New Jersey Star-Ledger, November 6, 2013: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Elvis Costello goes it alone <br> (and gets personal) in Englewood </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello goes it alone <br> (and gets personal) in Englewood </h3></center> | ||
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Had Costello possessed the command that his fans are accustomed to, it may even have been revelatory. Unfortunately, he did not. Costello’s voice has always been something of a blunt instrument; on Monday, it was often raspy and difficult for him to control. It cracked where Costello didn’t want it to and drifted out of tune on delicate ballads such as "Our Little Angel" and "Deportee" that required precision to set sail. Yet, sometimes, he’d find his footing and demonstrate that he’s still one of pop’s premiere communicators: "Church Underground," a complicated story featuring at least one mid-song conversation between distinct characters, was delivered with the force and clarity of a sermon. | Had Costello possessed the command that his fans are accustomed to, it may even have been revelatory. Unfortunately, he did not. Costello’s voice has always been something of a blunt instrument; on Monday, it was often raspy and difficult for him to control. It cracked where Costello didn’t want it to and drifted out of tune on delicate ballads such as "Our Little Angel" and "Deportee" that required precision to set sail. Yet, sometimes, he’d find his footing and demonstrate that he’s still one of pop’s premiere communicators: "Church Underground," a complicated story featuring at least one mid-song conversation between distinct characters, was delivered with the force and clarity of a sermon. | ||
A solo tour is an intriguing and somewhat perverse choice for Costello in 2013. He’s just released ''[[Wise Up Ghost]]'', a collaboration with the Roots, and, in particular, drummer and producer Questlove, a Costello obsessive. Superficially, the Englewood show, which drew from all over Costello’s catalog, seemed to have little in common with the project he ought to be supporting. But the shadow of Ross MacManus’ death, and mortality in general, hangs heavily over | A solo tour is an intriguing and somewhat perverse choice for Costello in 2013. He’s just released ''[[Wise Up Ghost]]'', a collaboration with the Roots, and, in particular, drummer and producer Questlove, a Costello obsessive. Superficially, the Englewood show, which drew from all over Costello’s catalog, seemed to have little in common with the project he ought to be supporting. But the shadow of Ross MacManus’ death, and mortality in general, hangs heavily over ''Ghost'', and Questlove’s production encouraged Costello to look backward. The pair raided past albums — particularly the ornate mid-career sets ''Mighty Like a Rose'' and ''Spike'' — for verses and melodies to recontextualize, and stuck together familiar riffs, phrases and musical bric-a-brac from across the catalog. For a dedicated fan, the experience of hearing ''Wise Up Ghost'' is like returning home to a once-familiar house and finding the furniture rearranged. | ||
Costello took the lessons — and the mood — of | Costello took the lessons — and the mood — of ''Ghost'' into his solo concert. New songs contained seeds of older ones; fan favorites broke out in the bellies of recent compositions. "Cinco Minutos Con Vos," a new story that hints of espionage, suddenly became "High Fidelity." "Tripwire," another ''Ghost'' song, concluded with a slowed-down, pained rendition of "(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding." "You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away" sprung from "New Amsterdam," a Liverpool reflection in 6/8 time. | ||
Even the hits came with twists. Instead of encoring with "Radio Radio," Costello chose to perform "Radio Soul," its mid-’70s rough draft. | Even the hits came with twists. Instead of encoring with "Radio Radio," Costello chose to perform "Radio Soul," its mid-’70s rough draft. |
Latest revision as of 06:18, 13 February 2016
Elvis Costello Where: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown When: Nov. 26 and 27, 8 p.m. How much: $69 to $129; ![]()
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