Elvis Costello Fan Forum

I don't know why lots of people think it's going to be a concept album - it'll just be a load of new songs and maybe a couple of covers, with the Sugarcanes on backing - and possibly the Imposters, too. Fab - possibly better than Secret Profane!

I think this is going the be Secret, Profane 2, if Jim is singing backing. Wonder if T Bone is producing?

Wow, how does he do it? He seems to be in two or three places at once, these days! Would love to have been at this concert.

Aw, good ol' Elvis - he does a good version, but I do wish he wouldn't try to be a guitar hero! It just doesn't suit him - wasn't it he himself that called himself the Little Hands of Concrete? Whenever I see him live, I always hold my breath and cross my fingers when he does this kind of thing. His...

He's a great country singer, so it's no wonder he keeps returning to what seems to be his favourite genre. Also, Secret Profane was a big seller - I think he's sensibly mining that seam while it's hot for him. Great stuff! The already-released live version of He's Got You will be hard to beat, I thi...

This is really exciting - and a month in the studio! He's spoiling us. Fingers crossed the release will be this year, and not held off for ages as Secret Profane was.

I'm just aching for this series to move on from this era. As I've said before, I've had my fill of 'My Aim...' and '...Model' songs being done live - it's time to move on! Also, I hope they'll be including a lot of Elvis's cover versions.

A 'watery' quality? I think it has a rough, sweaty sound entirely suited to the mood and the music. Everyone sounds equal, fighting for the limelight - entirely appropriate, and thrilling, to these ears!

Stumbled across this the other day - just remembered what a fab song this! The producer fluffs the impact of the chorus, which soars in Elvis's demo, but you can't have everything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-jk94Fbaew&feature=related - some crazy lyrics "she's speaking what's left of ...

Bronx Apostle, the tops for me are Get Happy, Blood & Chocolate, This Year's Model, Brutal Youth and Trust. The number two slot could be taken by any of those on any given day.

And he still amazes, even in his fifties! Long may he reign!

Absolutely my favourite Elvis album, only occasionally supplanted by Blood and Chocolate. But really, for sheer crazed creativity, this album is hard to beat. The playing is astonishing - all the Attractions appearing to want to outdo each other, jostling for the spotlight. The energy is fantastic, ...

I would dearly love to see these renditions, but I presume it wasn't televised.

Maybe some fuzzy, wobblycam version will turn up soon, though! Fingers crossed!

Great stuff Ypsilanti - I also disagree with the 'pretentious' tag. He sometimes writes in a literary style to suit the song - he wants to imbue a literary, or old-fashioned tone, deliberately. For example, the song 'No Wonder' - there's imagery of skirts dragging in mud, and high-buttoned boots etc...

Nice piece! Makes me want to revisit the demos - though I can't actually believe they'll be an improvement on most of the album proper!

Great hat, Elv! Far better than the camel-coloured massive one of late! And glad the 'tache is gone. (I know this is totally shallow stuff, but look back and you'll see that I've posted tons of stuff about how I love his music, so forgive me this trivia!) I now wish he'd ditch the hats indoors (outd...

Pophead, Chris...

Can either of you explain in more detail about this 'third party' idea that Springsteen was talking about? We don't get the show in the UK, so I haven't seen it!

It sounds fascinating, so I'd be really interested to hear more.

Nx

Hi Platypus, you can get it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... 738&sr=1-4

I guess the Royal Albert Hall show will be the Almost Blue stuff - the I'm Your Toy kinda stuff with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I really would love to hear the version of Favourite Hour I saw with Steve on the Albert Hall's massive HR Giger-style organ, but I doubt it was recorded. I can but ...

Agreed - Elvis has never looked comfortable without his guitar. 'Other Girl' is a stinker of a song in terms of the high notes - Elvis sounded like he was struggling a tad - it was uncomfortable to watch, which it shouldn't be. Glad he got rid of those extraneous notes on 'finish it NOW and 'think t...

It seems unlikely it'll be aired, as Channel 4 didn't fund any of it, and anyway, even when they did with series 1, they thought little of the end product and showed it really late at night.

So were there just four songs? Mistake, Town Cryer, Other Girl, and Candy?

Thanks TX Fan - great to hear Elvis singing this live - I don't think I've ever seen him sing it - only ever heard the recorded versions. I do love the Psycho strings in the Imperial Bedroom version. It's one of my Elvis faves, but doesn't get much of a mention, generally. The interviewer looks comp...

Also, curious about the fact that, according to this, Steve sings on these recordings. Anyone know what his voice is like? I can't remember who sang on Mad About the Wrong Boy.

I pray the song clips at least make it onto YouTube. We're not getting the shows in the UK.

I love Town Cryer - really think it should be a world-famous standard. When's somebody major gonna cover it? I know Wet Wet Wet did, but that was a B-side.

Blimey, indeed! This sounds plain bizarre!

Though, that said, Steve opera looked dang strange, and that Fire at Nathan's Bar and Grill was nuts, too!

Actually, vivre la difference! Good luck to 'em!