Musician, March 1988: Difference between revisions
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Not a song for sissies, and it also has a chorus that the milkman can whistle. Musically the most original and unusual track is "Image." The Sextetto Mayor string quartet play Van Dyke | Not a song for sissies, and it also has a chorus that the milkman can whistle. Musically the most original and unusual track is "Image." The Sextetto Mayor string quartet play [[Van Dyke Parks]]' gorgeous arrangement in a manner which should upset some of the sad prejudices against sounds found outside "rock." The song consists of one verse each sung in English, French, Spanish and Russian, by T-Bone and his guest vocalists [[Cait O'Riordan]], [[Rubén Blades]] and Ludmila Spektor respectively; each sings with individual character and feeling. What might have been a clumsy art-song idea creates a most vivid mood of some dark cabaret, while making a quiet but dramatic request for understanding. It's a lot more interesting and lovable than some of the flag-waving and hand-holding that goes on in the name of social conscience. | ||
Now there is a filthy rumor circulating in Washington and Hollywood that a certain former actor and part-time President is planning a twilight years career as the nominal head of a major movie studio. It follows that, far from being contemptible crooks and dupes, the protagonists in the Irangate hearings were nothing more sinister than suitably photogenic models for .a highly rated miniseries. One that might star, say, Charlie Sheen as "the boy North," his father Martin as "North the elder," John Candy as "General Secord" and, of course, Kim Basinger as the loyal and lovely "Fawn." If all this starts to sound like a T-Bone Burnett song, then that is because "Dance, Dance, Dance" would do very nicely as the title tune of such a science-fiction movie, maybe with William Hurt as this really crusading investigative journalist...no, no, it'll never work. But it is the smartest song written about American foreign policy since [[Randy Newman]]'s "Political Science," as it conjures up perfectly that "Freedom Fighters Go to the Planet of the Wild Astro-Turf Bikini," which I, for one, just can't resist. | |||
"Killer Moon" provides the album's title in its lovely lyrics. If there is any justice at all it should also provide a hit single. At a time when the charts are filled with those trying vainly to squeeze the mind of a particularly dull 15-year-old into revolting, thrusting bodies that may never again see 35, let alone 25, Mr. Burnett has gone one better. He has employed an actual child to write with "childlike" candor and wisdom. The fact that the young lady is his daughter shows exceptional taste. | |||
Turning over the platter you will find "Euromad," a series of slightly blurred snapshots of an American abroad, or was it "adrift." There is also an interesting collision between T-Bone's eye for small detail and that wizard of the larger gesture, [[Bono]]. The fiery tongue of the imagery is kept in careful check by a lovely melody entitled "Purple Heart." As the track closes you can hear T-Bone's incredibly accurate impersonation of Bono's full-throated roar. (Actually that's a lie, it's the man himself... or is it?) | |||
Finally there is "The Strange Case of Frank Cash and the Morning Paper." I'm not about to reveal the ending, but I will say that it sounds like [[Prince]] meeting [[the Coasters]] in the Twilight Zone. | |||
I'd like to close by saying of the playing and production that I never noticed it, and I mean that as the highest compliment. You never hear anything being "considered" on this record. I should add that the "other T-Bone," Mr. [[T-Bone Wolk|Wolk]], almost steals the show with that great dumb riff on "Frank Cash," while guitarist David Rhodes never plays anything that I never want to hear again and plenty that I do and that's rare these days. Of course [[Mickey Curry]] could not fail to play well for a drummer's friend like Mr. Burnett, as he is known to kill them if they do otherwise. | |||
Just a final note to those who may know of my connection with the artist in question as producer and "[[The Coward Brothers|Coward Brother]]" and may be regarding this good notice as a piece of fawning nepotism. Well, consider the words of our father and mentor, Noel, when he said, "Hello Mother, what's for breakfast?" You can't be witty all the time. Remember life imitates truth, but blood is thicker. Buy this record. It's fab. | |||
— Elvis Costello | |||
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{{Bibliography notes header}} | {{Bibliography notes header}} | ||
Revision as of 23:29, 30 April 2013
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