In a nutshell, Bored & Dangerous says: “The biggest pleasures with Spike were in its surprises.”
In 1986, Elvis Costello released his album, King of America. An album of which I said, “It’s great to hear an album by someone who I was so sure I was familiar with, to only then be surprised in different ways from song to song.” It was that surprise that inspired me to dig deeper into this guy who I have always liked, but was becoming increasingly aware that I had also always taken for granted, expecting a very specific kind of music. So, what surprises were in store with Costello’s record from three years later, Spike?
With an over produced drum sound and bouncing synth, the first few seconds of …This Town… had me wondering if I was listening to the wrong album. But the second Costello’s voice joins the fray, this is undeniably an Elvis Costello song. The little production flourishes continue with hints of similar period Peter Gabriel, but Costello’s voice is more than enough to overpower them all. (more…)