Elvis Costello – North

Elvis Costello Records Album from Coma

Elvis Costello’s latest, North, with its cinematic swells and lush lounge arrangements, will be a real hit at the bingo pre-party at the old folks home. North is sopping wet with sleepy jazz rhythms, piano-heavy ballads, and never climaxes with anything beyond moderate toe tapper “Impatience.” Good music to fall asleep to in your Lay-Z-Boy while the game blares on mute, but nothing for fans of classics like “Accidents Will Happen” or “Every Day I Write the Book.” Costello has definitely mellowed further on this album, leaving behind any trace of the rock from which he seemed to spawn in the late seventies. I suppose after playing out the sensitive guy among mongrels on a punk label thing, it was only natural that he slowly transform into Burt Bacharach. Considering he’s run in the past with crowds like The Specials and The Clash, perhaps he should count his blessings that he even has a job, as those ships have sadly since passed.


North is an easy-listener, for sure. Reminiscing great movie scores and black and white moods, a different crowd in a new genre will greatly appreciate the ultra musicality of the piece, however those with a taste for Elvis Costello’s old sound may find it a yawn.