Elvis Costello and the Roots
Wise Up Ghost
I've never listened to the Roots before, and I've only heard a few songs by Elvis Costello, but after hearing this collaboration between the two, I'll definitely be checking out both. Costello's snotty rasp sounds fantastic spitting out the lyrics to "Walk Us Uptown," and "Stick Out Your Tongue" proves that age hasn't mellowed him as he rages against "the fag-ends of the aristocracy". The Roots play fantastically throughout - they're the ones that really make the album, providing a cool, jazzy background for Costello's bile. They give the record its swing, its swagger, that cool, low sound that comes all the way down the line from Lighting Hopkins and the other old masters. On the album's tenderer moments, such as "If I Could Believe", Costello proves he can do more than just rant. His voice is heartfelt, pained, dripping with emotion but never melodramatic or forced. This is a fantastic album.
Rating: 8/10
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