Elvis Costello

The best covers albums often contain songs that the performer just loved as a fan while growing up. That's the case with Elvis Costello's Kojak Variety, where he takes a rootsy Americana approach on classics by Dylan ("I Threw It All Away"), Bacharach/David ("Please Stay"), Mose Allison ("Everybody's Crying Mercy") and other eccentric songwriting masters. The set also puts a spotlight on Costello's growth as a torch singer and the impeccable strength of his pickup studio band, which includes James Burton, aka Elvis Presley's greatest guitarist.

At the beginning of Elvis Costello's covers album, there's a little sleight of hand, a
misdirecting cue to the listener – a false start, a brief bobble, a chuckle – and then the first
song, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Strange," really kicks off. It's a smart move, telling us this is
going to be fun, lightweight and unbuttoned. And it's also a defensive one. Most of the
delights on Kojak Variety are in the details: This album sounds more like the pro... More >