Elvis Costello and the Imposters: Look Now (2018)

Picked this up today and it is a very good album. I just realised today that as much as I think of myself as a fan of EC I haven't actually bought any of the new albums between 'When I Was Cruel' and this, other than 'Wise Up Ghost'.

I don't think it's the worst-sounding CD I own but I'll agree it does sound more squashed than it needs to be, which is a shame.

 

"You're fantastic, you're terrific
Your excellence is almost scientific"

 

Wednesday Week and Talking in the Dark blew us away back in the day. We're thinking: "Jesus -- this is what this guy is coming up with for B Sides ?"

 

Bad/not surprising news: my vinyl Deluxe Edition of Look Now arrived today. I took a chance and ordered it from one of the sites touting the exclusive bonus tracks (I opted for Soynd of Vinyl)... unfortunately, it contained the 4 bonus tracks from the ‘regular’ deluxe edition and not the exclusive ones. Oh well

 

Well...that's all relative of course but ANY squashing of his music is completely unnecessary. I agree of course.

 

Thank you for that update. I asked their customer service folks and got two replies but no clear answer.

 

I bought the deluxe CD today at Barnes and Noble for $20.15. It was that price online but $26.99 in the store. The sales representative said that the lower listing was an online price only but if I bought it via my smart phone for in-store pick up at said store (in which I was already there looking at the cd on the shelf) I could get it for $20.15. Which I did.

I had actually ordered the vinyl from Barnes and Noble online an hour earlier when I was in a computer class so it was an EC day. So I will wait and compare it to the CD, which to me doesn't sound bad. Perhaps my mosfet Hafler P230 driving Klipsch RB-5s are making the cd sound agreeable.

 

So the 4 different advertised bonus tracks, the group of songs without You Shouldn't Look At Me That Way (kind of a funny, ironic song title when thinking of the album title now) - has anyone heard those yet?

 

The reported 4 alternate bonus tracks (Everyone’s Playing House, The Lovers That Never Were , If You Love Me, Down On The Bottom) were IMHO titles that were mistakenly given to Sound of Vinyl and Recordstore UK. I ordered from Sound if Vinyl and received the Dekuxe Edition with the standard bonus tracks (as indicated a few posts above).

 

I purchased the double green vinyl LP set from the EC website. First of all, all of that merchandise is unnecessary. The patch I had to purchase with the album is disappointing and only seems to serve as an excuse to charge an inflated price for the record (as did all of the other Lp - merchandise purchase combinations). As mentioned before, the sound quality is not quite what it could have been (a little too much compression) - but then again Costello as both a recording artist and a producer has never been much of an audiophile. However, it's a brilliant album, a delightful surprise and much better than I was expecting. I am very much taken with it. And I think it is best served and listened to as a single LP without the bonus tracks.

One last petty gripe - re. the bonus track 'Adieu Paris'- I hope this is the last time Costello decides to sing in French.

 

I ordered the deluxe version from recordstore uk early on, solely for those four bonus tracks. It's supposedly in transit to me now. They still have that track list posted on their store website. I'm assuming I'll be disappointed when it arrives.


Is there two pressings of this albums - a European and a North American - or just one?

 

I preordered the deluxe from Amazon and received on release. It’s listed as in stock here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FSVYRWV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I listened to the Deluxe Edition on Spotify yesterday, and immediately loved the whole thing. Vinyl ordered while I played it. It’s the best Elvis album I’ve heard in a long, long time, and I can hear the comparisons to Imperial Bedroom...which is an all-time fave. I absolutely love the cover art too...great stuff. This will definitely in the running for my favorite album of the year.

 

Stuck my headphones on today and played the EP by accident first and my first thought was "amazing". EC has knocked it out of the park. I then went back to the main album and immersed myself in the lyric booklet as I absorbed the production.

Typical EC, clever lines, ambiguity and lyricism abound. Sublime instrumentation in places. Voice just spot on.

As ever, an album to enjoy as a music appreciator is prepared to delve deeper and even pick up tracts of poetry and diverse links to previous work. I'm recommending this unreservedly. Not fickle or light in any way, but a masterclass in mature songwriting from a talented, creative and ecclectic treasure.

Hope others enjoy it like I have been!

 

Same for me too. Dang I was really wanting those other bonus tracks.

So do we know if they actually exist or not at this point? What catalogue number should we be ordering?

 

I have a feeling this will be my favorite new release of the year.

There about ten years when an Elvis Costello album topped my list.

But it hasn’t happened since 1998.

 

The Delivery Man and Momofuku (that one in particular) are highly recommended. The others, not so much IMO.

 

There is a lot of great stuff between those 2 albums, but it is a difficult period to confidently recommend within, because people's reactions vary so wildly. I think 2003's North is a masterful album, but it's also some people's least favorite Costello record.
I do think that 2010's National Ransom is an essential EC album-- not everyone likes it, but I think any Costello fan who doesn't at least check it out is making a mistake, because it's a major work by him, a double LP of songs that EC himself regards as some of his finest work. It's the one record that I would really push as a "must" even if it's just to see if you land on the love it or hate it side of the spectrum.

 

Listened to Side 2 1st. Enjoyed it. Then Side 1 which to me seemed like 'vintage and classic' Costello, yet without seeming or sounding too retro or contrived. I hear there what amounts to as much akin to qualities of Momofuku (thankfully) as I do with Memory. Even Brutal Youth and River In Reverse (Mr. & Mrs. Hush) but none just as a memory of some distant glory or forgotten past genius, Look Now sounds like it collects flashes of styles influenced from previous incarnations and inspirations and simply makes those new again in a confortably familiar yet newly engaging way. Then listened to LP1 again, jeck, 'I'm Good' after hearing sides 1 and 2 of this album alone ('deluxe' version, 8 songs), though I did spend $40 on this green vinly version so hopefully LP2 will deliver more interest and enjoyment for me.

 

Side 3 of the deluxe edition is more what I was initially expecting to hear from this record, closer to what I at least inferred or assumed about what I thought I was reading during previews about what might to expect, so as such, fwiw I prefer Sides 1 and 2, but I like and enjoy Suspect My Tears and I am left wanting a coda to a curious Dishonor the Stars that isn't there or only wish there was maybe just a wee bit more dishonor or stars to the tune but still like it.

My modest misgivings about Side 3 were immediately dispelled though by the magical Isabelle in Tears which seems like it comes right out of All This Useless Beauty in its most concise and perfect form and manner. And EC in French works for me, ha, it's wonderful. The arrangememt and feeling is just right, it's not without a wink and a nod. Love the acoustic guitar in Curtain. You Shouldn't Look At Me ends the album in what and where it is in the sequence sounding almost even more like a 'standard' to me and closes the album in a fitting and appealing way.

Much to like here. Very happy with the sound of the music and the mix! However poor the dynamic range numbers are ("you shouldn't look at me that way" as per Look Now).
I didn't find tones fatiguing but rather pleasing. Anyway, glad I spent the extra for the vinyl as I enjoyed the sound and look of it and Side 4 is absolutely essential in my enjoyment of Look Now.

 

just listened to side 4, second time, I've listened to the album all the way through. still getting to know it. starting to pick out instrumental bits (he's been playing with Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas for 40 years!), and to anticipate the melodies. I don't really understand the album, but after 3 or 4 more listens, I think i'm going to love it. that's usually what happens with elvis's albums. just looked at the lyrics sheet....genius. my favorite lyricist.

 

The basic vinyl edition sounds really nice. There was some slight noise on side two but other than that its great. You can really hear the snare drum (I am assuming that is the snare) on Under Lime.
I think Elvis purposely toned down the horns in a way that makes the album less bright. In other words no Savoy Truffle like brass.

 

Great album.....one of my favorites (and not just from his later output either).

 

Likewise. I took it up with Sound of Vinyl and they confirmed it was a mistaken listing on their part (which was still up, last I looked) (and gave me a full refund, so no harm done).

 

listening to it right now. still getting used to it, but "Burnt Sugar..." is already a favorite. Steve Nieve really gets a lots of chances to shine on this one.