Orange County Register, October 3, 1986: Difference between revisions
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The intensified older ballads "New Lace Sleeves" and "Green Shirt" were two highlights, but Costello's best vocals came on the more recent cover "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," where his passionate vocal elicited a spirited audience singalong, and "I'll Wear it Proudly" from ''King of America''. Costello built the song as a slow-burning emotional anthem, which drew to a close with great Hammond organ swells from keyboardist Steve Nieve and a Steve Cropper-like guitar sting from Costello. | The intensified older ballads "New Lace Sleeves" and "Green Shirt" were two highlights, but Costello's best vocals came on the more recent cover "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," where his passionate vocal elicited a spirited audience singalong, and "I'll Wear it Proudly" from ''King of America''. Costello built the song as a slow-burning emotional anthem, which drew to a close with great Hammond organ swells from keyboardist Steve Nieve and a Steve Cropper-like guitar sting from Costello. | ||
While Costello's songs and singing justifiably attract most of the attention, one of the inarguable elements fueling his art is that few groups outside of the jazz world can play as simultaneously tightly and freely as the Attractions do. On Wednesday, Bruce Thomas displayed his abilities as one of the most melodic, creative bass players in rock often filling a solo role — yet he never lost sight of the bass's function of motivating the songs. Drummer Pete Thomas is a rhythmic dynamo in the best Charlie Watts-Al Jackson Jr. tradition. | While Costello's songs and singing justifiably attract most of the attention, one of the inarguable elements fueling his art is that few groups outside of the jazz world can play as simultaneously tightly and freely as the Attractions do. On Wednesday, Bruce Thomas displayed his abilities as one of the most melodic, creative bass players in rock — often filling a solo role — yet he never lost sight of the bass's function of motivating the songs. Drummer Pete Thomas is a rhythmic dynamo in the best Charlie Watts-Al Jackson Jr. tradition. | ||
And Steve Nieve. Steve Nieve! What can one say about a keyboard player whose work consistently careens toward pandemonium, who Wednesday changed comping styles roughly every 15 seconds behind Costello on "Alison," and who, beyond reason, somehow makes his musical aberrations work to the benefit of the song at hand? | And Steve Nieve. Steve Nieve! What can one say about a keyboard player whose work consistently careens toward pandemonium, who Wednesday changed comping styles roughly every 15 seconds behind Costello on "Alison," and who, beyond reason, somehow makes his musical aberrations work to the benefit of the song at hand? |
Revision as of 16:44, 8 December 2018
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