New Musical Express, April 4, 1981: Difference between revisions
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{{Bibliography article header}} | {{Bibliography article header}} | ||
<center><h3> Familiarity breeds contentment </h3></center> | <center><h3> Familiarity breeds contentment </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Max Bell </center> | <center> Max Bell </center> | ||
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'''Elvis Costello And The Attractions <br> | |||
Hammersmith Odeon | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
Without ever quite giving the impression of being listless and jaded at the end of the "Tour To Trust," Elvis Costello's Friday night performance suggested that he was not comfortable in the obvious trap of London's least personal venue. | Without ever quite giving the impression of being listless and jaded at the end of the "Tour To Trust," Elvis Costello's Friday night performance suggested that he was not comfortable in the obvious trap of London's least personal venue. | ||
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England's most literate and sophisticated songwriter can never be said to be dull and boring — the familiarity of his tunes breeds contentment. Still, he flirted with safety here while The Attractions substituted a frenetic percussive assault for their recorded melodic invention. | England's most literate and sophisticated songwriter can never be said to be dull and boring — the familiarity of his tunes breeds contentment. Still, he flirted with safety here while The Attractions substituted a frenetic percussive assault for their recorded melodic invention. | ||
Of the ballads, "Shot With His Own Gun" | Of the ballads, "Shot With His Own Gun," "I'll Take Good Care Of You" and the sublime, owning-up "Clowntime Is Over" were all memorable — Steve Nieve's florid acoustic piano working better than his up-tempo cheesy Mexicali organ on "Pump It Up" or in the disguised cheerful venom of "Oliver's Army." | ||
Anyone who gets Elvis' gist realises that he functions best on a mixture of scintillating instrumental energy and a diversity of lyrical techniques — he's straightforward and multi-faceted. | Anyone who gets Elvis' gist realises that he functions best on a mixture of scintillating instrumental energy and a diversity of lyrical techniques — he's straightforward and multi-faceted. | ||
Too bad then that the usual savage stabbing of "King Horse" and "Radio Radio" came across as minor skin wounds — Costello's barbed points are better aimed from closer range. | Too bad then that the usual savage stabbing of "King Horse" and "Radio, Radio" came across as minor skin wounds — Costello's barbed points are better aimed from closer range. | ||
Of course Elvis was fully aware of the night's shortcomings (apparently he worked hard to lessen them on | Of course Elvis was fully aware of the night's shortcomings (apparently he worked hard to lessen them on Saturday). "Cheer up for God's sake!" he exhorted us without bitterness and later expressed dissatisfaction at his lack of communication. | ||
The second half of the evening had more swagger and incision with one new song ("Human Hands"?) building around a clicking bass, funky walking rhythm and Nieve's embellishing piano (shades of Allen Toussaint). The resurrected song "The Beat" ("for all of you who were with us in the Nashville days") also struck an appropriately celebratory mood. | The second half of the evening had more swagger and incision with one new song ("Human Hands"?) building around a clicking bass, funky walking rhythm and Nieve's embellishing piano (shades of Allen Toussaint). The resurrected song "The Beat" ("for all of you who were with us in the Nashville days") also struck an appropriately celebratory mood. | ||
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But those peaks were isolated and even a raucously good-natured "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" missed its jolting response. | But those peaks were isolated and even a raucously good-natured "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" missed its jolting response. | ||
Elvis paid some country dues to Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, messed up "Big Sister's Clothes" | Elvis paid some country dues to Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, messed up "Big Sister's Clothes," and surprised everyone late with a sublime version of Randy Crawford's "One Day I'll Fly Away." The Attractions shook and finger-popped on their own standard "Watching The Detectives" but no one was really getting blown away. | ||
With a talent as classy as Elvis Costello's you knew this was merely a good, workmanlike performance. As he is a proven craftsman you also knew that the star of the show couldn't have been satisfied at having to second that emotion. | With a talent as classy as Elvis Costello's you knew this was merely a good, workmanlike performance. As he is a proven craftsman you also knew that the star of the show couldn't have been satisfied at having to second that emotion. | ||
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{{tags}}[[Concert 1981-03-27 London|Hammersmith Odeon]] {{-}} [[London]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[:Category:A Tour To Trust|A Tour To Trust]] {{-}} [[Shot With His Own Gun]] {{-}} [[I'll Take Care Of You|I'll Take Good Care Of You]] {{-}} [[Clowntime Is Over]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Pump It Up]] {{-}} [[Oliver's Army]] {{-}} [[King Horse]] {{-}} [[Radio, Radio]] {{-}} [[Human Hands]] {{-}} [[Allen Toussaint]] {{-}} [[The Beat]] {{-}} [[I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down]] {{-}} [[Patsy Cline]] {{-}} [[He's Got You]] {{-}} [[Hank Williams]] {{-}} [[Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?]] {{-}} [[Big Sister's Clothes]] {{-}} [[One Day I'll Fly Away]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography next | {{Bibliography next | ||
|prev = New Musical Express, February 28, 1981 | |prev = New Musical Express, February 28, 1981 | ||
|next = New Musical Express, April | |next = New Musical Express, April 11, 1981 | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''New Musical Express, April 4, 1981 | '''New Musical Express, April 4, 1981 | ||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1981-04-04 New Musical Express page 45 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1981-04-04 New Musical Express page 45 clipping 01.jpg|300px]] | ||
<br><small>Clipping composite.</small> | <br><small>Clipping composite.</small> | ||
[[image:1981-04-04 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px | <small>Cover and page scan.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1981-04-04 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px]] | |||
[[image:1981-04-04 New Musical Express page 45.jpg|x120px]] | |||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://www.nme.com/ NME.com] | *[http://www.nme.com/ NME.com] | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME Wikipedia: NME] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME Wikipedia: NME] | ||
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/46020816784/ Flickr: nothingelseon][https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=89224990%40N00&view_all=1&text=NME%2C%204%20April%2C%201981 {{t}}] | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1981-04-04}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1981-04-04}} |