Customer Reviews

The River In Reverse [CD/DVD Combo]

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

 

 

When the Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint collaboration was announced I was a bit skeptical at first. Costello's output has been very unpredictable in recent years. Toussaint's latest collaboration with John Henry was endearing but by no means very special. I felt this could become an amusing record at best. Both gentlemen prove me wrong on this outing.

The idea for record probably started after the flood of New Orleans. In the accompanying DVD Costello explains it was initially intended as a Toussaint songbook effort. While working on the project it evolved into more than that. Some five songs here are new collaborations between Costello and Toussaint. What immediately strikes you is how well these two gentlemen complement each other. Elvis' somewhat nasal and sandy voice is balanced out by the ever friendly and gentle backing vocals of Allen, the gruff instrumentations of the Attractions complemented by Toussaint's own Funky horn section and elegant piano playing.

Thematically the album approaches that of a protest album. Costello still proves to be the angry young man he was at the start of his career, albeit not so young anymore. Toussaint classics as "On Your Way Down" and "Who's Gonna Help A Brother Get Further" are complemented with the new "River in Reverse", a beautiful snarling track filled with horror about what occurred in the Crescent City. The album is filled out with some beautiful love songs from the Toussaint catalog that function as a counter to the political material and bring balance to the record. Elvis delivers al these songs with a passion and conviction you haven't heard from him in years. The album is an emotional rollercoaster, it makes you want to laugh, dance, sing, cry and scream, all in the course of an hour.

This album could very well be what Springsteen's Rising was to 911. It is as much a balm for the soul as it is an indictment to the Bush administration and those who left the poor of New Orleans to fend for them selves in the onslaught of the flood. Yet the record never gets bitter. It honors the city's spirit and music. The music is intended to lift you up, to be critical yet soothing, to give voice to anger yet to heal wounds. A monumental effort for a monumental city.

This is damn good stuff. It's the kind of album that you listen to while sitting on the edge of your bed, smoking one cigarette too many or maybe staring out your window while the sun sets. After all these years, Elvis Costello is still knocking them out of the park and with Allen Toussaint as a partner in crime on this recording, the result is an album that's so good that it almost hurts. The piano work is exquisite on this album as is Costello's singing.

"Nearer to You" is a great track, as well as "Tears, Tears and More Tears", which somehow reminds me of old Motown without trying too hard. "The River in Reverse" is probably the best song in the album but then again, all the songs are really good anyway so it's almost like saying that a beautiful woman in a room full of them is the prettiest.

This is a strongly recommended purchase, not to mention that there is a nice behind the scenes dvd that comes with select pressings of this album.

This tribute to New Orleans and the work of Allen Toussaint in the aftermath of Katrina is powerful and uplifting. A great collaboration - Elvis' agnger informed by Toussaint's humanity
The DVD is excellent as well. Typically, these are just a few videos and some scenes in the studio. The footage here of Toussaint returning to his hometown, as well as some hot live performances, could easily have made a compelling feature documentary. (And have we ever seen footage of Elvis recording an album?)

This is an excellent arrangement of talent. The songs are great and the DVD provides enriching context. For those of us living along the mighty Mississippi, the music strikes deep. Allen is a terrific pianist and these guys sound very good together. Best song on the whole thing is "All These Things", with River in Reverse running a close second.

Renaissance musician/troubadour Elvis Costello partners this time with legendary New Orleans R&B musician Allen Toussaint, and the results on this disc are quite fulfilling, often languorous and melancholy, all the more fitting given its context after the devastation of Katrina. Even without the relief aspect, the timing of this collaboration somehow feels right perhaps because Costello at this juncture of his career seems to be gaining more gravitas as a musical presence. Produced live and without overdubs by Joe Henry, the crisp-sounding recording effectively combines Costello's band, The Impostors, with Toussaint's guitarist Anthony "AB" Brown and the Crescent City Horns to produce frequently transcendent moments. Costello wrote the searing title tune, a biting sideswipe against the Bush administration's slow response in hurricane relief, and he performs it with his familiar angry-man vigor.

Together, Costello and Toussaint wrote five tracks, the best of which are the swinging, sardonic "Broken Promise Land" and the jaunty, inexplicably titled "International Echo". However, the best cuts are definitely the Toussaint compositions beginning with the opening song, the mournful "On Your Way Down". Several, well-turned love songs add to the texture of the blend, such as "Nearer to You" and "All These Things". It's not all dark moods as the driving "Tears, Tears and More Tears" makes a nice contrast, and Toussaint effortlessly takes the lead vocal on the soulful "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further". There is an invaluable DVD included, the half-hour documentary, "Putting the River in Reverse", which chronicles the recording sessions, one of which took place in New Orleans, the first major session after Katrina. Visually as well as aurally, an erudite, impeccably dressed Toussaint makes a striking contrast to the still-grungy Costello. Just as he proved with his wonderful Burt Bacharach collaboration and his orchestral work, Costello can complement his eclectic style in the most unusual of settings.

This is actually the first jazz styled album I have ever bought. I have never bought a Verve album in my entire life. Actully it is ver soulful. Very religious in nature and pleasant for night listening.

Great album and definitely in the top 5 Elvis albums ever! The Allen Toussaint collaboration works. Mr. Toussaint's influence is apparent, bringing with it the horns and a bit more sentimental lyrics. Elvis' writing and the Imposters mighty musicianship let us know that this is still a kick ass Elvis Costello album. I can't believe I missed this, when it came out a few years ago...

At the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival earlier this year, Elvis Costello was featured as a "special guest" of Allen Toussaint. That same billing holds true for this entire album. I'm not knocking Costello's contributions - far from it. But the real star of this album is Allen Toussaint. From his songs to his piano playing to his vocals, Allen Toussaint is the primary force behind the music.
Those of us fortunate enough to attend this year's Jazz Fest got a sneak preview of this album, and we knew it was going to be great.
Before the Jazz Fest performance, I was only familiar with Toussaint's more popular songs such as "Working in a Coal Mine" and "Fortune Teller." I was also very aware his masterful piano playing ability and his incredible horn arrangements. One thing I didn't fully appreciate was the depth and breadth of his songwriting.
After an extremely upbeat opening set by Toussaint and his band, Costello joined him on stage for a string of songs beginning with "On Your Way Down," the same song that opens this CD. The biting lyrics made me think it was co-written by Elvis Costello, but I found out later it was indeed entirely written by Toussaint years ago. The song eerily evoked the political mood in post-Katrina New Orleans and seems to be a perfect opener for this album - especially considering some of Costello's more biting lyrics later on.
As he did in New Orleans, Costello evokes a soulfulness on this record that hasn't sounded this strong since Get Happy, and now that his voice has matured even more he sounds even better - especially on "Nearer to You."
Allen Toussaint's vocals shine on "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further." His phrasing is some of the most unique and elegant phrasing in the history of American popular music. Why he hasn't had any major hits featuring his own vocals is a mystery to me. This song also conveys Toussaint's funky side extremely well - Steve Nieve's keyboards also help to add a funky vibe.
While many of the Toussaint classics that Costello chose to cover for this album are equivocally about corruption and impending justice, Costello's original lyrics are more direct and dark. Especially on the title track: "An uncivil war divides the nation, so erase the tape on that final ape running down creation."
To be honest, the darker tone of some of Costello's lyrics seems a bit out of place with Toussaint's generally upbeat vibe. Some of the songs on this album do sound like a dirge in places. Toussaint's performance at the Jazz Festival was more of a resurrection. The smile on his face when he first started perfoming this year was priceless. The upbeat vibe he conveyed from the stage to the crowd was infectious.
He and Costello closed their time together on stage with "Wonder Woman," the second to last song on this CD.
Following Costello's exit from the stage, Toussaint closed his set with "Yes We Can Can" and "There's a Party Going On" - the same song he opened it with. This time he added the chant "Home...Home...Everybody Come Home."
I wish this album had been a little more positive and uplifting at times - just as Toussaint's performance at Jazz Fest was. Still, Costello seemed to be trying to capture the immediate anger felt by many people following Katrina, and on that level his lyrics work. Toussaint's more upbeat songs balance things out a little.
The DVD is definitly worth getting. The documentary "Putting the River in Reverse" captures the recording sessions in Los Angeles and New Orleans. Toussaint's optimism shines and his desire to get back to New Orleans and to celebrate the music at Jazz Fest is clearly evident.
Also worth getting are the albums "I Believe to My Soul" and "Our New Oreans" - both featuring Toussaint on several songs.
For Costello fans (and I am one), this DVD combined with the bonus documentary on his "Club Date" DVD make for a great insight into Costello's appreciation of Southern Soul Music. (From Memphis through Mississippi and Arkansas and ending, with this DVD, in New Orleans)

If you could find a way to remove Elvis Costello's voice track from the recording, this would be a very good disc. If you could replace him with a competent R&B or soul singer, it would be a fantastic one (especially if he slurred the lyrics). As it is, it's just unlistenable. EC never was much of a singer, but here he's way out of his depth -- off-key whitebread bombast is not what this kind of music calls for. His voice is fingernails on the blackboard bad, and it's relentless... there's not even a single instrumental track to relieve the pain. It kills me to toss any disc with Allen Toussaint on it, but this one's got to go.

I wish E.C. would stop crapping all over my favorite artists. First he stunk up The Mingus Big Band with his pseudo-intellectual lyrics and over-blown, operatic delivery; now he's squatting over Toussaint--and all that sweet N.O. R&B--which The Great Pretender can now pollute with his I'm-a-legend-in-my-own-eyes arrogance. He should collaborate with Sting, another self-indulgent bag of UK wind. They could be billed as "Brothers of the Loo."