http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/revi ... 5494.story
Chicago Tribune
Costello and Harris country rock Ravinia
By Kevin McKeough
Special to the Tribune
Singing together into a single microphone bluegrass style, Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris made the Ravinia Festival on Wednesday night feel like Sun Studios circa 1954 as they galloped through "Mystery Train," one of the songs that the other Elvis recorded at the birth of rock and roll.
The moment was an implicit tribute both to Costello's namesake and the music of the southern United States, a cornerstone of Costello's own songs that the British New Wave veteran has recently embraced with fresh enthusiasm. Costello and his band the Imposters recorded last year's "The Delivery Man" CD in and about the South, yielding the best record in the last 20 years of Costello's three-decades-and-counting career.
Whether it's due to his musical sources or his recent marriage to the significantly younger Diana Krall, the 50-year-old Costello clearly is rejuvenated. His epic three-hour performance for a capacity crowd was as energetic as his show at the Auditorium Theatre in April, while also being more focused.
The centerpiece of the show was a long string of duets with Harris, who paired her mountain stream-pure warble with Costello's bleating and braying on country classics by Merle Haggard, George Jones, the Louvin Brothers and Jimmy Martin, and a few of Costello's own like-minded songs ("Indoor Fireworks," "Heart-Shaped Bruise").
Given Harris' iconic stature in country music, she deserved more than the handful of solos she performed, but she made the most of them, turning in a rip-roaring "Luxury Liner" and elegiac "Pancho and Lefty." Although she's one of music's great duet singers, the 58-year-old Alabama native and Costello didn't always mesh, in part because her microphone was under-amplified.
At their best, though, the music was glorious, as Harris swathed Costello's wounded melodies like a gauze, particularly as they soared heavenward on "Wild Horses" in tribute to her early career mentor, the late Gram Parsons.
The mix of songs illustrated how much Costello has always been indebted to country music for its themes of betrayal and the bottle, its mix of stark fatalism and naked emotion, and above all its pure songwriting craft. Though he clearly loves the red states' music, he's just as clearly angered by their conservative culture and politics, as he finished his encores with the anti-war anthems "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" and "The Scarlet Tide."
There was no such ambivalence in the torrid rock music Costello and the Imposters performed to open and close his set as they mixed garage rock frenzy with old pro's finesse.
By the end, the aisles of normally staid Ravinia had become a dance party, and as Costello and Harris sang Bob Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece," they weren't looking to the future, they were summing up the night.
Costello and Harris country rock Ravinia, July 27
http://www.elviscostello.info/setlists/050727.php
2005-07-27: Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Festival
Elvis Costello with Emmylou Harris & the Imposters
- J Wagner
Temptation
Clown Strike
Everyday I Write The Book
(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
Clubland - w. I Feel Pretty
Country Darkness - w. Larry Campbell (LC)
Waiting For The End Of The World - w. LC
Stranger In The House - w. Emmylou Harris (EH) & LC
One Of These Days - w. EH & LC
Sleepless Nights - w. EH & LC
Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down - w. EH & LC
Indoor Fireworks - w. EH & LC
My Baby's Gone - w. EH & LC
Mystery Train - w. EH & LC
Sin City - w. EH & LC
??? - w. EH & LC, You Don't Know My Mind
Red Dirt Girl - EH on vocals, w. LC
American Without Tears - w. EH & LC
Heart Shaped Bruise - w. EH & LC
Luxury Liner - w. EH & LC
The Delivery Man/The Butcher's Boy
Bedlam
Monkey To Man
Needle Time
Mystery Dance - w. LC
Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? - w. LC
Pump It Up - w. LC
Alison/Suspicious Minds - w. LC
Encore 1
Wheels - w. EH & LC
Wild Horses - w. EH & LC
Pancho And Lefty - EH on vocals, w. LC
??? - EH on vocals, w. LC
Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet - w. EH & LC
Love Hurts - w. EH & LC
When I Paint My Masterpiece - w. EH & LC
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - w. EH & LC
The Scarlet Tide - w. EH & LC
2005-07-27: Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Festival
Elvis Costello with Emmylou Harris & the Imposters
- J Wagner
Temptation
Clown Strike
Everyday I Write The Book
(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
Clubland - w. I Feel Pretty
Country Darkness - w. Larry Campbell (LC)
Waiting For The End Of The World - w. LC
Stranger In The House - w. Emmylou Harris (EH) & LC
One Of These Days - w. EH & LC
Sleepless Nights - w. EH & LC
Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down - w. EH & LC
Indoor Fireworks - w. EH & LC
My Baby's Gone - w. EH & LC
Mystery Train - w. EH & LC
Sin City - w. EH & LC
??? - w. EH & LC, You Don't Know My Mind
Red Dirt Girl - EH on vocals, w. LC
American Without Tears - w. EH & LC
Heart Shaped Bruise - w. EH & LC
Luxury Liner - w. EH & LC
The Delivery Man/The Butcher's Boy
Bedlam
Monkey To Man
Needle Time
Mystery Dance - w. LC
Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? - w. LC
Pump It Up - w. LC
Alison/Suspicious Minds - w. LC
Encore 1
Wheels - w. EH & LC
Wild Horses - w. EH & LC
Pancho And Lefty - EH on vocals, w. LC
??? - EH on vocals, w. LC
Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet - w. EH & LC
Love Hurts - w. EH & LC
When I Paint My Masterpiece - w. EH & LC
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - w. EH & LC
The Scarlet Tide - w. EH & LC
http://www.suntimes.com/output/movies/c ... vis29.html
Chicago Sun-Times
Costello fans get happy for 3 hours, 37 songs
ELVIS COSTELLO AND EMMYLOU HARRIS
July 29, 2005
BY BOBBY REED
Elvis Costello took fans on an exhilarating, expansive and exhausting expedition Wednesday night at Ravinia.
It was a journey that included sterling songs from throughout the British tunesmith's impressive oeuvre, as well as a survey of American roots music from the latter half of the 20th century. Costello's aide-de-camp for this epic trek was the silver-haired country chanteuse Emmylou Harris, who joined him onstage for 22 of the concert's 37 songs.
Costello ensured that attendees at his sold-out Ravinia debut got their money's worth. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee's inspired three-hour performance was twice as long as those routinely given by peers of his stature.
Far from a moldy nostalgia act, Costello displayed a fierce, focused determination, wasting very little time on patter or pauses between songs. When one song ended, a guitar technician would sporadically jog onstage to hand Costello a new guitar, and by the time it was plugged in, the band was already barreling through the next number.
Costello opened the show with a raucous version of "Temptation'' (from his classic 1980 disc "Get Happy!!''), and ended it with a tender yet angry reading of "The Scarlet Tide,'' the Oscar-nominated song Alison Krauss sang on the soundtrack for the Civil War film "Cold Mountain.'' He added new lyrics Wednesday night, apparently critiquing the Bush administration's military efforts in Iraq by singing, "Admit you lied, and bring the boys back home.'' Each recitation of this sentiment was greeted by loud cheers from fans in the pavilion.
The singer's cohesive backing band, the Imposters, included longtime cohorts Steve Nieve (keyboards) and Pete Thomas (drums), as well as bassist Davey Faragher. Multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell added twangy textures via fiddle, mandolin and pedal steel guitar.
Costello, 50, was clearly ecstatic to be singing alongside Harris, 58. The country icon reprised the sumptuous harmonies she contributed to the recorded version of "Heart Shaped Bruise,'' which appears on Costello's 2004 album "The Delivery Man.'' The pair sang duets of many country standards, including the bluegrass gem "You Don't Know My Mind,'' which featured Campbell's fluid mandolin riffs.
They also sang several songs written by or associated with the late Gram Parsons -- one of Costello's heroes and a key figure in Harris' early career. The duo's harmonizing was particularly rapturous on "Sin City'' and "Wheels,'' with Costello's authoritative, full-throated vocals interlocked with Harris' delicate soprano. The two artists seemed to influence each other's singing styles, with Costello causing Harris to loosen up a bit, and she perhaps making him emphasize vocal technique over reckless passion.
Back in 1981, when Costello released the straight-up country album "Almost Blue,'' many New Wave followers felt outraged and betrayed. Today, Costello can convincingly deliver a country song as easily as a ranch hand slips on a pair of battered cowboy boots.
In his introduction to a blistering take on Merle Haggard's "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down,'' Costello jokingly reflected on his philosophical approach to the "Almost Blue'' sessions: "On the one hand, it was cultural. On the other hand, we were trying to rid the world of alcohol -- by drinking it.''
While many rockers occasionally dabble in country music, Costello displayed a sincere reverence for the genre, digging deep into the roots catalog to present songs recorded by Hank Williams, Jimmy Martin, the Louvin Brothers and the Stanley Brothers. This was most evident when Costello, Harris and Faragher huddled around a single microphone for a soulful, acoustic rendition of "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet,'' featuring exquisite three-part harmony.
Costello's country crooning was just as effective as the spirited renditions of his own compositions, including "Bedlam,'' which featured outer-space sound effects courtesy of Nieve's theremin, and "Alison,'' which had the giddy crowd in the pavilion singing along in unison.
Bobby Reed is a Chicago freelance writer.
Chicago Sun-Times
Costello fans get happy for 3 hours, 37 songs
ELVIS COSTELLO AND EMMYLOU HARRIS
July 29, 2005
BY BOBBY REED
Elvis Costello took fans on an exhilarating, expansive and exhausting expedition Wednesday night at Ravinia.
It was a journey that included sterling songs from throughout the British tunesmith's impressive oeuvre, as well as a survey of American roots music from the latter half of the 20th century. Costello's aide-de-camp for this epic trek was the silver-haired country chanteuse Emmylou Harris, who joined him onstage for 22 of the concert's 37 songs.
Costello ensured that attendees at his sold-out Ravinia debut got their money's worth. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee's inspired three-hour performance was twice as long as those routinely given by peers of his stature.
Far from a moldy nostalgia act, Costello displayed a fierce, focused determination, wasting very little time on patter or pauses between songs. When one song ended, a guitar technician would sporadically jog onstage to hand Costello a new guitar, and by the time it was plugged in, the band was already barreling through the next number.
Costello opened the show with a raucous version of "Temptation'' (from his classic 1980 disc "Get Happy!!''), and ended it with a tender yet angry reading of "The Scarlet Tide,'' the Oscar-nominated song Alison Krauss sang on the soundtrack for the Civil War film "Cold Mountain.'' He added new lyrics Wednesday night, apparently critiquing the Bush administration's military efforts in Iraq by singing, "Admit you lied, and bring the boys back home.'' Each recitation of this sentiment was greeted by loud cheers from fans in the pavilion.
The singer's cohesive backing band, the Imposters, included longtime cohorts Steve Nieve (keyboards) and Pete Thomas (drums), as well as bassist Davey Faragher. Multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell added twangy textures via fiddle, mandolin and pedal steel guitar.
Costello, 50, was clearly ecstatic to be singing alongside Harris, 58. The country icon reprised the sumptuous harmonies she contributed to the recorded version of "Heart Shaped Bruise,'' which appears on Costello's 2004 album "The Delivery Man.'' The pair sang duets of many country standards, including the bluegrass gem "You Don't Know My Mind,'' which featured Campbell's fluid mandolin riffs.
They also sang several songs written by or associated with the late Gram Parsons -- one of Costello's heroes and a key figure in Harris' early career. The duo's harmonizing was particularly rapturous on "Sin City'' and "Wheels,'' with Costello's authoritative, full-throated vocals interlocked with Harris' delicate soprano. The two artists seemed to influence each other's singing styles, with Costello causing Harris to loosen up a bit, and she perhaps making him emphasize vocal technique over reckless passion.
Back in 1981, when Costello released the straight-up country album "Almost Blue,'' many New Wave followers felt outraged and betrayed. Today, Costello can convincingly deliver a country song as easily as a ranch hand slips on a pair of battered cowboy boots.
In his introduction to a blistering take on Merle Haggard's "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down,'' Costello jokingly reflected on his philosophical approach to the "Almost Blue'' sessions: "On the one hand, it was cultural. On the other hand, we were trying to rid the world of alcohol -- by drinking it.''
While many rockers occasionally dabble in country music, Costello displayed a sincere reverence for the genre, digging deep into the roots catalog to present songs recorded by Hank Williams, Jimmy Martin, the Louvin Brothers and the Stanley Brothers. This was most evident when Costello, Harris and Faragher huddled around a single microphone for a soulful, acoustic rendition of "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet,'' featuring exquisite three-part harmony.
Costello's country crooning was just as effective as the spirited renditions of his own compositions, including "Bedlam,'' which featured outer-space sound effects courtesy of Nieve's theremin, and "Alison,'' which had the giddy crowd in the pavilion singing along in unison.
Bobby Reed is a Chicago freelance writer.
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo ... 19699.html
The Pioneer Press
Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris at the finish of the first song they performed together. (Joel Lerner/Staff Photographer)
Costello takes country out of closet
BY ROBERT LOERZEL
DIVERSIONS EDITOR
As he introduced one of his songs Wednesday night at Ravinia, Elvis Costello reminisced about the attitudes that existed toward country music back in 1977.
“There’s a journalist coming,” he recalled saying. “Quick, hide the George Jones tapes.”
It’s no longer considered a mark of terrible shame for rock musicians to embrace the twang of country and bluegrass, as Costello made clear in his Ravinia concert, which was billed as “featuring the vocal stylings” of Emmylou Harris. The silver-haired country siren did not play a set of her own, but she joined Costello onstage for a good portion of his concert, dueting with him and taking over the lead vocals for several tunes.
The show ran the gamut from the organ-driven beat of late ’70s pub-rock classics such as “Pump It Up” to honky-tonk tunes and swaying Opry-style ballads. The concert’s split personality might have annoyed listeners who like only one genre or the other, but for anyone willing to go along with Costello and Harris on their musical trip from London to Nashville, it was an exciting ride.
Costello practically ran onto stage at the official 8 p.m. starting time, when the pavilion was still two-thirds empty. As people hurried to their seats, Costello rushed through his first few songs, stiffly leaning forward in his gray suit and twitching his head as he squeezed out spiky guitar solos.
Balancing songs from early in his career ( “I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea,” “Temptation,” “Clubland,” “Mystery Dance,” “Waiting for the End of the World”) with tracks from his return-to-form 2004 album, the thematic song-cycle “Delivery Man,” Costello always kept things interesting. Energized in the live band setting, “Every Day I Write the Book” sounded even better than the hit studio version.
Harris — looking like the coolest member of the club in her vest, short skirt and spotted white boots — shone the brightest when her vocals were more prominent in the mix. In a number of the so-called duets, Harris’ short harmony phrases were little more than a dash of seasoning to spice up the songs.
When they performed more as co-equals, the combination was great. Costello and Harris have huge catalogues of their own tunes to draw from, but they seemed to prefer singing the work of other songwriters during this jamboree. The covers included the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Sin City,” the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” the Stanley Brothers’ “Gathering Flowers for the Master’s Bouquet,” Boudreaux Bryant’s “Love Hurts” and the Band’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”
And in case anyone showed up at Ravinia thinking Elvis Presley was the main attraction, Costello and Harris offered a chugging “Mystery Train.” And later, when Costello played his classic ballad “Allison,” he added a graceful segue into “Suspicious Minds.”
The Imposters — basically, Costello’s long-running Attractions with a new bassist, Davey Faragher, taking over for Steve Thomas — offered lively backup, even including a couple of theremin solos by keyboardist Steve Nieve. Harris sideman Larry Campbell also joined in with some impressive playing on guitar, violin, mandolin and pedal steel.
The crowd in the pavilion was up and dancing by the time Costello and Harris gave their lengthy encore and the concert neared the three-hour mark. It was no shock when Costello launched into the Nick Lowe anthem that he made famous, “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?,” but then Costello create a surprising and powerful juxtaposition by adding “The Scarlet Tide” as an acoustic coda.
Costello co-wrote the song with T-Bone Burnett for the “Cold Mountain” soundtrack, but it was obvious he wasn’t referring just to the Civil War when he sang the line, “Admit you’re wrong and bring the boys back home,” prompting a round of applause.
The Pioneer Press
Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris at the finish of the first song they performed together. (Joel Lerner/Staff Photographer)
Costello takes country out of closet
BY ROBERT LOERZEL
DIVERSIONS EDITOR
As he introduced one of his songs Wednesday night at Ravinia, Elvis Costello reminisced about the attitudes that existed toward country music back in 1977.
“There’s a journalist coming,” he recalled saying. “Quick, hide the George Jones tapes.”
It’s no longer considered a mark of terrible shame for rock musicians to embrace the twang of country and bluegrass, as Costello made clear in his Ravinia concert, which was billed as “featuring the vocal stylings” of Emmylou Harris. The silver-haired country siren did not play a set of her own, but she joined Costello onstage for a good portion of his concert, dueting with him and taking over the lead vocals for several tunes.
The show ran the gamut from the organ-driven beat of late ’70s pub-rock classics such as “Pump It Up” to honky-tonk tunes and swaying Opry-style ballads. The concert’s split personality might have annoyed listeners who like only one genre or the other, but for anyone willing to go along with Costello and Harris on their musical trip from London to Nashville, it was an exciting ride.
Costello practically ran onto stage at the official 8 p.m. starting time, when the pavilion was still two-thirds empty. As people hurried to their seats, Costello rushed through his first few songs, stiffly leaning forward in his gray suit and twitching his head as he squeezed out spiky guitar solos.
Balancing songs from early in his career ( “I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea,” “Temptation,” “Clubland,” “Mystery Dance,” “Waiting for the End of the World”) with tracks from his return-to-form 2004 album, the thematic song-cycle “Delivery Man,” Costello always kept things interesting. Energized in the live band setting, “Every Day I Write the Book” sounded even better than the hit studio version.
Harris — looking like the coolest member of the club in her vest, short skirt and spotted white boots — shone the brightest when her vocals were more prominent in the mix. In a number of the so-called duets, Harris’ short harmony phrases were little more than a dash of seasoning to spice up the songs.
When they performed more as co-equals, the combination was great. Costello and Harris have huge catalogues of their own tunes to draw from, but they seemed to prefer singing the work of other songwriters during this jamboree. The covers included the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Sin City,” the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” the Stanley Brothers’ “Gathering Flowers for the Master’s Bouquet,” Boudreaux Bryant’s “Love Hurts” and the Band’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”
And in case anyone showed up at Ravinia thinking Elvis Presley was the main attraction, Costello and Harris offered a chugging “Mystery Train.” And later, when Costello played his classic ballad “Allison,” he added a graceful segue into “Suspicious Minds.”
The Imposters — basically, Costello’s long-running Attractions with a new bassist, Davey Faragher, taking over for Steve Thomas — offered lively backup, even including a couple of theremin solos by keyboardist Steve Nieve. Harris sideman Larry Campbell also joined in with some impressive playing on guitar, violin, mandolin and pedal steel.
The crowd in the pavilion was up and dancing by the time Costello and Harris gave their lengthy encore and the concert neared the three-hour mark. It was no shock when Costello launched into the Nick Lowe anthem that he made famous, “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?,” but then Costello create a surprising and powerful juxtaposition by adding “The Scarlet Tide” as an acoustic coda.
Costello co-wrote the song with T-Bone Burnett for the “Cold Mountain” soundtrack, but it was obvious he wasn’t referring just to the Civil War when he sang the line, “Admit you’re wrong and bring the boys back home,” prompting a round of applause.
http://www.illinoisentertainer.com/modu ... e&sid=1586
Ravinia Festival, Chicago
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
At first glance, the pairing of Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris seems ideal for Ravinia Festival's park atmosphere. Harris' pure Southern delivery is a no-brainer, and Costello's tendency toward softer material of late (North, the project with Burt Bacharach, three classical albums) makes him an obvious choice for that post-baby boomer market. But it didn't register until the two were onstage together that the evening's purpose fully revealed itself.
Off the bat, the assumption that Costello can throw a three-hour performance together with Harris a mere vehicle goes beyond hubris and borders on the offensive. His whole oeuvre is filled with moments where he fancies his self-righteousness and others where we're expected to swallow some oversized salt granules. His inherent obstinacy showed in the volatility of his opening set, beginning with a less-than-rousing "Temptation" before building and variably losing momentum with "Clown Strike," "Everyday I Write The Book," "(I Don't Wanna) Go To Chelsea," "Clubland," "Country Darkness," and Amy Allison's "Walking To The End Of The World."
Harris' eventual stage premiere came during "Stranger In The House," being from 1977's My Aim Is True a seeming statement of revisionary intent. Unfortunately, the intent of this show seemed to cater to Costello's ego rather than realizing any sort of synergy between the pairing. George Jones' "One Of These Days" and the Robert Ross-penned "The Night The Bottle Let Me Down" were tantalizing collaborations tempered by Costello's insistence on including The Everly Brothers' "Sleepless Nights" and his own recent "Indoor Fireworks."
The Louvin Brothers' "My Baby's Gone" and Presley's "Mystery Train" worked fantastically, as did the first of a handful of tributes to Gram Parsons with "Sin City." But the real show started with the bluegrass staple "Honey You Don't Know My Mind" and Harris' own "Red Dirt Girl," which finally brought her voice out of its tattered case. If anything, the concert showed Harris' unfortunate but current lack of versatility as a backup vocalist. Trying to hit those thirds without stepping over Costello's lead, her tone was frequently reedy, not the songbird she was behind Parsons on GP and Grievous Angel.
Soon enough the show veered back into Elvisland with "American Without Tears" and "Heart-Shaped Bruise." It wasn't a failed experiment along the lines of Beck with The Flaming Lips a couple years ago, but the deep-down regret that each didn't get to play a full set then collaborate. Sounds like it'd be more country to me.
-- Steve Forstneger
Ravinia Festival, Chicago
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
At first glance, the pairing of Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris seems ideal for Ravinia Festival's park atmosphere. Harris' pure Southern delivery is a no-brainer, and Costello's tendency toward softer material of late (North, the project with Burt Bacharach, three classical albums) makes him an obvious choice for that post-baby boomer market. But it didn't register until the two were onstage together that the evening's purpose fully revealed itself.
Off the bat, the assumption that Costello can throw a three-hour performance together with Harris a mere vehicle goes beyond hubris and borders on the offensive. His whole oeuvre is filled with moments where he fancies his self-righteousness and others where we're expected to swallow some oversized salt granules. His inherent obstinacy showed in the volatility of his opening set, beginning with a less-than-rousing "Temptation" before building and variably losing momentum with "Clown Strike," "Everyday I Write The Book," "(I Don't Wanna) Go To Chelsea," "Clubland," "Country Darkness," and Amy Allison's "Walking To The End Of The World."
Harris' eventual stage premiere came during "Stranger In The House," being from 1977's My Aim Is True a seeming statement of revisionary intent. Unfortunately, the intent of this show seemed to cater to Costello's ego rather than realizing any sort of synergy between the pairing. George Jones' "One Of These Days" and the Robert Ross-penned "The Night The Bottle Let Me Down" were tantalizing collaborations tempered by Costello's insistence on including The Everly Brothers' "Sleepless Nights" and his own recent "Indoor Fireworks."
The Louvin Brothers' "My Baby's Gone" and Presley's "Mystery Train" worked fantastically, as did the first of a handful of tributes to Gram Parsons with "Sin City." But the real show started with the bluegrass staple "Honey You Don't Know My Mind" and Harris' own "Red Dirt Girl," which finally brought her voice out of its tattered case. If anything, the concert showed Harris' unfortunate but current lack of versatility as a backup vocalist. Trying to hit those thirds without stepping over Costello's lead, her tone was frequently reedy, not the songbird she was behind Parsons on GP and Grievous Angel.
Soon enough the show veered back into Elvisland with "American Without Tears" and "Heart-Shaped Bruise." It wasn't a failed experiment along the lines of Beck with The Flaming Lips a couple years ago, but the deep-down regret that each didn't get to play a full set then collaborate. Sounds like it'd be more country to me.
-- Steve Forstneger
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