University of Waterloo Imprint, February 17, 1989: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Spike </h3></center> | <center><h3> Spike </h3></center> | ||
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The clown with the idiot smile on the cover of ''Spike'' isn't that much different from the dour-faced King or the miserable Napoleon who graced the covers of ''King of America'' and ''Blood | The clown with the idiot smile on the cover of ''Spike'' isn't that much different from the dour-faced King or the miserable Napoleon who graced the covers of ''King of America'' and ''Blood & Chocolate'', respectively. Nor does Elvis Costello (clown, King and Napoleon) hide much real mirth behind the black-and-white painted mask — the songs on ''Spike'' are just as, if not more, furious and full of spite than anything he has recorded. | ||
''Spike'' is a masterpiece, make no mistake about it — Costello has abandoned the first-person self-inflicted venom which previously defined his songwriting in favour of penetrating third-person narrative. If marriage and age has calmed his insecurities, that has only allowed him more time to examine and contemplate the world around him. | ''Spike'' is a masterpiece, make no mistake about it — Costello has abandoned the first-person self-inflicted venom which previously defined his songwriting in favour of penetrating third-person narrative. If marriage and age has calmed his insecurities, that has only allowed him more time to examine and contemplate the world around him. | ||
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The cheapening of existence is a uniting theme throughout ''Spike'', whether the larger societal issues of "Tramp" and "Let Him Dangle" or the more personal devaluation of "Veronica" and "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" — which harkens hack to E.C. of yore. Even death is cheapened in "God's Comic," where a dead comedian takes on the task of the grim reaper. | The cheapening of existence is a uniting theme throughout ''Spike'', whether the larger societal issues of "Tramp" and "Let Him Dangle" or the more personal devaluation of "Veronica" and "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" — which harkens hack to E.C. of yore. Even death is cheapened in "God's Comic," where a dead comedian takes on the task of the grim reaper. | ||
The surprise track of the LP though is the instrumental, "Stalin Malone," which opens with a descending horn riff redolent of Sam Cooke's "A Change | The surprise track of the LP though is the instrumental, "Stalin Malone," which opens with a descending horn riff redolent of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and moves into a swinging, funky jam. That's nut really so surprising though considering the fact that it's played by the aforementioned Dirty Dozen Brass Band — New Orleans' finest brass band. | ||
Taken as a whole, ''Spike'' stands easily alongside ''Armed Forces'' and ''Blood | Taken as a whole, ''Spike'' stands easily alongside ''Armed Forces'' and ''Blood & Chocolate'' as one of the best LPs that Elvis Costello has produced. High praise considering that he has produced some of the finest LPs in the last decade. Only time will tell how great ''Spike'' is. For the moment it's varied, complex and overwhelmingly moving. That's enough to make it essential listening. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Spike]] {{-}} [[King Of America]] {{-}} [[Blood & Chocolate]] {{-}} [[Napoleon Dynamite]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[Almost Blue]] {{-}} [[Stax]] {{-}} [[Punch The Clock]] {{-}} [[Paul McCartney]] {{-}} [[Roger McGuinn]] {{-}} [[Chrissie Hynde]] {{-}} [[Jerry Marotta]] {{-}} [[Christy Moore]] {{-}} [[Mitchell Froom]] {{-}} [[Dirty Dozen Brass Band]] {{-}} [[Any King's Shilling]] {{-}} [[Chewing Gum]] {{-}} [[Stalin Malone]] {{-}} [[Tramp The Dirt Down]] {{-}} [[Let Him Dangle]] {{-}} [[Derek Bentley]] {{-}} [[Veronica]] {{-}} [[Deep Dark Truthful Mirror]] {{-}} [[God's Comic]] {{-}} [[Sam Cooke]] {{-}} [[A Change Is Gonna Come]] {{-}} [[Armed Forces]] | |||
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[[image:1989-02-17 University of Waterloo Imprint page 15.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1989-02-17 University of Waterloo Imprint page 15.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
Latest revision as of 07:01, 1 August 2020
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