Nashville Tennessean, October 31, 2002: Difference between revisions
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The scene setter was a beautifully pitched and paced set from local-born but now Brooklyn-based Laura Cantrell, a winsome 30-something country singer and songwriter with strong flavors of Kitty Wells and Iris DeMent in her purposeful voice. Backed by a jangly power-pop meets pedal-steel country band, she offered fine songs like Joe Flood's "Pile Of Woe" and her own "Mountain Fern" with unpretentious grace. | The scene setter was a beautifully pitched and paced set from local-born but now Brooklyn-based Laura Cantrell, a winsome 30-something country singer and songwriter with strong flavors of Kitty Wells and Iris DeMent in her purposeful voice. Backed by a jangly power-pop meets pedal-steel country band, she offered fine songs like Joe Flood's "Pile Of Woe" and her own "Mountain Fern" with unpretentious grace. | ||
Then Elvis entered the building. The sound system played a trumpet fanfare and a goofy yodeled version of the William Tell Overture as the house went dark, but that's where the silliness ended. With a whanging and wiry electric guitar turned up loud, Costello and the quartet charged into the acerbic "I Hope You're Happy Now" from the 1986 album ''Blood & Chocolate'' and the | Then Elvis entered the building. The sound system played a trumpet fanfare and a goofy yodeled version of the ''William Tell Overture'' as the house went dark, but that's where the silliness ended. With a whanging and wiry electric guitar turned up loud, Costello and the quartet charged into the acerbic "I{{nb}}Hope You're Happy Now" from the 1986 album ''Blood & Chocolate'' and the "doll revolution" song, "Tear Off Your Own Head," from his new and brilliant ''When I was Cruel'' opus. The latter featured soul-shaking keyboard playing from veteran Elvis sideman Steve Nieve, as well as shocking mastery of the Theremin, a vintage electronic instrument that perfectly topped off the driving backbeat. | ||
The song choices and sequencing could hardly have been better. Costello offered 45 from the new album, a good candidate for best-written song of any kind in 2002. He sang the melodious and defeated "Brilliant Mistake" from ''King of America'' and the great "Man Out Of Time," which let his commanding voice soar with passionate fervor. | The song choices and sequencing could hardly have been better. Costello offered 45 from the new album, a good candidate for best-written song of any kind in 2002. He sang the melodious and defeated "Brilliant Mistake" from ''King of America'' and the great "Man Out Of Time," which let his commanding voice soar with passionate fervor. |
Revision as of 15:32, 3 December 2016
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