|
The press notes accompanying “Wise Up Ghost” call it "One of the most surprising releases of 2013." But after trying his hand at New Orleans and New Wave, Acoustic Americana, Jazz, Old-School Country and more, can Elvis Costello still surprise us with his choice of collaborators and genre? It seemed almost a matter of time before he dipped into the sounds of Afro-America.
Costello picks his partner wisely on “Wise Up Ghost”; the Roots, led by drummer/producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, have been known to enjoy far-flung collaborations almost as much as Costello. While the backbeat here, a mix of old-school funk with some vintage hip-hop and acid jazz, is prominent, the bass thick and the sampled sounds attention-grabbing, Costello, as usual, bends the music in his direction. “Wise Up Ghost” is unmistakable as Costello’s songs, his phrasings, his acid wit on “Refuse to Be Saved” and “Stick Out Your Tongue.”
Only a fool would bet against Costello at this point, and Costello once again proves that his eclecticism isn’t just for show. “Wise Up Ghost” is distinctively dark, inventive and yet another side of music’s greatest adventurer.
|
