Continued from page 16 when missing at radio or then-tastemaker MTV. Commercial favor would return in 1989 with Spike and the lively Anglophile pop of“ Veronica.” Patterned after the Animals’ version rather than Nina Simone’ s original, adding the cover song“ Don’ t Let Me Be Misunderstood” to King of America was intended to provide a viable single. While the track complemented the remainder of the album |
and was no embarrassment, it doesn’ t exceed the highlights of Costello’ s compositions, including the acoustic jangle of the jaded“ Brilliant Mistake,” the interpersonal combustion of the simmering“ Indoor Fireworks,” the wry Cajun-country waltz and sketch of displaced Brits“ American Without Tears,” the lively rockabilly skiffle of“ The Big Light” shining on a wicked hangover, or acerbic“ Suit of Lights.” The album overflows with Costello’ s finest collection of tall tales, small tales, and character sketches ever assembled on a single one of his albums. The tale of the dejected loser in“ I’ ll Wear it Proudly” is accompanied by Mitchell Froom’ s descending Hammond organ riff that was later lifted wholesale and placed into the hit Crowded House ballad“ Don’ t Dream It’ s Over.” If King of America is your own favorite Costello album, this six-CD set is a treasure trove and a must-have. The main album benefits from a respectful and meticulous remaster. Encased in a hardback book, the Other Realms includes 82 tracks beyond the main album’ s familiar 15 songs. The CD Le Roi Sans Sabots begins with early album contender and two-beat country of“ The People’ s Limousine,” credited to the Coward Brothers. Costello and Burnett had toured under the name before embarking upon the recording of King of America. The Red Bus studio demo of the plaintive breakup song“ Shoes Without Heels” is fine fare and clearly of a piece with the finished album but was |
perhaps left aside for sounding too similar to other forlorn fare on the album. A different version surfaced in 1987’ s rarities collection, Out of Our Idiot. Another disc offers a full show from January 1987 at the Royal Albert Hall, with bandmates including guitarist James Burton and bassist Jerry Scheff from Elvis Presley’ s TCB Band, drummer Jim Keltner, keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and T-Bone Wolk from Daryl Hall and John Oates’ band. The set list spotlights key material from King of America alongside a musicologist’ s dream of deep cuts from a study of Americana. Songs performed include Allen Toussaint’ s“ Riverboat,” Sonny Boy Williamson’ s“ Your Funeral and My Trial,” Mose Allison’ s“ Your Mind Is on Vacation,” and Ray Charles’“ What Would I Do Without You” before closing with Buddy Holly’ s“ True Love Ways.” Other outtakes span the decades since the original release of King of America while sharing the album’ s spirit. These include“ There’ s a Story in Your Voice” with Lucinda Williams, a previously unreleased version of the rollicking“ Quick Like a Flash.” The swampy and wounded torch song“ That’ s Not the Part of Him You’ re Leaving” was recorded with Larkin Poe in 2024. Weeper“ Heart Shaped Bruise” captures Costello in a Memphis duet with Emmylou Harris.“ Clown Strike” rides a taut and upbeat Motown tempo in a Toussaint arrangement spiked by brass.“ The Monkey” is a swinging live romp accompanied in New Orleans by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Songs including " Jimmie Standing in the Rain " appear from 2010’ s collaboration with Burnett National Ransom, as well as a live version from the Grand Ole Opry of“ A Scarlet Tide,” Costello and Burnett’ s Oscar and Grammy-nominated song for the film Cold Mountain. A version of“ Brilliant Mistake / Boulevard of Broken Dreams” casts the album tracks as a rueful piano-based tango. The set concludes with the Gospel tones of The Fairfield Four, joining Costello on a stirring version of“ That Day is Done” from Paul McCartney’ s 1989 album Flowers in the Dirt. The journey is made more immersive by the 35 pages of photos and liner notes penned by Costello Continued himself on. page This 22 set would be a lot to process for a newcomer but provides hours of context, insight, and adjacent material to thrill devotees.( elviscostello. com)
– Jeff Elbel
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NEON HORSE Habit of Creature( Velvet Blue)
The originally clandestine gothic rockers Neon Horse released a second full-
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April 20, 2024 |