Almost Blue
Elvis Costello-Country Rock????, You got to be kidding!!. Ive listened to this one 3 times now, and it is country music with the Elvis Costello voice and twist, so here goes...
First off I love the Warning! label in the liner notes: "This album contains Country & Western Music & may produce radical reaction in narrow minded people". Further more, I'm afraid I disagree with any previous reviewers who cite this is the 1st misstep in a career that was consistantly on the rise. On the contrary, I think Almost Blue was the 1st time Costello completely stumped his audience. He's certainly done it a few times since.
It takes real balls to put your own stamp on a Hank Williams tune. Albeit, a relatively obscure one. Opening with "Why Don't You Love Me" Costello & company immediately put a spin into their own conceit. Throwing themselves into the proceedings with the same hyper, punked out abandon found on This Year's Model. This is your 1st indication that this isn't going to be your typical Country standards album. Or at worse a joke.
Fact of the matter is, he truly goes for the throat on this one. His take on "Sweet Dreams" may make Patsy Cline fans cringe in their beehives, but any Gram Parsons affecionado will appreciate Costello's heartfelt renditions of "Hot Burrito #1 (I'm Your Toy)" or "How Much I Lied". Both are just as touching as the originals, sung as if he'd written them himself.
"Good Year For The Roses" was the big surprise hit on this album. In England at any rate. Personally, I never get sick of hearing it. Perhaps because I've never heard the original.
As bonus discs go, Rhino & Mr. Costello have once again given you an all too generous assortment for your buck. Infact, there's more than twice as many tracks than on the original album. It starts off with his legendary duet with George Jones on "Stranger In The House". It doesn't disappoint. Followed by an even odder pairing with The Man In Black. I won't comment on the results, but the moment is to be cherished.
Besides some live tracks from his infamous gig in Aberdeen, there's not one, but 2 chilling versions of Leon Payne's "Psycho". Where others have milked the tune's black humor for all it's worth, Costello wisely takes it all too seriously. A welcomed restraint that will send a shiver up your spine, if you're in the right mood.
The bonus disc also features some very touching versions of "Too Far Gone" & "He's Got You". Not to mention real gems like "Wondering" & "Blues Keep Calling". His version of "I'll Take Care OF You" is to die for. Then there's "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven". I'll bore you if I go on (if I haven't already).
First off I love the Warning! label in the liner notes: "This album contains Country & Western Music & may produce radical reaction in narrow minded people". Further more, I'm afraid I disagree with any previous reviewers who cite this is the 1st misstep in a career that was consistantly on the rise. On the contrary, I think Almost Blue was the 1st time Costello completely stumped his audience. He's certainly done it a few times since.
It takes real balls to put your own stamp on a Hank Williams tune. Albeit, a relatively obscure one. Opening with "Why Don't You Love Me" Costello & company immediately put a spin into their own conceit. Throwing themselves into the proceedings with the same hyper, punked out abandon found on This Year's Model. This is your 1st indication that this isn't going to be your typical Country standards album. Or at worse a joke.
Fact of the matter is, he truly goes for the throat on this one. His take on "Sweet Dreams" may make Patsy Cline fans cringe in their beehives, but any Gram Parsons affecionado will appreciate Costello's heartfelt renditions of "Hot Burrito #1 (I'm Your Toy)" or "How Much I Lied". Both are just as touching as the originals, sung as if he'd written them himself.
"Good Year For The Roses" was the big surprise hit on this album. In England at any rate. Personally, I never get sick of hearing it. Perhaps because I've never heard the original.
As bonus discs go, Rhino & Mr. Costello have once again given you an all too generous assortment for your buck. Infact, there's more than twice as many tracks than on the original album. It starts off with his legendary duet with George Jones on "Stranger In The House". It doesn't disappoint. Followed by an even odder pairing with The Man In Black. I won't comment on the results, but the moment is to be cherished.
Besides some live tracks from his infamous gig in Aberdeen, there's not one, but 2 chilling versions of Leon Payne's "Psycho". Where others have milked the tune's black humor for all it's worth, Costello wisely takes it all too seriously. A welcomed restraint that will send a shiver up your spine, if you're in the right mood.
The bonus disc also features some very touching versions of "Too Far Gone" & "He's Got You". Not to mention real gems like "Wondering" & "Blues Keep Calling". His version of "I'll Take Care OF You" is to die for. Then there's "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven". I'll bore you if I go on (if I haven't already).
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