A Question of Pretentiousness and Theatricality

[howard male]

Con wrote -

PS I want my Elvis back.

I always get the impression Elvis thinks there's enough Elvis for us all, the way that every now and then (once a year? I don't keep track anymore) he puts out some return-to-roots proper EC record.

The only trouble is these records rarely ring true anymore. I liked most of 'Brutal Youth' and some of 'When I was Cruel' when they came out but have rarely played them since. I think Mr Costello should become musically celibate for five years just to see what an explosion of extraordinary musical expression would follow.

Oh and - nice translation of the review Con. Maybe you should apply to edit Wire.

[judith]

I too liked Con's translation of the review. After reading his version, I was able to make more sense of the original by following in his lead and reading with a more discriminating eye. To decipher the review, I picked out all the words I liked: Obsessive psycho-stalker gets girl on playing field. Sopranos soar. Pop stars sweat. Drop emotion. Say nothing. Blazing parallels force the point - always heartfelt -Worth is checking out.

[Adam Blake]

I think Mr Costello should become musically celibate for five years just to see what an explosion of extraordinary musical expression would follow.

Yes, will you put it to him, or shall I?

Elvis Costello is possibly the only person who's work I stopped listening to purely because he was so prolific I couldn't keep up. I lost it after "Get Happy!" (which I thought was brilliant at the time.) The truth is though, that his music is a bit charmless, too clever, not magic enough, and he's not quite good enough a singer to pull off his own tricksy melodies.

Or am I being too harsh? I still sometimes listen to the first album where he was being Graham Parker only with good songs....

[Rob Hall]

Con wrote -

PS I want my Elvis back.

I always get the impression Elvis thinks there's enough Elvis for us all, the way that every now and then (once a year? I don't keep track anymore) he puts out some return-to-roots proper EC record.

The only trouble is these records rarely ring true anymore. I liked most of 'Brutal Youth' and some of 'When I was Cruel' when they came out but have rarely played them since. I think Mr Costello should become musically celibate for five years just to see what an explosion of extraordinary musical expression would follow.

Oh and - nice translation of the review Con. Maybe you should apply to edit Wire.

Very much my feelings about Costello. I think it was "Brutal Youth" that left me scratching my head, thinking: "why is this man shouting at me?"

I liked the album he did with Burt Bacharach apart from one thing: his voice. Mannerisms are no substitute for quality.