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I was walking down Franklin Street in Chapel Hill Saturday afternoon when a friend mentioned, "You realize if we told our parents we had tickets to an Elvis concert tomorrow night, they'd think we were crazy." She was right. To most people, to connect "Elvis" with anyone other than the King of Rock and Roll would be almost blasphemous.
Elvis Costello played at UNC Sunday night; he also has a new album, Trust. Guess what? yep, he's the same ol' Elvis we've known and loved for the past 3½ years.
The main problem with Trust is that I couldn't really tell one selection from another unless I listened closely. But, then that's nothing new for Costello. Elvis has his own "sound" and each album copies the sound of the previous album.
Should we expect an artist to sound different on each successive album? A change of pace is welcome, but a musician doesn't have to experiment to the point where no common thread links his/her previous and current albums. However, if an artist cannot give the listener something different, what is the point of buying an album that sounds like the five previous efforts?
Don't misunderstand me. I like Elvis Costello; I have three of his albums. But I doubt Trust will become a part of my collection.
Let's give credit where credit is due. Declan Patrick MacManus (his real name) has replaced the electric organ on some songs with a beautiful acoustic piano. And Trust contains a touch of some soul-funk.
My favorite songs are "Clubland," "You'll Never Be a Man," "Strict Time," "Different Finger" and "Shot With His Own Gun." If you're a die-hard Elvis fan, you'll find the same or reliable Costello. If you're looking for other than mainstream Elvis, you're gonna be disappointed.
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