SP&S, NR, and the road ahead...

[cwr]

It would seem that the overall consensus-- nay, the overwhelming consensus-- is that NR is better than SP&S. Even Elvis himself seems to acknowledge it in interviews.

Are there any naysayers out there? Defenders of SP&S who haven't taken as much of a shine to NR? Speak up!

I think that the big difference, for me, is that SP&S is a really wonderful album that somehow works DESPITE being cobbled together from disparate sources like his abandoned "Secret Songs" project, songs he wrote for Johnny Cash (or the Johnny Cash movie), a stray Delivery Man song, etc. It's a wonder that it all holds together as well as it does. I'm not sure that too many artists could pull off making an album out of a half-finished Hans Christian Anderson song cycle without it seeming like a total joke.

National Ransom, on the other hand, feels like it is purely its own thing. These songs were written for THIS record, nothing else. This isn't merely the final resting place for some half-realized opera house commission and a few stray collaborations, this is Costello's State Of The Union 2010.

And yet-- and maybe this is merely the consistency of T Bone, The Sugarcanes and the superb artwork of Mr. Tony Millionaire-- it's difficult not to think of this as the second part of something, as Costello's Empire Strikes Back. It is difficult-- nay, impossible-- for me not to wish for a third to complete the trilogy. I want him to keep moving forward and make another record with T Bone at the helm, maybe with even more of The Imposters' touch in the proceedings. I want to see that third Tony Millionaire sleeve.

I think that NR's existence actually enhances SP&S, in a funny way. Even though it is the better album, it makes SP&S feel more important in Costello's body of work. And both of them actually kind of make Momofuku seem like even more of a minor diversion, albeit an enjoyable one. That record now feels like something he put out in between "proper" records, something like a fan club exclusive (which, given the positively abysmal sales and a lack of a tour to promote it, it might as well have been.)

SP&S and NR seem to mark the beginning of a new phase in Costello's career, after the career-defining First Ten Years, after the pop success and wild experimentation of the WB era, following on the heels of his by-far strangest decade on the various niche labels controlled by the ominously named Universal Music Group... He seems happier and more comfortable now, and hopefully it will lead to more records like these two. The records have always been good, but it is more fun to be a Costello fan than it was just a few short years ago. I am hopeful.

[alexv]

CWR, I am not a fan of SP&R. It's one of my least favorite EC records. The songs from the Secret Songs projects bring the record down. The novelty of the bluegrass theme was the only thing that saved the record. Only two songs on it that I like: Changing Partners and The Crooked Line. The songs from the art song project are dull and overwrought. Down and doll are Ok EC songs. And as I've said before, to a fan like me, even bad EC will inevitably have a few gems. Anyway, the only link I see is the artwork and the Sugarcanes.

I look back to Momofuku, a record I do like, and in songs like Harry, Mr. F, My Three Sons, I see the precursors to similar period exercises like Jimmie, Josephine and Voice. There's even a similarity in the two tuneless rants: American Gangster Time and NR.

[bronxapostle]

we LIKE the rants: PUMP IT UP, TOKYO STORM WARNING, HURRY DOWN DOOMSDAY...loads more. keep the likes of NR and Gangster Time coming!!!!!!!

[Pigalle]

SP&S wins hands down for me; it was the record that rekindled my interest in Elvis (I have diligently bought every Elvis record as they've come out despite the law of diminishing returns seeming to apply for me until SP&S came out - it took his tour to the UK for me to remove the shrinkwrap, though, and when I did I loved it). Having seen Elvis with The Sugarcanes I couldn't wait for NR. Sadly, it leaves me underwhelmed; maybe my expectations were too high following those amazing shows with The Sugarcanes.

[alexv]

BA, different strokes for different folks. But please don't misconstrue by rant comment. Pump it up is/was a rant, but a great, tuneful rant. As was Peace Love and Understanding and lots of others. I have nothing against rants; my objection, and it's merely personal, is to what I perceive as tuneless rants. The key there is "what I perceive". No one will convince me, ever, that there is any comparison between the two songs mentioned and Gangster Time and NR. But of course, as I've said before this is all personal reaction. If you think the songs are comparable more power to you. I will not even try to argue the point. We simply differ, which is a good thing.

[the_platypus]

I love both these albums and am excited to see what's next.

[cwr]

Alexv, you're right that on most of these points there is no argument but that we disagree, simply a matter of subjective personal taste.

As I said, I personally felt that the Secret Songs material worked better than it had any right to-- it sounds like your sense of it was closer to what I THOUGHT mine would be before I'd listened to it.

And I'd personally differ greatly with the characterization of the song "National Ransom" as a "tuneless" rant. I think there's a lot more melodic variety throughout than in those other EC rant songs. You might not like it, but I think it's demonstrably more tuneful than "Pump It Up." That won't make you like it any better as a song, but I'd say it's probably more accurate to say that you just find the song boring, which is fair enough. Me, I love it, especially the way EC sings "you couldn't hold me, baby, with anything but contempt" and the way those guitars duel with one another in opposite headphones right up to the bitter end...

Anyway, the only link I see is the artwork and the Sugarcanes.

I look back to Momofuku, a record I do like, and in songs like Harry, Mr. F, My Three Sons, I see the precursors to similar period exercises like Jimmie, Josephine and Voice. There's even a similarity in the two tuneless rants: American Gangster Time and NR.

See, I think there is much stronger link between Jimmie, Josephine, and Voice to a song like "Sulphur To Sugarcane" than there is to any of the songs you mention on Momofuku. If he were to go on Prairie Home Companion and play those four songs they would fit right in, whereas if you added "Harry Worth" or "Mr. Feathers" it would stick out as being a different kind of a song...

[bambooneedle]

Ahh who gives a fuck what "alexv" thinks, he's not the authority he thinks he is...just some shmuck on the internet.

[Top balcony]

Ahh who gives a...

conduct unbecoming - even Howard Webb would give this a yellow card

Colin Top Balcony

[pophead2k]

Inspired by this thread, I gave both Momofuku and Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane a spin today, and I have to give the tilt to Momofuku. National Ransom feels like a nice cross between the two, but with superior songs. SP&S has some great songs (I'm a fan of the Secret Songs...) but is sounding a little labored to my ears these days. National Ransom has the 'loose precision' that I hear in Momofuku.

[bronxapostle]

definite link between MOMO, SP&S & NR....they make a splendid trilogy right there. who cares what's next? it WILL always be TOP SHELF. that's why we're all HERE 34 years later! we happily take what he gives. forever A+++

[bambooneedle]

Not compelled to constantly compare albums but am just happy EC is writing great songs.

[migdd]

Amen to that, bbn.