RAM, May 2, 1980: Difference between revisions
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Mr. Costello opens like a chum. | Mr. Costello opens like a chum. | ||
The human touch — no pessimism — from the | The human touch — no pessimism — from the "new" Elvis? Whether you knew or accepted any other one in the past, whether he alone was ever ''that'' responsible for its construction — these considerations are pushed aside for now. | ||
He's got a grin, it would take you by surprise. | He's got a grin, it would take you by surprise. | ||
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A secure pop language is a protective language: it never renders, never rends, but shuts you up and keeps you in, limits ideas and vocabulary, represses who and what you might identify with. It's a world where everyone is obediently psychological, economic, sexual — framed in a keyhole and always naked, each figure fashioned from celephane-see-through. | A secure pop language is a protective language: it never renders, never rends, but shuts you up and keeps you in, limits ideas and vocabulary, represses who and what you might identify with. It's a world where everyone is obediently psychological, economic, sexual — framed in a keyhole and always naked, each figure fashioned from celephane-see-through. | ||
A romance, as Billie Holiday once sang, ''"With no quarrels, with no insults and | A romance, as Billie Holiday once sang, ''"With no quarrels, with no insults and all morals."'' | ||
Undesirable ideologies — you know, the things the Left is always lapel-badging against — are born and bred in daily language, in triviality, in casual acquaintances with culture... | Undesirable ideologies — you know, the things the Left is always lapel-badging against — are born and bred in daily language, in triviality, in casual acquaintances with culture... | ||
''Those disco synthesizers/<br> | {{n}}''Those disco synthesizers/<br> | ||
''Those daily tranquilisers/...<br> | {{n}}''Those daily tranquilisers/...<br> | ||
''Those bedroom alibis.'' | {{n}}''Those bedroom alibis.'' | ||
Elvis Costello and The Attractions bespeak a less padded, more aesthetically radical case for thorough narrative, a better bitterness in an instrumental introduction without off-putting echoes of stock rock rigmarole — the obstinate inherited manners, rusty riffs in smiling files. It's a music which will inevitably draw to it unsufferable adjectives, like: nervous (but it's not inhibited) or aggressive (but it's not inhibiting — maybe it was, but no longer). It's not straightforward. | Elvis Costello and The Attractions bespeak a less padded, more aesthetically radical case for thorough narrative, a better bitterness in an instrumental introduction without off-putting echoes of stock rock rigmarole — the obstinate inherited manners, rusty riffs in smiling files. It's a music which will inevitably draw to it unsufferable adjectives, like: nervous (but it's not inhibited) or aggressive (but it's not inhibiting — maybe it was, but no longer). It's not straightforward. | ||
At West Runton they played confident but agitated, spiked but not arrogant pop music, with someone | At West Runton they played confident but agitated, spiked but not arrogant pop music, with someone sympathetic over the mixing desk dials. Perhaps they were too cramped at times, but with the concentration of words as it is, especially in the ''Get Happy!'' songs, it's definitely apt and probably inevitable that an odd beat be left hanging on the phoneme. | ||
The difference between this show — and the one Australia saw a year and a half ago was between being left numb, and have succumbed. A sensual change — you're kept under an impression, not ego'd underband, allowed to follow apace. | The difference between this show — and the one Australia saw a year and a half ago was between being left numb, and have succumbed. A sensual change — you're kept under an impression, not ego'd underband, allowed to follow apace. | ||
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EC is still the totem. His aesthetic I reckon to be about the equal opposite (''kick me if this gets too screwed-up hippie astronomer'ish'') to the pin-up doubt, Sting. Elvis is cluttered cool, melancholy's violence, a sweaty statue. Smaller venues suit them, I suppose. | EC is still the totem. His aesthetic I reckon to be about the equal opposite (''kick me if this gets too screwed-up hippie astronomer'ish'') to the pin-up doubt, Sting. Elvis is cluttered cool, melancholy's violence, a sweaty statue. Smaller venues suit them, I suppose. | ||
''Get Happy!'' and ''This Year's Model'' were sources for the majority of selections, so when things drag — as anything does — I at least had home-from-home fun with favourites, lines (I wanted to seize you/But I'm no good with machinery) and tunes (including the sneak-spaced ''Get Happy!'' love story trilogy: "Temptation" | ''Get Happy!'' and ''This Year's Model'' were sources for the majority of selections, so when things drag — as anything does — I at least had home-from-home fun with favourites, lines (''"I wanted to seize you / But I'm no good with machinery"'') and tunes (including the sneak-spaced ''Get Happy!'' love story trilogy: "Temptation," "Opportunity," "Possession"). | ||
"Watching The Detectives" got the big de-dub dig, simply interrogated into incompatible parts, quietly battered. The only other real elder was "Less Than Zero," which wasn't so severely | "Watching The Detectives" got the big de-dub dig, simply interrogated into incompatible parts, quietly battered. The only other real elder was "Less Than Zero," which wasn't so severely dealt with. Something I didn't recognise led with an introductory bar or so of "Tears Of A Clown," done most slowly, surreptitiously: what a wounded stare you wear. | ||
Other titles are easily guessed. The definitely terrace-chant and probably chart-top "I Can't Stand Up" announced the encores: EC lectured persons unknown about their spit — "Pardon me while I contain myself" — and everybody seemed happy at the end. | Other titles are easily guessed. The definitely terrace-chant and probably chart-top "I Can't Stand Up" announced the encores: EC lectured persons unknown about their spit — "Pardon me while I contain myself" — and everybody seemed happy at the end. | ||
They could have done Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "When The Words From Your Heart Get Caught In Your Throat" — but that's just me wishing overboard, as usual. ''"I think I'd better write a note | They could have done Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "When The Words From Your Heart Get Caught Up In Your Throat" — but that's just me wishing overboard, as usual. ''"I think I'd better write a note..."'' | ||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography notes}} | {{Bibliography notes}} | ||
'''RAM, No. 154, | {{Bibliography next | ||
|prev = RAM, April 4, 1980 | |||
|next = RAM, March 6, 1981 | |||
}} | |||
'''RAM, No. 154, May 2, 1980 | |||
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[[Ian Penman]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]], Saturday, [[Concert 1980-03-01 West Runton|March{{nb}}1, 1980]], West Runton, England. <span style="font-size:92%">(from [[New Musical Express, March 8, 1980|''NME'', March 8, 1980]].) </span> | [[Ian Penman]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]], Saturday, [[Concert 1980-03-01 West Runton|March{{nb}}1, 1980]], West Runton, England. <span style="font-size:92%">(from [[New Musical Express, March 8, 1980|''NME'', March 8, 1980]].) </span> | ||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1980-05-02 RAM page 17.jpg| | [[image:1980-05-02 RAM page 17.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<br><small>Page scan.</small> | <br><small>Page scan.</small> | ||
<small>Photo by [[Gary Merrin]].</small><br> | <small>Photo by [[Gary Merrin]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1980-05-02 RAM photo 01 gm.jpg| | [[image:1980-05-02 RAM photo 01 gm.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<small>Photographer unknown.</small><br> | <small>Photographer unknown.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1980-05-02 RAM photo 02.jpg| | [[image:1980-05-02 RAM photo 02.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<small>Cover.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1980-05-02 RAM cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1980-05-02 RAM cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Latest revision as of 07:41, 29 October 2021
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