New Musical Express, April 20, 2002: Difference between revisions

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<center><h3> Elvis Costello : When I Was Cruel</h3></center>
<center><h3> When I Was Cruel </h3></center>
<center>''' Elvis Costello </center>
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<center> John Mulvey </center>
<center> John Mulvey </center>
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'''Welcome return to rock 'n' roll <br>
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{{Bibliography text}}
Cantankerous rock stars are strongest when their music best reflects their characters. So it is with Costello. Through all his dalliances with opera, string quartets and Bacharach, Costello has obscured most of his bile with the trappings of high art. But as ''When I Was Cruel'' proves, he's much better at squeezing his considerable rants into the skinny format of rock 'n' roll.


Cantankerous rock stars are always strongest when their music best reflects their characters. So it is with Elvis Costello, the spiteful, verbose punk misfit who's spent most of the last 15 years trying to do anything but rock. Through all his dalliances with opera singers, string quartets and [[Burt Bacharach]], Costello has musically obscured most of his bile with the trappings of high art. But as ''[[When I Was Cruel]]'' proves, he's much better at squeezing his considerable rants into the skinny format of rock 'n' roll.
It's no classic, but there are reassuringly unhealthy signs of life. The brilliant title track hooks up to a clanking rhythm loop and some discreet sampling without sounding like a tragic stab at fashion. ''"It was so much easier when I was cruel,"'' he observes. Easier to like, for sure.  
 
It's no classic, but there are reassuringly unhealthy signs of life. The lacerating and quite brilliant title track hooks up to a clanking rhythm loop and some discrete sampling, without ever sounding like a tragic stab at fashion. "It was so much easier when I was cruel," he observes saltily. Easier to like, for sure.
 
Rating: 6


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{{Bibliography notes}}
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'''New Musical Express, April 18, 2002
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'''New Musical Express, April 20, 2002
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[[John Mulvey]] reviews ''[[When I Was Cruel]]''.
[[John Mulvey]] reviews ''[[When I Was Cruel]]''.


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<small>Cover.</small><br>
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[[Category:Bibliography|New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
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[[Category:Bibliography 2002|New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
[[Category:Bibliography]]
[[Category:New Musical Express| New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
[[Category:Bibliography 2002]]
[[Category:Magazine articles|New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
[[Category:New Musical Express| New Musical Express 2002-04-20]]
[[Category:Album reviews|New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
[[Category:Magazine articles]]
[[Category:When I Was Cruel reviews|New Musical Express 2002-04-18]]
[[Category:Album reviews]]
[[Category:When I Was Cruel reviews]]

Latest revision as of 17:47, 22 October 2021

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NME

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When I Was Cruel

Elvis Costello

John Mulvey

Welcome return to rock 'n' roll
6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews6 stars (out of 10) reviews

Cantankerous rock stars are strongest when their music best reflects their characters. So it is with Costello. Through all his dalliances with opera, string quartets and Bacharach, Costello has obscured most of his bile with the trappings of high art. But as When I Was Cruel proves, he's much better at squeezing his considerable rants into the skinny format of rock 'n' roll.

It's no classic, but there are reassuringly unhealthy signs of life. The brilliant title track hooks up to a clanking rhythm loop and some discreet sampling without sounding like a tragic stab at fashion. "It was so much easier when I was cruel," he observes. Easier to like, for sure.

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<< >>

New Musical Express, April 20, 2002


John Mulvey reviews When I Was Cruel.

Images

2002-04-20 New Musical Express clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

Cover.
2002-04-20 New Musical Express cover.jpg

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