Disappointed about North

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:00 am

Hi

I´ve just listened the last EC album and I have to say I´m absolutely disappointed.

Most of the songs are built as an endless repetition of one single line (ok, you may call it 'minimalism', but I just get bored of listening the same tune and lyrics for about six or seven minutes). I hoped it to be something similar to "Juliet": a leap forward on classics, ok, but not losing the sense of melody and of course not tempting the listeners to throw the CD away at the third or fourth track.

I´ve to declare I have downloaded it from the net, so I have even thought about it these songs I´ve got are just like a joke, a trick, from some EC fan to force people to buy the CD, cutting and pasting the same line on a track during 6 minutes. I mean, it´s possible that the songs in the CD are different... are they?

If not, I´ll keep on being disappointed and waiting for another When I was cruel as soon as possible.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 5:52 am

KoS - Open your mind and your heart.

Whilst it takes a little while to get into it you have to persevere. I personally prefer the rowdy rhythm records and I very very rarely play The Juliet Letters. However you pays your money etc.

If you're a new fan then there are plenty of albums you should buy before this one.

If you're a long time fan then you should know better!

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:08 am

Do you really think it´s a matter of knowing it better??

I think it´s just I don´t like some EC´s "experiments" at all (the Bacharach one, for instance). But it´s a part of it, otherwise it wouldn´t be EC.

There was some old ad from Schweppes here in Spain who used to say: "Maybe it´s just that you haven´t tried it enough". That is about your commentary about "Juliet", which I consider absolutely great.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:16 am

Maybe it's because you're Spanish and something gets lost so you don't fully 'get it' (?)

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:25 am

Probably.

But you know: this is something I just can´t help.

(or Could it simply be that North is a weak album?)

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:27 am

No! The proof is that I'm Spanish too.

...I have lived in Australia for 27 years, so I'm Australian now. Bienvenido.

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:37 am

Gracias, bambooneedle.

Aunque sigo sin pillarle la gracia a North (quizá con un poquito de tiempo y de paciencia...)

PD Siento que mi inglés no sea mejor.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:44 am

De nada.

Si, dale tiempo amigo...

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:45 am

Some albums just grow on you. It's one of those weird phenomenas. Or maybe it's the sort of album that will suddenly hit you one day, based on whatever you're going through at the time. Or maybe the weather is too hot in Spain to set the proper mood for North.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 8:31 am

King_of_Spain wrote:Do you really think it´s a matter of knowing it better??

I didn't say that. All I meant is that if you are a long time fan (which you seem to be) then most of us realise that there are many stages, musical styles etc that our man will go through. We go through those with him. It doesn't mean we necessarily like them ourselves but each person has their own taste.

Believe me I've tried and I've tried (and I'm still mystified (sorry)) with TJL but it does nothing for me apart from Jacksons Monk and Rowe and The Birds Will Still Be Singing.

Other people love tracks that I happily skip and no doubt vice versa.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 8:47 am

As a middle aged person that has been a fan of Elvis for nigh on 25 years now, all I can really say about North is that we couldn't call it unexpected.

It's very beautiful, and the song Still stays stuck in my head. But I have to say that it lacks the wit and passion of The Juliet Letters, and hints at Elvis' possible exhaustion. It shouldn't surprise anyone that "Northenol" puts this old dog right to sleep, because it seems that Elvis himself is quite tired, tired of thinking, tired of singing, tired of Rock and Roll.

I think North is very good, and Josie just loves it. Right now, it's hovering above For the Stars on my list of least favorite Elvis albums, but I've only heard it all the way through about 5ive times, so who knows?

Maybe it needs more cowbell...

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:11 am

North is a masterpiece. It ranks high among his best albums. It may even be his best. 10, 20, even 50 years from now this will be remembered as his rebirth in the industry as an adult, and I don't mean a VH1 adult.

You want punk, go buy a White Stripes record, or Eminem, both of whom I love. Elvis will be busy writing masterpieces from now on.

Gilbert · Post by **Gilbert** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:23 am

I can't be bothered with TJL, but really enjoy both Painted From Memory and North.
Having said that - and despite hearing the North songs performed superbly last night - I did just conk out on the couch with North on the hi-fi.
Maybe it's something to do with the songs not being dissimilar, or very attention grabbing. But they are beautiful.

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:49 am

I'm tellin' ya. Wash this record down with a Martini or three, and it will stay warm in your stomach for years.

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:51 am

King, it's entirely possible that you downloaded "loops". Very few of the songs on North are 6 minutes long--in fact, I can only think of one. And, I downloaded a few tracks, and they all repeat one line or one or two measures, for 4-6 minutes.

Do yourself a favor and buy the CD. You will not be disappointed.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:56 am

C-bart,

I keep thinking that you are joking about North.

I must admit I have yet to mix it with alcohol...what if I wind up like one of those maudlin crybabies down on the end of the bar?

I guess I could try it for a weekend...

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 10:18 am

I don't know if you got the actual songs or not. Sounds like loops. I don't recall any 6 minute repetitive tunes on North.

That said, it's never going to be one of my favorites.

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 10:54 am

Rope,

I'm not joking. My all time favorite record was Imperial Bedroom, but with each listen, North looms nearer the top for me. Honestly.

And you're welcome to join us down at the end of the bar any old time.

Pov · Post by **Pov** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 11:34 am

I like North a LOT, but it does sometimes help cure my insomnia

The songwriting is, IMO, actually a lot more sophisticated than people are giving him credit for. The lyrics were written to fit the music. His usual wordiness, filled with double entendres and snappy phrases just wouldn't work. You have to give him a lot of credit for being able to change his writing style with such facility.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 11:55 am

A lot of North's appeal is what is says, so lyrically the language barrier could be a problem, but your english seems pretty good.

Also maybe it means more to us distorted souls that have loved and lost, and all that blueness, I guess if you've only experienced happiness (is that possible?) then North might seem alien.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:02 pm

Here is my 'minimalist view' - North is cool

SweetPear · Post by **SweetPear** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 3:28 pm

A rope leash wrote:As a middle aged person that has been a fan of Elvis for nigh on 25 years now, all I can really say about North is that we couldn't call it unexpected.

It's very beautiful, and the song Still stays stuck in my head. But I have to say that it lacks the wit and passion of The Juliet Letters, and hints at Elvis' possible exhaustion. It shouldn't surprise anyone that "Northenol" puts this old dog right to sleep, because it seems that Elvis himself is quite tired, tired of thinking, tired of singing, tired of Rock and Roll.

I think North is very good, and Josie just loves it. Right now, it's hovering above For the Stars on my list of least favorite Elvis albums, but I've only heard it all the way through about 5ive times, so who knows?

Maybe it needs more cowbell...

Rope~you took the words right out of my mouth. I don't know about the cowbell, though!

But let me also say that the first time I heard any of these songs was live..... and I loved them!! I've only listened to the CD all the way through only 3 times so.....maybe I'll find a place for it one day.
I see it as EC trying to make a transfer over to the kind of performer that his father was. I heard people saying back when PFM came out how he was looking so much like his father when he performed w/Burt Bacharach.
(I've never seen or heard his dad perform.) Shrewd move. After all, 50 is right around the corner. EC is always mentioning his age and how long he's been around, like it bothers him in some way or makes him feel out of place. I don't see it that way at all and I don't see it as a move that he may be doing to become more mainstream (for lack of a better word.) Maybe he thinks he needs to change his tune (ha!) because of his age. I don't know....something like that!
I loved the JulietLetters and also PFM. As a matter of fact I gave PFM a listen recently and appreciate it even more......after hearing North.

I don't remember if it was posted here but there was a really wonderful review of North in Slate magazine that someone sent me. (I'm not sure now, is it a magazine?) But it was a very good article and it made me appreciate what EC had accomplished with North. And for all that, I admire him tremendously and am not abandoning ship!

Cbartal~that comment about if you want punk, buy a White Stripes CD isn't fair! I (and I'm sure there are many others) am not a fairweather Elvis fan! I have been a fan from the get go and have stuck with him loving and admiring every twist and turn his music has taken. I'm not going to deny how much I love TYM but I love TJL just as much....and IB is, I think, my fav record of all time!
(Please don't take this as an "attack" on you, Cbartal! I don't mean it with that tone at all!

Just respectfully making light of your comment.)
I respect tremendously what EC has accomplished with North. He is a true "punk" in every sense of the word and that's a big part of his appeal to me. I just don't put it in the masterpiece catagory.

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 3:31 pm

SoLikeCandy wrote:King, it's entirely possible that you downloaded "loops". Very few of the songs on North are 6 minutes long--in fact, I can only think of one. And, I downloaded a few tracks, and they all repeat one line or one or two measures, for 4-6 minutes.

Do yourself a favor and buy the CD. You will not be disappointed.

OK: I will buy it.

I´m almost sure I have only downloaded the "loops" you talk about. Otherwise, I can´t understand why so many people talk about a "masterpiece" when all I hear is the same line again and again and again.

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 3:51 pm

No offense taken Sweet Pear...

With my punk comment I was simply trying to illustrate that I think Elvis may have, with North, turned a corner down a path that he may never come back from. North is his most simply sophisticated album (if that's not an oxymoron). It's brimming with an honesty that has never been found in Elvis's music.

Before hearing North, I figured that he might write two companion pieces, North, followed up by South, which is what I thought perhaps he'd title the album he was talking about making in the various studios in the Southern states.

He might very well still do that, but I think he's found this whole new side of him whiich really wasn't truly explored until North. He does seem rather proud of this album, doesn't he? From all I've read, you kind of get the feeling that he really takes pride in this album, like he hasn't in an album of his for a long time. He was beginning to slightly diss WIWC by the time the tour was over, if I recall. I think he really, really loves this album, and I'm with him all the way.

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:04 pm

OK, I have to apologize...

Now it´s sure: I have checked the lyrics of the album ( http://www.elviscostello.info/disc/offi ... /north.htm )and THESE ARE NOT THE SONGS I DOWNLOADED. They are just loops: I have been cheated.

I´ll buy the record. I promise to be good in the future and not to try to download illegal EC material again: I´ll take this brilliant mistake as a punishment for my crimes

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