, [[Concert 2002-04-16 London|April 16, 2002]], Astoria, London, England. | ||
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<small>Photo by [[Angela Lubrano]].</small><br> | |||
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<small>Page scan.</small><br> | |||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Revision as of 21:00, 21 April 2019
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The white heat of middle ageAge has not mellowed him — but that's good because no one does adult and angry quite like Elvis Costello
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 |
File:2002-04-20 London Observer page R-13 clipping 01.jpg
Photo by Angela Lubrano.
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