at a glance...

Hometown: London England (Costello), Kansas City, MO (Bacharach)
First Recordings: 1976 (Costello, with Clover); 1955 (Bacharach, with Patti Page)

The best Costello fan site -- bar none. Check it out

Personnel:
Elvis Costello -vocals
Burt Bacharach -piano
Steve Nieve -keyboards
Jim Keltner -drums
Greg Cohen -bass
Dean Parks -guitar
...and full orchestra

Notes:
Burt Bacharach was one of the most influential and successful figures in popular music of the 60's and 70's. Bacharach and lyricist Hal David are credited with an astonishing 25 top ten hits; eight of these hits were recorded with Dionne Warwick. Hit titles include "Walk on By," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?", and "Promises, Promises." You might also recognize "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On my Head," "[They Long to Be] Close to You," and mega-hit "That's What Friends Are For." Trivia tidbit: Bacharach was once Marlene Deitrich's musical director.

Costello's first recording, released by Stiff records, was with Country Western band Clover. The Attractions, Costello's most frequent backing band, was formed through auditions for the 1977 recording of This Year's Model. Costello's solo projects (sans Attractions) have included collaborations with the Brodsky Quartet (The Juliet Letters, 1992), and recordings for Deadicated (1991) and Songs in the Key of X (1996). Costello (aka Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus) on Painted From Memory: "Let's just say that Burt and I are here to kick Celine Dion's ass." Amen.

Links:
Elvis Costello Mothership
We Love Elvis Costello

OK, before we begin this album review, a quick quiz: when you drive past highway signs for "San Jose" do you find yourself humming "Do you know the way to San Jose?" - complete with that peppy little trumpet line? Have you bought into the Tom Jones revival, with or without a sense of irony? Ever marveled at the lyrical genius of Elvis Costello? If you've answered yes to any of the above questions, boy do I have an album for you.

The new Painted From Memory is a masterful collaboration between Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello. The two were first brought together (via fax and voicemail) to pen "God Give Me Strength" for the movie "Grace of My Heart," a forgettable Carole King biopic. Bacharach tinkles away at the keys, Costello croons, and the 40-piece orchestra swells. The result is a retro-sounding, yet timeless exploration of love, loss, and longing.

Costello graces us with his distinctive ( and somewhat froggy) voice, which adds to the emotional depth of the songs, and he's a masterful storyteller. He's written some fantastic lyrical snippets, and he succeeds at either steering clear of tired cliché, or emphatically embracing it. He pinpoints some of the smallest intimacies of a romantic entanglement, which when lost, impart us with the greatest sense of emptiness. As he peers through the window at his ex on "Tears at the Birthday Party," he laments: "and now I see/I see you share your cake with him," which is both poignant and a chuckle-worthy double-entendre.

Bacharach works his legendary orchestral wonders, and he has an uncanny knack for giving the instruments voices in a bold and self-referential way. On "The Sweetest Punch," the line begun by Costello as: "You knocked me out/it was the sweetest punch/the bell goes..." is completed by the merry chiming of bells. And on "Such Unlikely Lovers," "I'm not saying that there will be violins/but don't be surprised if they appear," is followed, of course, by an impressive swell of the huge string section. It might be overkill, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

It's a good thing that "God Give Me Strength" is the album's finale, because anything following would be anti-climactic. The tune begins at a dirge-like pace with a mournful trumpet line, and we're ushered right in with the welcoming words, "Now I have nothing/so God give me strength". And it only gets better from there.

Owner's manual for your new favorite CD: File under "Rainy Day". Make some tea, light a fire, curl up under a blanket, preferably in your pajamas. Enjoy.