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ELVIS COSTELLO
North
(Deutsche Grammophone)
Can Elvis Costello get through an entire album without
dropping the slightest hint of sarcasm or irony? And,
even if he did, what would be the point? The answer to
the first question is yes. As for the second, we're
not quite sure. North, a low-key song cycle tastefully
embellished by strings and horns, tracks an emotional
trajectory that begins with the breaking of Costello's
heart ("You Left Me In The Dark" and "Someone Took The
Words Away") and moves toward its eventual repair
("When Green Eyes Turn Blue" and "I'm In The Mood
Again"). Costello, occasionally spelling off longtime
keyboardist Steve Nieve on the piano, offers his own,
inevitably distinctive version of crooning. And the
quality and commitment of the vocals is the album's
one consistently appealing attribute. On "Still," with
its simple, understated arrangement, the elements come
together. But the main problem is that there isn't a
single song that sticks. VW