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Stripping away much of the excess that cluttered Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World, Elvis Costello returned to his folk-rock and pub rock roots with King of America, creating one of his most affecting and personal records. Costello literally took on the album as a return to roots, billing himself by his given name Declan MacManus and replacing the Attractions with a bunch of L.A. session men (although his old band appears on one cut), who give the album a rootsy but sleek veneer that sounds remarkably charged after the polished affectations of his Langer/Winstanley productions. And not only does the music sound alive, but so do his songs, arguably his best overall set since Trust. Working inside the limits of country, folk, and blues, Costello writes literate, introspective tales of loss, heartbreak, and America that are surprisingly moving -- he rarely got better than "Brilliant Mistake," "Glitter Gulch," "American Without Tears," "Big Light," and "Indoor Fireworks." What separates King of America from the underrated Almost Blue is that Costello's country now sounds lived-in and worn, bringing a new emotional depth to the music, and that helps make it one of his masterpieces.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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T-Bone Wolk, Accordion, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Harpsichord, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - Mickey Curry, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - The Little Hand Of Concrete, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
David Hidalgo, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - Cait O'Riordan, ComposerLyricist - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - James Burton, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - Ron Tutt, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Gloria Caldwell, ComposerLyricist - Michael Blair, Marimba, AssociatedPerformer - T-Bone Burnett, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Declan MacManus, Producer - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - BENNIE BENJAMIN, ComposerLyricist - Sol Marcus, ComposerLyricist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - James Burton, Electric Guitar, Dobro, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - Ron Tutt, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
T-Bone Burnett, Producer - Declan MacManus, Producer - James Burton, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Larry Hirsch, Producer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - James Burton, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - Ron Tutt, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - Jo-El Sonnier, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
T-Bone Burnett, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Declan MacManus, Producer - Earl Palmer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BROWN, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - TOM CANNING, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - J.B. Lenoir, ComposerLyricist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Earl Palmer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BROWN, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - TOM CANNING, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - James Burton, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - Ron Tutt, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
T-Bone Wolk, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Nieve, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - Mickey Curry, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Pete Thomas, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Nieve, Hammond Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - Bruce Thomas, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Declan MacManus, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Scheff, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - MITCHELL FROOM, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ELVIS COSTELLO, MainArtist - David Miner, Producer, Associate Producer - William Jackson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dominguez Alhert, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J. Henry Burnett, Producer - Larry Kalman Hirsch, Producer - L.H.C., Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Elvis Costello
Album review
Stripping away much of the excess that cluttered Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World, Elvis Costello returned to his folk-rock and pub rock roots with King of America, creating one of his most affecting and personal records. Costello literally took on the album as a return to roots, billing himself by his given name Declan MacManus and replacing the Attractions with a bunch of L.A. session men (although his old band appears on one cut), who give the album a rootsy but sleek veneer that sounds remarkably charged after the polished affectations of his Langer/Winstanley productions. And not only does the music sound alive, but so do his songs, arguably his best overall set since Trust. Working inside the limits of country, folk, and blues, Costello writes literate, introspective tales of loss, heartbreak, and America that are surprisingly moving -- he rarely got better than "Brilliant Mistake," "Glitter Gulch," "American Without Tears," "Big Light," and "Indoor Fireworks." What separates King of America from the underrated Almost Blue is that Costello's country now sounds lived-in and worn, bringing a new emotional depth to the music, and that helps make it one of his masterpieces.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 00:57:55
- Main artists: Elvis Costello
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMe - Elvis Costello
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2015 Elvis Costello ℗ 2015 Elvis Costello
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