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Elvis Costello
On his new album with the Roots,
NSA scandals and why he might (or might not) retire
Rob Tannenbaum
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Page scans.
Wise Up Ghost
Elvis Costello and The Roots
Will Hermes
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Another dubious Elvis Costello genre exercise? Actually, this collab is something sturdier and more interesting: a pained set about decaying culture long on verbose vitriol and (obviously) wicked grooves – think a dyspeptic What's Going On or a soul-powered Armed Forces. There's stealth hip-hop science: Songs slice up beats and flip deep-catalog Costello ("Pills & Soap" on the neck-snapping "Stick Out Your Tongue," "Satellite" on the waltz-time "Tripwire"). But the best bits, like "Cinco Minutos Con Vos," a slithering duet with fiery Mexicali fusionist La Marisoul, dodge pigeonholes like Questlove dodges the one. It's the sound of a savant songsmith trying to impress the world's best backing band.
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Photo by Eugene Gologursky.
Cover.
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