{"id":74,"date":"2015-10-18T15:52:29","date_gmt":"2015-10-18T15:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesquirrel.org.uk\/?p=74"},"modified":"2018-10-21T15:46:22","modified_gmt":"2018-10-21T15:46:22","slug":"unfaithful-music-costellos-back-pages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trailerstar.co.uk\/squirrel\/2015\/10\/18\/unfaithful-music-costellos-back-pages\/","title":{"rendered":"Unfaithful Music – Costello’s Back Pages"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oliver’s Army is here to stay….<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yesterday by chance I picked up another three of Elvis Costello’s 7 inch singles from late 70s to early 80s…..which seems to coincide with his most prolific and possibly best period as a songwriter. Yes he has delved into everything from classical to funk since like a slightly less annoying Morrisey but seems not to have suffered from the latter’s fading talents and self-obsessed verbal wankery…mostly. I cannot imagine Declan Patrick MacManus producing something as shit as Steven Patrick Morrisey’s latest ‘fiction’ if that what it is..most commentators have described it as unadalterated rubbish. No Declan is too smart, ed<\/a> too wordy for that and whilst the new tome isn’t Shakespeare or even a mad poet’s take on Shakespeare (Hughes) it does look interesting. Maybe not as interesting as warts and all former band-mate Bruce\u00a0Thomas’s brilliant ‘The Big Wheel’<\/em> <\/strong>which probably tells you all you need to know about sharing a bus with a pain in the arse lead singer..but it comes with literary affections – pace Dylan’s Chronicles use of Conrad like flashbacks-\u00a0and a decent cover which usually enough to allow me to purchase in two years time when the hardback inevitably remaindered.<\/p>\n

Not having purchased yet I can only share the cover and a reviewer at NY Times sentiment that it smart-arse but not brilliant which sadly covers about half of the singing dictionary man in a one-liner worthy of the bard himself. Declan had a voice from his father and a way with words that few equaled in the period illustrated above…sometimes he produced too much and a fair sifting needed but anything up until he shagged an Irish bird (we all do that sometimes) and dumped his family is OK. After that it spirals like a drunken Dublin drinker around pretension and brilliance and the diamonds are harder to find in the mine. Now secure and contented as only a high earning\u00a0ex-pat can be and happily married to Diana Krall which has enlarged the Jazz vocalisms somewhat we have a ‘national treasure’ to adore and be depressed by in equal measure. A Singing Corbyn…always loyal to the cause (‘Tramp the Dirt Down’ for instance) but hardly a working-class hero then or now and his racist taunts in late 70s were unforgiveable from an arrogant shit which\u00a0he admits to in yesterday’s Guardian feature ( promo -tie-in whatever etc….buy from Guardian at \u00a36 off etc). He is an astute game player and proves it by still being able to tour his Wheel of Death Songs and hold on to some reins of musical power. Whether the dark horse of fate will remember him as a game-changer or not he a part of my musical landscape and for ‘Oliver’s Army’ I will always applaud him. As for the Brodsky Quartet I have it ..never played ..I mean a quartet for fucks sake…yer Dad would just laugh…..<\/p>\n

Records 1977-1986 \u00a0*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"costello\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My collection of Elvis C 7 inches……1978-1984<\/strong><\/p>\n

‘King of America’ is a brilliant album he could have stopped there and his reputation would be intact..after that ..some good songs but no album that as coherent nor as well written.<\/p>\n

Records 1986- present ***<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spike was hit and miss….after that some pure crap mixed with moments of brilliance..North\/Brodsky Pseudo Classical\/Bacharach..he milked every market but nothing as good as King of America….not total shit but kind of albums you file rather than play….<\/p>\n

Books : Autobiography\/Bios\/Music Books<\/strong><\/p>\n

Autobiography – nice cover shame about the title ..Unfaithful Music alone would do but Declan cant stop himself over-egging it can he…???<\/p>\n

Also here some of the previous biographies on the man to compare Declan’s version of events with \ud83d\ude42 There even the first Academic Tome….appropriate for the wordy..<\/p>\n

Per chance Declan has also seen fit to release a greatest hits CD..a couple of sweeteners on there for the fans with same title and sleeve art…
\na tad opportunistic I would say but then I not a Man out of Time…<\/p>\n