'Q' Reviews 'North'
Q , October 2003. P.103.
Elvis Costello North Deutsche Gramaphon
*** ( three `stars` ` Good . Not for everyone, but fine within it`s field`)
This time he`s in smoky balladeer mode.
The days when Elvis Costello albums marked the bench for contemporary British pop are receding from memory. Now devoted to boutique "projects" , the 48-year-old seems content to flutter between genres , his songwriting muse distinctly muted. Which is not to say North , 11 discreetly arranged and tremulously sung piano ballads , is anything but accomplished. Fans of Costello`s Burt Bacharach collaborations will revel in the elegant melodic gearshifts of You Turned To Me , while champions of his classical dalliances
will welcome the return of the Brodsky Quartet on the poignant Still. All very creditable though , for a man who once oozed vitriol, a tad bloodless.
-David Sheppard"
The same issue of Q has:
* a half page ad for North (P.129) , featuring a detail from the sleeve, a miniature of the album sleeve and the text: `a collection of 11 brand new love songs from the master of songwriting. includes bonus track `Impatience` Bonus Limited Edition DVD available including videos for `Fallen`, `North` and `Still`. `
* Brief details of his U.K. tour dates (Glasgow Newcastle and London) finish the ad.
(Submitted by John Foyle)