Spike

by Elvis Costello

Overview

Following a pair of near-masterpieces in 1986, Elvis Costello went into semi-seclusion, separating from the Attractions (once again) and Columbia Records, emerging three years later on Warner Brothers with Spike. Mockingly billing himself as "the Beloved Entertainer" on the album's front cover, there's nevertheless a real sense of showbiz pizzazz here, as he tries on a little bit of everything. You like Costello the soul singer? Try "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror," recorded with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Costello the pop sophisticate? How about the torch song "Baby Plays Around" or "God's Comic," a tune that mocks Andrew Lloyd Webber, while aching to eclipse him. The angry young man? There's "Tramp the Dirt Down," perhaps the nastiest anti-Thatcher song ever waxed. Costello the witty wordsmith? Well, there's "Pads, Paws and Claws," a rockabilly tune overflowing with labored puns. Costello the gifted pure pop tunesmith? There's plenty of that here, from "This Town" with Roger McGuinn and Paul McCartney and the lovely "Veronica," a tune co-written with McCartney that became one of his biggest hits. So, there's a lot here -- everything except focus, actually. And Costello certainly likes to indulge himself here, throwing in the awkward "Chewing Gum" and the instrumental "Stalin Malone" for good measure. There are some moments that work quite well, but there's nothing connecting them, and if anything, he's trying way too hard -- and, for all of the overarching ambition of his early-'80s recordings, that criticism never applied before. Certainly, there are cuts for cultists to enjoy, but Spike's sprawl works against it, resulting in a maddeningly diffuse listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/05/2022
Label:	Music On Vinyl
UPC:	8719262024915
Rank:	47758

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elvis Costello   Primary Artist,Bass,Bells,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric),Organ (Hammond),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band   Primary Artist,Horn
Nick Lowe   Guest Artist
Chrissie Hynde   Guest Artist,Vocal Harmony
Cait O'Riordan   Guest Artist,Bells,Maracas,Percussion
Allen Toussaint   Guest Artist,Piano,Piano (Grand)
T-Bone Burnett   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar,Conductor,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic),National Steel Guitar
Roger McGuinn   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (12 String),Guitar (Rickenbacker)
Marc Ribot   Guest Artist,Banjo,Guitar,Percussion,Spanish Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Paul McCartney   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (Bass),Bass (Electric)
Steve Wickham   Fiddle
Kevin Harris   Sax (Tenor)
Christy Moore   Bodhran
Frankie Gavin   Fiddle
Charles Joseph   Trombone
Efrem Towns   Trumpet
Donal Lunny   Bodhran,Bouzouki,Electric Bouzouki,Guitar (Acoustic)
William Green   Drums
Gregory Davis   Trumpet
Derek Bell   Harp,Cymbals,Tiompan,Irish Harp
Jerry Marotta   Drums,Drums (Snare)
Roger Lewis   Sax (Soprano),Sax (Baritone)
Michael Blair   Anvil,Bells,Drums,Vocals,Marimba,Timpani,Conductor,Xylophone,Percussion,Tambourine,Vibraphone,Metal Pipes,Glockenspiel,Temple Bells,Chinese Drums,Drums (Snare)
Mitchell Froom   Organ,Harmonium,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Chamberlin,Indian Harmonium,Piano (Electric)
Buell Neidlinger   Cello,Double Bass
Willie Green   Drums
T-Bone Wolk   Bass,Accordion
Kirk Joseph   Horn,Sousaphone
Benmont Tench   Organ,Piano,Spinet,Clavinet,Keyboards,Vox Continental
Davy Spillane   Pipe,Bagpipes,Low Whistle,Uillean Pipes,Whistle (Instrument)
Jerry Scheff   Bass,Fuzz Bass,Double Bass,Bass (Electric)
Jim Keltner   Drums,Cymbals,Tom-Tom,Drums (Snare),Chinese Cymbals
Pete Thomas   Drums,Drums (Snare)
Lionel Batiste   Drums (Bass)
Declan MacManus   Bass,Bells,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Melodica,Tambourine,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Ralph Forbes   Drums (Electric)
Jenell Marshall   Drums (Snare)
Buell Niedlinger   Bass,Cello

Technical Credits

Paul McCartney   Composer
Elvis Costello   Design,Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Kevin Killen   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band   Performer,String Arrangements
Clint Ballard, Jr.   Composer
Carole King   Composer
John Grimes   Assistant Engineer
Mike Ross   Engineer,Assistant Engineer,Engineer,Assistant Engineer
O'Riordan   Composer
Michael Blair   Arranger,Transcription Assistant
David Farrell   Assistant Engineer
Cait O'Riordan   Composer,Lyricist
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Marc Ribot   Sounds
T-Bone Burnett   Arranger,Producer,Transcription Assistant
John Sebastian   Composer
Nick Lowe   Composer
Brian Griffin   Photography,Photography
Declan MacManus   Arranger,Composer,Lyricist
Ralph Forbes   Drum Programming
Jeri Heiden   Design
John Heiden   Logo,Logo Design
Lance Phillips   Assistant Engineer
Kathe Duba-Noland   Editorial Coordinator
Phyllis Cohen   Make-Up
Stacey Baird   Assistant Engineer
John Donnelly   Drum Programming