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Elvis Costello, everybody's favorite yet least lovable emotional fascist, is smiling. Swear to God, check the cover of his new lp, Get Happy, and you can detect a slight trace of a grin. You might also notice by inspection that what is listed as side one on the album cover is side two on the vinyl, and vice-versa. Yet these are the only two inconsistencies on what is Elvis' best structured and most cohesive effort to date.
On Get Happy, Costello abandons his armed and angry forces and singlehandedly challenges the perils of love in a lonely, but hard fought battle. His artillery: the English language, which he warps and manipulates to his advantage, then drills at his foes in machine gun rapid fire. Through twenty songs, ten on each side, Costello emotionally jabs and spears his way through dangerous battlefields of love and lust.
Some songs on Get Happy ("I Stand Accused," "Beaten to the Punch") explode with that same intensity of past favorites, such as "Goon Squad" and "Pump It Up." Likewise, new cuts "Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and "Human Touch" boil over with frustration and urgency similar to This Year's Model's "Lipstick Vogue" and "There's No Action."
However, on Get Happy there is a shift in emphasis from the familiar hard driving songs, with Elvis practically spitting the words, to smoother, more somber melodies, similar to "Alison" (My Aim Is True). Steve Naive's church-like organ is effective in "Opportunity" and "Secondary Modern," two quieter cuts which demonstrate Costello's versatility as a singer and a songwriter.
"New Amsterdam" and "B Movie" might be the top tracks on an album with no weak cuts. But every song catches your ear eventually. However, with ten songs on each side, the album requires a number of listenings to get into. Perhaps Costello and producer Nick Lowe are at fault for this strategy. Fortunately, there is no loss of sound quality due to long playing time.
Get Happy is not Costello's best album. But it is a unique and enjoyable album nonetheless. Elvis's bittersweet vocals and the Attractions' pulsating rhythm, like always, cannot be denied. Besides, twenty Elvis songs for the price of seven to ten is a good buy for your entertainment dollar.
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