Product Description

In between Elvis Costello's 2003 album of jazzy, piano-based ballads (NORTH) and his 2004 album of orchestral, neo-classical compositions (IL SOGNO), rock's original Renaissance man somehow found the time to journey down to Oxford, Mississippi with his band the Imposters (essentially the Attractions with a different bassist) for the follow-up to his masterful 2002 pop album, WHEN I WAS CRUEL. There are some parallels to that record; a similar sense of raw immediacy, spare arrangements, and a couple of songs that echo WHEN I WAS CRUEL's churning, cyclical feel.
For the most part, however, THE DELIVERY MAN, with its prevalence of rootsy country and soul influences (and duets with Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris), is closer in style to the much-loved 1986 Costello album KING OF AMERICA. "The Name of This Thing Is Not Love" sounds like it ought to be powering a Sam Moore comeback album, and "The Judgement" was, in fact, recorded by Solomon Burke for his 2002 comeback record, DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. Some cuts leave the rootsiness behind (the slinky, image-laden title song; the pounding, urgent "Bedlam"), but THE DELIVERY MAN is ultimately a deep bow to the American musical inspirations that are a huge part of Costello's vision.

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Button My Lip
2. Country Darkness
3. There's A Story In Your Voice
4. Either Side Of The Same Town
5. Bedlam
6. The Delivery Man
7. Monkey To Man
8. Nothing Clings Like Ivy
9. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love
10. Heart Shaped Bruise
11. She's Pulling Out The Pin
12. Needle Time
13. The Judgement
14. The Scarlet Tide
15. Bedlam (Video (Live In Memphis))

Disc 2:

1. The Monkey
2. Country Darkness
3. Needle Time
4. The Scarlet Tide
5. In Another Room
6. The Delivery Man
7. The Dark End Of The Street

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83314 in Music
• Released on: 2005-02-07
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Enhanced, Special Edition

Customer Reviews

Bedlam
I'm starting to think that EC isn't a single person but a collective, how else to explain the sheer mountain of great music he has produced over the years. On this record he has resuscitated the splenetic energy from his initial albums and welded it on to a roaring free jazz, country, rock thing. Aided and ably abetted by the Imposters, Emmylou Harris and a distinctly narky Lucinda Williams this is one of Elvis' best.

The King Is Back!
This album is pure classic Costello.
He's had a few changes of style over the years but this is well and truly back to classic Costello style.
Best album I've bought this year by far!

Costello is still one of the best songwriters, just listen..
Costello has been a versatile artist over his whole career. This album is no exception; the diversity from blues, heartbreak ballads and psychedelic rock give this record a collection of strong songs that top most of his best albums throughout his career.
Elvis' expressive voice through those fantastic lyrics is always a joy to listen... the feeling is almost unforgettable, just listen to the song 'either side', the breaks in the vocals can turn your eyes into tears if you don't watch out...
The band is just amazing, the keyboard player just know when to put the right mood across the songs.

Just plain and simple: get this album.

PS: The live songs are just as great as the studio cd, you won't regret them.

Let the music play!