Elvis Costello

When I Was Cruel - (Island)

We've been hearing plenty about When I Was Cruel being Costello's return to making "loud" music, and the talk is true. There's more to it, though. When I Was Cruel is the most satisfying record Costello has made in almost 15 years.

Consider When I Was Cruel to be a record that follows the "Attractions" canon. Even though it isn't credited as an "...and The Attractions" record, it does involve the participation of keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas - effectively meaning that Nieve's contribution can't help but make When I Was Cruel seem like The Attractions never left Costello's side. Mix this with Costello's more adventurous post-Attractions songwriting and you have the record that many had hoped that, for example, Spike would be.

There's a rejuvenated sound here. Costello has written a glorious pop song in Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution) and sings in that somewhat "nasty" tone associated with early material. When I Was Cruel No. 2 plays like a soliloquy to cynicism - a theme familiar to records like This Years Model . Here, Costello talks over a subtle repeating melody to great effect, making you forget that you're listening to a track that clocks in over seven minutes.

Best exemplifying the "loud", Daddy Can I Turn This? sounds like the song that could have come out of the guitar squall that opens Imperial Bedroom 's Man Out Of Time . Costello's guitar work here - and throughout When I Was Cruel actually - is among the finest string bending he's done. Not normally known for his guitar skills (after all, they have to compete with his lyrical pen) Costello embraces the instrument like he's being reacquainted with an old friend. The fuzzy Dissolve features a guitar that wouldn't be out of place within the garage-rock genre, with his harmonica making this a song that Jon Spencer might cover (really!).

This is just the tip of the iceberg when considering everything going on across the fifteen tracks here. An artist has returned to show just how it's done.

7.6