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Eclecticism, of the musical sort, is an enviable virtue, if it is born of affection and is carefully and creatively directed to a cohesive whole. Otherwise, it becomes an exercise in chaos, or it meanders about aimlessly.
Spike is a chaotic and meandering — if intriguing — record.
In its 14 cuts (the CD comes with 15), Spike spans Costello's myriad of musical affections. "Coal-Train Robberies" is a storming rocker, while "Tramp The Dirt Down" is a Celtic-inflected ballad. "Veronica" (co-written by Paul McCartney and Costello) is a chirpy British Invasion number that is countered by the bark and bite of the Lennon-esque "Let Him Dangle."
While these and others offer provocative slants on Costello's performing and writing talents, they make for a thoroughly unsatisfying record.
In part, this is due to those talents. Costello is an estimable performer, but his songs are, like his interests, too far-flung to express anything in particular.
"Baby Plays Around" is an emotional and touching torch song, but it is a pastiche of '40s pop cliches. "Pads, Paws and Claws" (another piece co-written with McCartney) tries to be witty but is merely busy. And the flimsy funk of "Chewing Gum" is a rough approximation of what George Clinton might sound like if he was a pale Englishman with horn-rimmed glasses.
Only the sheer pop refrains of "Veronica" and the churning chords of "...This Town..." (with Roger McGuinn playing his Rickenbacker 12-string) have the force and creative cohesion to grab at the ears and hold them.
Otherwise, the songs of Spike — individually and collectively — slide about to no real purpose. Not one of them is bad, and, in fact, many have moments that are charming or oddly alluring. But finally, they seem to come never really from the soul but from Costello's sleeve, where he wears his eclectic tastes.
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