Customer Reviews

North

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I've just finished listening to North for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect coming in. When I first purchased the album, I didn't know what to expect from a musical chameleon like Costello. Glancing over the liner notes, I noticed the complex arrangements, some noting as many as fourteen different players, along with a mention of a 34-piece string section at the end (I assume this must be for "Fallen"). Then, noticing the Deutsch Grammophon logo on the CD, I realized this would be something heavily influenced by classical. Although I'm familiar a fair amount of Costello's works, I still have not heard his chamber-pop works such as "The Juliet Letters" with the Brodsky Quartet (who make an appearance in "Still" on this album), but I had been given the impression that such experiments had led to mixed results.

I'm happy to say that the results here are anything but mixed. Most will not find "North" as immediately captivating as "Painted from Memory", and will be disappointed if they expect a sequel to "When I Was Cruel". Although the rocker Costello is gone, at least for the moment, the works here feel more honest, heartfelt, and uncompromising than any of the albums mentioned above. If you give yourself over to the music, it is captivating and compelling, and I have the feeling that, over time, this will remain one of my favorite Costello albums. Sure, I'll still be popping in the pop/rock hits and classics, but this album acts as a subtle emotional roller coaster, if such a thing is possible. It takes you on a journey of a desperation and hope going through it's 11 tracks. Definitely not for everyone, but more than worth your precious time.

....and you'll love it. i'm a huge EC fan, but this album kind of annoyed me at first. just too mellow. the only tunes that jumped out at me initially were "still" (an absolute stunner) and "someone took the words away" (even better), and i had to send out search parties to find the melody in (seemingly) dirge-like numbers like "when did i stop dreaming" or "fallen". but, after about a week or so of listening, the intricate beauty -- and, yes, sturdy melodies -- of these fragile songs bloomed into full flower. head "north", folks -- it's a great trip.

During a recent interview Elvis was asked about the title to his latest album, "NORTH". He replied that most songs and records written about love are all about a relationship "going South", "well, this is just the opposite of that.." I thought this was a brilliant statement on the body of work that Elvis has brought to us with this effort. So sit back, be quiet, and listen to a man start from loneliness, move to hope, and onto unbridled love all within one record. Elvis's exploration of the intimate rooms of male emotion that he walks into with this record is to be admired and taken in deeply, as most artists in Elvis's position would not be so brave to pursue so completely. His full commitment pays off with the nakedness and very intimate and quiet setting and leaves us feeling as if we are hearing him for the first time. If you wish to hear an artist that not only challenges himself, but his fans continuously, and then go on this journey and discover something most of us never take the time to admit to ourselves.

Bruce Springsteen once said that he felt Elvis Costello wrote great love songs. I agreed. But, with "NORTH" I feel he has pushed and reached an even finer place of maturity and complete surrender to the power of a love song and his pull and take on the theme.
He touched on this with incredible beauty on "Painted From Memory" with Burt Bacharach. Plus, he moved his initial sarcastic and often heartbreaking musical endeavors from his early success of "Allison" to his "Imperial Bedroom" breakthrough to this ultimate step forward both vocally and emotionally. He is a brilliant artist at the peak of his powers. Who is in touch with his soul and his musical history from Cole Porter to Sinatra to George Jones Ballads. But, the sweetest ticket is that he wrote these songs and pulled in his experience to bring us right to a metropolitan highrise apartment filled with dim lights, Hi-Fi sounds, Martinis and two breaths.My theory on these first listens is to find the "One Thing" and listen to this great album over and over.

I admit I was a little bored during my first listen of this album. Most of the songs sounded the same at first, and none were particularly memorable. After a few listens, however, it really started to grow on me. I love just about everything Elvis has ever done, and this is no exception. No...he's not the bitter young man he once was, but it's wonderful to see him exploring new styles of music, and with such success. This cd is entirely composed of ballads, mostly driven be Steve Nieve's beauitful keyboard work. The lyrics are some of the lovliest work of Elvis' career. None of the biting sarcasm or wit from his early work is present on this one. Some of it is heartwrenching, while other songs are just plain beautiful. If you are willing to accept a change of pace from Elvis' classic material, then give this album a shot. There's a lot going for this album, and you won't appreciate it until you've heard it a few times, so don't pass judgement after one time through. Favorite songs for me are Still and When Did I Stop Dreaming, but all of the songs are worthy of recognition.

Elvis Costello's new album contains some of the most brilliant straight-forward ballads that he has ever written. In this collection, lyrics are carefully woven into tender musical arrangements setting the mood for some of EC's most heartfelt songs. "When It Sings," "I'm in the Mood Again," and "Still" are my favorite tracks at the moment. The album is full of tender love songs that have a more universal appeal than some of his other ballad-driven albums. It captures the essence of losing and finding love: the thrill, the loss, the elation, everything. Gone are the ranting, tongue in cheek bitter lyrics that have defined some of his early work, and if that's what you are looking for then you're better off picking up some of the Rhino reissues like This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy, and Trust. This collection, however, emphasizes a kind of sincerity that has been very sparse in Costello's work despite his vast catalog and numerous genre jumping experiments. One gets the feeling that there is no longer a need to get in the last word or throw punchlines exposing the subjects of his tunes. This is not to say that there isn't any despair, longing, or loss on this album. The difference here is that Costello seems to explore these emotions introspectively rather than by ridiculing, lashing out, or laying blame. This album has made a tremendous impression on me. I just hope others will have the opportunity to hear some of these wonderful songs.

While I believe in separating an artist from his work, with some of our greatest writers, filmmakers and composers this is often an impossible task. Much as John Lennon's warmth, optimism and sentimentality drive his Double Fantasy album, so does Elvis Costello give us an uncharacteristically honest portrait of himself unarmored. Accustomed as we are to his defining characteristic being a kind of sneering cleverness, "North" is actually such a remarkable departure, I have had to live with it for a bit before putting words to my thoughts.

Beginning with "Alison", the angry young man has given us more than the occasional glimpse of the romantic within. He explored his inner Rogers and Hart when he covered "My Funny Valentine" and wrote and recorded "Almost Blue". But with each musical flight of fancy, right through "The Juliet Letters" and "Painted From Memory", each appeared as another exercise in Costello's gift for clever wordplay and musical acrobatics. But "North" is so simple and straightforward that it really marks the first time that Costello has trusted his audience and in fact himself to such an extent.

It begins with a journey of a loss that begins on the first track ("You Left Me in the Dark") which one has to assume is a melancholy autobiographical reflection on Costello's split with with Cait, his wife of many years. The album then progresses as a linear story, culminating with the rediscovery of love as told by a clear-eyed romantic... as opposed to a starry-eyed one. Doubtless, this is the result of Costello's recent romance and engagement to Diana Krall. (Which, most likely, accounts for the genre as well as the lyrical content.)

But how can anyone resist the giddy self-awareness of Costello's lovesick swain in "Let Me Tell You About Her", in which he sings of his struggle to contain his naked romanticism. The song's spare arrangement concludes with a flugelhorn solo that evoke's Chet Baker's gentle trumpet work on Costello's "Shipbuilding".

The album's final track "I'm in the Mood Again", colored with the imagery of a late night on the streets of Manhattan, leaves the listener in a place of contentment, as though our hero has just ended an evening of drinks and Jazz at the Carlyle with the woman whose love has given him the confidence to be himself. And in so doing, he has brought us all a little closer and allowed us to become intoxicated with the same spirit too.

In a strange twist, Elvis Costello sings about being in love rather than being raked over the coals by it. It's a musically stark and mellow, mellow album but by no means boring. The voice is in command on this one; Costello's voice is clear above the strings, piano, horns, and whatever else he put into the backing. This is a good thing, because Costello's voice is one of the most expressive around these days. Through the years he's just become a better and better singer.

This one is not for the Attractions' fans or the "hard Rock Elvis" fans. If you didn't like "The Juliet Letters" or "Painted From Memory" chances are you'll poo at this one too. Which is too bad, because it's just as much of a ride as "When I Was Cruel", but it's a very different kind of ride.

The title track doesn't appear on the CD. It can be downloaded from elviscostello.com with a key code included inside the CD (I'm not sure if it's in all of them or not); the song "North" can also be heard (and seen) on the bonus DVD that accompanies the early release CDs. It's a good song, but it's also understandable why it didn't get put on the final album. The DVD also includes a "music video" of "Still" and a solo performance of "Fallen" on an unfortunately slightly out of tune piano.

Costello has proven himself to be an immensely diverse musical artist. He's in the ranks with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Emmylou Harris as far as breadth and musical range goes. He's another great one that refuses to be put into one category, and from a bird's eye view he defies categorization (even though you'll usually find him stuffed, sometimes uncomfortably, in the "Rock/Pop" section). "North" is yet another great one.

One of the most uplifting aspects of this album is that, if Elvis Costello can find true love and be strengthened (seeing that he was and is the king of bad relationship songs) then there's definitely hope for us all. Hopefully there will be more from Costello soon (he didn't make us wait too long this time).

Elvis, in love again and letting us in on the personal agony and ecstasy that is that love, makes a clear case: it makes the world go round and makes the crooner even more profound. Deep and unabiding emotional tidal wave. Man, can this guy do it or what? Well done, Costello. You've done it again!

During a recent interview Elvis was asked about the title to his latest album, "NORTH". He replied that most songs and records written about love are all about a relationship "going South", "well, this is just the opposite of that.." I thought this was a brilliant statement on the body of work that Elvis has brought to us with this effort. So sit back, be quiet, and listen to a man start from loneliness, move to hope, and onto unbridled love all within one record. Elvis's exploration of the intimate rooms of male emotion that he walks into with this record is to be admired and taken in deeply, as most artists in Elvis's position would not be so brave to pursue so completely. His full committment pays off with the nakedness and very intimate and quiet setting and leaves us feeling as if we are hearing him for the first time. If you wish to hear an artist that not only challenges himself, but his fans continuously, then go on this journey and discover something most of us never take the time to admit to ourselves.
-Michael Clark