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"It's the damage that we do and never know / It's the words that we don't say that scare me so."
from "Accidents Will Happen"
How good is this Elvis guy going to get? The first album is still sinking in ("Alison," "Watching the Detectives," "Red Shoes" and parts of others are still sounding better today than ever, a condition reserved for tunes we call "classics"). And what about "Hand in Hand," "Radio, Radio," "Lipstick Vogue" along with a few others from the last album? These pent-up voyages are stilt gaining speed. So well sculpted is Costello's music that I take turns being impressed by different things: the words, the arrangements, the production, Elvis' vocals, and the band's intuitive, improvisational presto prime eternal rock. It's such a magic, complete music. Elvis knows what he wants and knows how to get it as well as anyone I've heard. And Armed Forces puts it all together better yet.
"I know what I've done" is the ringing chorus line that haunts "Accidents Will Happen," the album's opener and one of three live songs also featured on the superb EP that comes with the first edition of the American album. He sure knows what he's done — he's cool, disarming yet his balled fists pound every song. Elvis writes 'em and producer Nick Lowe has helped embellish these tales of fumbling loves, societal stupidities and the horrible weaknesses of our flesh. Listen to the atmosphere of "Green Shirt," the front of the stage roar of "Goon Squad," the crackling ironies and heartbreak of "Moods for Moderns" and the surging, burning question "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding." Or the other tunes, for they all have their charms, tricks and a depth that comes from Lowe's and Costello's canny taste and intelligence, born of hard listenings of the masters of old (the Holly-Beatles-Pistols type axis).
And the tunes themselves. It takes a while, but they all check into that room in our brain that pops out melodies, chords, odd notes, and noises while we're cruising Palm Beach, or sitting in Organic Science. Big bits and pieces of every song here have swum and sung themselves inside my head during these past few weeks. All of these songs are good, and some, like "Two Little Hitlers," "Peace, Love and Understanding" and "Moods for Moderns" should grow with the years like "Alison" and the other earlier gems.
So we have three great Elvis Costello albums now. Elvis and the Attractions are easily in the class with the Kinks, Animals, and Byrds. Empty head Ronstadt could gain years of invaluable knowledge, passion and depth listening to Elvis caress, cry, whimper, attack, wail, pant, beg, glower, and declare his "aim is troooo" on the live "Alison" on the EP.
And "Alison" brings around the important point that not all of Elvis' songs are about being betrayed, left or worked over by evil women. Most of his songs deal with those empty shadows, limitations, and ultimate sadness between us all. I'm happy this man is alive — he's making some of my favorite music ever. It's all too rare, especially today, that a person of such talent, spark and self-immersion comes along to set off those chemical reactions in all who listen. I thought he was great in the Heroes of Rock and Roll television special and look forward to seeing how much more of this Elvis the next Heroes-type show will have.
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