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Elvis Costello's latest release, Out Of Our Idiot, picks up where 1980's Taking Liberties left off: collecting rarities, B-sides and unreleased material. Backed by such disparate artists as the Emotional Toothpaste, The Costello Show and the Confederates, our man Elvis proves even his leftovers are invigorating. There are duets: Costello and rasta-man Jimmy Cliff kick the LP into gear with "Seven Day Weekend," a rock-reggae workout from the Club Paradise soundtrack. As the Coward Brothers. Costello and T Bone Burnett scorch vinyl with their rollicking, rockabilly-flavored "People's Limousine."
Costello's taste in cover versions remains eclectic. Here he tackles obscure songs like Joe Camilleri's "So Young" and the countryish "Get Yourself Another Fool," along with Yoko Ono's "Walking On Thin Ice," and "Head To Toe," a jaunty Motown song. Singing quiet harmony with Nick Lowe, the duo turns in a reverent version of the Shirelles classic, "Baby It's You."
Especially interesting are Elvis' re-workings of his own songs. Sharp fans will recognize the lyrics of "Little Goody Two Shoes" and "Big Sister" as the original lyrics of "Inch By Inch" and "Big Sister's Clothes." Under the guise of Napoleon Dynamite and the Royal Guard, Costello delivers a blistering version of "Blue Chair," which originally appeared as a sedate ballad on his last LP, Blood & Chocolate. Costello even includes a sequel: "American Without Tears No. 2 (Twilight Version)."
Other interesting songs include the baroque Imperial Bedroom, the Tex-Mex-tinged "Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo" and the lilting nostalgia of "The Flirting Kind." This collection is a must for Costello fans, but even casual listeners will enjoy Out Of Our Idiot.
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