About two and a half weeks ago, it was announced that Elvis Costello would be releasing his new album -- the proper follow-up to 2004's countrified "The Delivery Man" and, as I'm finding out, his first pop/rock album since 2002's "When I Was Cruel" -- er, today. The only information given was that it would be released on vinyl only with a free download code followed by a CD release at some point in the future. Oh, and also that it would be called "MOMOFUKU." This was disconcerting; Elvis Costello is at the age where, despite not showing any signs to the contrary, he could easily settle into late-middle-aged soft-rock Starbucksian complacency, and naming your album after a hip, new age exclusive New York eatery and giving it an absolutely hideous purple-lime green-soft yellow-and-orange cover does not bode well.
So I picked it up today, and in the spirit of both its hip, nontraditional release as well as my unemployment, I'm going to LIVE BLOG MY LISTENING EXPERIENCE.
The record comes in a fairly sturdy gatefold vinyl package, and the cover looks a little better in person than it did on the Internet. (The red shit at the bottom is a box of peaches, and for some reason, this detail appeals to me.) The Impostors are the same band they were for the past few albums (The Attractions with a different bassist, I believe), and there are several guest stars including Jenny Lewis and Pete Thomas' daughter, Tennessee Thomas. No idea who the other people are (is Jonathan Wilson a Beach Boy? [UPDATE: no, apparently he's some lame Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter session musician type]), but maybe I should. Oh well.
The back is mislabled -- intentionally? -- to say there are only two sides, but it is in fact a double LP album (so there are four sides with three songs each = 12 songs). The record includes a lame cardboard stencil so you can, I don't know, tag your neighborhood with the word "MOMOFUKU"? I guess those vying for street cred will enjoy this touch. There is also a coupon for the free album download, but I think some people will be disappointed to find that it's unavailable to use until May 1 -- that's over a week from now, and only 5 days shy of the album's CD release. I guess this is to stave off piracy or, more importantly, to let people enjoy the album with a completely fresh perspective. In fact, I love the idea of having absolutely no idea what to expect from the album and having it spring so suddenly on me. Way to go Mr. Costello. Maybe that's what the title means... it's something deliberately confusing meant to give you no expectations whatsoever, a word that generally sounds like complete nonsense but has enough of a connection to reality to lead you to ponder its significance without arriving at any conclusions.
I have now listened to the first side (first three songs) twice in a row, and I really like what I hear. I'd compare it most readily to Armed Forces or Blood and Chocolate -- they're unabashedly hook-y, well-written pop songs.
"No Hiding Place" is a great opener, sounding like classic Costello gently adorned with Delivery Man-esque steel guitar. Jenny Lewis' backing vocals are used very tastefully.
"American Gangster TIme" is awesome -- with an absolutely classic vox organ line by Steve Neive dominating the song, it sounds like something right off Armed Forces without the new wavey production.
"Turpentine" begins somewhat ominously with a rumbling bassline from Danny Farghar and DOUBLE DRUMMING from the Pete and Tennessee Thomas (father-daughter double drumming! awesome!) It progresses into a pretty complicated arrangements with a lot of different kinds of guitars and keyboards before breaking into a shimmering chorus. I believe every person who worked on the album is featured on this song.
So that is it for side one. I will post more later.
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