Episode 64: Anthony Fisher / Elvis Costello [Part 1]

08/12/19 • 196 min

Scot and Jeff discuss Elvis Costello (Part 1, from My Aim Is True through to Goodbye Cruel World) with Anthony Fisher.

Introducing the Band:
Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Anthony Fisher. Anthony is the politics editor for Insider and Business Insider and a producer/co-conspirator for (what has apparently now become Political Beats’ informal sister podcast) The Fifth Column. You can find him on Twitter at @anthonyLfisher.

Anthony’s Music Pick: Elvis Costello
This week the gang covers the early adventures of Declan Patrick (Aloysius) MacManus, known to the world as Elvis Costello. All three of them are massive EC fans of long-standing, but they each have rather nuanced takes on this early period where he garnered his greatest critical (though not commercial, ironically enough) success. Behold, as Jeff claims the blowback from the Ray Charles Incident was justified “instant karma”! Behold, as Scot perversely argues that Imperial Bedroom is overrated! Behold, as Anthony dismisses “Pump It Up”! Behold, as all three of the gang wish the Attractions had played on My Aim Is True!

If you’re already a fan of Elvis Costello, then not only do these references make sense to you, hey: you’re already listening. If for some reason you’re not, let us take the time to explain to you why Britain’s most literate and craftsmanlike songwriter of the past 45 years combined with one of its most explosive backing bands to produce an album catalogue that no music-lover can afford to be ignorant of. Oh, we just don’t know where to begin.

Scot and Jeff discuss Elvis Costello (Part 1, from My Aim Is True through to Goodbye Cruel World) with Anthony Fisher.

Previous Episode

Episode 63: Jeff Dufour / Rolling Stones [Part 2]

Scot and Jeff discuss The Rolling Stones (Part 2, from 1969 through to the present day) with Jeff Dufour.

Introducing the Band:
Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jeff Dufour. Jeff is the Editor-in-Chief of National Journal. Jeff is on Twitter at @dcdufour.
Jeff’s Music Pick: The Rolling Stones
This week the gang somehow manages the nifty trick of covering a full FIFTY years of musical history in under three and a half hours as they discuss the post-Brian Jones era of The Rolling Stones’ career, encompassing everything from their legendary U.S. 1969 tour, the Mick Taylor era, the addition of Ronnie Wood, and Keith’s infamous drug bust in Toronto to their fracturing and reunion in the 1980’s and subsequent career as stadium-rocking megastars (still selling out 60,000-seat venues to this very day). In between all of these things they also happened to put out several of the most famous and critically acclaimed rock albums of all time, which is more than just an important footnote. From Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! all the way to Blue And Lonesome, Scot, Jeff and Jeff take you on an epic journey just about a moonlight mile down the road. Click play and start it up.

Next Episode

Episode 65: Anthony Fisher / Elvis Costello [Part 2]

Scot and Jeff discuss Elvis Costello (Part 2, from King Of America through to the present day) with Anthony Fisher.

Introducing the Band:
Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Anthony Fisher. Anthony is the politics editor for Insider and Business Insider and a producer/co-conspirator for The Fifth Column. You can find him on Twitter at @anthonyLfisher.

Anthony’s Music Pick: Elvis Costello
This week the gang covers the latter-day adventures of Declan Patrick (Aloysius) MacManus, better known to the world as Elvis Costello. This is the era, starting with 1986’s King Of America, where Costello conspicuously lost the ability to edit himself, putting out not only a series of extremely lengthy albums but a panoply of side-projects and ambitious cross-genre collaborations taking in everything from string-quartet chamber music to jazz to hip-hop. But for all the ostentatious self-indulgence of logorrhea of EC’s later career it’s impossible to argue with the results given that many of these records represent his finest work, particularly King Of America, Blood And Chocolate, Brutal Youth, All This Useless Beauty, and The Delivery Man. Have you ever been looking for a Virgil to guide you through the dense morass of Elvis’ later career? You’ll find three of them here on this episode! Ever wondered why you should bother with albums like the neo-classical The Juliet Letters or (the ridiculously titled) Momofuku? All is explained. Curious as to the best music from Costello’s mature period? You will be absolutely stunned by how much fantastic music he put out from 1986 onwards, and still is to the present day. Come join us at the other end of the telescope as we finish our tribute to one of the finest songwriters of the past 50 years.