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He’s doing what he does best.
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He’s doing what he does best.
Elvis Costello is 50, he’s released, on average, nearly an album a year for the whole of his adult life. He is responsible for some of the finest songs ever written and he’s done whole albums that wouldn’t get back through my front door in an hermetically sealed coffin, with an armed guard.
That’s not to say that those albums lack quality, in fact I’d be hard pushed to think of an Elvis Costello song that isn’t well written, or well intended, my musical tastes just don’t stretch as far as Elvis’ inexhaustible curiosity.
Lucky for me then that ‘The Delivery Man’ takes it’s inspirations mainly from the American South, a place where both he and I feel comfortable (musically speaking). ‘Button My Lip’ is a “pull up a stool and get yourself a drink” opener. It’s a rough and raw jam, a hard edged barroom blues but with the benefit of imagination and a twist of jazz.
The next three tracks more closely follow the country route which meanders in and out of the whole album. It is a route that suits him well, ‘Country Darkness’ is better than most of what comes out of Nashville for my money, and the excellent ‘There’s a Story in Your Voice’ on which the Imposters give us their very best Crazy Horse impression and he’s joined by the gritty, growling, drawl of Lucinda Williams which really is fantastic.
‘Bedlam’ has more of the improvised, funky feel of ‘Button My Lip’, and is another of the albums highlights, with a truly certifiable cameo from what I hope is a terminally deranged Stylophone player. I suspect that it isn’t. Pity.
The title track introduces us to the character Abel, whose story is loosely the basis for much of the album. I read this on his website and I have to admit, that even armed with this knowledge, I am yet to suss it out.
But no matter, the rest of the album treats us to more Americana. The shuffling rock ‘n ‘ roll of the single ‘Monkey To Man’ – to my mind one of the weaker tracks, lacks the quirks and originality that is such a trademark of his songwriting. Then more country, including a couple of tracks with flawless guest appearances from Emmylou Harris for authenticity.
The swamp blues of ‘Needle Time’, gives us more or less a full set of traditional Southern U.S. music styles, yet despite all these influences it’s more of a return to the comfort zone for Elvis Costello. He’s doing what he does best.
I can’t see many 16 year olds saving up their pennies for ‘The Delivery Man’ and rightly so, they should be jumping up and down vigorously and vomiting. It’s an adult album, if there is such a thing, and a very good one at that.
Words : Simon Reed
Illustration : Richard Foster