The actual performance that I have: Fiona Apple covers Elvis Costello’s “I Want You” (with Costello on guitar) at a tribute performance at Costello’s VH1 Decades Live episode. Presumably, she was his choice to sing the song and, wow, she … Continue reading
Cover featuring vocalist Drew Sarich: Mr. Sarich is a strong, emotive singer, though he doesn’t sound much like Costello. Interestingly, without Costello’s voice, I wonder if some of this album’s classical detractors would still denigrate these songs? It was Costello’s … Continue reading
d@morchestra covers it: I really love the concept behind the lyrics of “Damnation’s Cellar”. In essence, it conceives of a kind of time machine that allows us to bring back any person from the past – the central question of … Continue reading
I’m almost resigning myself to sending you to the 30 second previews at the Rhino site by now. Bummer. In “The First To Leave”, according to Costello, “a man who believes in the afterlife leaves a letter for his atheist … Continue reading
Another instrumental that you can hear previewed here. Written by Brodsky Quartet violnist Michael Thomas, “Last Post” is an affecting piece of music that serves as both an epilogue to “I Thought I’d Write To Juliet,” and as a “preface … Continue reading
Once again, the thirty second preview at The Rhino site is all you’re gonna get. Of “I Thought I’d Write To Juliet”, Costello writes: In “I Thought I’d Write To Juliet” a cynical writer quotes the contents of a letter … Continue reading
Cover by Tina Kainrath and Stringfizz: At least you get a feel for how this piece sounds when played by a string quartet here. Its a reasonably close cover and it includes the short, fast almost staccato playing that makes … Continue reading
Katarznya Groniec: While I very much enjoy her takes on these tunes, it should be repeated that Costello is a male and the Brodsky Quartet features four stringed instrument players. Neither of these things are true on Ms. Groniec’s none-the-less … Continue reading
At long last, the whole song by Costello and the Brodsky Quartet, live on TV: “Jacksons, Monk And Rowe” actually got quite a bit of airplay when The Juliet Letters came out. I heard it on the radio, I played … Continue reading
Rather tragically, since this is among my favorite songs on the album, you will have to content yourself with a 30 second preview courtesy of the official Rhino site. The four lyrical sections of “The Letter Home each have a … Continue reading