| All This Useless Beauty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Elvis Costello and The Attractions | ||||
| Released | 14 May 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995-1996 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 48:21 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. Rhino (August 11, 2001) |
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| Producer | Geoff Emerick and Elvis Costello | |||
| Elvis Costello and The Attractions chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
| Pitchfork Media | (7.5/10)[2] |
| Robert Christgau | [3] |
| Rolling Stone | [4] |
All This Useless Beauty is the 17th studio album by the English rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released on compact disc as Warner Brothers 46198. It peaked at #28 on the UK album chart, and at #53 on the Billboard 200. It is his final album with his long-standing backing band The Attractions, and the last album he delivered under his contract to the Warner Brothers label, his contract expiring with a further compilation album, Extreme Honey.
Contents |
In its original conception, the album was to be a two-disc set of songs written for other artists, entitled A Case for Song, with backing by a diverse array of musicians, influenced by his participation in the 1995 Meltdown Festival.[5] Aspects of this concept survived to the final album, as four songs previously released by others made it to the final track listing: "The Other End Of The Telescope," co-written with Aimee Mann and originally recorded by 'Til Tuesday; "You Bowed Down," recorded by Roger McGuinn; "All This Useless Beauty" and "I Want to Vanish," recorded by June Tabor.[6] The title is a sarcastic reference to what Costello thought would be the fate of the album.[7]
Instead, Costello hired the Attractions, and recorded the songs at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin and Westside Studios in London with Geoff Emerick producing. "Complicated Shadows" had been intended for Johnny Cash, and "Why Can't A Man Stand Alone?" for Sam Moore, but neither singer elected to record them.[8] Another of his collaborations with Paul McCartney appears, "Shallow Grave."
Unusually, six tracks were released as singles in either the United Kingdom or the United States: "It's Time;" "Little Atoms;" "The Other End of the Telescope;" "Distorted Angel;" "All This Useless Beauty;" and "You Bowed Down." Only "It's Time" charted, and only in the UK, peaking at #58.
The album was released initially on compact disc in 1996. As part of the Rhino Records reissue campaign for Costello's back catalogue from Demon/Columbia and Warners, it was re-released in 2001 with 17 additional tracks on a bonus disc. Additional tracks continued the album's initial concept, tracks intended for recording by or in collaboration with other artists.[9] "The Days Take Care of Themselves" and "The Comedians" had been written for Roy Orbison, his recording of the latter appearing on Mystery Girl, while "The Only Flame In Town" had been intended for Aaron Neville. "The World's Great Optimist," another collaboration with Aimee Mann, appeared on her Bachelor No. 2 album, and Johnny Cash recorded "Hidden Shame" on Boom Chicka Boom.[9] This reissue is out of print, the album reissued again by Universal Music Group after its acquisition of Costello's complete catalogue in 2006.
All songs written by Elvis Costello unless otherwise indicated; track timings taken from the 2001 Rhino reissue.
Tracks 4, 6, 7, and 9-16 are solo demo recordings.
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Billboard 200 | 53 |