National Ransom - November 2010

Pretty self-explanatory
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migdd
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National Ransom - November 2010

Post by migdd »

It's been more or less confirmed that EC is in the studio in Nashville with members of the Imposters and the Sugarcanes and that the studio has been booked for a full month, a long amount of time by recent EC standards. So let the speculation begin!

To me, it seems likely that more than one album is being cut, due to the amount of time being spent in the studio and the number of musicians involved in the recordings. Elvis could be recording separate albums with the Imposters and the Sugarcanes. It's also possible that there could be an overlap of the two groups of musicians, depending on the needs of the songs. I think it would be great to hear some drums (and maybe keyboards, particularly piano) behind the 'Canes on some tracks and also some string instruments fleshing out the Imposters' sound.

Regardless, it also seems likely that the material cut during this long recording time will make up EC's album material for the next few years rather than spending a lot of time and money to record a massive double-disc set . . . but who knows. Other thoughts?
Last edited by migdd on Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:56 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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wordnat
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by wordnat »

I agree that the extended studio time suggests that he's probably working on a couple of different projects -- after all, SP&S was recorded in something like 3 days, wasn't it? So I doubt he'd get all MLAR on us again and overthink things in the studio at this stage. Can't wait to hear the results!
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by chickendinna »

I agree, I don't want want to hear SP&S again. I wouldn't mind some sort of hybrid approach. I'd be just fine with a continuation of "The Deliveryman". Which is my personal favorite album of the last 10 years. He's tackled just about every musical style there is with the exception of Hip Hop/ Urban,which I don't think I'm ready for yet.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by sweetest punch »

Elvis writes on his official website about T-Bone Wolk: http://www.elviscostello.com/

"When word arrived of the passing of T-Bone Wolk., I just happened to be in a recording studio with a number of colleagues with whom we had both worked during the mid-80s and early 90s.
After the initial shock, we spent some timesimply talking about T-Bone’s beautiful playing and even recalling various funny incidents as a way of staving off our incredulity at the announcement."
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
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migdd
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by migdd »

chickendinna wrote:I'd be just fine with a continuation of "The Deliveryman". Which is my personal favorite album of the last 10 years.
Not sure I want a continuation of the Delivery Man saga itself, but I agree with you about the album. It's my favorite since King of America.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Neil. »

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.
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migdd
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by migdd »

Dave Weil reports on listserv:

"Almost Blue Volume 2

Could this basically be what he's recording right now? I have a friend
who just did a sitdown video interview with EC and T-Bone for a docu
that he's shooting about Hank Williams (I think that's what it's
about). He just told me that EC invited him to hear some "tracks from
my new album" and he heard He's Got You. I should have asked him if he
heard any other covers, but I was busy doing my radio show and forgot
to ask him."
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by And No Coffee Table »

I wonder if the re-recording of "He's Got You" was inspired by Elvis meeting songwriter Hank Cochran in Nashville last June.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Neil. »

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 think! It'll be a similar effect to when he finally recorded All These Things by Allen Toussaint - and it never quite lived up to the heartbreaking demo we knew from the Rhino Blood and Chocolate.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by scamp »

Woohoo!! Thanks for the update. I wouldn't mind an upgrade to Almost Blue. I don't think I could sit through the first one again. I was floored when I heard King of America though and that wasn't too long ago either. More time in the studio too, thank goodness. I was a bit disappointed in Momofuku cause Drum and Bone sounds like he has a sore throat but due to the time constrictions they had then it had to be used. Thanks for some great live versions to save the day.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by sulky lad »

Seems to me, EC is becoming more and more immersed in Americana but I don't have any problems with that. If you forgive my age here, they initial "surprise" of the first 4 albums will never again be repeated and I'd hate to hear a watered-down version of any of the early stuff whereas both TDM and SP&S were great albums in their own right. Almost Blue take 2 might be a step too far, but why not a country/bluegrass album in the mould of Get Happy with a couple of covers thrown in along with some originals !
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by TOBYROME »

I'd welcome another close succession of albums Trust, AB & IB or KOA & B&C.

86' was a great year, I always thought B&C was a contingency plan for those who may of thought he'd sold out with KOA. He had nothing to worry about. He can't resist reminding us and himself, that he still has it. All this past talk of being bored with Rock & Roll but he thankfully keeps returning to it, time and time again both on record and most certainly in his live work.

Maybe we'll see a duets album? and a second 'rocking' album to re-instate himself as a solo artist?

I can't imagine we'll ever hear anything quite like Get Happy again, but i'd settle for another Delivery Man.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by sweetest punch »

This blog from June 2009 about an article in Rolling Stone mentions the possiblity of a duets album: http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/nashvil ... _his_m.php
"The article goes on to mention that he's recently been recording with Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson as well as trying to entice Lucinda Williams into joining him for a duets album."
Last edited by sweetest punch on Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by bronxapostle »

didn't i see mention of a new band, an entire album with Rosanne & Kris??? maybe that is what is getting recorded along with Sugarcanes Two.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Jeremy Dylan »

Maybe he's finally getting around to recording Friend of the Devil with Jim Lauderdale.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by And No Coffee Table »

It's an anonymous comment on a blog, so take it with a grain of salt...

http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/nashvil ... hville.php
Unknowninsight wrote:Once again T-Bone Burnett and Elvis have teamed up to create another spectacular folk album (untitled at the moment). Many of the songs were written on the fly as the session was progressing. Unfortunately your assumptions about them staying around all month is wrong. They left yesterday, March 3rd. Keep an eye out for their newest album. Everything that I heard durring the session was AMAZING!
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Who Shot Sam? »

Looks like T-Bone will be flying back to Nashville with a little gold man. :D
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by snapyou »

Blimey! Does he EVER stop working ? !

It's hard enough as a fan keeping up with him,would love to see his diary .
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

I know I'm in the minority on here, but Elvis if you read this no SP&S 2 please. (well not straight off the back of the last one)

I still can't get on with that record at all, I've tried I've listen to it 10 times or more. Surely it wouldnt be the Great man's style to make two similar albums together.
I know the old saying if you don't like this one you may like the next but this is the first time it's happened to me. I've like all the other ones for different reasons.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by The imposter »

sheeptotheslaughter wrote:I know the old saying if you don't like this one you may like the next.
He's also often stated he's no interest in making the same album twice so I trust It won't be TDM 2, Almost Blue 2, SP & S 2, or anything else 2!

While there's a lot to be said for recording an album in 3 days, and I like the freshness that Sp & s has, I prefer the traditional approach of developing the arrangements before recording.

most of the songs on EC's other albums were well road tested before recording and so consequently (to my ears) some later live sugarcanes renditions sound better than the record.

My point being If he were to record s,p & s (2) now it would be better!

But I think it's great anyway, even without any percussion ..and I'm a drummer..
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Jeremy Dylan »

Can't wait to hear how he sounds with the Sugarcanes, now that they've been a touring unit for over a year.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by sweetest punch »

Jim Lauderdale talks about the recording: http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/12/jim-l ... sxsw-2010/

(...)
Do you have a favorite artist you like to write for or work with?

George Strait has done the most, he's done 14. I really love it when he records something.

I have been recording for his last two records with Elvis Costello. We just got done with one last week. I have been singing harmony with him and tour occasionally with him. That record should be out in the fall. We wrote a couple of songs on tour last fall. I'm not sure but I'm hoping one of them will be on the record because he cut a lot of songs. But just the fact that he recorded something. I'm such a big fan of his and that meant a lot to me.
(...)
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Neil. »

I think this is going the be Secret, Profane 2, if Jim is singing backing. Wonder if T Bone is producing?
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Poor Deportee »

Sigh...honestly, what I'd like to hear is another Momofuku. I don't mean this in the sense of being a sonic replica of that record - I have no special insistence that EC record with the Attractions/Imposters over and over, no particular fetish for electric guitar - but in the sense of being a stratghtforward collection of actual, brand-new Elvis Costello songs . Imagine that!

And preferably these would be songs about various subjects, about this and that, rather than being obsessive variations on the theme of his latest creative conceit. So: no big "concept" (as in, "all these songs must tell this story" - Delivery Man - or must rigorously and scholastically conform to that musical idiom - North, Painting from Memory - or must be a self-conscious "collaboration" with so-and-so - River in Reverse, Painted from Memory); and no re-heated leftovers from other records and prior aborted "concept" efforts (which is what SP & S is, the combination of ponderousness and repetitiveness being the reason so many of us have trouble getting into it, despite the delicious overall sound).

The frustrating thing is that this simple forumla is so unlikely to be what EC delivers. It beats me what is so gauche or implausible to EC about simply writing, playing, and recording a bunch of songs, period. :roll: Oh well, I'm just a Philistine I suppose.
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Re: New Album(s) Being Recorded in Nashville

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Double sigh!!-please spare us a repeat of SP&P or any other concept album for that matter-ponderous or repetitious-one could only wish for genuine brand new material about where he is today-even new children's songs- not a 'philistine' but definitely a wishful thinker.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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