Look Now , October 2018

Pretty self-explanatory
Post Reply
User avatar
Man out of Time
Posts: 1827
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:15 am
Location: just off the coast of Europe
Contact:

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by Man out of Time »

One for any German-speaking forum members:

This review from the website of Austrian TV and radio broadcaster ORF, has embedded in it a three-minute clip from their radio show "Morgenjournal" broadcast on 12 October 2018.

https://oe1.orf.at/artikel/651570/Look- ... s-Costello

The presenter, David Baldinger, reviews "Look Now" . A few soundbites from a phone interview with Elvis are included. I suspect they have been used elsewhere too, rather than being specific to this show. Here (for posterity) is the text of the article in German:

" "Look Now" - Neues Album von Elvis Costello

Er ist seit Jahren ein Garant für edles Pophandwerk und geschliffenes Songwriting: der Brite Declan Patrick MacManus, besser bekannt als Elvis Costello. Acht Jahre sind seit seinem letzten Solowerk vergangen. Heute erscheint "Look Now" - eine erneute Zusammenarbeit mit den Imposters.

Vor über vierzig Jahren veröffentlichte Elvis Costello 1977 sein Debütalbum. In der Zwischenzeit hat er mit einigen der Größten seiner Zunft zusammengearbeitet: Burt Bacharach zählt ebenso zu seinen musikalischen Partnern wie Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison, Tony Bennet oder Carol King. Heute erscheint ein Werk, auf das sich Costello-Fans besonders freuen: "Look Now" - eine erneute Zusammenarbeit von Costello mit seiner Band The Imposters.

Elvis Costello pfeift beschwingt auf die eigene Vergangenheit. 64 Jahre ist er alt, seine ersten Hits liegen vier Jahrzehnte hinter ihm. Doch all das zählt für Costello nicht, denn die Songs für die die Menschen ihn lieben habe er schon geschrieben - und sich zu wiederholen wäre unredlich. "Ich werde sicher nichts imitieren und ich werde definitiv nicht gegen meine eigene Vergangenheit antreten. Jetzt noch eine Platte zu machen, die so klingt wie die Platten, die die Leute so gern haben, ist doch einfach nicht ehrlich", meint Costello im Interview.

Festlich geschmückte Popmelodien
Der Sound von "Look Now" erinnert sofort an die festlich geschmückten Popmelodien der 1960er, an eine goldene Ära, die Elvis Costello hier heraufbeschwört. Dabei hat Costello gar nicht mehr damit gerechnet noch einmal mit den Imposters aufzunehmen. "Ich dachte echt, das liege hinter uns. Aber plötzlich fühlte es sich wieder richtig an. Wir sind wirklich glücklich darüber."

Konzentriert und energiegeladen gehen sie ans Werk, Elvis Costello und seine Imposters. Gut möglich, dass Costellos kürzlich bekannt gewordene Krebsdiagnose dem Unternehmen zusätzlich Dringlichkeit und Fokus verlieh. "Ich bin überzeugt, dass diese Songs zum Besten gehören, was wir je gemacht haben", so Costello. Gleich die Eröffnungsnummer "Under Lime" zeigt ihn als nach wie vor famosen Geschichtenerzähler, voller Witz und Einfühlungsvermögen.

Pop mit Swing
Popmusik mit Swing - so hat Costello seinen Sound einmal bezeichnet. Für den Swing ist diesmal erneut auch Songwriting-Veteran Burt Bacharach zuständig, mit dem Costello schon vor 20 Jahren aufnahm. Auf 100 Jahre Musikbusiness kommen die beiden gemeinsam - und schaffen es dennoch, frisch zu klingen, wie im kürzesten Stück der neuen Platte - "Don’t Look Now". Zweieinhalb Minuten pure Songwriting-Kunst mit dem 90-jährigen Bacharach am Klavier.

Und noch eine Sixties-Größe ist mit dabei: Carol King. 20 Jahre hat ihr Song "Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter" gebraucht, bis er reif für eine Veröffentlichung war. "Ich würde sagen, dass es ein melodisches Album ist. Es hat rhythmische Momente und auch sehr zärtliche. Manchmal ist es auch melancholisch und traurig" - fasst Costello die emotionalen Bandbreite des Albums zusammen.

Alt aber neugierig
Verlassen kann sich Elvis Costello erneut auf Keyboarder Steve Nieve und Drummer Pete Thomas, zwei Imposters die schon bei Costellos erster Band, den Attractions, dabei waren. "Natürlich sind wir älter geworden, aber wir sind noch lange nicht satte, zufriedene Typen. Es gibt noch viel zu entdecken, und auf diesem Album haben wir auch viel entdeckt", meint der Sänger.

"Look Now" ist keine höfliche Fingerübung eines Routiniers, kein satter Erwachsenenpop gebettet auf dem Polster einer rühmlichen Vergangenheit. "Look Now" ist ein Album, das weiß was es will und überrascht als kompakte Costello-Meisterklasse ohne Durchhänger."

Or in "English" via Google Translate:

"Look Now" - new album from Elvis Costello

For years he has been a guarantor of fine pop crafts and polished songwriting: the British Declan Patrick MacManus, better known as Elvis Costello. Eight years have passed since his last solo work. Today "Look Now" appears - a new collaboration with the Imposters.

Elvis Costello released his debut album in 1977 over forty years ago. In the meantime he has worked with some of the greatest of his guild: Burt Bacharach is one of his musical partners as well as Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison, Tony Bennet and Carol King. Today a work is published that Costello fans are particularly looking forward to: "Look Now" - another collaboration between Costello and his band The Imposters.

Elvis Costello whistles with enthusiasm for his own past. He is 64 years old and his first hits are four decades behind him. But none of that counts for Costello, because he has already written the songs for which people love him - and repeating himself would be dishonest. "I'm definitely not going to imitate anything and I'm definitely not going to compete with my own past. Making a record now that sounds like the records that people like so much is just not honest," said Costello in an interview.

Festively decorated pop melodies
The sound of "Look Now" immediately reminds of the festively decorated pop melodies of the 1960s, of a golden era that Elvis Costello conjures up here. Costello no longer expected to take up the imposters again. "I really thought that was behind us. But suddenly it felt right again. We are really happy about it."

Concentrated and full of energy they go to work, Elvis Costello and his imposters. It is quite possible that Costello's recently discovered cancer diagnosis gave the company additional urgency and focus. "I am convinced that these songs are among the best that we have ever done," said Costello. The opening number "Under Lime" shows him as still a great storyteller, full of wit and empathy.

Pop with Swing
Pop music with swing - that's how Costello once called his sound. The swing is again responsible for songwriting veteran Burt Bacharach, with whom Costello recorded 20 years ago. The two come together for 100 years of music business - and still manage to sound fresh, like in the shortest piece of the new record - "Don’t Look Now". Two and a half minutes of pure songwriting art with 90-year-old Bacharach on the piano.

And there is another sixties size: Carol King. It took her song "Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter" 20 years to be ready for release. "I would say that it is a melodic album. It has rhythmic moments and also very tender ones. Sometimes it is also melancholic and sad" - Costello sums up the emotional range of the album.

Old but curious
Elvis Costello can once again rely on keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas, two Imposters who were already part of Costello's first band, the Attractions. "Of course we got older, but we are still far from being full, satisfied guys. There is still a lot to discover, and we have discovered a lot on this album," says the singer.

"Look Now" is not a polite finger exercise by a veteran, not a full adult pop bed on the cushion of a glorious past. "Look Now" is an album that knows what it wants and surprises as a compact Costello master class with no sag. "

MOOT
sweetest punch
Posts: 5963
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
Location: Belgium

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by sweetest punch »

https://www.facebook.com/stevenieveoffi ... 174058622/

8 seconds in the control room with Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, the Imposters and the brilliant Sebastian Krys. You can hear Sebastian talking live to Ajuq tomorrow on “Wednesday’s Are Mine”, here on Instagram/Ajuq.
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
sweetest punch
Posts: 5963
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
Location: Belgium

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by sweetest punch »

Amazon.com has the Look Now 8 x 7” Tri-Color Deluxe Box Set for pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/Look-Now-Tri-Col ... 185&sr=8-5
Release date is July 8, 2022.
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
bronxapostle
Posts: 4914
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:27 pm

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by bronxapostle »

sweetest punch wrote:Amazon.com has the Look Now 8 x 7” Tri-Color Deluxe Box Set for pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/Look-Now-Tri-Col ... 185&sr=8-5
Release date is July 8, 2022.

To old man ba eyes....this photo shown at the Amazon link seems to illustrate the ten 45 set, yet the back of the box lists just eight if my eyes do not fail. Will this be continued confusion in set ordered act 4 or 5??? :D Does anyone have the ten record set and does it list the bonus two on the back of the box? If so, this photo is even more confusing. Hope he learned from this mess to keep these types of releases to just one variation please.
User avatar
Fishfinger king
Posts: 620
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:41 am
Location: On the border

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by Fishfinger king »

BA - I have the 10 disc set and the back of the box doesn’t have the extra Purse tracks on it, just the original tracks. So no help in distinguishing, I’m afraid.
Can't you see I'm trying to change this water to wine
sweetest punch
Posts: 5963
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
Location: Belgium

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by sweetest punch »

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
User avatar
And No Coffee Table
Posts: 3521
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:57 pm

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Responding to a fan's question, EC reveals that "I Let the Sun Go Down" was written for the Austin Powers musical.

https://twitter.com/ElvisCostello/statu ... 8145854465
bronxapostle
Posts: 4914
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:27 pm

Re: Look Now , October 2018

Post by bronxapostle »

And No Coffee Table wrote:Responding to a fan's question, EC reveals that "I Let the Sun Go Down" was written for the Austin Powers musical.

https://twitter.com/ElvisCostello/statu ... 8145854465
Now, THERE'S a song that should have made it to be played at the Gramercy!
Post Reply