Rice University Thresher, August 20, 1982: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Elvis Costello opens up </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello opens up </h3></center> | ||
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Perhaps people are just shocked that Costello actually says "I love you" (gasp!) on record. This does mark progress from fun songs like "No Action" on ''This Year's Model'' (''"I don't want to kiss you / I don't wanna touch"''), and it's true that Costello has never been so emotionally open. But what is more striking about ''Imperial Bedroom'' is Elvis' subtle command of pop and rock styles. He has never made it look so easy. | Perhaps people are just shocked that Costello actually says "I love you" (gasp!) on record. This does mark progress from fun songs like "No Action" on ''This Year's Model'' (''"I don't want to kiss you / I don't wanna touch"''), and it's true that Costello has never been so emotionally open. But what is more striking about ''Imperial Bedroom'' is Elvis' subtle command of pop and rock styles. He has never made it look so easy. | ||
Costello gets away with a lot on this album (extensive use of strings, basically no | Costello gets away with a lot on this album (extensive use of strings, basically no hard rockers), but his solid pop integrity ties together and validates the songs. The ballad-dominated first side sets the listener up for Elvis' ambitious approach. | ||
I remember being proud of Elvis for refusing to play songs longer than four minutes in an era of wasteful dinosaur rock. The three four-minute-plus songs on Side One, "Shabby Doll," "The Long Honeymoon," and "Man Out of Time," tread the area between brilliant pop and schlock that was the personal property for a time of one of Costello's mentors, Burt Bacharach. Costello updates this genre with his own lyrical wit, leavened with a mature vulnerability — ''"I can't excuse the cruel words / That I use whenever we fight." "Now I'm a Shabby Doll." '' | I remember being proud of Elvis for refusing to play songs longer than four minutes in an era of wasteful dinosaur rock. The three four-minute-plus songs on Side One, "Shabby Doll," "The Long Honeymoon," and "Man Out of Time," tread the area between brilliant pop and schlock that was the personal property for a time of one of Costello's mentors, Burt Bacharach. Costello updates this genre with his own lyrical wit, leavened with a mature vulnerability — ''"I can't excuse the cruel words / That I use whenever we fight." "Now I'm a Shabby Doll." '' | ||
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Side Two is more energetic, and the cream of this side are tow near-perfect pop-rockers, "Human Hands" and "You Little Fool." The latter song steals a backwards tape loop at the fade from the Beatles, which shows that Elvis did learn a few things from ex-producer Nick Lowe. In "Human Hands," Costello forays outside the insularity of personal relationships, playing assembly line facelessness against romantic longing. | Side Two is more energetic, and the cream of this side are tow near-perfect pop-rockers, "Human Hands" and "You Little Fool." The latter song steals a backwards tape loop at the fade from the Beatles, which shows that Elvis did learn a few things from ex-producer Nick Lowe. In "Human Hands," Costello forays outside the insularity of personal relationships, playing assembly line facelessness against romantic longing. | ||
The entire second side is a songwriter's clinic, and while one might wish for a larger dose of the loud rock the Attractions are capable of slamming out, Costello's success in almost every one of his gambits. He has maintained a predictable unpredictability through eight albums, and with ''Imperial | The entire second side is a songwriter's clinic, and while one might wish for a larger dose of the loud rock the Attractions are capable of slamming out, Costello's success in almost every one of his gambits. He has maintained a predictable unpredictability through eight albums, and with ''Imperial Bedroom'', he may finally win over those who could never see past his scowl before. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Imperial Bedroom]] {{-}} [[Rolling Stone, August 5, 1982|Rolling Stone]] {{-}} [[Bruce Springsteen]] {{-}} [[No Action]] {{-}} [[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[Shabby Doll]] {{-}} [[The Long Honeymoon]] {{-}} [[Man Out Of Time]] {{-}} [[Burt Bacharach]] {{-}} [[...And In Every Home]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Human Hands]] {{-}} [[You Little Fool]] {{-}} [[The Beatles]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] | |||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1982-08-20 Rice University Thresher page 11 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1982-08-20 Rice University Thresher page 11 clipping 01.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<br><small>Clipping.</small> | <br><small>Clipping.</small> | ||
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Grammatical corrections noted in the following issue... | Grammatical corrections noted in the following issue... | ||
{{Bibliography box 360}} | {{Bibliography box 360}} | ||
<center><h3> Costello album review corrected by Buckholt </h3></center> | <center><h3> <span style="font-size:92%"> Costello album review corrected by Buckholt </span> </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Donald Buckholt </center> | <center> Donald Buckholt </center> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
[[image:1982-08-27 Rice University Thresher page 04 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1982-08-27 Rice University Thresher page 04 clipping 01.jpg|90px|border|right]] | ||
My review of Elvis Costello's ''Imperial Bedroom'' was written on very short notice last Wednesday. Understandably, some errors were made that changed a few words in the review for the worse. | My review of Elvis Costello's ''Imperial Bedroom'' was written on very short notice last Wednesday. Understandably, some errors were made that changed a few words in the review for the worse. | ||
First, I wrote that hype is "self-defeating," not "self-deprecating." Also, the song "And In Every Home" is about "marital," not "martial" disappointment. In the last paragraph, I meant to say "Costello succeeds" rather than "Costello's success " Thanks for letting me clear things up. | First, I wrote that hype is "self-defeating," not "self-deprecating." Also, the song "And In Every Home" is about "marital," not "martial" disappointment. In the last paragraph, I meant to say "Costello succeeds" rather than "Costello's success." Thanks for letting me clear things up. | ||
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<br><small>Page scan.</small><br> | |||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245504/m1/11/ texashistory.unt.edu] | *[https://www.ricethresher.org/ RiceThresher.org] | ||
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rice_Thresher Wikipedia: The Rice Thresher] | |||
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245504/m1/11/ texashistory.unt.edu{{t}}][http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245505/m1/4/ {{t}}] | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rice University Thresher 1982-08-20}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Rice University Thresher 1982-08-20}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:18, 1 December 2020
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