Sounds, March 11, 1978: Difference between revisions
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Take "The Beat" already mentioned. OK: starting with the "Summer Holiday" lyrical and musical cop, the Attractions and Elvis mix that in with a reggae backbeat, the pun of the title — "Beat" as in police walking around looking for ''you'' as well as what you twitch to — and lyrics like: ''"See your friends - the state they're in / See your friends - getting taken in,"'' or ''"I don't wanna be your lover / I just wanna be your victim." '' This is a fair example of the technique at work throughout the album — except for the slower and, in comparison, less inventive "Little Triggers" a generousness of lyrical and musical ideas that provides the necessary foil for the bitterness and frequent meanness of the lyrical content... | Take "The Beat" already mentioned. OK: starting with the "Summer Holiday" lyrical and musical cop, the Attractions and Elvis mix that in with a reggae backbeat, the pun of the title — "Beat" as in police walking around looking for ''you'' as well as what you twitch to — and lyrics like: ''"See your friends - the state they're in / See your friends - getting taken in,"'' or ''"I don't wanna be your lover / I just wanna be your victim." '' This is a fair example of the technique at work throughout the album — except for the slower and, in comparison, less inventive "Little Triggers" a generousness of lyrical and musical ideas that provides the necessary foil for the bitterness and frequent meanness of the lyrical content... | ||
Staples of the sound at once are the ready | Staples of the sound at once are the ready Question Mark & the Mysterians organ and angular chiming guitar bursts. Throughout The Attractions are spare yet full — no excess flash, no redundant padding — and impressively tight. And, bearing in mind the simple limitations of numbers, varied. Fave instrumental moments are the massive bass in "Lip Service," the Al Kooper organ in "This Year's Girl," the slapped disco drum of "Pump It Up," the instrumental break in "Lipstick Vogue" where the verse suddenly switches to a gradual climax of massed guitar, switching again flash fast to pounding drums... The more you listen, the more there is. | ||
"Sometimes I think love is just a tumour / You got to cut it out": Costello's lyrics abound in puns, throwaway images — sometimes Dylan through Springsteen in their intensity, bitterness and crammed delivery. The lyrics of "Lipstick Vogue" from which the above, spill over, burst out of the verses, driven on by drums. "Living In Paradise" has Elvis getting right down to serious peeping in the middle of economic "plenty"; ''"Later in the evening when arrangements are made / I'll be at the keyhole outside your bedroom door ... 'cos I'm the first to know whenever the plans are laid ... I'll be at the video and I will be watching..."'' You might have the technology but people don't change, do they? | "Sometimes I think love is just a tumour / You got to cut it out": Costello's lyrics abound in puns, throwaway images — sometimes Dylan through Springsteen in their intensity, bitterness and crammed delivery. The lyrics of "Lipstick Vogue" from which the above, spill over, burst out of the verses, driven on by drums. "Living In Paradise" has Elvis getting right down to serious peeping in the middle of economic "plenty"; ''"Later in the evening when arrangements are made / I'll be at the keyhole outside your bedroom door ... 'cos I'm the first to know whenever the plans are laid ... I'll be at the video and I will be watching..."'' You might have the technology but people don't change, do they? | ||
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In these days of the renaissance of the potboiler this is an excellent soon-to-be-popular album. Contemporary in intensity, pace and feel — the "new" wave or not question being irrelevant by now — and popular potentially — as in 'good strong material well played' — without pandering. It's difficult to fault. Personally these ears find Elvis less than loveable, let alone likeable, but that's not what he deals in. "Sometimes I almost feel. Just like a human being." Too bitter? He nevertheless commands respect. And, what's rare these days in a popular performer, he lets the outside world in. | In these days of the renaissance of the potboiler this is an excellent soon-to-be-popular album. Contemporary in intensity, pace and feel — the "new" wave or not question being irrelevant by now — and popular potentially — as in 'good strong material well played' — without pandering. It's difficult to fault. Personally these ears find Elvis less than loveable, let alone likeable, but that's not what he deals in. "Sometimes I almost feel. Just like a human being." Too bitter? He nevertheless commands respect. And, what's rare these days in a popular performer, he lets the outside world in. | ||
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{{tags}}[[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[Declan MacManus]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Blondie]] {{-}} [[The Last Time]] {{-}} [[You Belong To Me]] {{-}} [[The Beat]] {{-}} [[Question Mark & the Mysterians]] {{-}} [[Lip Service]] {{-}} [[This Year's Girl]] {{-}} [[Pump It Up]] {{-}} [[Lipstick Vogue]] {{-}} [[Bob Dylan]] {{-}} [[Bruce Springsteen]] {{-}} [[Living In Paradise]] {{-}} [[(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea]] | |||
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<small>[[Concert 1977-07-27 London|1977]] photo by [[Gus Stewart]].</small><br> | |||
[[image:1978-03-11 Sounds photo 01 gs.jpg|380px|border]] | |||
<small>''Live Stiffs'' advertisement.</small><br> | <small>''Live Stiffs'' advertisement.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1978-03-11 Sounds page 05 advertisement.jpg|380px|border]] | [[image:1978-03-11 Sounds page 05 advertisement 2.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
Revision as of 06:19, 20 September 2020
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