Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Almost Blue

THE REVIEW

COSTELLO GOES ON TOUR TO NASHVILLE and starts to grow up

In the late seventies, I developed a (musical) crush on Elvis Costello and bought his first albums one after the other, appreciating the fast and no-nonsense style of the productions signed by Nick Lowe, recorded with the hard and somewhat schizoid rhythm of punk rock. When I got to Almost Blue—a dozen covers in the sweet sounds of American country—I was left stunned, and after a couple of listens, the record ended up in the box of those that... "everyone occasionally makes a blunder." I was wrong: rediscovered by chance and re-listened to thirty years later, it revealed itself to me as a very respectable album, closing Costello's youthful period (the one with the Attractions) and starting to define that eclectic artistic personality we know today. It also helps that in these years, I myself have learned a bit more about the musical world revolving around Nashville/Tennessee, where Costello recorded this album, relying on the production of specialist Billy Sherrill, who was considered at the time “the most reliable hitmaker in town.” To get more specific about these songs, I would place at the two extremes the brisk version of Why Don’t You Love Me (Like You Used To Do) by Hank Williams and, at the other end, the sugary Sweet Dreams; and then in the middle and in order: the two pieces signed by Gram Parsons (I’m Your Toy and How Much I’ve Lied), the melancholic A Good Year For The Roses (by Jerry Chestnut) along with the poignant Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down (by Merle Haggard) and to conclude the pairs of my favorites, the two pieces by George Jones (Brown To Blue and Color Of The Blues). In addition to the classic lineup of the Attractions, all English like Costello, there's the contribution of former Doobie Brothers member John McFee on the steel guitar to strengthen the promised country & western sound. The graphic idea for the title is lovely with a sort of crack in the photo forming the letter L in the large word “Blue” and the amusing photo of Costello with his hands on his face, almost as if to say “…what was I thinking!” The only flaw in my edition: the song lyrics are not included, and the cover does not list the authors, who must be sought on the long-playing label. No big deal. It's a great album and, in my opinion, with today's hindsight, deserves at least FOUR STARS.