Lakeland Ledger, March 14, 2002: Difference between revisions
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Still, I much prefer ''Blood & Chocolate'' (1986), which most days dukes it out with the crazed inebriation of ''Trust'' (1981) as my favorite. Their final album for Columbia, this was the tattered end of Costello and the Attractions' initial run, produced once again by Nick Lowe but recorded amid an identity crisis for the author, who had resumed the use of his birth name, Declan MacManus, on the previous outing, ''King of America'' (also 1986). Subsequently, only one ''B&C'' cut is credited to Elvis Costello, the scathing "I Hope You're Happy Now," the acoustic version of which turned up ages ago as a B-side yet stupidly has been overlooked for a second time in the reissue process. | Still, I much prefer ''Blood & Chocolate'' (1986), which most days dukes it out with the crazed inebriation of ''Trust'' (1981) as my favorite. Their final album for Columbia, this was the tattered end of Costello and the Attractions' initial run, produced once again by Nick Lowe but recorded amid an identity crisis for the author, who had resumed the use of his birth name, Declan MacManus, on the previous outing, ''King of America'' (also 1986). Subsequently, only one ''B&C'' cut is credited to Elvis Costello, the scathing "I Hope You're Happy Now," the acoustic version of which turned up ages ago as a B-side yet stupidly has been overlooked for a second time in the reissue process. | ||
I say that track is scathing, but really the whole album is one long, spiteful rant — "a (ticked)-off 32-year-old | I say that track is scathing, but really the whole album is one long, spiteful rant — "a (ticked)-off 32-year-old divorcé's version of the musical blueprint with which I had begun my recording career," Costello writes in the liner notes, which are as plentiful as the verbose verses for "Tokyo Storm Warning." | ||
The album isn't all bark; it has moments of rumination, like the she's-your-problem-now distance of "Blue Chair" and the regret of "Crimes of Paris," and it sports his deepest I-scare-myself wallow, the epic obsession behind "I Want You." But even within those songs there are lines so barbed they can stun from casual listen. | The album isn't all bark; it has moments of rumination, like the she's-your-problem-now distance of "Blue Chair" and the regret of "Crimes of Paris," and it sports his deepest I-scare-myself wallow, the epic obsession behind "I Want You." But even within those songs there are lines so barbed they can stun from casual listen. | ||
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Taken together, it makes for a solid evaluation of their contribution to rock — and a nice reintroduction to Costello's hard-edged nature as he readies his first proper album in six years, ''When I Was Cruel'', due April 23. | Taken together, it makes for a solid evaluation of their contribution to rock — and a nice reintroduction to Costello's hard-edged nature as he readies his first proper album in six years, ''When I Was Cruel'', due April 23. | ||
There's more to come of his past, and there will be another study of the Attractions' artistry, with ''Get Happy!!'' (1980), ''Trust'' and ''Punch the Clock'' (1983) illustrating their evolution from | There's more to come of his past, and there will be another study of the Attractions' artistry, with ''Get Happy!!'' (1980), ''Trust'' and ''Punch the Clock'' (1983) illustrating their evolution from '60s-style house band to '80s pop machine. | ||
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Next, however, is a look at Costello's most embroidered efforts — ''Armed Forces'' (1979), ''Imperial Bedroom'' (1982) and ''Mighty Like a Rose'' (1991). | Next, however, is a look at Costello's most embroidered efforts — ''Armed Forces'' (1979), ''Imperial Bedroom'' (1982) and ''Mighty Like a Rose'' (1991). | ||
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'''The Ledger, March 14, 2002 | '''The Ledger, March 14, 2002 | ||
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[[Ben Wener]] | [[Ben Wener]] reviews the Rhino reissues of ''[[This Year's Model]]'', ''[[Blood & Chocolate]]'' and ''[[Brutal Youth]]''. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
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[[Category:Lakeland Ledger| Lakeland Ledger 2002-03-14]] | [[Category:Lakeland Ledger| Lakeland Ledger 2002-03-14]] | ||
[[Category:Newspaper articles]] | [[Category:Newspaper articles]] | ||
[[Category:Album reviews]] | |||
[[Category:This Year's Model reviews]] | |||
[[Category:Blood & Chocolate reviews]] | |||
[[Category:Brutal Youth reviews]] |
Revision as of 19:24, 23 May 2018
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