Hey Clockface

I spun it a couple of times and probably won’t be anytime soon. I do love EC and most of his work but this one did’t do it for me. Frankly, I’m not sure why it’s getting such positive reviews. I found it uninspiring and a major disappointment.

First let me say that I love Elvis Costello particularly when he's backed by the attractions and the imposters. I was looking forward to listening to this album but I must say that I find have of it just good and the remaining songs are weak, non-melodic, disappointing.

If you’re a fan of any of EC’s post 2000’s pop-rock albums , likely you’ll enjoy this one. I haven’t kept up with all his albums the past 20 years, but I liked his 2002 album and the 2013 collaboration with the Roots and this album has elements that remind me of those albums. For whatever reason I didn’t get into his previous album but I like this effort, and it has me relistening to Look Now. Takes a few spins to get used to it, though. Only thing I don’t like is the card sleeve it comes in as a case. Normally I don’t mind the mini LP sleeves, but this one makes it very hard to get the CD and lyric book out of the case, so much so that I removed the CD and booklet to put in separate sleeves to access easier. The problem is the slots face inwards instead of outwards, so you almost tear the case in half just to get the disc out. It seems to be a dreadful new standard as both Norah Jones’ and AC/DC’s new albums also come in the same terribly designed cardstock sleeve. Really, it’s not that hard to design a good sleeve, there are good sleeves out there, but they chose the worst design to go with. Just make it easy to get the CD out and use heavier cardstock please. For the money we pay for an album we should get sturdier cases. HOWEVER, I do like the album art and it looks great.

This is my favorite Elvis album since 'The Delivery Man'. I might even like it more!'Look Now' was enjoyably pleasant, but I was afraid it signaled that Elvis was out of original ideas. 'Hey Clockface' proves me wrong.It starts off with a song that sounds (of all things) like Arabian music -- it's hard to believe it's even an Elvis Costello album for that instrumental first half minute or so -- then, Elvis recites a poem over it. "Hey Clockface' maintains that quirkiness throughout. It incorporates lots of different styles of music. Actually, most of the songs here are so original I can't say I've ever heard that style of music before. They incorporate rock instruments, jazz instruments, classical instruments, exotic instruments, mysterious looping samples, Elvis making a song's complex rhythm sounds vocally, jazz scat singing, elegant piano, early 1960s organ sounds -- all artfully blended in surprising and inventive ways.Of course, there are Elvis' brilliantly dark, pretending-to-be-sick-of-romance sarcastic lyrics. He's been fed up with romance and giving up on it for 43 years now. Despite itself, there's an almost subliminal 'hope springs eternal' quality to it all.What it sometimes lacks in tunefulness, the imaginative arrangements and productions more than compensate for. Once a genius always a genius.

Was nothing like I expected-don’t waste your money on this one....sorry, Elvis

The album gets better every time I listen to it. It's different but that is what makes Elvis Costello the best. It's especially good in these troubling times. Go get it. You won't regret it!

I was glad to get some new Elvis Costello to listen too. I was not disappointed. Great music!

Elvis rarely disappoints, and this is his strongest release in many years--even better than the award winning Look Now. Probably his most diverse collection, and thats saying a lot.

I've been a fan since the mid 80's when in my teens. I love the rock pop side of Costello but I also like his fearlessness of doing what he wants. There's been some great twists and turns along the way. Many of the twists require repeated listening and time to get to know the music, especially if it's a style or genre you don't know or have investment in.It's early days with the new album still, but the songs are starting to reveal their beauty. This is a diverse album. It's not a straightforward rock or pop album, there's lots going on. It's hard to pin down how you'd classify the genre. Do we need to? It's probably best just to accept it as Costello at his best.There will be some that will struggle with the album, if you taste in music is narrow. Saying that buy it and spend time here and you'll be rewarded. This isn't light poppy fluff.No Flagg kicks in after the spoken word track Revolution 49, with EC railing against the small mindedness of flag waving patriotism with fizzed out riffing guitars and a pounding beat.There's so many tracks that stand out, but 'They're not laughing at me now' the third track is the one that I keep coming back to and revelling at the beauty and fragility. It's absolutely beguiling.Another favourite is 4th track Newspaper Pane, an early single from the album that jars on first listening, as it's a new approach for EC. Repeated listening shows the greatestness of the track.I Do (Zula's Song) is up next and another gorgeous track with a lyric to match.We're All Cowards Now another spiky jarring political commentary of a single that can take a few listens, but stick with it. The best songs take time, it'll reward your listening.Hey Clockface is 1930's Jazz pop, fun and fresh.The Wirlwind a gentle piano led track, with EC delivering a vocal performance to match Steve Nieve sensitivity on the keys. Wow!!!Hetty O'Hara Confidential sounds lightweight on first hearing with a riffing keys and Costello beat boxing. There's more going on here though. Again give it time.The last five tracks go back to the beauty of The Whirlwind, with some beautifully played music and vocals. Another spoken word track in ' Radio Is Everything is the third last track before a grand ending with two tracks up there with his very best; the stunning 'Byline' is worth the admission alone.The music throughout the album to my ears is artful, diverse, inspired, poetic, beautiful and challenging which is how I like my music.There's enough going on to keep me coming back to this one for years to come. Wonderful stuff!!!

I seem to be in the minority here but I found this dreary and uninspired .To legitimise this I have been a big fan since 1977 and saw him live at Hammersmith back then .He was superb and his first five albums are rarely off my turntable .This new recording is not at all tuneful and is a massive disappointment to me !Some of his recordings since 2000 have been ok but this i'm afraid is his worst album ever .How I miss 'The Attractions'.Sorry Elvis .

This album is something of a mixed bag stylistically. Costello has always defied expectations as his albums have spanned so many different musical genres over the past 40 odd plus years. Among other styles he has done pop, rock, country, classical, bluegrass and even hip-hop flavoured albums. The main difference with this album is that it is very stylistically diverse, sounding almost like a compilation album which somehow hangs together rather well. What this album has in common with his previous ones is the quality of the song-writing. Whilst there are some nice melodies here, the main strength of this album, in my opinion lies in the lyrics. Costello was always an outstanding lyricist, and he is on fire here. Two of the tracks here are spoken rather than sung, something he hasn't done before on any of his albums (although he did do it on the 'film score' track 'Big Nothing', back in the 80s. Tellingly, the song lyrics are printed in full in the album booklet.Although different on first listen to previous Costello albums, this one will feel very familiar to long-time fans. Great stuff, and highly recommended

First impressions: Stylistically it's a mixed bag. If you like this one then you've got to check out Graham Parker's recent album "Cloud Symbols" (for the rag time material) and Iggy Pop's last album "Free" (for the spoken word pieces). I have both, so the Elvis didn't feel all that different or strange. There's even a hint of Tom Waits circa Real Gone at times. I don't know the DR value, but on CD it sounded good to my ears.The album is kept interesting by some strange juxtapositions as it moves from spoken voice to ragtime, and then on to what sounds like an outtake from his earlier "Wise Up" album.I admit, when i first saw the cover art, I was worried. However, now I've heard the music, it all seems to pull together nicely. Excellent!

Made up of recordings from 3 different scenarios, Elvis has woven a rich tapestry of sound, spanning guitar based rousers from his helsinki recordings to the gentlest and most soulful of ballads with amazing orchestrations from the recordings with the Quintette De Sainte Germain of PAris along with his long term accompanist Steve Nieve. It's been a while since an Elvis album blew me away but this is a magnificent offering with at least 5 classic tunes to match anything he's done before - what am achievement.