West Chester University Quad, March 14, 1989: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Elvis proves he is King </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis proves he is King </h3></center> | ||
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The record buying public, however, is a bit wary considering what Costello has released in recent years. For those who are looking for a collection of angry rockers like his ''My Aim is True'' or ''This Year's Model'' albums, or twenty dancable ditties like ''Get Happy'', they won't find it in ''Spike''. | The record buying public, however, is a bit wary considering what Costello has released in recent years. For those who are looking for a collection of angry rockers like his ''My Aim is True'' or ''This Year's Model'' albums, or twenty dancable ditties like ''Get Happy'', they won't find it in ''Spike''. | ||
First, let's look at what Costello has recorded in the past five years. Aside from last year's compilation album, ''Out of Our Idiot'', it has been two years since Elvis went into the studio. When he came out he brought with him ''Blood and Chocolate'', an album which reunited him with The Attractions and recreated the raw sound of his earlier records. | First, let's look at what Costello has recorded in the past five years. Aside from last year's compilation album, ''Out of Our Idiot'', it has been two years since Elvis went into the studio. When he came out he brought with him ''Blood and Chocolate'', an album which reunited him with The Attractions and recreated the raw sound of his earlier records. Despite this, the album saw meager sales and received little or no airplay. | ||
In 1986 | In 1986, Costello paired up with T-Bone Burnett and various studio and country musicians to record ''King of America'', which, like most of his records, received overwhelming critical acclaim and sold about a dozen copies. Fans are already drawing parallels between this album and ''Spike'', in which The Attractions are noticeably absent. | ||
When Costello released ''Goodbye Cruel World'' in 1984, the critics and his fans wished he had meant it. Elvis himself admitted that this was a bad album. The critics agreed: it's a loser. | When Costello released ''Goodbye Cruel World'' in 1984, the critics and his fans wished he had meant it. Elvis himself admitted that this was a bad album. The critics agreed: it's a loser. | ||
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''Spike'' debuts the first sampling of the much publicized collaboration with Paul McCartney, including "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the first single, "Veronica," a catchy, upbeat pop song that is not at all indicative of the rest of the album. More from that collaboration is expected to appear on McCartney's forthcoming LP. | ''Spike'' debuts the first sampling of the much publicized collaboration with Paul McCartney, including "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the first single, "Veronica," a catchy, upbeat pop song that is not at all indicative of the rest of the album. More from that collaboration is expected to appear on McCartney's forthcoming LP. | ||
Unlike McCartney, who tends to sing about such homey and pastoral subjects as his wife, his children and his farm in Scotland, Costello laments about lost love in "Baby Plays Around | Unlike McCartney, who tends to sing about such homey and pastoral subjects as his wife, his children and his farm in Scotland, Costello laments about lost love in "Baby Plays Around," offers scathing commentary on Anglo-lrish relations in "Any King's Shilling," and cynically mourns the imminent death of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "Tramp the Dirt Down." | ||
It's not all doom and gloom though in ''Spike''. In "God's Comic," Costello uses his witty cynicism to create a hysterical image of God on a waterbed ''"drinking a cola of a mystery brand, reading an airport novelette, listening to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Requiem'."'' | It's not all doom and gloom though in ''Spike''. In "God's Comic," Costello uses his witty cynicism to create a hysterical image of God on a waterbed ''"drinking a cola of a mystery brand, reading an airport novelette, listening to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Requiem'."'' | ||
Musically, this is Costello's most diverse album. Traditional Irish folk instruments mesh with New Orleans-style horns to create sounds never before heard on a pop album. It's an album chock full of international instruments: Spanish guitar, Indian harmonium | Musically, this is Costello's most diverse album. Traditional Irish folk instruments mesh with New Orleans-style horns to create sounds never before heard on a pop album. It's an album chock full of international instruments: Spanish guitar, Indian harmonium, Chinese cymbal, lung maracas, glockenspiel, Sousaphone and even an Oldsmobile hubcap. | ||
Costello has effectively used the Sousaphone in place of the electric bass guitar on several tracks. One such song, " | Costello has effectively used the Sousaphone in place of the electric bass guitar on several tracks. One such song, "Stalin Malone," an instrumental with lyrics (included on the album sleeve), is a jazzy vehicle for the antics of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band accompanied by drums alone. | ||
What does all this mean? It means that for hard-core Costello fans who believe, as his debut album cover states, the Elvis really is King, this is the album they've been waiting for. However, those who like "Allison," "Pump it Up," "Everyday I Write the Book" and little else, should save their money or open their minds. | What does all this mean? It means that for hard-core Costello fans who believe, as his debut album cover states, the Elvis really is King, this is the album they've been waiting for. However, those who like "Allison," "Pump it Up," "Everyday I Write the Book" and little else, should save their money or open their minds. |
Latest revision as of 21:00, 20 October 2016
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