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{{Infobox Album
{{Infobox Album
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|producer    = [[T Bone Burnett]]
|producer    = [[T Bone Burnett]]
|label        = [[Hear Music]]
|label        = [[Hear Music]]
|length      =  
|length      = 62:34
}}
}}
Elvis Costello's new album '''National Ransom''' is scheduled for release October 5 on the [[Hear Music]] label.
Elvis Costello's new album '''National Ransom''' was released October 25, 2010 on the [[Hear Music]] label.
 
It was recorded with producer [[T Bone Burnett]] in Nashville and Los Angeles over an 11 day period in February and March.


It was recorded with producer [[T Bone Burnett]] in Nashville and Los Angeles over an 11 day period earlier this year.
Musicians include all members of [[The Imposters]] and [[The Sugarcanes]], plus [[Vince Gill]], [[Marc Ribot]], [[Buddy Miller]], and [[Leon Russell]]. Elvis told Scotland's [http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/for-elvis-costello-fans-israel-s-loss-is-scotland-s-gain-1.1037819 The Herald], "The ensemble ranges from two players to nine pieces and while some songs are very intimate and quiet, others are not."


Musicians include all members of [[The Imposters]] and [[The Sugarcanes]], plus [[Vince Gill]], [[Marc Ribot]], [[Buddy Miller]], and [[Leon Russell]].
Elvis has already played most of the album's songs in concert, but four — [[National Ransom (song)|National Ransom]], [[Church Underground]], [[My Lovely Jezebel]], and [[A Voice In The Dark]] — are previously unknown.


Elvis has already played most of the album's songs in concert, but three — [[National Ransom (song)|National Ransom]], [[Church Underground]], and [[My Lovely Jezebel]] — are previously unknown. Another four songs which have been played live — [[Condemned Man]], [[Poor Borrowed Dress]], [[Lucky Dog]], and [[I Hope]] — do not appear on the album.
Orders from [http://www.nationalransom.com nationalransom.com] include the digital EP ''[[National Ransack]]'' with four outtakes from the album sessions: [[Poor Borrowed Dress]], [[Big Boys Cry]], [[I Don't Want To Go Home]], and [[Condemned Man]].


==Tracks==
==Tracks==
Line 25: Line 35:
|  extra1  =  
|  extra1  =  
| writer1  = Elvis Costello
| writer1  = Elvis Costello
| length1  =  
| length1  = 4:05
|  title2  = [[Jimmie Standing In The Rain]]
|  title2  = [[Jimmie Standing In The Rain]]
|  extra2  =  
|  extra2  =  
| writer2  = Elvis Costello
| writer2  = Elvis Costello
| length2  =  
| length2  = 4:15
|  title3  = [[Stations Of The Cross]]
|  title3  = [[Stations Of The Cross]]
|  extra3  =  
|  extra3  =  
| writer3  = Elvis Costello
| writer3  = Elvis Costello
| length3  =  
| length3  = 4:58
|  title4  = [[A Slow Drag With Josephine]]
|  title4  = [[A Slow Drag With Josephine]]
|  extra4  =  
|  extra4  =  
| writer4  = Elvis Costello
| writer4  = Elvis Costello
| length4  =  
| length4  = 2:43
|  title5  = [[Five Small Words]]
|  title5  = [[Five Small Words]]
|  extra5  =  
|  extra5  =  
| writer5  = Elvis Costello
| writer5  = Elvis Costello
| length5  =  
| length5  = 4:45
|  title6  = [[Church Underground]]
|  title6  = [[Church Underground]]
|  extra6  =  
|  extra6  =  
| writer6  = Elvis Costello
| writer6  = Elvis Costello
| length6  =  
| length6  = 5:02
|  title7  = [[You Hung The Moon]]
|  title7  = [[You Hung The Moon]]
|  extra7  =  
|  extra7  =  
| writer7  = Elvis Costello
| writer7  = Elvis Costello
| length7  =  
| length7  = 3:55
|  title8  = [[Bullets For The New-Born King]]
|  title8  = [[Bullets For The New-Born King]]
|  extra8  =  
|  extra8  =  
| writer8  = Elvis Costello
| writer8  = Elvis Costello
| length8  =  
| length8  = 3:35
|  title9  = [[I Lost You]]
|  title9  = [[I Lost You]]
|  extra9  =  
|  extra9  =  
| writer9  = Elvis Costello, [[Jim Lauderdale]]
| writer9  = Elvis Costello, [[Jim Lauderdale]]
| length9  =  
| length9  = 2:56
|  title10 = [[Dr. Watson, I Presume]]
|  title10 = [[Dr. Watson, I Presume]]
|  extra10 =  
|  extra10 =  
| writer10 = Elvis Costello
| writer10 = Elvis Costello
| length10 =  
| length10 = 3:41
|  title11 = [[One Bell Ringing]]
|  title11 = [[One Bell Ringing]]
|  extra11 =  
|  extra11 =  
| writer11 = Elvis Costello
| writer11 = Elvis Costello
| length11 =  
| length11 = 3:37
|  title12 = [[The Spell That You Cast]]
|  title12 = [[The Spell That You Cast]]
|  extra12 =  
|  extra12 =  
| writer12 = Elvis Costello
| writer12 = Elvis Costello
| length12 =  
| length12 = 2:32
|  title13 = [[That's Not The Part Of Him You're Leaving]]
|  title13 = [[That's Not The Part Of Him You're Leaving]]
|  extra13 =  
|  extra13 =  
| writer13 = Elvis Costello
| writer13 = Elvis Costello
| length13 =  
| length13 = 4:43
|  title14 = [[My Lovely Jezebel]]
|  title14 = [[My Lovely Jezebel]]
|  extra14 =  
|  extra14 =  
| writer14 = Elvis Costello, [[T Bone Burnett]], [[Leon Russell]]
| writer14 = Elvis Costello, [[T Bone Burnett]], [[Leon Russell]]
| length14 =  
| length14 = 2:31
|  title15 = [[All These Strangers]]
|  title15 = [[All These Strangers]]
|  extra15 =  
|  extra15 =  
| writer15 = Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett
| writer15 = Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett
| length15 =  
| length15 = 5:53
|  title16 = [[A Voice In The Dark]]
| writer16 = Elvis Costello
| length16 = 3:34
|  title17 = [[I Hope]]
|note17 = iTunes/Japan CD bonus track
| writer17 = [[Bobby Charles|Robert Charles Guidry]], [[Stanley Lewis]]
| length17 = 3:33
}}<br>
}}<br>


==Musicians==
==Musicians==
[[Elvis Costello]] - vocals, guitar, organ<br>
{{c1}}
[[The Sugarcanes]]:
*[[Elvis Costello]] - vocals, guitars ''<small>(1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)</small>'', bass ''<small>(1)</small>'', keyboards ''<small>(1, 5)</small>'', whistling <small>''(4)</small>''
:[[Mike Compton]] - mandolin, vocals<br>
*[[Dennis Crouch]] - double bass ''<small>(1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)</small>''
:[[Dennis Crouch]] - double bass<br>
*[[Marc Ribot]] - guitars ''<small>(1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16)</small>'', banjo ''<small>(4)</small>''
:[[Jerry Douglas]] - dobro, lap steel<br>
*[[Pete Thomas]] - drums ''<small>(1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)</small>'', percussion ''<small>(6)</small>''
:[[Stuart Duncan]] - fiddle<br>
*[[Stuart Duncan]] - electric violin ''<small>(1, 3)</small>'', fiddle ''<small>(2, 4, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16)</small>'', waldzither ''<small>(4)</small>'', electric viola ''<small>(6)</small>''
:[[Jim Lauderdale]] - vocals<br>
*[[Mike Compton]] - mandolin ''<small>(2, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16)</small>'', harmony vocals ''<small>(4, 5)</small>''
:[[Jeff Taylor]] - accordion, piano<br>
*[[Jerry Douglas]] - lap steel ''<small>(1, 3, 6, 9, 13, 15, 16)</small>'', dobro ''<small>(10)</small>''
[[The Imposters]]:<br>
*[[Steve Nieve]] - keyboards ''<small>(1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 13)</small>''
:[[Davey Faragher]] - bass<br>
*[[Jeff Taylor]] - piano ''<small>(2, 4, 7, 13, 16)</small>'', accordion ''<small>(4, 9, 10, 15)</small>'', low whistle ''<small>(10)</small>''
:[[Steve Nieve]] - organ<br>
*[[T Bone Burnett]] - reverse piano ''<small>(1)</small>'', electric guitar ''<small>(5)</small>''
:[[Pete Thomas]] - drums<br>
*[[Buddy Miller]] - harmony vocals ''<small>(1)</small>'', electric guitar ''<small>(10)</small>''
[[Marc Ribot]] - guitar<br>
*[[Jim Lauderdale]] - harmony vocals ''<small>(13, 15)</small>''
[[Vince Gill]] - vocals<br>
*[[Davey Faragher]] - bass ''<small>(5)</small>''
[[Buddy Miller]] - guitar, vocals<br>
*[[Leon Russell]] - piano ''<small>(14)</small>''
[[T Bone Burnett]] - guitar<br>
*[[Vince Gill]] - harmony vocals ''<small>(10)</small>''
[[Darrell Leonard]] - trumpet<br>
*[[Mike Piersante]] - shakers ''<small>(5)</small>''
''This list may be incomplete.''<br>
{{c2}}
*[[Darrell Leonard]] - trumpet ''<small>(2, 6, 11)</small>'', flugelhorn ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Tom Peterson]] - baritone sax ''<small>(6)</small>'', bass clarinet ''<small>(7, 11)</small>'', alto flute ''<small>(11)</small>''
*[[Ira Nepus]] - trombone ''<small>(6, 7)</small>''
*[[George Bohanon]] - trombone ''<small>(6)</small>'', baritone horn ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Maurice Spears]] - bass trombone ''<small>(6, 7)</small>''
*[[Bruce Dukov]] - violin ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Caroline Campbell]] - violin ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Radu Pieptea]] - violin ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Neel Hammond]] - violin ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Lucia Micarelli]] - violin ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Andrew Duckles]] - viola ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Matt Funes]] - viola ''<small>(7)</small>''
*[[Dave Eggar]] - cello ''<small>(7)</small>''
{{cx}}


==Press release==
==[http://www.shorefire.com/index.php?a=pressrelease&o=4170 Press release]==
''from [http://www.elviscostello.com/news/Elvis+Costello%27s+National+Ransom+Set+For+Release+October+25th+International+&+November+2nd+U.S+/63 elviscostello.com]:''<br>
Elvis Costello's National Ransom Set For Release November 2nd, From Hear Music/Concord Music Group; Produced By T Bone Burnett<br>
<br>
All members of The Imposters and The Sugarcanes feature in a wide variety of groovy new combos with guests Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell<br>
<br>
<br>
Elvis Costello's National Ransom Set For Release October 25th International & November 2nd U.S.A<br>
''“Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St. You couldn't hold me, baby, with anything but contempt”''<br>
From Hear Music/Concord Music Group;<br>
Produced By T Bone Burnett<br>
<br>
<br>
All members of The Imposters and The Sugarcanes feature in a wide variety of new combos with guests Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell'''<br>
The record is led off by the loud electric guitar of Marc Ribot in the left channel and the lap-steel of Jerry Douglas in the right channel. Steve Nieve enters on the Vox Continental organ, while the rhythm section consists of Dennis Crouch on double bass and Pete Thomas on drums. National Ransom is the name of the album and also a rock and roll song, “For the bankrupt times, whenever they may be”, as Costello recently described it. <br>
<br>
<br>
''"Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St.''<br>
''“Loose change lonely, not the right amount”''<br>
''You couldn't hold me, baby, with anything but contempt"''<br>
<br>
<br>
The record is led off by the loud electric guitar of Marc Ribot in the left channel and the lap-steel of Jerry Douglas in the right channel. Steve Nieve enters on the Vox Continental organ, while the rhythm section consists of Dennis Crouch on double bass and Pete Thomas on drums. National Ransom (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) is the name of the album and also a rock and roll song, "For the bankrupt times, whenever they may be," as Costello recently described it. <br>
The second track, “Jimmie Standing In The Rain”, recalls the misfortunes of a cowboy singer playing the northern English musical halls in 1937. The music owes a little something to that time. The ensemble for this song includes, the acoustic guitar of Marc Ribot, the violinist, Stuart Duncan, Dennis Crouch on double bass and The Sugarcanes’ accordionist, Jeff Taylor playing piano. Darrell Leonard adds the trumpet commentary. <br>
<br>
<br>
National Ransom, recorded in a total of eleven days at Sound Emporium, Nashville and Village Recorders, Los Angeles was produced by T Bone Burnett and engineered and mixed by Michael Piersante at Electromagetic, Los Angeles.<br>
''"Farewell my little ballyhoo, you broke my heart in two"''<br>
<br>
<br>
All of these songs are newly composed by Costello with the exception of "I Lost You," co-written with Jim Lauderdale and "All These Strangers," for which Costello and T Bone Burnett collaborated on the lyrics. Costello and Burnett also provide the lyrics for "My Lovely Jezebel," a Leon Russell rock and roll tune and he leads Thomas/Crouch/Ribot combo from the piano.<br>
“A Slow Drag With Josephine” described by Costello as “rock and roll, as it sounded in 1921” has been a highlight of recent Costello live shows. Mandolinist Mike Compton sings the close vocal harmony while members of the ‘Canes enter only to offer brief instrumental comments to Costello’s finger-picked guitar accompaniment. On “Five Small Words” The Imposters rhythm section – Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas – combine with the twin electric guitars of The Coward Brothers. Howard Coward also plays Farfisa organ, while Mike Compton once again provides the vocal harmony.<br>
<br>
<br>
''"Loose change lonely, not the right amount"''<br>
''“The water came up to the eaves''<br>
''You’d think that someone had opened a valve''<br>
''It’s too soon to stay now and too late to leave''<br>
''So spare your remorse all the way up to Calvary”''<br>
<br>
<br>
The album’s second track, "Jimmie Standing In The Rain," recalls the misfortunes of a cowboy singer playing the northern English musical halls in 1937. The music owes a little something to that time. The ensemble for this song includes: the acoustic guitar of Marc Ribot, violinist Stuart Duncan, Dennis Crouch on double bass and The Sugarcanes' accordionist Jeff Taylor playing piano. Darrell Leonard adds the trumpet commentary. <br>
“Stations Of The Cross” – in which disasters are regarded from a safe and depraved distance and “Church Underground” – tracing the life of a nightclub singer from obscurity through infamy to a harsh final redemption - are arranged around Steve Nieve’s grand piano with Stuart Duncan’s electric violin or viola, Jerry Douglas' lap-steel and the Crouch/Thomas rhythm section. The latter song also features a four-piece section of flugel horn, trombones and baritone saxophone, arranged by Darrell Leonard. <br>
<br>
<br>
''"Farewell my little ballyhooo, you broke my heart in two"''<br>
''“Turn up the music just to turn it down.''<br>
''The trivial secrets buried with the profound"''<br>
<br>
<br>
"A Slow Drag With Josephine" described by Costello as "rock and roll, as it sounded in 1921" has been a highlight of recent Costello live shows. Mandolinist, Mike Compton sings the close vocal harmony. On "Five Small Words," The Imposters rhythm section – Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas – combine with the twin electric guitars of The Coward Brothers. Howard Coward also plays Farfisa organ, while Mike Compton once again provides the vocal harmony.<br>
Despite the presence of lap-steel, mandolin, dobro and fiddle throughout the record, the music probably owes more to the rhythms and harmonies of R&B or even Gospel music than to Bluegrass. This continues on “That’s Not The Part Of Him You’re Leaving”, which is pitched somewhere on the road between Nashville and Memphis and finds the entire Sugarcanes are joined by Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve on Hammond Organ and “The Spell That You Cast”, where Costello’s own Gibson tenor guitar trades off in the solo with Mike Compton’s mandolin on a beat combo tune. <br>
<br>
<br>
''"Turn up the music just to turn it down.''<br>
All of these songs are newly composed by Costello with the exception of “I Lost You”, co-written with Jim Lauderdale and “All These Strangers”, for which Costello and T Bone Burnett collaborated on the lyrics. Costello and Burnett also provide the lyrics for, “My Lovely Jezebel”, a Leon Russell rock and roll tune and he leads a Thomas/Crouch/Ribot combo from the piano. Vince Gill adds a beautiful vocal harmony part to the chorus of a string-band tune, “Dr. Watson, I Presume”, on which the Sugarcanes full instrumental line-up are heard together with Pete Thomas, Marc Ribot and the baritone guitar of Buddy Miller, who also sings on the title cut.<br>
''The trivial secrets buried with the profound"''<br>
<br>
<br>
Despite the presence of lap-steel, mandolin, dobro and fiddle throughout the record, the music probably owes more to the rhythms and harmonies of R&B, or even Gospel music, than to Bluegrass. Vince Gill adds a beautiful vocal harmony part to the chorus of a string-band tune, "Dr. Watson, I Presume," on which the Sugarcanes full instrumental line-up is heard together with Pete Thomas, Marc Ribot and the baritone guitar of Buddy Miller, who also sings on the title cut. <br>
The ballad accompaniments range from a single acoustic guitar and double bass on “Bullets For The New-Born King” - a song in the voice of a regretful assassin - to a hushed 21-piece ensemble for, “You Hung The Moon" - a song about a séance held in 1919 as a family struggle with the loss of a soldier executed for desertion in the First World War.<br>
<br>
<br>
The ballad accompaniments range from a single acoustic guitar and double bass on "Bullets For The New-Born King" - a song in the voice of a regretful assassin - to a hushed 21-piece ensemble for, "You Hung The Moon" - a song about a séance held in 1919 as a family struggle with the loss of a soldier executed for desertion in the First World War.<br>
''“Lower the hood on his last lament, dash him down on the cold cement”''<br>
<br>
<br>
''"Lower the hood on his last lament, dash him down on the cold cement"''<br>
“One Bell Ringing”, in which a man has dreams of his own interrogation and demise, is set in 2007. The song hears Costello’s finger-picked guitar and Dennis Crouch’s double bass augmented by the singer’s own arrangement for bass trumpet, alto flute and bass clarinet.<br>
<br>
<br>
"One Bell Ringing," in which a man has dreams of his own interrogation and demise is set in 2007. The song hears Costello's finger-picked guitar and Dennis Crouch's double bass augmented by singer's own arrangement for bass trumpet, alto flute and bass clarinet.<br>
Asked if all the songs and their characters were set in specific times and places, Costello said, “Yes but I'd be happy if you imagine them any time you want”. <br>
<br>
<br>
Asked if National Ransom’s songs and their characters were set in specific times and places, Costello said, "Yes but I'd be happy if you imagine them any time you want." <br>
National Ransom was recorded in a total of eleven days at Sound Emporium, Nashville and Village Recorders, Los Angeles and engineered and mixed by Michael Piersante at Electromagetic, Los Angeles. National Ransom was produced by T Bone Burnett.<br>
<br>
<br>
Tony Millionaire once again provides the ink illustration for the cover.<br>
Tony Millionaire once again provides the ink illustration for the cover.<br>
<br>
==Internal links==
*[[National Ransack]]
*[[Tony Millionaire]]
*[[National Ransom themes and origins]]
*[[National Ransom themes and origins part II]]
*[[National Ransom lyrics]]
*[http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Category:National_Ransom_reviews National Ransom Reviews]




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*[http://www.elviscostello.com/news/Elvis+Costello%27s+National+Ransom+Set+For+Release+October+25th+International+&+November+2nd+U.S+/63 elviscostello.com]
*[http://www.elviscostello.com/news/Elvis+Costello%27s+National+Ransom+Set+For+Release+October+25th+International+&+November+2nd+U.S+/63 elviscostello.com]
*[http://www.directcurrentmusic.com/dc-music-news-feed/2010/5/23/elvis-costello-new-american-ransom-due-october-5-new-song-pr.html DirectCurrentMusic.com]
*[http://www.directcurrentmusic.com/dc-music-news-feed/2010/5/23/elvis-costello-new-american-ransom-due-october-5-new-song-pr.html DirectCurrentMusic.com]
*[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jzfpxz8rldke AMG]
*[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jzfpxz8rldke AMG] {{-}} [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Ransom Wikipedia] {{-}} [http://www.discogs.com/Elvis-Costello-Secret-Profane-Sugarcane/master/201371 Discogs]
*{{amazon|asin=B003ZDZ1XK}}


[[Category:2010]]
[[Category:2010]]
[[Category:Elvis Costello albums]]
[[Category:Elvis Costello albums]]
[[Category:National Ransom| ]]
[[Category:National Ransom| ]]

Revision as of 08:17, 4 March 2013

<< Secret, Profane & Sugarcane The Spinning Songbook >>
National Ransom
National Ransom album cover.jpg
studio album by
Elvis Costello
ReleasedOctober 25, 2010 (International)
November 2, 2010 (US)
RecordedFebruary-March 2010, Nashville, TN
ProducerT Bone Burnett
LabelHear Music
Length62:34

Elvis Costello's new album National Ransom was released October 25, 2010 on the Hear Music label.

It was recorded with producer T Bone Burnett in Nashville and Los Angeles over an 11 day period in February and March.

Musicians include all members of The Imposters and The Sugarcanes, plus Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller, and Leon Russell. Elvis told Scotland's The Herald, "The ensemble ranges from two players to nine pieces and while some songs are very intimate and quiet, others are not."

Elvis has already played most of the album's songs in concert, but four — National Ransom, Church Underground, My Lovely Jezebel, and A Voice In The Dark — are previously unknown.

Orders from nationalransom.com include the digital EP National Ransack with four outtakes from the album sessions: Poor Borrowed Dress, Big Boys Cry, I Don't Want To Go Home, and Condemned Man.

Tracks

TitleWriter(s) Length
1. National Ransom  Elvis Costello 4:05
2. Jimmie Standing In The Rain  Elvis Costello 4:15
3. Stations Of The Cross  Elvis Costello 4:58
4. A Slow Drag With Josephine  Elvis Costello 2:43
5. Five Small Words  Elvis Costello 4:45
6. Church Underground  Elvis Costello 5:02
7. You Hung The Moon  Elvis Costello 3:55
8. Bullets For The New-Born King  Elvis Costello 3:35
9. I Lost You  Elvis Costello, Jim Lauderdale 2:56
10. Dr. Watson, I Presume  Elvis Costello 3:41
11. One Bell Ringing  Elvis Costello 3:37
12. The Spell That You Cast  Elvis Costello 2:32
13. That's Not The Part Of Him You're Leaving  Elvis Costello 4:43
14. My Lovely Jezebel  Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett, Leon Russell 2:31
15. All These Strangers  Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett 5:53
16. A Voice In The Dark  Elvis Costello 3:34
17. I Hope (iTunes/Japan CD bonus track)Robert Charles Guidry, Stanley Lewis 3:33


Musicians

Press release

Elvis Costello's National Ransom Set For Release November 2nd, From Hear Music/Concord Music Group; Produced By T Bone Burnett

All members of The Imposters and The Sugarcanes feature in a wide variety of groovy new combos with guests Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell

“Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St. You couldn't hold me, baby, with anything but contempt”

The record is led off by the loud electric guitar of Marc Ribot in the left channel and the lap-steel of Jerry Douglas in the right channel. Steve Nieve enters on the Vox Continental organ, while the rhythm section consists of Dennis Crouch on double bass and Pete Thomas on drums. National Ransom is the name of the album and also a rock and roll song, “For the bankrupt times, whenever they may be”, as Costello recently described it.

“Loose change lonely, not the right amount”

The second track, “Jimmie Standing In The Rain”, recalls the misfortunes of a cowboy singer playing the northern English musical halls in 1937. The music owes a little something to that time. The ensemble for this song includes, the acoustic guitar of Marc Ribot, the violinist, Stuart Duncan, Dennis Crouch on double bass and The Sugarcanes’ accordionist, Jeff Taylor playing piano. Darrell Leonard adds the trumpet commentary.

"Farewell my little ballyhoo, you broke my heart in two"

“A Slow Drag With Josephine” described by Costello as “rock and roll, as it sounded in 1921” has been a highlight of recent Costello live shows. Mandolinist Mike Compton sings the close vocal harmony while members of the ‘Canes enter only to offer brief instrumental comments to Costello’s finger-picked guitar accompaniment. On “Five Small Words” The Imposters rhythm section – Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas – combine with the twin electric guitars of The Coward Brothers. Howard Coward also plays Farfisa organ, while Mike Compton once again provides the vocal harmony.

“The water came up to the eaves
You’d think that someone had opened a valve
It’s too soon to stay now and too late to leave
So spare your remorse all the way up to Calvary”

“Stations Of The Cross” – in which disasters are regarded from a safe and depraved distance and “Church Underground” – tracing the life of a nightclub singer from obscurity through infamy to a harsh final redemption - are arranged around Steve Nieve’s grand piano with Stuart Duncan’s electric violin or viola, Jerry Douglas' lap-steel and the Crouch/Thomas rhythm section. The latter song also features a four-piece section of flugel horn, trombones and baritone saxophone, arranged by Darrell Leonard.

“Turn up the music just to turn it down.
The trivial secrets buried with the profound"

Despite the presence of lap-steel, mandolin, dobro and fiddle throughout the record, the music probably owes more to the rhythms and harmonies of R&B or even Gospel music than to Bluegrass. This continues on “That’s Not The Part Of Him You’re Leaving”, which is pitched somewhere on the road between Nashville and Memphis and finds the entire Sugarcanes are joined by Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve on Hammond Organ and “The Spell That You Cast”, where Costello’s own Gibson tenor guitar trades off in the solo with Mike Compton’s mandolin on a beat combo tune.

All of these songs are newly composed by Costello with the exception of “I Lost You”, co-written with Jim Lauderdale and “All These Strangers”, for which Costello and T Bone Burnett collaborated on the lyrics. Costello and Burnett also provide the lyrics for, “My Lovely Jezebel”, a Leon Russell rock and roll tune and he leads a Thomas/Crouch/Ribot combo from the piano. Vince Gill adds a beautiful vocal harmony part to the chorus of a string-band tune, “Dr. Watson, I Presume”, on which the Sugarcanes full instrumental line-up are heard together with Pete Thomas, Marc Ribot and the baritone guitar of Buddy Miller, who also sings on the title cut.

The ballad accompaniments range from a single acoustic guitar and double bass on “Bullets For The New-Born King” - a song in the voice of a regretful assassin - to a hushed 21-piece ensemble for, “You Hung The Moon" - a song about a séance held in 1919 as a family struggle with the loss of a soldier executed for desertion in the First World War.

“Lower the hood on his last lament, dash him down on the cold cement”

“One Bell Ringing”, in which a man has dreams of his own interrogation and demise, is set in 2007. The song hears Costello’s finger-picked guitar and Dennis Crouch’s double bass augmented by the singer’s own arrangement for bass trumpet, alto flute and bass clarinet.

Asked if all the songs and their characters were set in specific times and places, Costello said, “Yes but I'd be happy if you imagine them any time you want”.

National Ransom was recorded in a total of eleven days at Sound Emporium, Nashville and Village Recorders, Los Angeles and engineered and mixed by Michael Piersante at Electromagetic, Los Angeles. National Ransom was produced by T Bone Burnett.

Tony Millionaire once again provides the ink illustration for the cover.

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