Vancouver Sun, April 28, 1978: Difference between revisions

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
(formatting)
 
(2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 11: Line 11:
The gauntlet is down, the gloves are off, and Elvis Costello has made his move. Rock's angry young man has released his second album — a challenge to the music industry, music fans and popular music itself.
The gauntlet is down, the gloves are off, and Elvis Costello has made his move. Rock's angry young man has released his second album — a challenge to the music industry, music fans and popular music itself.


Now in your record stores, the album ''This Year's Model'' is a killer. Costello's 1977 debut, ''My Aim is True'', was strong, but this one betters it in production, overall quality, pace and conviction.  
Now in your record stores, the album ''This Year's Model'' is a killer. Costello's 1977 debut, ''My Aim Is True'', was strong, but this one betters it in production, overall quality, pace and conviction.  


And before musical bigots tune this out as being yet another rave about "that punk rock junk," let me emphasize that ELVIS COSTELLO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PUNK ROCK (whatever it was.)
And before musical bigots tune this out as being yet another rave about "that punk rock junk," let me emphasize that ELVIS COSTELLO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PUNK ROCK (whatever it was.)
Line 46: Line 46:
   
   


When can you see Elvis Costello? Well, the diminutive star has played the Paramount Northwest in Seattle ([[Concert 1978-02-10 Seattle|Feb. 10]]) and has recently completed an enormously successful assault on Toronto's [[Concert 1978-03-06 Toronto|El Mocambo]].
When can you see Elvis Costello? Well, the diminutive star has played the Paramount Northwest in Seattle ([[Concert 1978-02-10 Seattle|Feb. 10]]) and has [[Concert 1978-03-06 Toronto|recently]] completed an enormously successful assault on Toronto's El Mocambo.


However, there is no date set for Vancouver, though there has been talk. You can cast your vote at the local record store, radio station or the CBS records office.  
However, there is no date set for Vancouver, though there has been talk. You can cast your vote at the local record store, radio station or the CBS records office.  
Line 55: Line 55:
Lowe's solo debut, entitled ''Pure Pop For Now People'', is a minor smash in its own right. The British title for the album — ''Jesus of Cool'' — is more delightful, but the North American name says it all: No punk rock here, just fresh, contemporary British pop.
Lowe's solo debut, entitled ''Pure Pop For Now People'', is a minor smash in its own right. The British title for the album — ''Jesus of Cool'' — is more delightful, but the North American name says it all: No punk rock here, just fresh, contemporary British pop.


There are snatches of Hollies, Zombies and Kinks in Lowe's constructions, but the sound is definitely up-to-date. Overall the music has some of the flavor of 10 CC and shares with that group's output the danger of sinking under its own contrived catchiness.  
There are snatches of Hollies, Zombies and Kinks in Lowe's constructions, but the sound is definitely up-to-date. Overall the music has some of the flavor of 10cc and shares with that group's output the danger of sinking under its own contrived catchiness.  


The lyrics are less important than Costello's, though several songs represent an eccentric attempt to shock. For example, one is about the castration of Fidel Castro, and another, "Marie Provost," is about a fading silent movie star who dies alone and is eaten by her pet dachshund.
The lyrics are less important than Costello's, though several songs represent an eccentric attempt to shock. For example, one is about the castration of Fidel Castro, and another, "Marie Provost," is about a fading silent movie star who dies alone and is eaten by her pet dachshund.
Line 61: Line 61:
All in good fun, mind you.  
All in good fun, mind you.  


{{cx}}
{{tags}}[[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[The Beat]] {{-}} [[This Year's Girl]] {{-}} [[Radio, Radio]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-02-10 Seattle|Paramount Northwest]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-03-06 Toronto|El Mocambo]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-11-17 Vancouver|Vancouver]] {{-}} [[Stiff Records]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[Pure Pop For Now People]] {{-}} [[Jesus Of Cool]] {{-}} [[The Zombies]] {{-}} [[The Kinks]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[Declan MacManus]]
{{cx}}
{{cx}}


Line 66: Line 69:


{{Bibliography notes}}
{{Bibliography notes}}
{{Bibliography next
|prev = Vancouver Sun, February 11, 1978
|next = Vancouver Sun, August 25, 1980
}}
'''Vancouver Sun, April 28, 1978
'''Vancouver Sun, April 28, 1978
----
----
[[Vaughn Palmer]] reviews ''[[This Year's Model]]''.
[[Vaughn Palmer]] reviews ''[[This Year's Model]]'' and [[Nick Lowe]]'s ''Pure Pop For Now People''.


{{Bibliography images}}
{{Bibliography images}}
Line 94: Line 101:
[[Category:Album reviews]]
[[Category:Album reviews]]
[[Category:This Year's Model reviews]]
[[Category:This Year's Model reviews]]
[[Category:Pure Pop For Now People reviews]]

Latest revision as of 20:56, 26 April 2023

  ... Bibliography ...  
72 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92
93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01
02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Vancouver Sun  
Canada publications 

Newspapers

University publications

Magazines

Online publications

—
-

The gloves come off

Vaughn Palmer

The gauntlet is down, the gloves are off, and Elvis Costello has made his move. Rock's angry young man has released his second album — a challenge to the music industry, music fans and popular music itself.

Now in your record stores, the album This Year's Model is a killer. Costello's 1977 debut, My Aim Is True, was strong, but this one betters it in production, overall quality, pace and conviction.

And before musical bigots tune this out as being yet another rave about "that punk rock junk," let me emphasize that ELVIS COSTELLO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PUNK ROCK (whatever it was.)

Costello writes and plays eminently listenable, though hard-edged, music. Stuff that uses guitars, sparse but insistent keyboards, and drums. Stuff that fuses power and melody, that has musical and lyrical substance. Stuff that entertains you while kicking your butt.

Costello and producer Nick Lowe call it power pop but you can also call it rock music. Remember rock? Good, 'cause some days I think it has become a dirty word.

Okay, he's a rocker. And better Costello has one of the most memorable personalities to infect popular music in many a day. Lots of people have played rock, but there's never been a character quite like Elvis Costello.

Rock's male leads have been for the most part traditional. They tend to be insufferably macho, winners most of the time and losers only when they have been "done wrong" or inflicted with someone "who just doesn't understand me."

Then along comes Elvis Costello who baldly declares to the object of his love: "I don't wanna be your lover, I just wanna be your victim." Neurotic? You bet.

In a phrase, Costello is the Woody Allen of rock. A little angrier, younger, definitely less funny, but the same determined loser, equally disarming, equally unable to enjoy himself.

In his quarter-century of life, Costello (formerly a computer operator named Declan MacManus) appears to have lost as many loves, lusted after as many unattainable goals, undergone as many humiliations as Allen has at 42.

Like Allen, Costello has an unerring eye for the hypocrisies of others and a courage that goes beyond his presumed inadequacies in the field of love.

Sprinkled among his tales of love lost and lust unsatisfied Costello has included several savage assaults on current fads — such as "This Year's Girl," an unsubtle swipe at the cover girl manufacturing business.

But '70s protest is one thing, a song like Costello's "Radio, Radio" another. Few rockers on the way up have ever had the courage to proclaim: "I want to bite the hand that feeds me, I want to bite that hand so badly, I want to make them wish they'd never seen me."

And bite he does: "The radio is in the hands of such a lotta fools trying to anesthetize the way that you feel." Ouch.

"Radio is the sound salvation, radio is cleanin' up the nation, they say you'd better listen to the voice of reason, but they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason. So you'd better do as you are told, you'd better listen to the radio." Double ouch.

Nor does Costello spare complacent listeners: "Some of my friends sit around every evening and worry about the times ahead. But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early death."

"Radio, Radio" is the most exhilarating song on a exhilarating album. And to its considerable credit, Radio FM 99 is playing that song and several others from the record.

Which is good, for This Year's Model is a shock to everyone's complacent state of mind, not just a jab at some radio stations. And while other albums may outsell Costello, few this year will equal him for urgency and flatout energy.


When can you see Elvis Costello? Well, the diminutive star has played the Paramount Northwest in Seattle (Feb. 10) and has recently completed an enormously successful assault on Toronto's El Mocambo.

However, there is no date set for Vancouver, though there has been talk. You can cast your vote at the local record store, radio station or the CBS records office.


If Elvis' album wasn't enough, CBS records has also just released an album by his producer, Nick Lowe, who is renowned in Britain for his work with various pub and punk rock bands on the Stiff label.

Lowe's solo debut, entitled Pure Pop For Now People, is a minor smash in its own right. The British title for the album — Jesus of Cool — is more delightful, but the North American name says it all: No punk rock here, just fresh, contemporary British pop.

There are snatches of Hollies, Zombies and Kinks in Lowe's constructions, but the sound is definitely up-to-date. Overall the music has some of the flavor of 10cc and shares with that group's output the danger of sinking under its own contrived catchiness.

The lyrics are less important than Costello's, though several songs represent an eccentric attempt to shock. For example, one is about the castration of Fidel Castro, and another, "Marie Provost," is about a fading silent movie star who dies alone and is eaten by her pet dachshund.

All in good fun, mind you.


Tags: This Year's Model  •  The Beat  •  This Year's Girl  •  Radio, Radio  •  Paramount Northwest  •  El Mocambo  •  Vancouver  •  Stiff Records  •  Nick Lowe  •  Pure Pop For Now People  •  Jesus Of Cool  •  The Zombies  •  The Kinks  •  My Aim Is True  •  Declan MacManus

-
<< >>

Vancouver Sun, April 28, 1978

Vaughn Palmer reviews This Year's Model and Nick Lowe's Pure Pop For Now People.

Images

1978-04-28 Vancouver Sun pages 12L-13L clipping composite.jpg
Clipping composite.

Page scans.
1978-04-28 Vancouver Sun pages 12L-13L.jpg

-


Back to top

External links

Retrieved from "http://elviscostello.info//wiki/index.php?title=Vancouver_Sun,_April_28,_1978&oldid=17518597"