Week Forty*************Elvis Costello***************National Ransom

[gryphon]

This week we turn to Elvis

The album cover here is outstanding:



Here is the link:
http://hotfile.com/dl/76243168/80f4d91/E...0.rar.html

Maybe this will be something more musical to talk about this week and then review.

[gryphon]

Elvis Costello……………………………………..National Ransom

Wiki Help :


Elvis Costello's new album National Ransom is scheduled for release October 25 on the Hear Music label.
It was recorded with producer T Bone Burnett in Nashville and Los Angeles over an 11 day period earlier this year.
Musicians include all members of The Imposters and The Sugarcanes, plus Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller, and Leon Russell. Elvis told Scotland's The Herald, "The ensemble ranges from two players to nine pieces and while some songs are very intimate and quiet, others are not."
Elvis has already played most of the album's songs in concert, but four — National Ransom, Church Underground, My Lovely Jezebel, and A Voice In The Dark — are previously unknown.


I include the Wiki page as it has excellent background info:
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index...nal_Ransom


Elvis is an international celebrity who rode to fame, on the back of Nick Lowe’s Stiff record label in the late seventies. Thirty odd years in the business has not blunted his appetite for success. Indeed it has added a new maturity to his already rich talent.


Track One National Ransom: This comfortable paced starter open’s Elvis’ account , there is energy and enthusiasm here together with a manic violin player. A good track!


Track Two Jimmy Standing In The Rain: We are in a twenties style for this song and mighty effective its is ….if Elvis had been man of this time, he could still have been a great success even if it was on 78 !


Track Three Stations Of The Cross: A religious theme ? Certainly, an unusual sounding track. This a serious work and has much meaning. Elvis in serious song writer mode!


Track Four A Slow Drag With Josephine : A verbal sound collage mixed with a guitar starts this track. It’s cute and memorable.


Track Five Five Small Words: Medium pacedrock is the key to this little set of five words


Track Six Church Underground:Rather stark track, with a strained vocal …………………………….


Track Seven You Hung The Moon:A much more gentle and melodic track. This is a nostalgic approach and it makes a sweet track ……………………..Elvis handles it quite well but it shows he has not really got a balladeer’s voice!


Track Eight Bullets For The New-Born King: Gentle acoustic number, with reflective lyrics,


Track Nine I Lost You : Country and Western Elvis! He has a good feel for this and the music seems to accept him!


Track Ten Dr Watson I presume !: An enjoyable track ,


Track Eleven One Bell Ringing: Guitar and vocal ………..Bare and simple approach………story in the lyric ……..message …………….


Track Twelve The Spell That You Cast: Strong rhythm and vocal , retro feeling and call and echo vocal all add up to a good attempt at a track…………..In the middle there’s a rock and roll fuzz guitar solo played with spirit. All too early…………………………..it’s over.


Track Thirteen That’s Not The Part Of Him You’re Leaving: Again we are back with a country feel to the album and a broken hearted theme ……………………………The violin cries and Elvis’ voice laments what he has lost……………..all good country song ingredients!


Track Fourteen My Lovely Jezabel: Raw boogie-woogie style track, captures the ear fast and rolls along at a great pace…………shows Elvis at his best.


Track Fifteen All These Strangers: Nice simple ballad. Well delivered, well sung and well written.


Track Sixteen A Voice In The Dark: A light-hearted twenties style charmer is the end point of this album .


Elvis shows himself to be a mature and self confident artist who is happy to work in many different styles and excels in most of them !

[CRAZY-HORSE]

very nice cover, thought 'band of joy' was good, but this one tops that. Elvis is a great artist,always been a big fan since i frist heard 'olivers army' in late 70s. also, saw him live for the first time a couple of yrs ago....brilliant show, blues,jazz,soul,country and his old 'alternative' stuff and Diana Krall came out and played piano on a couple of songs.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i bought this album today at the shops, havent heard it yet, will be interesting to read your 'review' of it and pass my own commentry on it.

edit: have heard this album now,but only once, i agree with probably 90% of what Gryphon said about it,
so im not going to bore you all with re-writing what has been said so i'll just rate the tracks:

"NATIONAL RANSOM" Elvis Costello

best track: That's Not The Part Of Him You're Leaving (2.3)
worst track: Church Underground (1.6)

1....national ransom (1.8)
2....jimmie standing in the rain (2.0)
3....stations of the cross (1.6)
4....a slow drag with josephine (1.7)
5....five small words (1.8)
6....church underground (1.6)
7....you hung the moon (1.7)
8....bullets for the new born king (1.6)
9....i lost you (2.0)
10..dr.watson,i presume (1.9)
11..one bell ringing (1.7)
12..the spell that you cast (2.1)
13..thats not the part of him youre leaving (2.3)
14..my lovely jezebel (1.9)
15..all these strangers (1.9)
16..a voice in the dark (1.8)

rating 1.8 (for the tracks)
rating 2.5 (for the fantastic cover art)

[CherieLuamboYampanyaStar]

I find this work interesting. Elvis Costello has a great voice. I enjoy his music in a unique way.