Moonsigns
|
Band Guide
|
Blogs
|
In Pictures
|
Adult
Boston
|
Portland
|
Providence
Music
CD Reviews
|
Classical
|
Download
|
Live Reviews
|
Music Features
|
New England Music News
Soltero
Pete Rock
CD Reviews
Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Momofuku | Lost Highway
By
ZETH LUNDY
|
May 12, 2008
ELVIS COSTELLO, MOMOFUKU
" alt="photo of 'ELVIS COSTELLO, MOMOFUKU'">
2.5
Stars
Elvis Costello’s transition from angry young man to grumpy old man was nearly complete late last year when, in reaction to the piecemeal experience of the digital age, he entertained the notion of never ever recording another album. Then he decided that he would record another album, but that it would be released on vinyl only. Such extremism is quaint but impractical, and so
Momofuku
— recorded off-the-cuff during one week in LA with the Imposters and Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice, and pedal-steel player “Farmer” Dave Scher on backing vocals — is now available in all formats. That’s just as well, because its lasting gimmick is its rock-and-roll spontaneity, not its method of delivery. Sure, Costello’s flubbed lines are left intact and the album’s mixes can be wildly uneven, but missed perfections make for a pretty riveting whole. The simplest songs (“Go Away,” “Drum & Bone”) fare best in the unstructured environment; pastiches of bossa nova (“Harry Worth”) and cabaret (“Mr. Feathers”) offset the barrage of roots-tinged rock. As far as raw rock goes, Costello splits the difference: “American Gangster Time” suffers from an absence of melody but “Stella Hurt” wraps its hook in a wicked bootstomp riff. “I’m a limited primitive kind of man,” Costello sings in “Drum & Bone,” and for better and worse, that’s the truth.
Related
:
Bonus rounds
Elvis Costello, the Lemonheads, and Whiskeytown get the deluxe treatment
Straight Man Versus Jokerman
Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan, DCU Center, October 2, 2007
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade | Hip-O
More
Bonus rounds
Elvis Costello, the Lemonheads, and Whiskeytown get the deluxe treatment
Straight Man Versus Jokerman
Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan, DCU Center, October 2, 2007
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade | Hip-O
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
Foray to Funkytown
On the Racks: June 6
From Strummin' with the Devil to a revived Live
Flaming out
Has Elvis Costello become Yes?
Flashbacks: March 3
The Boston Phoenix has been covering the trends and events that shape our times since 1966.
The Radiators
Dreaming Out Loud | Sci Fidelity
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
The River in Reverse | Verve Forecast
Going on sale: April 6, 2007
Breaking news from the concert ticket trade
Less
Topics
:
CD Reviews
,
Elvis Costello
,
Elvis Costello
,
Zeth Lundy
,
More
,
Elvis Costello
,
Elvis Costello
,
Zeth Lundy
,
Rilo Kiley
,
Less
Share
:
Rss
Email
Print
Comments
Add a Comment
ARTICLES BY ZETH LUNDY
REPLACEMENTS | RHINO REISSUES
| October 01, 2008
Tim + Pleased To Meet Me + Don’t Tell A Soul + All Shook Down | Rhino (2008)
BEN FOLDS | WAY TO NORMAL
| September 23, 2008
Epic (2008)
CALEXICO: CARRIED TO DUST
| September 02, 2008
Quarterstick
RANDY NEWMAN
| August 12, 2008
Harps + Angels | Nonesuch
THE MAJOR LABELS
| August 04, 2008
Aquavia | Self-released
See all articles by:
ZETH LUNDY
MOST POPULAR
Most Viewed
Most Emailed
SCHLEPPING FOR OBAMA
The Boston roots of Sarah Silverman's Jewbama crusade
I HAD AN ABORTION
Forty percent of American women have abortions by the time they're 45. I'm one of them.
OLD TRICKSTER
At age 78, able-bodied Alan Abel’s life is still one big joke
BULL DISCLOSURE
As the candidates prep for the final debate, it’s a fitting time to ask: why do some journalistic conflicts of interest become scandals, while others get almost no attention at all?
THE MELTING POT
Dip into confusing dining
SCHLEPPING FOR OBAMA
The Boston roots of Sarah Silverman's Jewbama crusade
WORDS AS MUSIC
Alan Lupo was many things — among them, the best metro columnist Boston may ever see
PHOTOS: RISD'S CHACE CENTER
Images from Rhode Island School of Design's new museum
BULL DISCLOSURE
As the candidates prep for the final debate, it’s a fitting time to ask: why do some journalistic conflicts of interest become scandals, while others get almost no attention at all?
OLD TRICKSTER
At age 78, able-bodied Alan Abel’s life is still one big joke
HOT TOPICS
Boston Symphony Orchestra
,
Kim Deal
,
Radiohead
,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
,
Harvard University
,
Kurt Weill
,
James Levine
,
James Robinson
,
John Harbison
,
Brian Eno
More Topics
. . .
LATEST SLIDESHOWS
Photos: Bulls on parade
Photos: Built To Spill at the Orpheum
All Slideshows
Explore your Fantasies
Featured Articles in CD Reviews
:
Boxed and ready
The cream of the season’s CD/DVD crop
Cult Cargo
Grand Bahama Goombay | Numero
Kaiser Chiefs
Yours Truly, Angry Mob | Universal
Dean and Britta
Back Numbers | Zoë/Rounder
Elvis Perkins
Ash Wednesday | XL
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
|
Sign In
|
Register
thePhoenix.com:
Home
Listings
Editor's Picks
News
Music
Film + TV
Food + Drink
Life
Arts
Rec Room
Video
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
Boston Phoenix
Portland Phoenix
Providence Phoenix
StuffAtNight
People2People
MassWeb Printing
G8Wave
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Work For Us
Sitemap
RSS
Mobile
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2008 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group