Costello joins world cafe to discuss his new memoir, unfaithful music and disappearing ink. Listen and subscribe to our podcast at apple podcasts, stitcher, or elsewhere. Nprs arun rath speaks with costello and roots bandleader ahmir. Utterly definitive and clearly, painstakingly penned by costello himself, who doesnt want to miss a detail kitty empire guardian the writing is as good as you would expect from such an accomplished lyricist. This roots rock band from atlanta has been in heavy rotation on all blues since the release of their 2017 album peach. Brooklyn elvis costello has become the acknowledged standardbearer of english punk, and there can be no doubt that hes earned his legend. He has won multiple awards in his career, including grammy awards in 1999 and 2020, and has twice been nominated for the brit award for best british male artist. Theres a chapter in the book thats called unfaithful music, and thats part of the title of this book.
He was born declan patrick macmanus in 1954, the son of a. Elvis costello, the 64yearold singer and songwriter from england, lives in vancouver with his wife, the jazz singer diana krall, and. The roots and elvis costello announce collaborative album. Elvis costello records new album with the roots elvis costello at grand ole opry born in london in 1954 as declan patrick macmanus, the man who would later become elvis costello started his career because of his musician father. This page lists albums, singles, and compilations by the musician elvis costello, distinguishing between united states and united kingdom release dates and record labels. Larkin poe consists of rebecca lovell on guitar and lead vocals, with her. The roots appear to be in the driving seat musically, with a crisp clear sound. Hear the legendary english roots and countryrock singer live from merriweather post pavilion in columbia, md, recorded on sept. He and his band, the imposters, would release a new album in the fall. The roots frontman discussed his journey to rap distinction and latenight stardom in an interview with npr ahead of the release of his new. Its not exactly alienating but wise up ghost does require work from its audience, and the more you know and the more you listen the better it seems. As on record, the live performance highlights both costellos and the roots strengths. Wise up ghost is a collaborative studio album by british singersongwriter elvis costello and american hip hop group the roots. Sep 18, 20 elvis costello and the roots pump it up.
Unfaithful music and disappearing ink elvis costello. Paul grimstad, new republic long one of musics wittiest, smartest, and most perceptive lyricists, costello has done his legacy proud with his new book, which, thankfully. From eryka badu and lauryn hill to dangelo, jill scott, and common, james had a hand in writing and playing on their everlasting hits. Theres a chapter in the book thats called unfaithful music, and thats part of. Disappearing ink provides readers with a masters catalogue of a lifetime of great music. Recorded in a years worth of experimental sessions after the 59yearold bard met the band as. Wise up ghost is definitely a grower, thats not to say theres nothing to enjoy on the first listen. Since nbcs late night with jimmy fallon launched in 2009, elvis costello has been a frequent guest. Its just that this is another new elvis sound and it takes time to acclimatise to this. Cinco minutos con vos elvis costello and the roots 16.
The grooves, from the roots, are loose, muted, and murky, but. The dream date between uk punk standardbearer and phillys polymath funkandbeyond band heats up onstage in brooklyn. Elvis costello and the roots wise up ghost and other songs. Costello will be in new york for shows in october and november of 2016. A conversation with the iconic singersongwriter, recorded for the freakonomics radio series how to be creative. I keep hearing echoes of elvis costello and the attractions in the back of my head, and comparatively speaking, this music is tame. Costello and npr s kelly mcevers recently discussed those familial. Much of the book explores costellos childhood, which he remembers mostly fondly. Unfaithful music and disappearing ink is the longawaited memoir from elvis costello, one of rock and rolls most iconic stars. Elvis costello and the roots live at brooklyn bowl.
Elvis costello and the roots wise up ghost and other songs depending on how you look at this, the paths of elvis costello and the roots represent a much more natural crossing that it seems. Unfaithful music and disappearing ink by elvis costello viking. Sep 17, 20 elvis costello long ago realized that, his legacy as a songwriter having been secured, he can embrace pet projects that can take him out of his comfort zone without putting a dent in his reputation. There is no absolute right and wrong about music always free. In hour one of tuesdays installment of world cafe, we talk with elvis costello and the roots powerhouse drummer ahmir. Elvis costello and the roots walk us uptown msr studios. Elvis costello, patti smith and tracey thorn are among the musicians in this years music writers prize published. Leading africanamerican artists traveled to north alabama not exactly a place they thought theyd be welcome in the civil rights era to jam with an allwhite. Amazons choice for elvis costello book see all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The album, titled wise up ghost, will be out september 17 via. Elvis costello and this guy questlove sat down with npr to talk about the elvis x the roots collaboration that grew out of his appearances on. Definitely a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of the amazing parts, this album lives up to all of the intrigue and expectations. Biographer peter guralnicks new book is dream boogie. Oct 06, 2015 elvis costello has a new memoir, and its even better than bob dylan and keith richardss books.
He also tips his hat to elvis costello with a version of alison, a song lowe originally produced for costello s breakthrough record, my aim is true. All you really need to know about wise up ghost, the genius collaborative effort from iconic songwritersinger elvis costello and iconic live hiphop act the roots, can be found on viceroys row. Complete your elvis costello with the roots collection. Wise up ghost is unlike any other album that will be released this year. Yanceysmiths childrens book about her late son, the life story of james dewitt yancey, is out now. There, costello got to work with the shows inhouse band, the roots, and he struck up a professional relationship with the its leader, ahmir. From his 60s rock hits to the energy of the 80s, elvis costello has had many timeless hits here are his top 20 albums.
Costello has teamed with hiphop legends the roots for one of the more unusual, invigorating musical partnerships of the year. He cowrote a new track with carole king burnt sugar is so bitter and worked with. This is particularly true of roots drummerde facto bandleader. Below is a transcript of the episode, edited for readability. Sep 19, 20 elvis costello and the roots collaborative album, wise up ghost, is one of the most densely referential works in costello s catalogue. Longrumored and shrouded in mystery, this collaborative album between elvis costello and the roots promises to be one of the most unexpected and surprising releases of 20. Elvis costello and the roots, wise up ghost by david safar september 23, 20. Elvis costello was born declan patrick macmanus in london in. The show explores the shared musical and cultural threads in these american styles and genres of music and how they.
The official website of elvis costello, featuring tour dates, news, music and more. Songs can be many things, elvis costello writes in his new autobiography. There, costello got to work with the shows inhouse band, the roots, and he struck up a. Sep 09, 20 it only took a brief introduction on the set of late night with jimmy fallon for elvis costello and the roots to team up for their unique new project. The perfect gift for music lovers and elvis costello fans, telling the story behind elvis costellos legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs. The washington posts national arts reporter, covers everything from fine arts to popular. American routes is a weekly twohour public radio program produced in new orleans, presenting a broad range of american music blues and jazz, gospel and soul, oldtime country and rockabilly, cajun and zydeco, tejano and latin, roots rock and pop, avantgarde and classical. Provided to youtube by universal music group walk us uptown elvis costello and the roots wise up ghost.
Costello and the roots unveiled their collaborative album wise up ghost last week its a project theyd made in semisecrecy. Provided to youtube by universal music group sugar wont work elvis costello and the roots wise up ghost. Music video by elvis costello and the roots performing walk us uptown. Oct 19, 2015 unfaithful music and disappearing ink by elvis costello viking. October 23, 2019 the latest book from the cofounder and drummer of the roots is a collection of. The albums first single walk us uptown was released on july 23, 20.
Over 600 fans of a wide range in age and style gathered at the hip music venuerestaurantbowling alley. I like elvis costello and i like the roots and i like this album, though i dont think it points to anything new. Elvis costello i like his older songs and his tv show. The album was released on september 17, 20, by blue note records. This is an exquisitely detailed, imaginative record that pays back dividends according to how much knowledge, either of costello or the roots or their idols, a listener brings to the album. Costellos jitterycool vocals fit naturally among the roots perfectlytimed instrumentation. Wise up ghost and other songs elvis costello, the roots. The roots and elvis costello have teamed up for a fulllength collaborative album, as mentioned in february. All you really need to know about wise up ghost, the genius collaborative effort from iconic songwritersinger elvis costello and iconic live hiphop act the roots. Believe might be the bestsounding song on the record, and it was recorded innot the worst possible conditions, but certainly nothing close to ideal for an elvis costello and the roots song. This is not incidental to wise up ghost, the unexpected 20 collaboration between costello and the roots. Like costello, roots drummerleader ahmir questlove thompson is a pop polymathnot as steeped in history, hes younger, but quite possibly betterinformed about not just funk and hiphop, but modern white rock too.
Elvis costello born declan patrick macmanus is an english musician and singersongwriter of irish descent. Watch the video for the roots and elvis costello tripwire the 20 album wise up. Larkin poe full performance on knkx public radio youtube. So after the roots backed elvis on fallon a few times, a psyched quest hinted that maybe they could do an album together. Declan patrick macmanus, obe born 25 august 1954, better known by his stage name elvis costello, is an english postpunk singersongwriter. The music superstars appear in the studio to perform songs from their new collaborative album, wise up ghost. At this point in his career, an albumlength experiment like wise up ghost seems to satisfy costello artistically, thanks to his chameleon tendencies, but there isnt much to add to the best of either catalog. One featuring his solo detour show, in which he ranges. Costello wrote and produced a large majority of the album himself, with coproduction help from sebastian krys, a. Npr s arun rath speaks with costello and roots bandleader ahmir. C 20 elvis costello under exclusive license to blue note records. And then i stumbled into a recording collaboration with the roots and the. Born declan patrick macmanus, elvis costello was raised in london and liverpool, grandson of a trumpet player on the white star line and son of a jazz musician who became a successful radio dance band vocalist.
James steps out from behind the piano and tells the stories of creating the music that shaped a generation. Costello wrote and produced a large majority of the album himself, with coproduction help from sebastian krys, a latin grammy producer of the year in 2007 and 2015. Elvis costello and the roots come the meantimes lyrics. So, you write that you couldnt record another song if you couldnt play it. Elvis costello at the algonquin hotel in new york, july 27, 2016. The perfect gift for music lovers and elvis costello fans, telling the story behind elvis costello s legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs. Elvis costello and the roots on world cafe xpn september 24, 20 the music superstars appear in the studio to perform songs from their new collaborative album, wise up ghost. Elvis costello and the roots on world cafe knau arizona. It was a packed house in williamsburg for elvis costello and the roots at brooklyn bowl. Of note are the reissue series, costello s back catalogue having undergone reissue three times by three different companies. Elvis costello and the roots at brooklyn bowl 916 6 years ago ago by wfuv public radio.
Its efficient music, quite listenable, and the more i play it, the better it gets. Elvis costello and the roots, live from the brooklyn bowl this sunday, oct. Costello came to prominence as an early participant in londons pub rock scene in the mid1970s, and later became associated with the punk rock and new wave musical genres, before establishing his own unique voice in the 1980s. Fortunately for the fan of costello s music the topic of discussion is often his own songs, and he is, unsurprisingly, a witty and eloquent guide. You can isolate everybody and it might sound worse than if you have them all in the same room. Michael stipe, trey anastasio band, neil young, dave matthews, lucinda williams, jackson browne, tracy chapman. Look now is the 30th studio album by singersongwriter elvis costello and his band, the imposters and was his first studio album in five years. Elvis costello and the roots collaborative album, wise up ghost, is one of the most densely referential works in costello s catalogue. The pairing of one of rocks best songwriters and lyricists with hip hops best live band is worth a spot in your album collection.