Just how great is Elvis Costello


Just got thru listening to Secret, Profane and Sugarcane for the umpteenth time and just sat back in awe and you know this album is in the running with at least 5 of his other albums as my favorite Elvis album. I guess my point is I have over the last 10 years became so conscious of what a treasure he is and really didn't give home the credit he deserves and would like to now. Every album is so different and he will take you down the road he wants you to travel.
tooblue
Although he doesn't express a coherent political viewpoint there is a fair amount of political/economic commentary running through Elvis Costello's songs.  The clearest case would be his collaboration with Allen Toussaint.

I don't understand why some people don't respect artists who are willing to address political issues.  The arts in general and music specifically have traditional be one of the most important and influential  channels for the expression of political opinions.  Quite literally when soldiers go marching off to war they do it singing songs that somebody wrote.  For me politics and music go hand and hand.  A good example was how during last night's Academy Awards ceremony Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" played over the closing credits.  You don't have to like the message, but if it's well conceived and executed,  you can't ignore it either.  That's the real power of good art done by good artists.
bondmanp, Good to understand a little better what you meant by your comment. I too look to start no flame-out about anyone for their thoughts, freely expressed here. We are actually more in agreement as it were about such things, then apart. I do though find it sad and more than a bit bewildering, perhaps like onhwy61 that there are so many who somehow believe that music/art should be devoid of political commentary entirely. As though we pay to just hear only that which we find agreeable and pleasing to our current state of mind. And I would find that notion to be completely preposterous for some of the same reasons most aptly expressed above. Often, with a little better understanding why, or how we may feel we differ, expresses actually, how far we are not apart...


My original question was, " Just how good is Elvis Costello", and look where this has gone. I am sorry, I listen to music to get away from this B.S. not to have to give thought to politics or any other discussion outside the scope of the music itself and the emotions that it brings to my life.

Sorry, tooblue.  Such is the nature of internet threads.


r_f_sayles - I concure.  Artists are and ought to be free to express themselves however they wish.  Consumers of art are and ought to be free to either enjoy the art or choose something else that pleases them.  Demanding artists create only art with content that conforms to the preferences of certain consumers is silly on its face, and destroys creativity as well as free expression. 

Sorry tooblue, yet just like music lyrics, starting a thread is like putting a record on your TT, you get what you get. Hope I/we haven’t taken it too far off track.

Declan is one of my all time favorite songwriters and musicians and enjoying his work can be easily as complex as the work itself, or not. I love the mindless rockers as much as the ones that actually provoke some understanding or controversy...

Happy EC Listening!