The Costello Show: The King Of America - 1986

  

Two years since his last album with The Attractions, which had been the half-realised and patchy Goodbye Cruel World, Elvis Costello returned with a session band of US musicians steeped in country rock and folk and produced this interesting album. 

He returned to his folk-rock roots for much of the material on the album, and the material features some of his finest songs for many a year. His muse seemed to have well and truly returned, and the album sees him completely rejuvenated. It was the kick up the backside he needed to give himself. His days as a punk anti-hero were now long gone. He was now well on the path to being an established, mature, creative artist. Singles and chart success did not matter anymore. 

The album is absolutely pack full of excellent songs, and also, despite its rootsy edge, the sound quality is excellent and that befits the musicianship on view. There is a huge country tinge to a lot of the material, but it is one that backs Costello's wonderful lyrics, as opposed to 1981's Almost Blue, which was populated with covers of country standards. It is also very much an album of Americana.

Anyway, to the songs - The catchy, lilting acoustic folk of Brilliant Mistake exemplifies the vibe of the album perfectly. It is a cynical tale of the mainstream US media. Lovable is a rockabilly-style bluesy romp, while Our Little Angel is total steel guitar country, but it has a captivating hook to it. 

Costello's cover of The Animals' sixties classic Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is more than convincing. It is vibrant and powerful, suiting him down to the ground. Glitter Gulch is back to the jaunty, folky country blues and Indoor Fireworks is a typical Costello ballad with country airs. Little Palaces and I'll Wear It Proudly are classic Costello slow numbers, full to the brim with cutting lyrics. 

I love American Without Tears - a folky, moving number concerning GI Brides from World War Two who left Coventry for a sad life in the USA with their whirlwind-romance GI husbands. Elvis always had a fine instinct for atmospheric nostalgia. He understood the past. Just how good is this verse?

"One had been a beauty queen and the other was her friendThey had known rogues and rascals and showbiz impresariosWhile the boys were licking Hitler they had something to defendFrom men armed with chewing gum and fine nylon hoseBy a bicycle factory as they sounded the sirenAnd returned into the dance hall she knew he was the oneThough he wasn't tall or handsome she laughed when he told her"I'm the Sheriff of Nottingham and this is Little John".

Eisenhower Blues is a full on rocky blues thumper, and The Big Light has a fast-paced shuffling country blues style too, with a sort of stand up, throbbing bass groove. The Poisoned Rose is a mournful lament of a ballad. 

The album ends with three copper-bottomed Costello corkers - Jack Of All Parades, Suit Of Lights and Sleep Of The Just. The former are very Attractions-like in style, full of uplifting piano riffs, but enhanced by the breadth of the musicianship and slick production of the team involved with the production of this album. The latter, and closing track, is an emotive song about a girl and her unfortunate dalliance with a soldier, sung over a haunting organ backing. It is a harrowing tale upon which to close what has been a varied and constantly interesting album. 

Up there with Costello's best of all time, this one.

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