thu 05/12/2024

CD: Elvis Costello & The Roots – Wise Up Ghost | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Elvis Costello & The Roots – Wise Up Ghost

CD: Elvis Costello & The Roots – Wise Up Ghost

Has the man out of time really gone hip hop?

Costello: always interesting, always interested in trying something new

Alex Turner says he wants to sound like 50 Cent. Adele has recently been recording with Wiz Khalifa. There really are very few musical barriers to be demolished these days. But 59-year-old Elvis Costello goes hip hop? Now that's a turn up for the books that shows that, not far off 40 years of making music, the man out of time still has the ability to shock.

Calm down. Wise Up Ghost is not exactly Kanye. This stylistically mixed album was recorded in late-night sessions with skilful all-rounders The Roots, who Elvis bonded with on Jimmy Fallon's chat show when they aired their knowledge of his, erm, roots, by playing "Secret Lemonade Drinker" – the R White's Lemonade theme that the young Declan MacManus famously sang on with his bandleader dad Ross.

When Costello pinches old lyrics, he is at least borrowing from a master

There is a welcome low-key, jammy feel to the album. Opening track "Walk Us Uptown" has an engagingly ramshackle Tom Waits feel to it. "Refuse to Be Saved" has a funky Stevie Wonder Innervisions groove. Rumours of Costello's hip hop conversion are largely exaggerated. There are the occasional wordy semi-raps but the moody croon of This Year's Model is still distinctly discernible.

One of the more intriguing aspects here is the way Costello recontextualises and reinterprets his back catalogue. Hunter S Thompson once said you know you are in a bad way when you start plagiarising yourself, but when Costello pinches old lyrics, as he does on "Stick Out Your Tongue" – a reboot of his own Pills And Soap – he is at least borrowing from a master.

The Blue Note logo on the sleeve is apt. There is a loose, jazzy, nostalgic vibe to Wise Up Ghost. "Tripwire" edges towards an almost doo-wop sensibility. After pop, punk, reggae, jazz, classical, country, soul – you name it, apart from Mongolian dubstep, Costello has probably played it – this is an album that shows that he is still a musical explorer, still interested in venturing down different avenues. He has taken some wrong turns in the past, but Elvis is back on track again.

Overleaf: listen to Elvis Costello & The Roots' " Walk Us Uptown"

There is a welcome low-key, jammy feel to the album. Rough and ready in a good way

rating

Editor Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

Share this article

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters