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I'm not particularly impressed with Almost Blue, the "Nashville album" Elvis Costello felt compelled to do. There's something forced-sounding here, as though Costello really didn't want to do this album.
His previous albums demonstrated that Costello has a touch of real country in his soul, but it's never been a natural, spontaneous style for him to work in. Almost Blue then sounds a bit unconvincing, due partly to Costello sounding like he's just paying allegiance to Nashville, as well as pushing a little more distance between himself and the public's expectations.
What could have been a very good Nashville disc never occurred because Costello chose only to do covers of tried-and-true, safe material. Some of his own, earlier country songs ("Put Your Ring on a Different Finger" and "Radio Sweetheart" are the best examples) show the sort of offbeat, unorthodox country music that Costello can do so well.
Here he doesn't concern himself much beyond providing better-than-adequate vocals on tunes that have been better by others.
The covers themselves needed some distinctive, offbeat touch to set them apart. George Jones' "Brown to Blue," for example, ought to have sounded perfect for Costello's cynical and incessant misogyny. Instead, it's a feeble and tepid little bar tune that doesn't quite make it.
Maybe Costello just wanted to give his voice a chance to try some old, predictable rhythms. The only problem is he's not really a singer and he's done songs of such originality on his own that all you can do is wait until Almost Blue blows quietly away.
I'd say two and a half stars.
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