Village Voice, December 26, 1977: Difference between revisions
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The problem is how to make music out of such loneliness, and it was this problem that Costello hadn't solved when I first saw him. He stood, stone-faced, center stage, as his band, the Attractions, played competent hard-rock backing tracks. Costello's own performance was monotonous and wearing; there was no pace to his show, no movement. The obvious comparison was with Graham Parker, musically and even emotionally similar, but pushed by the Rumour into exhilarating displays of life and faith. | The problem is how to make music out of such loneliness, and it was this problem that Costello hadn't solved when I first saw him. He stood, stone-faced, center stage, as his band, the Attractions, played competent hard-rock backing tracks. Costello's own performance was monotonous and wearing; there was no pace to his show, no movement. The obvious comparison was with Graham Parker, musically and even emotionally similar, but pushed by the Rumour into exhilarating displays of life and faith. | ||
But what I hadn't realized then, what only became clear at Costello's far more satisfying show at the Bottom Line last Tuesday, was that the pub-rock/Parker analogy was wrong. The Attractions are a teenage rock band. By the time they reached New York the simple-minded organ (courtesy of ? and the Mysterians) was out front, Costello had switched from muttered rhythmic strummings to an aggressive punk lead, and the band whipped through their set with no fuss, Ramones-style. | But what I hadn't realized then, what only became clear at Costello's far more satisfying show at the [[Concert 1977-12-13 New York (early)|Bottom Line]] last Tuesday, was that the pub-rock/ Parker analogy was wrong. The Attractions are a teenage rock band. By the time they reached New York the simple-minded organ (courtesy of ? and the Mysterians) was out front, Costello had switched from muttered rhythmic strummings to an aggressive punk lead, and the band whipped through their set with no fuss, Ramones-style. | ||
Costello still didn't smile but, for the first time, I heard his anger as a positive as well as a negative emotion — "Alison," for example, was sung with real sensuality, and in a new song, "Radio Radio," he seemed to be attacking specific people rather than the human condition, acknowledging that things may be changeable after all. Costello's individualism is still intense, the audience still doesn't sing along, but he has, pop fan to the last, learned lessons from his punk peers. In any other year, Costello would have remained another clever, selfish, bitter singer/songwriter. But in 1977 musical power in Britain is drawn from collective energy, and Costello, whether he likes it or not, is part of a new rock 'n' roll utopianism. He's going to have to start having some fun soon. | Costello still didn't smile but, for the first time, I heard his anger as a positive as well as a negative emotion — "Alison," for example, was sung with real sensuality, and in a new song, "Radio Radio," he seemed to be attacking specific people rather than the human condition, acknowledging that things may be changeable after all. Costello's individualism is still intense, the audience still doesn't sing along, but he has, pop fan to the last, learned lessons from his punk peers. In any other year, Costello would have remained another clever, selfish, bitter singer/songwriter. But in 1977 musical power in Britain is drawn from collective energy, and Costello, whether he likes it or not, is part of a new rock 'n' roll utopianism. He's going to have to start having some fun soon. |
Revision as of 23:06, 22 December 2013
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