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For the Stars

For the Stars

a review by Stephen Fruitman of
release format For the Stars by Elvis Costello, Anne Sofie von Otter (CD Album)

text

In January of 1996, Elvis Costello and Swedish mezzosoprano Anne Sofia von Otter performed a concert in Stockholm together with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. This unlikely combination of the classically-trained and self-taught was such an artistic and public success that plans were made to go into the studio together, finally coming to fruition with the release of this album.

Rather than a straight set of duets, Costello has assumed a less conspicuous role, choosing the songs and providing the arrangements. The result is a reserved, almost melancholy album, actually quite surprising given the cheerful enthusiasm that went into their collaboration, as evidenced by the liner notes.

To her credit, von Otter commands her operatic pipes with admirable restraint, as befits a set of pop songs, really only cutting loose on the closing title track. A slight irritant to some might be her textbook perfect inflection of each and every syllable, which betimes feels foreign to the pop genre.

Costello only occassionally joins in, which may disappoint some, but always to great effect. Long a dedicated student of the pop song, he has assembled a tasty smorgasbord of forgotten gems, Lennon & McCartney, Tom Waits and Brian Wilson tunes, and some of his own work, including a couple of new compositions written together with the Swedish musicians performing on the session, who include the Fleshquartet and ABBA's Benny Andersson.

The shifting small ensemble accompaniment is stellar throughout, and von Otter shines on torch songs like Kate McGarrigle's 'Go Leave' and Waits's 'Broken Bicycles', though her version of Costello's 'I Want to Vanish' really doesn't hold a candle to June Tabor's. Overall a relaxed walk through an autumnal landscape just after sunset, rife with earthy scents and cool breezes. Take along a light sweater. Posted by Stephen Fruitman at 00:00, 13 Jun 2001