The Imposter

Continuing with the E Costello theme this week, here is some primo material: These are the bonus discs that came with Rhino's rerelease of his first 5 albums. Rarities, outtakes and live versions. More info on each track can be found here.

MY AIM IS TRUE: BONUS DISC

1. No Action (early version) (2:15)
2. Living In Paradise (early version) (3:00)
3. Radio Sweetheart (2:31)
4. Stranger In The House (3:04)
5. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (live) (2:27)
6. Less Than Zero ("Dallas version") (4:17)
7. Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) (3:38)
8. Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk demo) (2:13)
9. Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk demo) (2:16)
10. Jump Up (Honky Tonk demo) (2:06)
11. Wave A White Flag (Honky Tonk demo) (1:58)
12. Blame It On Cain (Honky Tonk demo) (3:31)
13. Poison Moon (Honky Tonk demo) (1:53)

THIS YEAR'S MODEL: BONUS DISC

1. Big Tears (3:09)
2. Crawling To The USA (2:52)
3. Running Out Of Angels (demo) (2:02)
4. Greenshirt (demo) (2:20)
5. Big Boys (demo) (2:58)
6. You Belong To Me (Capital Radio version) (1:52)
7. Radio, Radio (Capital Radio version) (2:58)
8. Neat Neat Neat (live) (3:16)
9. Roadette Song (live) (5:38)
10. This Year's Girl (alternate Eden Studios version) (2:07)
11. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (Basing Street Studios version) (2:57)
12. Stranger In The House (BBC version) (4:15)

ARMED FORCES: BONUS DISC

1. Tiny Steps (2:41)
2. Busy Bodies (alternate version) (3:47)
3. Talking In The Dark (1:55)
4. Big Boys (alternate version) (2:54)
5. Clean Money (1:57)
6. Wednesday Week (2:03)
7. My Funny Valentine (1:28)
8. Accidents Will Happen (live) (3:18)
9. Mystery Dance (live) (2:01)
10. Goon Squad (live) (3:42)
11. Party Girl (live) (3:19)
12. Stranger In The House (live) (3:52)
13. Alison (live) (3:08)
14. Lipstick Vogue (live) (4:26)
15. Watching The Detectives (live) (5:51)
16. You Belong To Me (live) (2:38)
17. Chemistry Class (live) (2:34)

GET HAPPY!: BONUS DISC

1. I Stand Accused (alternate version) (3:09)
2. So Young (3:26)
3. Girls Talk (1:55)
4. Human Touch (alternate version) (2:19)
5. Temptation (alternate version) (2:27)
6. Motel Matches (alternate take) (2:26)
7. Clowntime Is Over No. 2 (3:43)
8. B Movie (alternate version) (2:26)
9. Girls Talk (alternate version) (2:03)
10. Getting Mighty Crowded (2:07)
11. From A Whisper To A Scream (alternate version) (2:29)
12. Watch Your Step (alternate version) (2:01)
13. Dr. Luther's Assistant (3:26)
14. Ghost Train (3:05)
15. New Lace Sleeves (alternate version) (3:45)
16. Hoover Factory (1:44)
17. Just A Memory (2:15)
18. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down (alternate version) (2:43)
19. New Amsterdam (alternate version) (2:29)
20. Black & White World (demo) (1:49)
21. Riot Act (demo) (2:48)
22. 5ive Gears In Reverse (demo) (2:31)
23. Love For Tender (demo) (2:05)
24. Men Called Uncle (demo) (2:04)
25. King Horse (demo) (2:43)
26. Seven O'Clock (demo) (1:58)
27. High Fidelity (live) (3:17)
28. Opportunity (live) (2:33)
29. The Imposter (live) (2:11)
30. Don't Look Back (live) (3:01) / CBS Radio Commercial (1:30)

TRUST: BONUS DISC

1. Black Sails In The Sunset (3:07)
2. Big Sister (2:15)
3. Twenty-Five To Twelve (4:03)
4. Sad About Girls (2:47)
5. From A Whisper To A Scream (alternate version) (3:24)
6. Watch Your Step (alternate version) (2:44)
7. Clubland (alternate take) (4:00)
8. You'll Never Be A Man (alternate take) (3:08)
9. Slow Down (2:23)
10. Big Sister (alternate version) (5:04)
11. Black Sails In The Sunset (alternate version) (3:05)
12. Hoover Factory (alternate version) (1:43)
13. Love For Sale (3:02)
14. Boy With A Problem (2:30)
15. Weeper's Dream (1:05)
16. Gloomy Sunday (3:12)
17. The Long Honeymoon (instrumental piano demo) (1:41)

R.I.P, Jay Bennett

Buckner Reup

Reuploaded, two radio appearances from Richard Buckner.

Plus an excuse to post this clip:

Tears Before Bedtime

This is something interesting I found the other day. Called "Conversations With Elvis Costello", it's a 2 cd promotional edition of Elvis Costello's "Imperial Bedroom" in which he discusses each song in detail before you hear it.

This, along with his first three, is one of my favorite EC albums. As is mentioned often, it was produced by Geoff Emerick, who also worked on "Sgt. Pepper's" as well as Paul McCartney's solo stuff. Even though it does feel a bit overambitious, some might say pretentious, it is a very satisfying, varied album, and very different than the rest of his stuff. Its sensibilities are more Cole Porter than Randy Newman, I guess you could say.

Anyway, even though the chats break up the flow of the songs (which is a key component, particularly in this album), it is worth it to hear new insights and behind the scenes info.

Enjoy!

IMPERIAL / BEDROOM

or

IMPERIAL / BEDROOM

1. -chat- [10:05]
2. Beyond Belief [2:37]
3. -chat- [3:01]
4. Tears Before Bedtime [3:00]
5. -chat- [0:55]
6. Shabby Doll [4:50]
7. -chat- [2:07]
8. The Long Honeymoon [4:16]
9. -chat- [3:15]
10. Man Out Of Time [5:32]
11. -chat- [1:41]
12. Almost Blue [2:47]
13. -chat- [4:00]
14. ...And In Every Home [3:27]
15. -chat- [1:12]
16. The Loved Ones [2:51]
17. -chat- [0:34]
18. Human Hands [2:48]
19. -chat- [1:54]
20. Kid About It [2:49]
21. -chat- [2:39]
22. Little Savage [2:41]
23. -chat- [3:45]
24. Boy With A Problem [Costello/Chris Difford] [2:12]
25. -chat- [6:58]
26. Pidgin English [4:06]
27. -chat- [2:34]
28. You Little Fool [3:13]
29. -chat- [4:18]
30. Town Cryer [4:22]
31. -chat- [2:55]

They're trying to wash us away

I always disliked Randy Newman, having only heard "I Love L.A" and such; had chalked him up to be just another Hollywood jingleoid songwriter. To a great extent, he is that. But he's also a masterful lyricist of an acrid intelligence and a black sense of humor.

I remembered reading an Elvis Costello interview in which he said that on his first album, "My Aim is True", he had basically done a Randy Newman imitation, so i got curious and downloaded "Guilty", a 2 cd greatest hits comp, and this is where I first heard songs like "Rednecks" and "Louisiana 1927". The former, sung in the voice of a racist southerner cliche, the latter to resurface as a premonitory foreshadowing of the tragic mess that was Katrina.

I don't usually go for concept albums, but in this case, like with Terry Allen, I make an exception.

"That's what I wanted-- I think my goal wasn't to get rich and famous, necessarily, though I cared about that. I always thought, "Oh, this could be a hit," or "that will sell records." But the first thing I wanted was that people who knew a lot about music, or had taste-making qualities, they would like my stuff. Writers, people like that. And I kind of got it, and realized, I want more! [laughs] It's always gratifying to me when someone like Elvis Costello mentions me, someone whose work I admire." (from PITCHFORK)

GOOD OLD BOYS

1. "Rednecks"
2. "Birmingham"
3. "Marie"
4. "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)"
5. "Guilty"
6. "Louisiana 1927"
7. "Every Man a King" (Huey P. Long, Castro Carazo)
8. "Kingfish"
9. "Naked Man"
10. "Wedding in Cherokee County"
11. "Back on My Feet Again"
12. "Rollin'"