Elvis Costello Fan Forum

The one thing I kind of like the cardboard sleeves, only because they seem closer to the feel of LP jackets of old, only miniaturized. Having said that, nothing is quite as cool as an actual full-sized LP jacket. I got mine in the mail the other day, and it looks stunning. And opening the gatefold ...

Man, Stephen is obviously a huge EC fan. You can tell how gleeful he was that not only was EC gonna be performing a song on his show, but that he was gonna be singing an additional song with him. Just look at his face at the conclusion of the interview as it goes into commercial.

I take back what I said about the Birmingham version having more of a punch. Upon repeated listens, the studio version is amazing, especially Elvis's guitar work.

I'm trying to figure out who plays what... it sounds like EC on guitar, Pete on drums, Steve on organ... but I can't tell if it's Davey on electric bass or Dennis Crouch on upright bass.

It's great and all, but I still think the distorted guitar version from Birmingham packs a more powerful punch. Regardless, I'm gonna make this the last track of National Ransack, because A Voice In The Dark is just too perfect an ender.

Woah, what's going on with 'Josephine' here? Sounds like someone/something's way out of tune.

EarlManchester wrote:Sweet -- thanks for the preview of the booklet, JF!

Now, someone please sack the proofreader...

Ugh, and the unitalicized credits in 'Station Of The Cross', and the larger font used for the running time in 'Dr. Watson'...!

I went for all three options (mp3, flac, and m4a). mp3 will work with anything; flac is pretty restrictive (in that it won't play on iTunes or on iPods, which is primarily where I listen to my music), and m4a is iTunes exclusive. (But, luckily, not copyright protected, which is m4p.)

Oh man, I hope it's a cover of this song by Mac Dre.

You can now pre-order it on www.nationalransom.com, and you get a digital 4-track EP, National Ransack, of 'Poor Borrowed Dress', 'Big Boys Cry', 'I Don't Want To Go Home', and 'Condemned Man'. There's a ton of choices, but I eventually went with the vinyl and digital download. The limited edition d...

Yeah but this is Elvis we're talking about He doesn't usually do his singles, and 'I Lost You' wasn't released in the US as a single, so he's really not under any "obligation" to perform it.

Shall we start taking bets (gentlemen's wagers only!) on what he'll play?

If he's with the Imposters/Sugarcanes/Impostercanes, maybe the title track. If he's solo, maybe 'You Hung The Moon'.

Brilliant and spot-on as usual, cwr. I enjoy the title track and it is fun, but it's the least essential for me. It would have been a nice throwaway B-side or something, sort of like 'Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo' or something of that ilk. Still, it's not downright unlistenable or offensive! Of the...

I have an opinion, I just don't want to ruin it yet for everyone who's stronger than I am. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that this is miles and miles better than Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, and that as much as I worry about the Imposters becoming nothing more than a TV chat show band, I t...

Sweet! I'll be there.

Hey, if that's the lone misstep, then 15 out of 16 ain't bad

I'll say just two things: 1. I'm incredibly weak, and 2. This might be his best album since The Delivery Man. I'm sure it'll take me a while to absorb all of the imagery and dense lyricism, but it's something I'm looking forward to when I purchase the CD and the vinyl. As of right now, there isn't a...

I think you mean "2 'n's".

Elvis wrote about promoting a single from this album - http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Memories_of_1977-1987 There have been numerous opportunities to make a complete fool of myself, like being persuaded to be “flown” on a pantomime wire while miming to “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Do...

John wrote:Strange things happening on Elvis' website. The new album now only has 15 tracks with I Lost You missing!

Heh, there's a joke there somewhere...

I wonder if there's going to be a physical single release. I know that 'My All Time Doll' was released as a precursor to Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, and 'Complicated Shadows' was a physical release, but it seems like he's less interested in singles anymore. I'd think that 'Jimmie' would be the ...

I wonder if 'Lucky Dog' is a collaboration with Jim Lauderdale (hence the nod to Ft. Lauderdale)?

Also, I too hope that 'I Hope' will be available somewhere, although, honestly, the electric guitar/voice performance from Birmingham is utterly perfect – I don't know if the live version can be topped.

Wow, 'I Hope' is really quite good. I transcribed the lyrics (at least, my approximation of them) and while they're kinda basic, they really do take on a whole new meaning with the music and Elvis's pained voice. (Maybe it's just me, but there's a debt of sorts to 'Broken', which I really like, so I...

Ahh! Yes, those Beacon Theater shows are really great. And I'd imagine that if he can allow an alternate version of 'You'll Never Be A Man' in which during the second chorus his voice, apropos of nothing, explodes during "No matter how many foreign bodies you can take" (so it sounds like &...

Um... sorry, CWR - did you say there's an ATTRACTIONS version of God GIve Me Strength?!!!!! I had no idea! What, a studio version? More info, I beg you! EC mentions it in the ATUB liner notes, but that a suitable mix didn't come to light (so why wasn't it, y'know, mixed for the reissue?) and so it ...