My rudimentary knowledge of Elvis Costello has always lead me to believe that whenever he picks up a guitar, sparks will fly. That was certainly the case in 1977, the year he unleashed his debut album My Aim is True: a tour de force, for sure, and a platter I remember featuring during our Vinyl Sessions at the Carousel.
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Likewise in February 1989 during the course of a mere three songs (all from 'Spike') he sets out his intent from the get go and delivers a quite staggering session for Dutch radio.
I've talked about our Vinyl Sessions a few times around here so shan't bore you any further regarding its inner machinations; save to tell you that on Thursday 27 January we're playing an album that, for many, defined 1977. Despite being catapulted into a world of punk My Aim is True made perfect sense. It had just the right amount of new wave credentials whilst at the same time proudly wearing its pop sensibility on its sleeve; Buddy Holly meets the Damned. Costello really did have a foot in both camps. And of course both sides of this Stiff classic were chockablock full of raw and aggressive Elvis anthems with guitar riffs even snarling punks would have died for.
But it was when the pace relented slightly and the band dropped down a gear you could hear how good these songs were. And none better than Alison. I've talked about this song before and, yes, the jury is still out regarding the storyline's alleged murderous intentions. Talk of putting out the big light and 'my aim is true' would, some say, lead you to think that Alison's days on this planet are numbered. The guitar solo is played by John McFee who at the time was in Clover, an American country outfit who in 1977 found themselves adrift in the UK in a down at heel London recording studio. Combined with Nick Lowe's production, McFee's deft solo is, like the song itself, a thing of rare beauty...
I found myself listening to Fi Glover's Saturday Live on the radio yesterday morning. I must admit, since Peel left us, Home Truths has proved a difficult act to follow but I guess Glover has persevered and made the Saturday slot her own. This week's Inheritance Tracks were chosen by author Tracy Chevalier; her first choice was Alison by Elvis Costello. Always one for a barbed lyric, what you hear with EC is not always what you get - a little like Paul Heaton, the aching melody and soft tempo belie what's really going on in there. Alright, I know this is meat and two veg to Costello acolytes, but what I wasn't expecting was Chevalier's take on the lyrics: she was reading the 'My aim is true' refrain as an implied death threat. Is she right? I'd not entertained the thought before, I must say, and wading through Costello quotes down the years he's always denied such an interpretation.
Here Tracey Thorn all but improves on the original.
