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Product Description
CD Description
National Ransom is the latest Elvis Costello gem, recorded in a total of eleven days at Sound Emporium, Nashville and Village Recorders, Los Angeles and was produced by T Bone Burnett and engineered and mixed by Michael Piersante at Electromagetic, Los Angeles.
All of these songs are newly composed by Costello with the exception of "I Lost You," co-written with Jim Lauderdale and "All These Strangers," for which Costello and T Bone Burnett collaborated on the lyrics. Costello and Burnett also provide the lyrics for "My Lovely Jezebel," a Leon Russell rock and roll tune. All members of the Imposters and Sugarcanes appear on the CD along with guests Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell.
All of these songs are newly composed by Costello with the exception of "I Lost You," co-written with Jim Lauderdale and "All These Strangers," for which Costello and T Bone Burnett collaborated on the lyrics. Costello and Burnett also provide the lyrics for "My Lovely Jezebel," a Leon Russell rock and roll tune. All members of the Imposters and Sugarcanes appear on the CD along with guests Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell.
Product Description
NEW ARRIVALS
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By robotfish
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Fantastic. 16 new Elvis Costello songs, Christmas has come early! For those coming to this CD from a recent "Later...with Jools Holland" appearance will probably want to know if all the songs on here are accoustic guitar based. Well, err...no. But are they all of the same high quality? Undoubtedly yes.
Elvis has been prolific the past three years. Momofuku was an excellent rock album - followed by a subdued and meandering record last year entitled Secrets Profane & Sugarcane. This new album has much in common with the last but the quality control is much higher. The production is a little less stifling than the last album and the slower songs are given much more room to breathe. And those songs - I'd say some of his very best pepper this album. Jimmie Standing In The Rain, Slow Drag With Josephine, Church Underground, Dr Watson I Presume, Bullets For The New Born King, You Hung The Moon - these are all magnificent songs demanding repeated playing. Some of the more up-tempo songs don't have quite the magic, or is it that they don't suit the personnel? Perhaps they should be saved for Imposters recordings in future (if we get any more of those).
Anyway this is a marvellous CD so lets give a big welcome back to one of the most talented men in rock music. Now how about a proper tour?
Elvis has been prolific the past three years. Momofuku was an excellent rock album - followed by a subdued and meandering record last year entitled Secrets Profane & Sugarcane. This new album has much in common with the last but the quality control is much higher. The production is a little less stifling than the last album and the slower songs are given much more room to breathe. And those songs - I'd say some of his very best pepper this album. Jimmie Standing In The Rain, Slow Drag With Josephine, Church Underground, Dr Watson I Presume, Bullets For The New Born King, You Hung The Moon - these are all magnificent songs demanding repeated playing. Some of the more up-tempo songs don't have quite the magic, or is it that they don't suit the personnel? Perhaps they should be saved for Imposters recordings in future (if we get any more of those).
Anyway this is a marvellous CD so lets give a big welcome back to one of the most talented men in rock music. Now how about a proper tour?
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Before reviewing this new collection of songs I checked back over my collection to see if Elvis had ever previously produced such a variety of musical genres, but I don't think even "Spike" or "All this Useless Beauty" come close. There are echoes of "North" in "You Hung the Moon", a few high-quality country-flavoured tunes and some strong melodies and interesting chord structures in "Jimmie Standing in the Rain", the delightful "Slow Drag with Josephine" and "Church Underground". There are also 3 or 4 subtle and understated songs which grow in stature with repeated playing.
The production is excellent, the guitar playing is good and the use of double-bass works so well that I don't find myself harking back to the days of Bruce Thomas. The lyrics as ever are brilliant and 15 out of 16 tracks are excellent.
Thoroughly recommended.
The production is excellent, the guitar playing is good and the use of double-bass works so well that I don't find myself harking back to the days of Bruce Thomas. The lyrics as ever are brilliant and 15 out of 16 tracks are excellent.
Thoroughly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By T. Hurley
Format:Audio CD
After a couple of fairly average albums, and a flirtation with all things Americana, I wasn't overly optimistic that I would like this album.
Wow, how wrong I was.
This is a stunning piece of work - without doubt it sits right alongside Elvis's best. There is not one duff track & Elvis's voice sounds wonderful throughout. I hesitate to pick out a single track but the closer - "A Voice In The Dark" is as near perfect as you can get. A+ Elvis. Elvis hasn't left the building - he OWNS the building!
Wow, how wrong I was.
This is a stunning piece of work - without doubt it sits right alongside Elvis's best. There is not one duff track & Elvis's voice sounds wonderful throughout. I hesitate to pick out a single track but the closer - "A Voice In The Dark" is as near perfect as you can get. A+ Elvis. Elvis hasn't left the building - he OWNS the building!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Into the past
I like this CD very much. Nice songs. Costello solo in years.
It makes me think of his first albums but more complex.
It makes me think of his first albums but more complex.
Published 22 months ago by daniel dewaele
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sparkling Return To Form
For those of us who are long-term Costello fans, this is a real return to form. I make it his best record since Painted From Memory (although I was in the minority who liked... Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2011 by Dan Mollett
3.0 out of 5 stars
fine, but not superfine, costello
some sharp songs, but nothing totally stand out for me - strong americana feel to it, which I really love...
Published on 11 Dec 2010 by Jon A. Crowcroft
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best for a while
A good album with plenty of variation in style. After buying "North", surely one of the worst albums of all time, I thought that would be the end of my Elvis Costello collection... Read more
Published on 5 Dec 2010 by Ian Walmsley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genius
The previous reviewers have expressed my own feelings far more eloquently than I could hope to do, therefore I will merely echo their sentiments and my admiration of the legend... Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2010 by S. Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars
elvis is king
No one to my knowledge has written as many good songs as Costello and certainly not as many types of songs. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2010 by Breeze
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Costello gem
I do not believe that Declan has ever made a disc that was in any way less than very good, and every so often he pops up with one which from start too finish is an absolute gem. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2010 by Mr. David A. Norris
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEST IN AGES
I've been following and listening to Elvis since I was a kid, and started buying his music as soon as I could afford it. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2010 by David P. Weber
5.0 out of 5 stars
An album that seems to combine all the threads of Elvis's career
Elvis's new album keeps T-Bone Burnett as producer and as well as the musicians from "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane" brings back his normal backing band the Imposters and a few extra... Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2010 by G. E. Harrison
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