Elvis Costello

Kojak Variety

For once, a cover album that almost sounds worth the effort

Review Score:

(8/10)
For those with a keener sense of music, when Elvis Costello arrived in the late 1970s amidst the punk movement, it was clear Elvis had much more talent that most of the other punk rockers & definitely a better sense of pop songcraft. That's right, even with Elvis' take-no-crap attitude, he still can write some of the best pop songs you'll ever lay your ears on. In fact, his knowledge of pop music history is so encyclopedic, that a covers album (which has been the bane of many an artist) would seem appropriate for him because he can always pick the most obscure songs for it. With 1995's KOJAK VARIETY, he certainly didn't disappoint.

While the reviews of this album seem to indicate this wasn't one of Elvis' finest hours, I think he created this album not for the sake of art, but fun & to give people a heads-up on some of the music that inspired him. In the liner notes, Elvis says this is "Volume 1" because the songs range from 1930 to 1970. Some people may shudder at the thought of KOJAK VARIETY, VOL. II, but for me, this album is enough to make me hope a sequel does come to pass. Here's a song-by-song rundown:

1. "Strange"---Originally appeared as a B-side to a Screamin' Jay Hawkins single, you can always count on the British to make B-sides into their own classics & with this one, Elvis may have just made this one his own. I bet Mr. Screamin' would have been proud.

2. "Hidden Charms"---Willie Dixon wrote many blues classics like "Wang Dang Doodle" & "Hoochie Coochie Man", but Elvis did the right thing in covering one of Dixon's lesser-known songs. Instead of giving the 10,000th version of a well-known classic, Elvis takes the road less travelled.

3. "Remove This Doubt"---This forgotten Supremes song is a perfect example of the "popular ballads" tag on the cover of the album with its very cinematic production. "My Heart Will Go On", eat your heart out!

4. "I Threw It All Away"---From Bob Dylan's underrated NASHVILLE SKYLINE album, this just about erases any memories of Duran Duran's horrible rendition of "Lay Lady Lay" on their covers album THANK YOU.

5. "Leave Me Kitten Alone"---Originally done by 1950s teen R&B sensation Little Willie John, Elvis first heard the Beatles' version of this breakneck-tempoed stomper. He certainly took careful notes!

6. "Everybody's Crying Mercy"---Written by jazz legend Mose Allison, this torchy tune has that distinctly Costello-ian sardonic quality to it, making it a natural for Elvis to cover.

7. "I've Been Wrong Before"---Penned by another dark humored songwriter Randy Newman, this one also is a well-done ballad that proves, like Elvis did with "Alison", a seemingly ill-tempered scribe can have a heart.

8. "Bama Lama Bama Loo"---Covering Little Richard is an easy thing to do, but improving on it is next to impossible. This is one of the rare times Elvis doesn't quite reinvent the wheel. Still, it's a hell of a good time.

9. "Must You Throw Dirt In My Face"---While country music may have its share of cruel jokes attached to it, but as this Bill Anderson tune shows, it also has a sense of originality that many people overlook. This rather unsettling tune shows the country experiment of ALMOST BLUE may not have been out of Elvis' league after all.

10. "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man"---1980's GET HAPPY!!! was a faithful experiment into Southern Soul & this would have made a great addition to that overlooked masterpiece. Wherever James Carr (the song's original artist) is, he can be sure Elvis did him proud.

11. "The Very Thought Of You"---A jazz standard that's been attempted literally 1000s of times (it was written in 1930), this seems like the only obvious choice on the album. Not a bad try, but maybe Elvis wants to put that jazz album on the back burner for just a while.

12. "Payday"---The most recent song, this Jesse Winchester tune was a masterful attempt at the blues Willie Dixon & Screamin' Jay Hawkins specialized in. Does Elvis succeed with it? You betcha!

13. "Please Stay"---Elvis would collaborate with Burt Bacharach 3 years later, but before then, he covered this little-known classic from before Burt teamed up with Hal David. Another great ballad for any late night jazz club.

14. "Running Out Of Fools"---Famously inserted into the end of Aretha Franklin's "Respect", this song from Aretha's Columbia period continues the torch vibe set by the previous song & Elvis does as good a job as he can (who can overtake Aretha?!).

15. "Days"---It all closes out with this classic from the Kinks. Ray Davies is one of the greatest living songwriters of our time, so a fellow partner in crime like Elvis covering it makes perfect sense. I sense a collaboration coming along in the future.

When most artists do a covers album, the kneejerk reaction is to run & hide. After all, if an artist did a song well the first time, why try again? But when the enthusiasm & artist's love for the material is apparent throughout the recording, it actually seems worth the trouble. With Elvis Costello's KOJAK VARIETY, this is definitely proven beyond a doubt. Now about that 2nd volume, Elvis...

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