My Amazon Reviews: Elvis Costello "Secret Profane and Sugarcane"

The Return of The Coward Brothers,

4 Out of 5 Stars

Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnette have a special chemistry. When they make music together, it often comes in on the high end of EC albums, and their work on King of America ranks as one of Costello's finest. Their first collaboration (billed as The Coward Brothers) was the critically acclaimed single, "The People's Limosene." Their last collaboration ("The Scarlet Tide" for the movie Cold Mountain), netted them an Oscar. Now they're back for the rootsy and spare song cycle, "Secret, Profane and Sugarcane ."

As a folk-rock album, it falls somewhere between "King of America" and the Nashville "Almost BlueAlmost Blue". It's also a better album than The Delivery Man, in that it's a more consistent album in sound and theme. This almost sounds like a hootenanny, with basic instruments and swell live sounding harmonies. Featuring Jerry Douglas on Dobro, Dennis Crouch on bass, Stuart Duncan on fiddle and banjo, and Jim Lauderdale on vocal harmonies, these songs were reportedly recorded in a mere three days. It keeps the album from sounding labored over and helps keep Costello from overloading the overdubs. (The previous Momofuku was also cut in a rapid fashion and has held up pretty darn good.)

It's also a chance for Costello to indulge. He originally wrote the album opener "Down Among the Wine and Spirits" for Loretta Lynne, she repays the favor by co-writing "I Felt The Chill." He visits his inner crooner by covering Bing Crosby's "Changing Partners." And it sounds like "Sulphur To Sugarcane" was fun to record. While I am always willing to listen to whatever indulgence Costello decides to allow himself, his folk world walks are an acquired taste. But take it from me, "Secret, Profane and Sugar Cane" is a satisfying album from a pair of men who always seem to know where their combined sweet spot is located.