New York Daily News, October 11, 1998: Difference between revisions
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While a different singer might have made the songs seem self-conscious, Costello makes them complex. The ugly grandeur of his vocals wholly redefines the range of lounge singing. Better, Elvis' lyrics top Bacharach's work with better observations than the latter ever got out of old wordsmith Hal David. Costello takes pains to reference David at times, with allusions to empty houses and people rushing by. Yet only Costello would grace a Bacharach song with a line like, ''"Does the extinguished flame care about the darkness?"'' | While a different singer might have made the songs seem self-conscious, Costello makes them complex. The ugly grandeur of his vocals wholly redefines the range of lounge singing. Better, Elvis' lyrics top Bacharach's work with better observations than the latter ever got out of old wordsmith Hal David. Costello takes pains to reference David at times, with allusions to empty houses and people rushing by. Yet only Costello would grace a Bacharach song with a line like, ''"Does the extinguished flame care about the darkness?"'' | ||
In the songs' arrangements, | In the songs' arrangements, Bacharach truly outdoes himself. While you'll find winking references to his trademark muted horns and velvety strings, there's none of the corn of some early recordings. Never have you heard an orchestra and horn section sound more spare. The strings don't just sweeten. They're equal collaborators in the melody. | ||
Better yet, the end result doesn't repeat anything these stars have done on their own. Instead, it finds some new ground between them, letting them bond through a love for stretching pop to the limit. | Better yet, the end result doesn't repeat anything these stars have done on their own. Instead, it finds some new ground between them, letting them bond through a love for stretching pop to the limit. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Painted From Memory]] {{-}} [[Burt Bacharach]] {{-}} [[God Give Me Strength]] {{-}} [[Grace Of My Heart]] {{-}} [[Brill Building]] {{-}} [[Hal David]] | |||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1998-10-11 New York Daily News page E-19.jpg| | [[image:1998-10-11 New York Daily News page E-19.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<br><small>Page scan.</small> | <br><small>Page scan.</small> | ||
Latest revision as of 19:29, 30 June 2020
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