Reviewed: 11-16-2020
Reviewer: Tom McCarter
Genre: General
FCCs: none
If You Like: Leonard Cohen, Flaming Lips
Review: Costello delivers another one-two punch on his latest disc, with songs that swing from slow and maudlin to upbeat and jazzy to sonic rock. The lyrics are mostly depressing about breakups.
Track Review (favorites denoted by *)
1. Revolution #49 (2;42) - mizmar starts> midtempo middle eastern music overlayered with spoken word story> fade on vocal
**2. No Flag (4:02) - drums synth starts> rocking uptempo song about love> slow fade
*3. They’re Not Laughing At Me Now (4:29) - acoustic guitar starts> slow song about the end of friendship slowly builds in volume> slow fade
*4. Newspaper Vane (4:17) - synth/percussion starts> midtempo song with heavy backbeat with depressing lyrics> quick stop on vocal
5. 1 Do (Zula's Song) (3:50) - trumpets start> slow torch song swells in volume & fades
*6. We Are All Cowards Now (3:39) - acapella chorus starts> midtempo song> slow song
*7. Hey Clockface / How Can You Face Me? (2:55) - vocal starts> bouncy uptempo jazzy song about a romantic breakup> crescendo end
8. The Whirlwind (3:17) - piano starts> slow song about a one night stand> fade
*9. Hetty O'Hara Confidential (4:18) - drums start> uptempo song about character assassination> slow fade
10. The Last Confession of Vivian Whip (3:00) -piano starts> slow song> fade
*11. What Is It That I Need That I Don’t Already Have? (3:47) - piano starts> slow song about the break up of a relationship> quick fade on vocal
12. Radio Is Everything (4:26) - cello/synth start> slow music with spoken word over the top> slow fade
13. I Can't Say Her Name (3:42) - acoustic guitar starts> slow love song swings to midtempo with a Dixieland vibe> crescendo end
14. Byline (2:28) - piano starts> slow song about lost love> crescendo end on vocal