New York Times, April 13, 1989: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Elvis Costello, still taking risks </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello, still taking risks </h3></center> | ||
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Mr. Costello has released enough music to qualify as an old hand — 12 full-length albums and various collections, songs in every genre from punk to country to torchy pop. He has written straightforward storytelling songs as well as nonlinear, brilliantly aphoristic ones; love songs, political songs, comic songs and existential polemics, sometimes all in one. His current single, "Veronica," may be the only pop song about senility. Mr. Costello's songwriting is as wide-ranging as that of anyone now working, but he specializes in revealing the complex intersections of power and intimacy. | Mr. Costello has released enough music to qualify as an old hand — 12 full-length albums and various collections, songs in every genre from punk to country to torchy pop. He has written straightforward storytelling songs as well as nonlinear, brilliantly aphoristic ones; love songs, political songs, comic songs and existential polemics, sometimes all in one. His current single, "Veronica," may be the only pop song about senility. Mr. Costello's songwriting is as wide-ranging as that of anyone now working, but he specializes in revealing the complex intersections of power and intimacy. | ||
Most of the set was as stripped-down as a rock performance can be — one singer, one guitar. But Mr. Costello never just strummed straight through a song; each one was volatile and dynamic, riveting. In "Watching the Detectives," he toyed with vocal syncopations and might accompany one line on two strings, the next on six; his voice would leap an octave and then drop to a conspiratorial whisper. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" was a series of crescendoes that made every line tender and agonized. For "God's Comic," a song about a dead comedian who meets God, he did a short comedy routine and followed a line about God's "wondering if I should have given the world to the monkeys" with excerpts from Monkees songs. | Most of the set was as stripped-down as a rock performance can be — one singer, one guitar. But Mr. Costello never just strummed straight through a song; each one was volatile and dynamic, riveting. In "Watching the Detectives," he toyed with vocal syncopations and might accompany one line on two strings, the next on six; his voice would leap an octave and then drop to a conspiratorial whisper. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" was a series of crescendoes that made every line tender and agonized. For "God's Comic," a song about a dead comedian who meets God, he did a short comedy routine and followed a line about God's ''"wondering if I should have given the world to the monkeys"'' with excerpts from Monkees songs. | ||
Mr. Costello came onstage with a smile, and between songs he was droll and genial. But he never undercut his songs; behind the smile was an unsparing eye. In the last part of the two-hour-and-20-minute set, Mr. Costello emerged in a red velveteen jacket, carrying a plastic pitchfork, and began inviting young women onstage to request songs. He performed them cheerfully, including a version of "Pump It Up" newly arranged to a clanking, recorded drumbeat and interspersed with bits of "I Feel Pretty" from ''West Side Story'' and Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." | Mr. Costello came onstage with a smile, and between songs he was droll and genial. But he never undercut his songs; behind the smile was an unsparing eye. In the last part of the two-hour-and-20-minute set, Mr. Costello emerged in a red velveteen jacket, carrying a plastic pitchfork, and began inviting young women onstage to request songs. He performed them cheerfully, including a version of "Pump It Up" newly arranged to a clanking, recorded drumbeat and interspersed with bits of "I Feel Pretty" from ''West Side Story'' and Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." | ||
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Then, without warning, he made his own choice: "I Want You," a chilling song about pathological jealousy, sung in a voice that sounded like a kidnapper's desperate instructions. Once again, Mr. Costello had sprung an emotional ambush — breaking pop routine with dangerous directness. He wasn't playing punk-rock by any musical definition, but he was still pulling no punches. | Then, without warning, he made his own choice: "I Want You," a chilling song about pathological jealousy, sung in a voice that sounded like a kidnapper's desperate instructions. Once again, Mr. Costello had sprung an emotional ambush — breaking pop routine with dangerous directness. He wasn't playing punk-rock by any musical definition, but he was still pulling no punches. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Concert 1989-04-11 Brookville|Tilles Center]] {{-}} [[C.W. Post College]] {{-}} [[Brookville]] {{-}} [[New York]] {{-}} [[:Category:1989 US Solo Tour|1989 US Solo Tour]] {{-}} [[:Category:Costello Sings Again Tour|Costello Sings Again Tour]] {{-}} [[(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes]] {{-}} [[Veronica]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] {{-}} [[Deep Dark Truthful Mirror]] {{-}} [[God's Comic]] {{-}} [[Pump It Up]] {{-}} [[I Feel Pretty]] {{-}} [[Subterranean Homesick Blues]] {{-}} [[Bob Dylan]] {{-}} [[I Want You]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography notes}} | {{Bibliography notes}} | ||
{{Bibliography next | |||
|prev = New York Times, February 19, 1989 | |||
|next = New York Times, May 12, 1991 | |||
}} | |||
'''New York Times, April 13, 1989 | '''New York Times, April 13, 1989 | ||
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[[Jon Pareles]] reviews Elvis Costello solo, Tuesday, [[Concert 1989-04-11 Brookville|April 11, 1989]], Tilles Center, C.W. Post | [[Jon Pareles]] reviews Elvis Costello, solo, Tuesday, [[Concert 1989-04-11 Brookville|April 11, 1989]], Tilles Center, C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University. Brookville, New York. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | |||
[[image:1989-04-13 New York Times page C19 clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | |||
<br><small>Clipping.</small> | |||
<small>Photo by [[Larry Busacca]].</small><br> | |||
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<small>Page scan.</small><br> | |||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/13/arts/review-rock-elvis-costello-still-taking-risks.html NYTimes.com] | *[http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/13/arts/review-rock-elvis-costello-still-taking-risks.html NYTimes.com] | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times Wikipedia: New York Times] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times Wikipedia: New York Times] | ||
*[https://www.larrybusacca.com LarryBusacca.com] | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:New York Times 1989-04-13}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:New York Times 1989-04-13}} | ||
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