Elvis Costello Fan Forum

I don't agree that his voice is "absolutely fine." Maybe someone who goes to a dozen shows a year becomes acclimated to it, but it is seriously damaged goods compared to where it was just a few years ago. Now, it does seem as good as ever when he goes high or low, but there is clearly a mi...

The set list was sublime, although I wouldn't have minded a song or two from "If." And what a treat to see the two legends performing together. But tell me - am I the only one worried for EC's voice? It seems a bit of a struggle these days, maybe even with suggestions of vocal polyps; and ...

I saw EC coming out of his (relative) creative slump in the second half of “Profane.” Ransom, Ghost, and Look Now were all EC at the height of his powers, and if Clockface was a regression to the messy work of the pre-Ransom era, “If” is a stunning consolidation. So as a writer, he was entering a ca...

EC’s guitar has improved tremendously over the years. It was fairly basic when he started, but these days - while he may not be technically virtuoso - his playing is absolutely delicious. Every guitar note on “If” is wonderful.

Can I just put in a word for “Mr Crescent?” It’s that final verse…with its implication that he is suffering from dementia, and the memory of what should have been his true love (lost long ago to his own untrustworthiness and reputation) floods his bewildered mind (“I wonder where my Honey has gone?”...

Little doubt in my mind that it is an all-time great EC album. There is a richness and a mastery to both composition and performance which rivals anything he’s done. He’s absorbed all the lessons of his sometimes-trying “collaboration” years and has them effortlessly at his fingertips, while remaini...

Is the book primarily about the music, offering informed dissection of the songs along the lines of Franklin Bruno’s excellent treatment of “Armed Forces?” Because that’s why I’d be after - an exploration of why/how a given song or album works or doesn’t work, with whatever social and biographical c...

This song has been haunting me of late. On the one hand, it seems straight out of the Official EC Lyrical Playbook circa "Armed Forces" - a portrait of a world sliding into fascism (as the percussion at the end, so reminiscent of boots marching, hammers home). The final verse also hearkens...

While I can’t see any reason (other than completism, a disease I have not yet caught) to pursue this album as a non-Spanish-speaker, I commend the whole venture. It’s a cool new take on the old, long-forgotten gambit of recycling pop music across linguistic borders: whether it be Tin Pan Alley write...

On the “loyalty” question, I’ve followed EC’s work with passion for 30 years. True, I don’t pore over every last outtake or live bootleg, but I imagine that every artist would like to have listeners as enduringly interested as me. And I am probably on the “soft” end of fandom on this forum… My probl...

I love the 'beamed in from another planet' weird spooky sound at the start and I LOVE the jangly, crazy maniac riff. It reminds me a bit of 'Master and Servant' by Depeche Mode. The vocal is too ranty for me and I don't like the production of the voice. I've never been a big fan of these kinds of E...

Hmmm...I assume my mischievous reference to WIWC as a "clunker" in the other thread triggered this post. As others have noted, it's not clear why we should specifically contrast WIWC with RIR. Neither is vintage EC, however, that's for sure. RIR is good for what it is, a side-project in re...

bronxapostle wrote:WIWC a clunker??? Come now! a great record returning to rock after six years away.

I stand by what I said! By EC's standards, WIWC is a clunker. It reminds me of what John Lennon said about 'Mind Games' - the 'work of a semi-sick craftsman.'

Anyhow, carry on!

It definitely reminds me of Tom Waits’ “Real Gone” album. Maybe a specific reference by Elvis to “Hoist that Rag”. Yep, or else the vocal beat-boxing in the background is a direct steal from 'Big in Japan.' Good catch either way! It's a sharp song, I love the organ and guitar parts. These, coupled ...

It definitely reminds me of Tom Waits’ “Real Gone” album. Maybe a specific reference by Elvis to “Hoist that Rag”. Yep, or else the vocal beat-boxing in the background is a direct steal from 'Big in Japan.' Good catch either way! It's a sharp song, I love the organ and guitar parts. These, coupled ...

I just want to say that the Imposters sound utterly sublime on 'The Lovers that Never Were' in particular. You hear this and you kind of have to wonder why he doesn't do more recording with this group; they've got a depth and maturity now that deserves more than a once-per-decade cut. The other thin...

It's not just the harshness - like I say above, it's also the laboured, strained quality of the delivery and the general lack of nimbleness and even subtlety in many of his performances, Sinatra was a master of delivery and it's this that sets him several notches above an EC, not only his voice. Les...

Pitching in belatedly here to agree that EC works very well in the lower registers and that the recent dabblings in falsetto are also very welcome. My view of his singing is that it's at it's best when he's not pushing it. "Almost Blue" is as good a vocal as any in his catalogue precisely ...

I agree, that is probably one of the best EC interviews I've read. It contains so much insight into his thinking and - most importantly - into the music, and how he perceives it. Best of all is that he clearly seems interested in recording more music. The fact that he made such a splendid record see...

It occured to me listening again tonight while walking my basset hound that her spurned lover might not be just a starving artist, but an artist who is painting either her portrait or a portrait of her and her new beau. Hence the command to 'cover the canvass...and never come back.' If this is right...

Well, you got your answer from the man himself! That's something! I had not realized that tweet followed my post in fairly short order. The astonishing and unlikely thought that he might be reading these posts (including my poor critiques!!) is downright mortifying : :o But I did ask for insights f...

A music student I ain't! However, consider this: https://petercrosbie.net/2016/08/24/why-a-middle-8-isnt-a-bridge/ That said, EC clearly uses the term 'bridge' for middle-eight on 'Flutter and Wow' (yelling 'to the bridge!' apparently spontaneously). I've concluded that what put me off about this pa...

https://twitter.com/ElvisCostello/status/1056565157650948097 "Poets long have written or have sung" of that wishful eternity of love or the finite length of desire; until “the end of time” or “The Twelfth Of Never”. “Dishonor The Stars” is a song such as these. #LookNow #DishonorTheStars ...

Splendid post, Jack. I whole-heartedly agree - this is quite simply a superb song from a master in peak form. Moving, complex, and multi-layered. The simplicity of the metaphor, while risky, is exquisitely handled. I find it very moving to realize that the love-making depicted in the song's first ha...

Insightful in an engaged manner equal to the lyric and melody you nimbly pin to the page. I expected no less. EC should have legions of such listeners. Ha! Why, thank you, Jack. High praise indeed from one of the most insightful and engaged EC listeners around! :wink: FAVEHOUR, you may well be righ...