New Musical Express, October 24, 1981: Difference between revisions
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Country music, mind, has never been too far below the surface in the Costello catalogue — like his own "Stranger In The House" and in the feel of nearly all his more mournful, reflective material. For anybody true to their Liverpool-Irish roots, it could barely be otherwise: that culture's steeped in it, and always will be. | Country music, mind, has never been too far below the surface in the Costello catalogue — like his own "Stranger In The House" and in the feel of nearly all his more mournful, reflective material. For anybody true to their Liverpool-Irish roots, it could barely be otherwise: that culture's steeped in it, and always will be. | ||
The tone of ''Almost Blue'''s treatments is respectful, therefore, but never slavish. It's a contemporary album, and it's an Attractions album; producer-Billy Sherrill seems to have ensured that the set's authenticity rests with content, not with the form. The one major concession to trad sound is the addition to the band of guitarist John McFee, who supplies a lot of sad, sweet pedal steel. | The tone of ''Almost Blue'''s treatments is respectful, therefore, but never slavish. It's a contemporary album, and it's an Attractions album; producer-Billy Sherrill seems to have ensured that the set's authenticity rests with content, not with the form. The one major concession to trad sound is the addition to the band of guitarist John McFee, who supplies a lot of sad, sweet pedal steel. | ||
There's no perversion of the songs' intentions, either. It might be the sophisticated view that country is trite, and maudlin and sentimental. But Elvis still plays it straight. The easy option of exploiting the coy, camp and kitsch angles — which would overcome most English rock artists — isn't entertained for a moment. Costello and company cut through the layers of smart prejudice to find the music's enduring values: its sly humour, its lyrical craftsmanship (more echoes of EC's own approach), its melancholy dignity. | There's no perversion of the songs' intentions, either. It might be the sophisticated view that country is trite, and maudlin and sentimental. But Elvis still plays it straight. The easy option of exploiting the coy, camp and kitsch angles — which would overcome most English rock artists — isn't entertained for a moment. Costello and company cut through the layers of smart prejudice to find the music's enduring values: its sly humour, its lyrical craftsmanship (more echoes of EC's own approach), its melancholy dignity. | ||
Down to detail. Side one opens with a brash rock work-out, in the Rockpile vein, "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?": it's the noise of a group enjoying itself, and not to the exclusion of ''our'' enjoyment. The remainder of the side is calmer — like "Success" (''“has made a failure of our home”''), Merle Haggard's "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" | Down to detail. Side one opens with a brash rock work-out, in the Rockpile vein, "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?": it's the noise of a group enjoying itself, and not to the exclusion of ''our'' enjoyment. The remainder of the side is calmer — like "Success" (''“has made a failure of our home”''), Merle Haggard's "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down," and the beautiful "Brown To Blue," all about the divorce that ''"changed your name from Brown to Jones / And mine from Brown to Blue..."''. If you've just opened a beer, stand by to cry into it. | ||
Flip across and there's the year's best-deserved hit, "Good Year For The Roses," a poignant George Jones lip-trembler. The easy-rocking "Sittin' And Thinkin'," "Colour Of The Blues" (yep, ''that'' colour again) and Billy Sherrill's "Too Far Gone" lead up to the pumping beat of the Jerry Lee/Joe Turner number "Honey Hush," then finally, "How Much I Lied" — more of that grief inhibited by the stern necessity for manly appearances. | Flip across and there's the year's best-deserved hit, "Good Year For The Roses," a poignant George Jones lip-trembler. The easy-rocking "Sittin' And Thinkin'," "Colour Of The Blues" (yep, ''that'' colour again) and Billy Sherrill's "Too Far Gone" lead up to the pumping beat of the Jerry Lee/Joe Turner number "Honey Hush," then finally, "How Much I Lied" — more of that grief inhibited by the stern necessity for manly appearances. | ||
If you can find it in your moralistic modern heart to forgive the music's frequent lapses of character — the fatal tendency to take consolation in booze, the frankly reactionary sexist stereotyping (She hasn't made the bed! Our relationship's on the rocks!) — you'll be rewarded by the very-human realism of country's emotional power. The tunes are lovely as well. | If you can find it in your moralistic modern heart to forgive the music's frequent lapses of character — the fatal tendency to take consolation in booze, the frankly reactionary sexist stereotyping (She hasn't made the bed! Our relationship's on the rocks!) — you'll be rewarded by the very-human realism of country's emotional power. The tunes are lovely as well. | ||
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The new LP, produced by Billy Sherrill, also features pedal steel guitarist John McFee — and he'll be joining them on three major U.S. Concerts at Los Angeles Sports Arena ([[Concert 1981-12-29 Los Angeles|December 29]]), New York Palladium ([[Concert 1981-12-31 New York|31]]) and Nashville Grand Ole Opry ([[Concert 1982-01-03 Nashville|January 3]]). McFee then accompanies them to Europe for the Albert Hall show and a subsequent Paris concert — at the Theatre Des Champs Elysee on [[Concert 1982-01-10 Paris|January 10]]. | The new LP, produced by Billy Sherrill, also features pedal steel guitarist John McFee — and he'll be joining them on three major U.S. Concerts at Los Angeles Sports Arena ([[Concert 1981-12-29 Los Angeles|December 29]]), New York Palladium ([[Concert 1981-12-31 New York|31]]) and Nashville Grand Ole Opry ([[Concert 1982-01-03 Nashville|January 3]]). McFee then accompanies them to Europe for the Albert Hall show and a subsequent Paris concert — at the Theatre Des Champs Elysee on [[Concert 1982-01-10 Paris|January 10]]. | ||
Costello will be the first rock star to appear at the Albert Hall since the ill-fated Frank Zappa show, though the actual rock 'n' roll content is likely to be minimal — the first half will be devoted to country music and, in the second set, Elvis will perform with the 86-piece RPO. The material in this second half will be varied but, said a spokesman, "will be maximized to use the full scope of the orchestra" | Costello will be the first rock star to appear at the Albert Hall since the ill-fated Frank Zappa show, though the actual rock 'n' roll content is likely to be minimal — the first half will be devoted to country music and, in the second set, Elvis will perform with the 86-piece RPO. The material in this second half will be varied but, said a spokesman, "will be maximized to use the full scope of the orchestra." | ||
Meanwhile on November 8, London Weekend's ''South Bank Show'' screens an hour-long documentary — networked nationally — about the making of ''Almost Blue''. Directed by Peter Carr (who made the ''City'' programme about Malcolm Allison and Manchester City), it was shot mainly in Nashville, but also includes footage of the country show which Costello and the band played in [[Concert 1981-07-30 Aberdeen|Aberdeen]] earlier this year. | Meanwhile on November 8, London Weekend's ''South Bank Show'' screens an hour-long documentary — networked nationally — about the making of ''Almost Blue''. Directed by Peter Carr (who made the ''City'' programme about Malcolm Allison and Manchester City), it was shot mainly in Nashville, but also includes footage of the country show which Costello and the band played in [[Concert 1981-07-30 Aberdeen|Aberdeen]] earlier this year. | ||
The LP contains 12 tracks, none of them Costello compositions, several of them country standards — "Why Don't You Love Me" (Hank Williams), "Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson), "I'm Your Toy" (Gram Parsons), "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" (Merle Haggard), "Sittin' And Thinkin'" (Charlie Rich) and "Honey Hush" (Joe Turner), as well as Costello's current chart single "Good Year For The Roses." | The LP contains 12 tracks, none of them Costello compositions, several of them country standards — "Why Don't You Love Me" (Hank Williams), "Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson), "I'm Your Toy" (Gram Parsons), "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" (Merle Haggard), "Sittin' And Thinkin'" (Charlie Rich) and "Honey Hush" (Joe Turner), as well as Costello's current chart single "Good Year For The Roses." | ||
Tickets for the Albert Hall concert cost £9.50, £8.50, £7.50, £5.50, £4.50, £3.50 and £2.50, and they're available by post from the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 (the box office doesn't open to personal applications until November 9). And audience members are requested to dress "formally," as the show is being filmed and recorded for posterity. | Tickets for the Albert Hall concert cost £9.50, £8.50, £7.50, £5.50, £4.50, £3.50 and £2.50, and they're available by post from the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 (the box office doesn't open to personal applications until November 9). And audience members are requested to dress "formally," as the show is being filmed and recorded for posterity. | ||
For the more usual Costello style, with a liberal dash of country music, Guildford tickets are on sale now all at £4. The Rainbow box-office opens this Saturday (24) with tickets at £5.50 and £5 — also available by post from the theatre, 232 Seven Sisters Road, London N4. | For the more usual Costello style, with a liberal dash of country music, Guildford tickets are on sale now all at £4. The Rainbow box-office opens this Saturday (24) with tickets at £5.50 and £5 — also available by post from the theatre, 232 Seven Sisters Road, London N4. | ||
Inclusive tickets for the UK and Paris dates, as well as details of booking for the US shows, may be obtained from Elvis Costello Tickets, PO Box 281, London N15 5LW — Enclose S.A.E. | Inclusive tickets for the UK and Paris dates, as well as details of booking for the US shows, may be obtained from Elvis Costello Tickets, PO Box 281, London N15 5LW — Enclose S.A.E. |
Revision as of 12:51, 18 April 2019
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