Rolling Stone, April 5, 1979: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Two Sides of Elvis Costello </h3></center> | <center><h3> Two Sides of Elvis Costello </h3></center> | ||
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From the moment Elvis scuffled onstage at the spiffy, cavernous Long Beach Arena (curtained in half so he could play to a smaller crowd), he seemed like some leering, jerking marionette being strung along through its scenes. He never missed an inch or risked a step: every possible turn, from the order and arrangements of songs to the switching of mikes and guitars, had been plotted painstakingly, and flowed effortlessly. In other words, the performance lacked the impetuosity that usually marks Elvis' best shows. | From the moment Elvis scuffled onstage at the spiffy, cavernous Long Beach Arena (curtained in half so he could play to a smaller crowd), he seemed like some leering, jerking marionette being strung along through its scenes. He never missed an inch or risked a step: every possible turn, from the order and arrangements of songs to the switching of mikes and guitars, had been plotted painstakingly, and flowed effortlessly. In other words, the performance lacked the impetuosity that usually marks Elvis' best shows. | ||
Largely, that stemmed from Costello's dependence on Armed Forces material. The new songs (particularly "Accidents Will Happen" "Green Shirt" and "Two Little Hitlers") have tricky classic pop structures like a New Wave ''Between the Buttons'' — that make for Elvis' riskiest music to date. They also make for fussy performances that are hard to pull off onstage. At Long Beach, Elvis delivered them with a rigorous yet stiff, almost hurried slant, amounting to little more than an exercise in perfunctory power. | Largely, that stemmed from Costello's dependence on ''Armed Forces'' material. The new songs (particularly "Accidents Will Happen" "Green Shirt" and "Two Little Hitlers") have tricky classic pop structures like a New Wave ''Between the Buttons'' — that make for Elvis' riskiest music to date. They also make for fussy performances that are hard to pull off onstage. At Long Beach, Elvis delivered them with a rigorous yet stiff, almost hurried slant, amounting to little more than an exercise in perfunctory power. | ||
Which isn't to say the show lacked punch. Costello and his gangling Attractions railed through taut versions of "Big Tears," "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea," "Lipstick Vogue," Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" and "Sad about Girls," a new ballad by Attractions keyboardist Steve Naive. In addition, Elvis' singing has never sounded more self-possessed, recalling, alternately, a wily McCartney and an impassioned Springsteen. Oddly enough, though, I was reminded even more of another pop artisan: Jackson Browne. Like Browne Costello sings of intimate matters impersonally. Both artists' songs seem to be subterfuge: communiques that create the illusion of disclosure while masking the artists' true passions and disillusions. | Which isn't to say the show lacked punch. Costello and his gangling Attractions railed through taut versions of "Big Tears," "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea," "Lipstick Vogue," Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" and "Sad about Girls," a new ballad by Attractions keyboardist Steve Naive. In addition, Elvis' singing has never sounded more self-possessed, recalling, alternately, a wily McCartney and an impassioned Springsteen. Oddly enough, though, I was reminded even more of another pop artisan: Jackson Browne. Like Browne Costello sings of intimate matters impersonally. Both artists' songs seem to be subterfuge: communiques that create the illusion of disclosure while masking the artists' true passions and disillusions. |
Revision as of 06:57, 27 May 2016
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