‘The Boy Named If’ is that latest offering and the 32nd Studio Album by Elvis Costello, renowned Singer Songwriter from UK who spent his Childhood growing up in London to later on as a teenager move to probably what he would consider his spiritual home, Liverpool, the home and birth place of The Beatles and his beloved Liverpool FC. He moved there to live with his mother who worked in a record store, though he had been a regular visitor there, his parents having separated. His father is Ross McManus a singer trumpet player who played but especially sang with the Joe Loss Big Band. His Grandfather too had been a musician and also played the trumpet.
By Dominic Fergus-Allen
For the many readers who are from the various parts of South America or are Spanish speaking, which clearly still makes up a fair percentage of the readers of Presenza they may or may not be familiar with another project he fairly recently embarked on entitled ‘Spanish Model’ where having discovered that the original backing tracks for the songs on ‘This Year’s Model’ a seminal album that was recorded in the late 1970’s and established him firmly within the Popular culture and the Psyche as a protagonist of the ‘new wave’ phenomena at the time , he organised and arranged a reworking of the songs from this album with well-known Spanish speaking vocalists performing their versions of these songs. That was a snippet to entice those who may not be the diehard Costello fans many others aren’t to potentially stick with this.
However, I digress the focus of the article is to talk about ‘The Boy Named If’. It seems that it is widely accepted by critics and fans alike that the album is amongst the best work he has done or certainly for some considerable time. The songs are all strong with his trademark intelligent intricate fabulous use of language and strong melodies. The album Elvis has described as dealing with that difficult transition from childhood to adolescence and the emerging adult themes that accompany such change. The title of the album alludes to one’s Imaginary Friend that we are often discovered conversing with in our childhood innocence and at others attaching the blame to when we are doing things we maybe should not be, a habit that he also discussed in some interviews when promoting the album, as something some of us never quite growing out of.
There is evidence of a whole range of influences working on him or through in the album not surprisingly. His ventures into Classical, Jazz County have all been greeted at times with mixed reviews but there is one thing that he could never be accused of and that is playing it safe. His voice sounds better than I remember hearing it in a long time, though my sister-in-law did comment that he sounded a bit ropey on a TV Chat show on Friday night in UK he was on to promote the Album singing ‘Paint the red Rose Blue’ which he was performing with Steve Nieve accompanying him on keyboards, another quarter (if you Include EC as a ¼ too ) of the Imposters, the other 2 being Pete Thomas Drums and Dave Faragher Bass player. His voice didn’t sound great that night I have to admit but I could forgive him and that is what you take with him sometimes he is on fire sometimes he is not quite but his enthusiasm is infectious and his performances live remain enthralling. On the show he told a very funny story afterwards involving a mishap that befell him during a performance when planning later that same evening to propose to his now wife of many years, the fabulous Diana Krall. It did the trick!!
‘The Difference’, ‘What If I Can’t Give you anything but Love’, ‘Mr Crescent’, ‘Magnificent Hurt’ ‘My Most Beautiful Mistake’ and as already mentioned ‘Paint the Red Rose Blue’ are all stand out songs for me and already firm favourites but from what I can gather there is no consensus about which are the strongest or ‘best’ songs different strokes for different folks and think that has always been the thing with him, people take what they want. And if you don’t get any then he doesn’t care because enough people do.
It is without a doubt a return to some of his best work ever and as you can see he already has a formidable body of work to add to. The songs are more complicated than his earlier works again as you would expect, and he brings the wide variety of influences and collaborators he has worked with here and uses them all expertly.
If you have got a copy continue to enjoy it as you are not alone, if not then I suggest you borrow, beg, steal, stream, download whatever we are meant to do these days. Elvis is back and very much alive and it looks like he has no intention of leaving the building just yet.!!
Dominic Fergus-Allen, Social Worker, Senior Practitioner/ MHO Forensic Learning Disabilities
Edinburgh
