However this isn't your typical Nashville melange of cowboy hats and yodels. This is the third album from the bespectacled spokesmen for lyrically intelligent British punk music in the late 70s. There is none of the syrupy sweet strings of a typical Chet Atkins or Owen Bradley produced country album. Instead there is a distinct tang of rebelliousness merged with a respect for the tradition of an emotional truth that does underscore good country music. Thanks to Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" the work of George Jones, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and perhaps most cogently Gram Parsons finds a voice that smug and dismissive rock fans need to listen to.
First off there is no avoiding the fact that this is an album of covers performed by Elvis that are almost all focused on soured love and sour mash alcohol. If you want the former there's Elvis's take on the Patsy Cline classic "Sweet Dreams":
If on the other hand you need to hear a bourbon or gin soaked song there is "Sittin' and Thinkin'", whilst the Merle Haggard boozers lament "Tonight The Bottle Let me Down" fuses both alcohol and lost love together.
In the liner notes to the Edsel Records re-issue Costello gives plenty of personal evidence for the case that this is a country album suffused with these traditional country themes, thanks to his own mariiage problems and bouts with the bottle. The influence of George Jones also weaves itself inherently through almost all tracks, much like a golden thread on a Nudie cowboy suit.
What elevates these songs and "Almost Blue" to a different level is that EC and the Attractions bring a different energy thanks to their semi-punk background, combining with a reasoned hoovering up of country standards. "Sweet Dreams" is the exemplar track, having a rich history in itself thanks to the aforementioned Patsy Cline version. The song's writer, Don Gibson, was part of the Nashville sound that dominated country music from the early 60s, whilst latterly the song was covered by part of the then new wave of performers, Emmylou Harris. Potentially a minefield of sticky sweet tear jerking sentimentality Elvis almost pulls off a Roy Orbison-esque performance that is all the while tempered by the knowledge this is the same (then) scrawny and bespectacled young man who sang "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea".
As said beforehand the influence of George Jones plus other Nashville legends suffuses "Almost Blue" to make this album a wonderful entry point for the rock'n'roller trying to find his or her way into country music. The curt and rollicking version of Hank William's "Why Don't You Love Me" has more than enough energy to grab some of the honkytonk sound of Hank senior, whilst reminding one of the work of EC's contemporaries Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds via Rockpile. Gram Parsons is another ghostly hand on the album's tiller, and both "I'm Your Toy" and "How Much I Lied" are wonderfully melodic songs that sit slightly apart from the other tracks in tone and style.
Of course no discussion of "Almost Blue" can't include praise for "A Good Year for The Roses". EC himself talks about the video clip and the weirdness of it helping propel the song to chart success, however this isn't the mark of the track's merit. This is a great country song no matter the sales and no matter the context, and when you hear George Jones' version you know that the basic material is enhanced by Costello's performance. Even though not written by Costello (the song was originally written by Jerry Chesnut) it has Elvis' lyrical wit and beauty running all the way through it.
If you can don't rely on getting this album in its original format; the dual disk CD from Edsel/Rhino adds significantly to the repertoire of great country music interpreted by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. The addition particularly of live versions of the Leon Payne song "Psycho" adds a surreal darkness to the album; listen to this song and I guarantee you it won't ever be forgotten.
The extra disk in this collection includes more George Jones ("Stranger In The House"), Gram Parsons and Charlie Rich tracks, plus also additional efforts from Johnny Cash, Brook Benton, Loretta Lynn, Bob Wills and Stonewall Jackson. It would be no understatement to say that Costello has cherry picked some of the greatest country music writers, performers and their songs and given them new life.
Now as for my own personal history with this album I can't say specifically when or how I came across it. No doubt my late 90s interest in EC after seeing him live and picking up a solid greatest hits compilation paved the way, as did my knowledge of "A Good Year For The Roses". Where I have particular interest in the album is "Almost Blue" gave me a connection with my country music loving father, a man who had considerable quantities of music from the likes of George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams. I could be wrong but I suspect both EC and myself share the interest in saying to our elders "look at this...I like your music too, but differently." More recently it's the kind of music I like to put on when feeling in an absolute shit of a mood, the sad lovelorn drunk bastard themes talking to me in a way that the best country laments can only do.
- Music Score: 8/10
- Nostalgia Score: 7/10
- Favourite Tracks: "Sweet Dreams", "A Good Year For The Roses", "Brown to Blue" (extended Edsel/Rhino 2 disk version: "Psycho", "He's Got You", "My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You")
