Although almightily prolific, Costello has yet to deplete the riches of his talent. His genius as a songwriter is unique and unflagging and, as always, these 14 tunes are musically allusive and diverse. Like "Stranger in the House" and "Motel Matches," "Different Finger" is another post-modern country classic; "Shot With His Own Gun," with its flourishing piano, sounds like post-modern classical.
Once again, the album is unified by his concern with matters of the spirit. Because of the vehemence of his wit and the extremity of his images ("white knuckles on black and blue skin"), one is apt to forget that Costello deals with nothing less than the modern soul in crisis.
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