King Of America and Blood & Chocolate: The 1986 Albums

Post by **BlueChair** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:27 pm

I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that both King Of America and Blood & Chocolate came out in the same year.

To me, they sound like they ought to be seperated by at least a decade. It's not even the difference in styles of music, or the fact that The Attractions are on one record and not the other. Not to mention that T-Bone Burnett produced one record while Nick Rowe produced the other.

Blood & Chocolate sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday, where King Of America sounds a lot older. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing. I love both albums very much. I just find it mind-boggling that such a shift in sound could take place in such a short period of time. Even the Beatles shift from Help! to Rubber Soul isn't as drastic.

Anybody else have any takes on this?

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:50 pm

I definitly see where you're coming from.

"Blood And Chocolate" is one of my favorite albums, and I'm sure by the time I get the King Of America Reissue(in 2010), it will be up there as well.

The fact that Elvis could record two albums withint 6 months is unbelievable, nevermind the drastic change in the styles(and the change of styles between songs on KOA as well).

It's what makes the man great.

<3,
s.

Watching_Detectives · Post by **Watching_Detectives** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 2:25 pm

It shows that EC really has musical range to him. Being that the albums are different, but 6 months apart. I like Blood and Chocolate a lot better than King of America, mostly because I haven't really listened to KOA. I've heard it many times...but never listened to it.

Post by **BlueChair** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 2:27 pm

See.. but I'm talking about more than just style. King Of America sounds much more dated than Blood & Chocolate, which still sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday. I'm not saying that the fact that KOA is a bad thing.. I just find it fascinating how different the two albums *sound*.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 2:36 pm

Nick Lowe is just a fantastic producer... and I think it is safe to say that he was ahead of his time.

<3,
s.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 5:19 pm

The subject matters I suppose are also pretty different. One of the things I like about B&C is it's unforgiving bitterness, the post-divorce 'let it all out' album...funny that this should spawn what is generally considered to be EC's best ever tour!

With KOA, a lot of it is homage to the sounds and style of CnW music, and so, even though it's not emotionless, the conviction is different. No venom.

Two great, and big, albums in one year is some feat though.

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:14 pm

86. What an incredibly fertile year for Elvis - I reckon they're his most consistent albums by far and the contrast between them is extraordinary. I like the idea of him taking a style, committing to it and following it thru all the way, to its logical and illogical conclusions. Juliet and perhaps Brutal Youth good examples of this too. WIWC would count too, but not all the songs were to his often very high standard.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:44 pm

*Ahem* Did someone say King of America????

Once again, be reminded of the statement Elvis has made about not staying in "one (musical) neighborhood too long."

First of all I think on KOA he had a desire to work with some different musicians, although it caused some difficulty in attitude with the Attractions.

And remember, this was not long after he had produced Rum, Sodomy & The Lash for The Pogues. He also got married to Cait in 1986. Getting married always changes someone just a bit. He was musically all over the place during that time.

And besides, how about WIWC released in April 2002 and then North just 17 months later? There's two different albums for you.

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 9:38 pm

"Put your hand on the wheel... Let the Golden Age begin"

Actually B and C marked the end of the Golden Age for Elvis, in my opinion. But what a way to go out.

Anyone lucky enough to witness the Spinning Songbook Tour can attest to the absurdity of the whole affair.

One can only imagine the antics of the touring company back at the hotel; Elvis and Bruce lobbing ashtrays at one another, Cait letting go with the occasional spit and punch, while Steve Nieve, Jerry, and the rest of the Memphis Mafia soaked it up with G and T's downstairs at the hotel bar trading recipes.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 5:51 am

Once again LC you're bang on the mark!

November 1986's B&C tour (which led to the Confederates shows in January 1987) was his best tour. I can't think of a better one!

The Blood & Chocolate tour with the 3 separate shows ("greatest hits"/playing songs from B&C, solo and the magnificent Spinning Songbook Shows) were awesome.

And then the Confederates shown just a month or so later were something else! Just to see Elvis' admiration of James Burton was a treat in itself.

The best part was a charisterically curmudgeonly Van Morrison coming on to sing a few songs with Elvis.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:14 pm

I can certainly understand the whole idea that the sounds were so different, but I don't find King of America to sound dated at all. Elvis himself has said that B&C was just an attempt to remake a kind of This Year's Model, only "ten years older, divorced, and pissed". I especially feel that if you compare King of America with the sounds of OTHER artists in 1986, the idea that it sounds dated really falls apart. The only artist as prolific in the 80s as Elvis was Prince.

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:53 pm

IMHO, KOA stands outside of time and doesn't sound dated at all. It's sound (the legendary sessions players combined with a clean and dry production sound) really doesn't harken to any time period.

BAC has a sound that was unique at the time but has since come to be the blueprint for many "live in the studio" productions. Perhaps this is why it doesn't sound "dated" - it's time has only just now come and thus sounds more contemporary.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:55 pm

KoA certainly does not sound dated. IMHO it probably sounds less dated than anyother EC album for all the reasons Pophead and Miggd mention.

I also disagree with Cbartal (which is a rarity). B&C did not mark the end of a golden age for Elvis............KoA did. Its a matter of opinion but I feel that the songs on KoA are way superior to B&C- which is not to say that i dont love B&C...just not as much as the quite marvelous KOA

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:31 pm

dang doofster, i guess i REALLY need to hear KoA then.

'cause Blood & Chocolate was the only elvis album i had for the longest time. it had grabbed me when it was released, and i had my dj buddy make a copy for me (for shame, i know, i was a starving college student, and i own it now). i have no idea if my friend knew or cared about KoA, but he played B&C often, hooking me on it.

looking forward to hearing KoA.

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:09 pm

Damn i never saw the spinng songbook tour and I could have as well! Someone came into work the next morning raving about the Palladium show too! Just have to console myself with having seen lots of other great EC gigs I suppose.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:11 pm

I would have liked to have seen the Spinning Songbook tour (particularly the shows with Tom Waits), but alas I was only 5.

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:14 pm

you wanna hear something worthy of beating yourself up over?
(great sentence construction there poppet.)

i won tickets and a backstage pass for a nick lowe/EC gig sometime in the late 70's/very early 80's. can't recall the date.

i was really only going to see nick lowe. i didn't care about EC.

AND, even WORSE, i was too chickenshit to use the backstage pass. i was in high school, and hadn't learned to be such a brash broad as i can be now.

i did stick the pass on my guitar case, and amazingly i still have it. but, i have no memories of the gig at ALL. none. guess i wasn't impressed.

ah, youth.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:20 am

Paul B wrote:Someone came into work the next morning raving about the Palladium show too!

The solo Palladium shows were OK. The highlights were (obviously) the Seven and a half deadly sins (one of them I remember was pomegranate) which was a stuffed heart shaped cushion from which audience members would take out one of the sins and request a song. My only memory was Elvis' face when a lady was asked what song Elvis should play. She said something like "Play something not by you" to which Elvis laughed and jokingly said along the lines of "Thanks"!

The other highlight was the last show when Elvis, Nick Lowe and Pete did a live mini-set.

I preferred the 1984 solo shows.

And Poppet - you should be ashamed of yourself!

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:52 am

oh, VG, i am, i am.

my excuse though - i was a snotty-nosed kid with no self-esteem.

doesn't this absolve me? of course not.

*sigh*

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:57 am

It's okay, Poppet. You've done much to redeem yourself since then.

DrS saw one of those EC/Nick Lowe combo shows around that time as well. He still remembers it fondly.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:46 am

Poppet - as long as you've learned from it.

Maybe we should start an Elvis confessions thread (although we'll be hard pushed to beat yours Poppet).

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:28 pm

Poppet

I'm glad to hear that you intend to get KoA....

However, it lives on the other end of the universe to B&C, so please keep an open mind

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:41 pm

The seven sins sounds great Verbal. My first show was one of the Palladium Sunday Spike ones. It was fun and breathtaking. I'd only got into listening to him closely the year before, so maybe I just wasn't ready before. I did see the Clash a few times in their prime though - least I've got that to be thankful for! Should count my blessings really...

Misha · Post by **Misha** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 8:56 pm

I like both albums....except for the Rhino re-release of B & C.

I have the worst problem with that bonus disc.....once I put it in, it's a crowbar, some therapy and I have to be physically restrained to get it back out again.

I think I'm going to have to lock it up somewhere.

Or, then again, someone could lock me up somewhere....

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 9:23 pm

BlueChair wrote:I would have liked to have seen the Spinning Songbook tour (particularly the shows with Tom Waits), but alas I was only 5.

I feel the same way as you do Blue, except about the crucifixion. But at least I saw the movie.

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

King Of America and Blood & Chocolate: The 1986 Albums

King Of America and Blood & Chocolate: The 1986 Albums

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