Record Collector, September 2004: Difference between revisions
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As the ambitious Costello reissue programme heads towards completion, the contents of the bonus discs take on a greater significance, bolstering releases that may struggle to find sizeable audiences if left in their original form. | As the ambitious Costello reissue programme heads towards completion, the contents of the bonus discs take on a greater significance, bolstering releases that may struggle to find sizeable audiences if left in their original form. | ||
''Almost Blue'' was a surprisingly successful 1981 digression into country, but a running time of just over half an hour means it could be regarded as poor value to anyone raised on compact discs. Thankfully, there an additional 27 tracks on Disc Two, kicking off with two notable collaborations: the George Jones duet "Stranger In The House" appears on an Elvis release for the first time, and is a thing of great beauty. The same can't be said for "We Oughta Be Ashamed," a hungover plod with Johnny Cash, recorded at Nick Lowe's home studio on Boxing Day, 1979, which would just about pass muster were it not for Costello's shaky harmony vocal. | ''Almost Blue'' was a surprisingly successful 1981 digression into country, but a running time of just over half an hour means it could be regarded as poor value to anyone raised on compact discs. Thankfully, there are an additional 27 tracks on Disc Two, kicking off with two notable collaborations: the George Jones duet "Stranger In The House" appears on an Elvis release for the first time, and is a thing of great beauty. The same can't be said for "We Oughta Be Ashamed," a hungover plod with Johnny Cash, recorded at Nick Lowe's home studio on Boxing Day, 1979, which would just about pass muster were it not for Costello's shaky harmony vocal. | ||
Elsewhere, we get all the period B sides and Nashville out takes, invariably more rough'n'ready and less sanitised than the 12 songs that made the finished album, giving the impression of a sturdy bar band having a whale of a time. Often terrific, but nothing that matches the tender simplicity of the ''Almost Blue'' cover "How Much I Lied," easily one of EC's best recordings ever. | Elsewhere, we get all the period B sides and Nashville out takes, invariably more rough'n'ready and less sanitised than the 12 songs that made the finished album, giving the impression of a sturdy bar band having a whale of a time. Often terrific, but nothing that matches the tender simplicity of the ''Almost Blue'' cover "How Much I Lied," easily one of EC's best recordings ever. |
Revision as of 10:31, 21 February 2018
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