Friday, June 18, 2004
I reckon Elvis Costello is pretty non-essential after his first four or so albums: once we are past "Get Happy!" I think we are pretty much in territory reserved for specialists. I saw Diana Krall a couple of years ago and found her engaging: the romance novel look of her album covers was merchandising and off-putting, but as a performer she was exuberant and playful, with good chops. Geoff Keezer has played with her, which gives her a certain amount of jazz cred with me. Still, I haven't felt the need to own much of her stuff either, and I really only play the sides I have when my parents are in town. The news of their nuptials impressed me as likely to result in collaborations that would not flatter either, and it seems that this has now come to pass. Douglas Wolk's take on the question is pretty much summed up by the rhetorical question, "Are Elvis Costello and Diana Krall ruining each other?". I hadn't planned on buying the new Krall, but I will treasure this quote from Wolk about it: "Krall's performances are mostly so genteel and slackly rendered that the album practically orders a glass of white wine the moment it starts playing."
// posted by Bill @ 3:34 PM 
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