Elvis Costello Almost Blue: Deluxe Edition CD

This is where Costello began to display the chameleonic tendencies that would serve him so well throughout his career. Abandoning snappy, "new wave"-associated rock for the first time, Elvis decided to visit Nashville and record his take on the country classics he loved so much. Enlisting the services of George Jones producer Billy Sherrill, Costello cloaked himself and the Attractions in countrypolitan trappings (including lush strings) for some distinctive version of country evergreens like "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" and "Sweet Dreams." Only the punk-derived fervor of "Why Don't You Love Me Like You Used To Do" and the bar-room raunch of "Honey Hush" interrupt the elegant, emotional balladry. Costello also pays tribute to a more recent generation on aching covers of Gram Parsons' "I'm Your Toy" and "How Much I Lied." Ryko's bonus cuts sweeten the pot considerably, especially the live version of Leon Payne's self-explanatory "Psycho."

Given the nature of Almost Blue -- a covers album filled with country songs that Elvis Costello loved -- it doesn't come as a surprise that there's a lot of related material left in the vaults, whether it's songs cut during the sessions that didn't make it to the finished record, B-sides, live tracks, or duets tucked away on other records. In other words, there's a bunch of songs that can be featured on expanded editions such as Rykodisc's 1994 reissue, which nearly doubled the length of the original 12-track LP, or on Rhino's subsequent 2004 double-disc set, which has a whopping 27 tracks on its bonus disc. The 11 bonus cuts on the Ryko edition are all here, along with a slew of outtakes from the album sessions, a set of seven live songs cut with steel guitarist John McFee (who played on My Aim Is True) from 1979, a handful of other in-concert recordings, plus duets with country legends George Jones ("Stranger in the House," originally released on the Possum's My Very Special Guests album) and Johnny Cash (the Dave Edmunds-produced "We Oughta Be Ashamed," a previously unreleased gem). Many of these recordings were initially released as B-sides or have circulated on bootlegs such as Plugging the Gaps, so there are few, if any, revelations for the hardcore here, but it's hard not to celebrate the official release of this material, since it's nearly all excellent. Given the large number of different sessions and concerts that comprise the source material for the bonus disc, it's hardly surprising that it's altogether more ragged than the finished album, but that's part of its charm, particularly because that raggedness leads to impassioned performances, such as the haunting, nervy "Stranger in the House" with McFee, which is arguably the strongest version Costello cut. While some songs are duplicated as live versions, either from the finished album or elsewhere on the bonus disc, the performances are different -- either in terms of conviction or tone -- so it never feels redundant, particularly since the music is consistently strong throughout the disc. Ultimately, the bonus disc is as satisfying as Almost Blue itself, and that's because it's essentially more of the same

Recorded at CBS Studios, Nashville, Tennessee in May, 1981; live at the Mean Machine, Aberdeen, Scotland on July 30, 1981; live at The Palomino Club, North Hollywood, California on February 16, 1979; live at The Royal Albert Hall, London, England on January 7, 1982. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello.

Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); Elvis Costello; George Jones, Johnny Cash (vocals); John McFee (guitar, pedal steel guitar); Bruce Thomas (bass guitar); The Nashville Edition (background vocals); Tommy Millar (fiddle); Steve Nieve (piano, organ); Pete Thomas (drums).

Liner Note Author: Elvis Costello.

Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar); John McFee (guitar, pedal steel); Tommy Millar (fiddle); Steve Nieve (piano, organ); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums); Nashville Edition (background vocals).Q (11/94, p.136) - 3 Stars - Good - "...its exact power eluded most of us, although it arguably turned many other on to the genre from which it drew..."
Uncut (p.113) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[I]t's proven durable...sounding as warm and nasty as ever."
Uncut (p.143) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Part novelty, part Gram Parsons/George Jones kick, and all covers, its performances are workmanlike and soulful..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.111) - 4 stars out of 5 - "ALMOST BLUE could not have made a bigger counter-mainstream splash."