Customer Reviews

Almost Blue

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First off I love the Warning! label in the liner notes: "This album contains Country & Western Music & may produce radical reaction in narrow minded people". Further more, I'm afraid I disagree with any previous reviewers who cite this is the 1st misstep in a career that was consistantly on the rise. On the contrary, I think Almost Blue was the 1st time Costello completely stumped his audience. He's certainly done it a few times since.

It takes real balls to put your own stamp on a Hank Williams tune. Albeit, a relatively obscure one. Opening with "Why Don't You Love Me" Costello & company immediately put a spin into their own conceit. Throwing themselves into the proceedings with the same hyper, punked out abandon found on This Year's Model. This is your 1st indication that this isn't going to be your typical Country standards album. Or at worse a joke.

Fact of the matter is, he truly goes for the throat on this one. His take on "Sweet Dreams" may make Patsy Cline fans cringe in their beehives, but any Gram Parsons affecionado will appreciate Costello's heartfelt renditions of "Hot Burrito #1 (I'm Your Toy)" or "How Much I Lied". Both are just as touching as the originals, sung as if he'd written them himself.

"Good Year For The Roses" was the big surprise hit on this album. In England at any rate. Personally, I never get sick of hearing it. Perhaps because I've never heard the original.

As bonus discs go, Rhino & Mr. Costello have once again given you an all too generous assortment for your buck. Infact, there's more than twice as many tracks than on the original album. It starts off with his legendary duet with George Jones on "Stranger In The House". It doesn't disappoint. Followed by an even odder pairing with The Man In Black. I won't comment on the results, but the moment is to be cherished.

Besides some live tracks from his infamous gig in Aberdeen, there's not one, but 2 chilling versions of Leon Payne's "Psycho". Where others have milked the tune's black humor for all it's worth, Costello wisely takes it all too seriously. A welcomed restraint that will send a shiver up your spine, if you're in the right mood.

The bonus disc also features some very touching versions of "Too Far Gone" & "He's Got You". Not to mention real gems like "Wondering" & "Blues Keep Calling". His version of "I'll Take Care OF You" is to die for. Then there's "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven". I'll bore you if I go on (if I haven't already).

Many Costello fans will begrudgingly look on this as a novelty, but far from necessary in terms of their collections. The superficial masses will cast this aside without a 2nd thought. But for me it tops flawed classics like "Punch The Clock", or his overrated Burt Bacharach album for that matter.

In fact, having been a longtime Costello & (not so lately secret) Country fan for years, I breathed a sigh of relief when this originally came out. Ofcourse, it didn't set the world on fire & I had to keep my dirty little secret to myself. But without a doubt, Almost Blue is one of the most interesting records of Costello's ongoing career. For my money, it's certainly one of the most rewarding reissues in this Rhino series. As much as I've always loved this album, truth be told, it's the bonus disc that sends this into the 5 star mark. In other words, I'm happy to have bought it again.

For all you Costello completists out there, DO NOT toss your Rykodisc copy once you get this new Rhino version. There are two "Live in Aberdeen" tracks on the Ryko pressing that did not get carried over onto the new one.

As for the record itself, when I first bought the vinyl 20+ years ago, I knew very few of the songs and had none of the original versions. Now I have almost all of them, as well as a deep appreciation for country music. I have Elvis and my wife to thank for that!

What better country is there than Britain to hail from to able to intepret American country music? The mother country is where much of southern culture originated, including it's musical heritage. Wales and West Virginia are more alike than most people care to realize. To me it's a natural. It is not uncommon to see Merle Haggard songs on jukeboxes throughout the rural counties of the U.K. Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" ranks right up there with the splendid work of his fellow countryman, such as the "Muswell Hillbillies" by the Kinks and much of the c&w that the Rolling Stones and Faces produced circa 1969-72. So I wish Costello fans would lay off this nonsense about this supposed rocker "experimenting" in Nashville. This album is on a more emotional level than most and seems at times uncomfortably personal in the song selection. That's what makes it like classic country to me. It gives you a chill right up your spine at certain moments. A pure delight. Billy Sherrill, the producer, really tries to make it sound like a George Jones album from the early sixties, cornpone and all. That's the way country sounded before the big hats of today. His version of "Success" and "Color of the Blues" is worth the price admission. You can tell that Costello listened to this music in England as a young lad and it made a deep impression. Great first country album for the unintiated.

Simply astounding album. Elvis Costello was at his height of popularity and had the courage to eplore his personal favorites and bring them to his "New Wave" audience. Unfortunately his audience was so influenced by the Stalinistic"Year Zero"/scorched earth attitudes of the Class of '77 punk that they pretty much rejected this amazing sampler of heartfelt Country soul. ( Although I do recall Los Angeles' KROQ Rodney on Roq giving the aggro version of Hank Williams "Why Dont You Love Me -Like You Used to Do?" quite a few spins at the time).In their defense one must recall that "Country' at that time was as UNcool as you could get with the charts dominated by the likes of 'supergroups' like Alabama ad nauseum...Costello however TRIED to redirect the spotlight on the good stuff, the hearty, celtic rooted mournful stuff.It is worth noting that that ONLY Country lyrics share Costello's 'boy loses girl' themes( as opposed to the inane posturing of late 70's 'Prog rock' fantasy and 80's'hair bands' and todays hip hop)Country had the REALITY of a life that touches all people at all times NOT 'bling'- Fast forward 20+ years with fellow Celts The Thrills covering a similiar genre, the Late Great Johnny Cash having an ENORMOUS amount of 'Street Cred' post Rick Rubin's AMERICAN series and a general lovefest of all things Gram Parson's ( including this seasons biggest concert draw- Parson's bastard offspring band -The Eagles) Country/Roots/Alt.Country/Americana is Cool. Costello covered not one but TWO Parsons tunes ( 'How Much I Lied ' and 'I'm Your Toy'/'Hot Burrito #2') as well as taking us on a trip through George Jones, Merle Haggard , Hank Williams' greats ( all the stuff that Soccer Mom 'Country' radio ie Shania/Chesney/Garth and NO TWANG- REFUSES to play. Costello did a brave thing recording and releasing this and radio/critics of the day were caught flat footed expecting another "New Lace Sleeves' or 'Alison' they got "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down' and 'Sittin and a Thinkin' - Surprisingly the much pilloried disc gave Costello one of his biggest UK hits and a concert staple to this day in 'Good Year for the Roses'- So much of todays new /'alternative' music owes a DIRECT debt to this album. The SF Bay Area's great Dave Gleason and Wasted Days, Los Angeles Beachwood Sparks, the Irish Thrills ALL flow from this river of rootsy goodness. Superb!

This is a stellar album by an artist that has defined himself in a totally alternate format from this work. His ability to convey the feeling of these songs make them as great as the orginal aritist versions. 'Good Year For the Roses' almost brings tears to ones eyes with his heartfelt delivery. The drunken, 'Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down' allows Elvis to open it up a bit and lend his style of punk to a traditional country song. But my favorite is Sittin and Thinkin. Elvis fans and fans of true 'old school' country should love it! Will go down as one of my all time favorite albums.

I will not lie. I grew up on country music. I use to love it. But after hearing the sound mold into something hideous such as The Dixie Chicks and Faith Hill I just lost all interest in listenin' to what they claim is country music. Elvis Costello, has done basically every type of music you can think of. This is his reworking of country music and let me tell you. it's country alright...but it's Costello for a country. everyone will admit Elvis doesn't have the right 'voice' for country music but he still succeeds. some songs on here are a bit too 'twangy' for my taste and that's the reason for the 4 stars. but it doesn't matter when or where, Elvis is excellent. he can always make you laugh, cry, break something, or just relax. So I say if you have no interest what so ever in country music...I'd stay away from this. But if you like Elvis and you're flexible...go for it.

Elvis? Country? Thats right! And what a Country record it is. 'Psycho' alone makes this album worth owning. I for one think Rock n Roll players play country music better than most country singers. Elvis has definitly done his homework. Covering everyone from Hank Williams and Patsy Cline to Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Bros. This album is not only a masterpiece, it is a history book on real CLASSIC country music. Thanks Elvis for having the guts to do something different........... like wearing your influences on your sleeve.

(This review is based on the shorter, original CD)

I don't know much about country music, but I know when I want to hear "poor me" music, I turn to this CD. I've always been a big Elvis fan and was looking for another in the ilk of his first three. This one disappointed me at first, but it got under my skin and now it's one of my favorites.

The only times I don't like Elvis is when his music seems uninspired and he's just cranking it out, especially in the writing. I think every album/CD since (and including) Trust has had some of that. Since Almost Blue is all covers, I think it allowed Elvis to concentrate on singing songs he obviously loves.

I'd rather have this off-beat "weird" CD than one of his later inconsistent ones. I like every song on it.

Leave it to a bloke from England to make one of the best real country albums of the past thirty years!

I've been a fan of Costello from his first album on, and even though my favorite is the punk-ish "This Year's Model", "Almost Blue" really makes this Texas boy smile...

Awesome players. Fabulous songs. And one of the great singers. How could anyone not love this album?

I for one wish Elvis would do another one of these...

Costello's country excursion works well because of the quality material he chose. His voice is suited to the genre and the Attractions give it all they've got, supported by some expert Nashville musicians like John McFee on lead and pedal steel guitars, and Tommy Miller on violin.

The fast paced Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do) sounds more like early rock 'n roll than country to me, whilst Sweet Dreams is done with feeling and lots of soul. Success is a gently lilting ballad with lovely piano.

My favourites are the buoyant Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down, the moving Colour Of The Blues, this slow version of Too Far Gone, and especially the poignant Good Year For The Roses, a brilliant interpretation.

Costello's country excursion reminds me of another highly successful country album by a UK artist, Marianne Faithfull's very authentic Faithless (also available as Dreamin' My Dreams). Almost Blue obviously won't appeal to all Elvis Costello fans, but I find it a pleasure to listen to.