| Elvis
Costello & The Imposters |
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EC has once again sought out a unique sound as a concept for his latest material. In this case, his travels take him to the Mississippi Delta, the land where Robert Johnson sold his soul for infamy, and a guitar can’t play the blues unless it has served time in a pawnshop. While his trademark British accent-attack on vocals comes across quirky at times, it is his ear for the purity and quality of the region’s soul music that make this album a sure bet to be on most audiophiles’ top ten list. First-generation fans will be happy to hear that some of that youthful anger has returned on The Delivery Man. But Costello sounds not like a punk but like a seasoned pro, such as on the opening cut “Button My Lip.” His knack for intermingling social issues with confused love affairs is amazing, as it always has been. “Bedlam” bleeds with influences from the Get Happy/Trust days. Of course, it helps to have two Attractions on board (keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas). Also throwing in some “Americana-ization” for good measure are Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams on vocals. EC’s duet with Ms. Williams on “There’s a Story in Your Voice” at first sounds like it was recorded in a drunken stupor, but upon closer aural inspection, it becomes a wonderful battle of the road-hardened voices, with Costello struggling to take on the high harmonies. EC has always had the beat-poet influence on his lyrics. His charm has always been his high regard for the Western world’s musical styles, and his willingness to approach each genre with passion. He has never cowered (Nick Lowe recently said it best by stating that Costello has got balls to work with both Burt Bacharach AND Paul McCartney), and this challenge proves that he is one from whom you can always expect musical craftsmanship. –Matt Merta
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