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Me:
I think "Momofuku" is a fantastic record. It's one of his recent best.
Too Many People:
What is it? I don't even know that album.
I have had this conversation a number of times with friends and acquaintances who are fans of Elvis Costello. Some continue with the old standby, "I stopped listening to Elvis around 'Spike.'" But that's another story.
It's understandable how some fans of EC might have missed "Momofuku." It came and went without fanfare at a time when Costello was without a label, was fed up yet again with the industry, and had been using his time working on other projects, such as collaborations with Allen Toussaint, the Metropole Orkestra, a tribute to Billy Strayhorn, not to mention raising his kids. For fans of the angry young Declan, patience was being tried and many got off the bus.
But I have stayed with Costello through it all, having been rewarded enough times to give each experiment a fair shake. Occasionally, a record misses the mark I need it to hit, like his love letter to Diana Krall, "North" or the aforementioned Metropole record, "My Flame Burns Blue," both lugubrious and unpleasant to my ears. But ultimately, there is amazing music to be found on just about every Costello record.
The odd thing about the lack of love for "Momofuku" is that it's the record that sounds like the Elvis everyone misses. It was knocked out in a week, and for the most part, it rocks in a very organic way. There is no dabbling with samples, or string sections, or scary jazz chords. In many ways it reminds me of the sonics of "Blood & Chocolate."
I added a new gadget to the blog, "The Best Thing I Listened To Yesterday." It's simple, and was inspired by the Buzzcocks' "A Different Kind Of Tension," which I hadn't heard in ages. I was blown away by just how perfect it sounded after all these years. I listened to a lot of great music yesterday, but the Buzzcocks was the most satisfying...until I played "Momofuku," which is why I decided to feature it today.
Give this record a chance. "Momofuku" deserves a hell of a lot more than it has gotten since its release in 2008.
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