[My Best Friend] Tony Millionaire: Elvis Costello: Secret, Profane and Sugarcane [Hartford Advocate]

CD of the Week: Elvis Costello

By John Adamian

Elvis Costello
Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
(Hear)

Don't go accusing Elvis Costello of jumping on the bluegrass/old-timey rootsy bandwagon nearly 10 years after O Brother, Where Art Thou? There may be mandolin and fiddle, and, like clockwork, a tune with Emmylou Harris singing back-ups, but Elvis has been showing his wannabe country bona fides and his taste for George Jones and Hank, Sr., ever since his Billy Sherrill-produced Almost Blue from 1981. Truth is, Elvis can handle just about any genre challenge he sets for himself — Tin Pan Alley cleverness, Beatlesesque melodies, post-punk attitude, string quartets, whatever. T Bone Burnett is the producer on this effort. It features luminaries like dobro master Jerry Douglas, and one track was co-written by Loretta Lynn.

Hartford Advocate: Music - CD of the Week: Elvis Costello