Elvis Costello - Momofuku
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Free Music Notes for Momofuku
Free Music Review: Elvis still rocks
Hit: 5 Stars
A nice rockin' Elvis collection. Nothing ground breaking, but nothing disappointing, a real toe tapper!!Free Music Review: Oodles Of Noodles
Hit: 4 Stars
There seems to be a trend going on lately. Old friends make music, enter studio, bang out an album in a matter of days. Album is really good. See Mudcrutch, Consolers Of The Lonely and now Elvis Costello's "Momofuku." The phrase came from the man who invented the instant noodle; Costello claims all they had to do to make the record was to "just add water."
The result is EC's first really rocking album since When I Was Cruel, complete with Attractions-style organ and relentless banging rock songs. While there is no possible way "Momofuku" would ever measure up to This Year's Model, it really is the closest Elvis could come to 1978 in 2008. Comparisons to Brutal Youth are probably more apt. There's an immediacy to these songs that has been lacking for some time, and hookfests like "American Gangster Time" or "Stella Hurt" sink in after just a few listens. The overall sound of the album is a bit rougher than usual, and some of the songs sound like underdeveloped runthroughs (like "No Hiding Place," which is still a killer opening gambit).
It's also interesting to note that Elvis approached this as an album, releasing it ahead of the download or CD in a vynyl version. The CD case is little more than a miniaturized album sleeve (and a bit disappointing, no booklet, lyrics, etc) with shrunken pictures and a "Side One/Side Two" track listing. After his forays into country (The Delivery Man's tracks with Emmylou Harris), somber soul The River in Reverse, and even the Jazz rewrites on My Flame Burns Blue, it's nice to hear him letting it rip with a couple guitars and a Wurlitzer. I'm still listening to the grand kiss-off of "Go Away" and loving those Jenny Lewis harmonies. I hope she pulls a few EC tunes for her next album.
Free Music Review: ABSO-MOMOFUKULY
Hit: 4 Stars
Even if he spat in a bucket, there are some EC fans out there who will always proclaim "he's done it again!"
Dedicated fan that I am, the past 20+ years have revealed an aim more haphazard than true. But its been quite a spell since EC rolled up his sleeves & got his fingers dirty with some good old fashioned Rock & Roll. Which is why Momofuku is so refreshing. Recorded in a couple of weeks last Feburary the intention was to release this first & foremost on vinyl. Sides I & II & all. "A big middle finger to shallow download culture". Kudos Elvis.
No Place To Hide is a strong kick off & its almost as if The Attractions have reunited after 10 years---sans Bruce Thomas ofcourse. The lyric, "whatever I said, it was never behind your back" pretty much sums up what must be Costello's most straightforward album in years. American Gangster Time keeps the ball up in the air propelled by Steve Neive's pulsing organ. Its great to hear him blow off some steam for a change---rather than being regulated to tickling the pretty ivories.
Turpentine, Stella Hurt & Go Away all have the same reckless abandon missing since Blood & Chocolate. Elsewhere Harry Worth touches on Tropicana territory while, the quirky charms of Mr. Feathers can't help but bring Sgt. Pepper's to mind.
To these ears, Drum & Bone comes off like a spliced up mix of Complicated Shadows & Monkey To A Man. Catchy as it is, My Three Sons has to be one of the most unapologetically sentimental ballads Costello has penned to date. And where lyrically Flutter & Wow may not quite live up to its title & melody, the likes of Song With Rose & My Name Is Eve are top notch.
So is this Costello's best since Blood & Chocolate? Brutal Youth? Useless Beauty? When I Was Cruel? For my money the answer is Cruel and I know I'll be coming back to this more than I have to the likes of Delivery Man.
In print,Costello has of late bemoaned the point of ever recording again. Lucky for fans, he's never been one to listen to his own press.
Free Music Review: Most accessible and commercial Costello album in 20 years
Hit: 4 Stars
I will date myself with this statement but I grew up with Elvis Costello, from the 1977 brilliant and era-defining debut album "My Aim Is True" on, and eventually losing track of Costello somewhere in the mid-80s. After that I'd listen to his new stuff once in a while, and more often than not I just scratched my head and moved on. Then a funny thing happened: I heard "American Gangster Time" (on WOXY, the internet-only but best indie-rock station in the country) and it was like being thrown back in time 30 years. Was this really from the new Costello album?
"Momofuko" (12 tracks; 47 min.) indeed does start off with 2 of the best songs Costello has brought in many blue moons: the opener and hard-charging "No Hiding Place", followed by the afore-mentioned stunning "American Gangster Time". While those 2 songs alone are worth the price of admission, there are a number of other great tracks on here: "Turpentine", the biting "Stella Hurt", "Song With Rose" and last but certainly not least the closer ""Go Away", which summarizes the album perfectly.
The overwhelming feeling one gets from listening to "Momofuko" is that Costello seemingly was enjoying this, not trying to make "art" or "meaningful music", and as a result this sounds better and more energetic than anything Castello has done in the last 20 years. This was originally intended as a vinyl-only release (and was recorded in a matter of weeks), but thankfully Costello thought the better of it and also released it on CD. Welcome back Elvis, we've missd ya!
Free Music Review: A Nice Return
Hit: 4 Stars
After several years of starts and stops, slight flirtations with the old, punchy guitar songs, Mr. Costello and his Imposters have created something worthy of their legacy. Momofuku is a return to the guitar/bass/organ/drum sound of the early Attractions days, albeit a slightly more pedestrian version. They're not 27 year old punks anymore. They're members of AARP!!! But then again, I'm not as young as I used to be. "No Hiding Place" is a great start to this album, full of punchy guitars and great backing vocals throughout. Costello sounds like he's enjoying himself. "American Ganster Time" keeps things going nicely, and Steve Nieve's organ sounds like it was pulled right from "This Year's Model"...and that's a good thing...other highlights are "Turpentine", "Harry Worth", "Drum and Bone"(and yes, it does have the "Monkey to Man" sound going), "Song With Rose", and the beautiful "My Three Sons". I haven't been all that crazy about his work as of late. Not that it's bad, and what he did with Allen Toussaint was very well done, but I've been waiting for a rock album from Elvis Costello for a long time. "When I Was Cruel" had it's moments, but felt kind of cold to me..."Momofuku" has that warm analog sound..the sound of musicians in a room playing together, enjoying what they do...may not be perfect, but it's a welcome return to the angsty days of yesteryear!! If you're an Elvis Costello fan, I recommend Momofuku!!