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'"

Little Girl Blue

This is Nina Simone's first album, released in 1957. It's an interesting glimpse into the origins of her unique "social cabaret" style in the early part of her career. Nuff said.

NINA SIMONE - LITTLE GIRL BLUE 1. Mood Indigo

2. Don't Smoke in Bed

3. He Needs Me

4. Little Girl Blue

5. Love Me or Leave Me

6. My Baby Just Cares for Me

7. Good Bait

8. Plain Gold Ring

9. You'll Never Walk Alone

10. I Loves You, Porgy

11. Central Park Blues

12. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands [*]

13. For All We Know [*]

14. African Mailman [*]