Elvis Costello is quite possibly one of the most prolific artists to emerge from the punk/new wave scene in the late 70’s. While his earlier work was angst driven with a pop enthusiasm, Costello has experimented with literally every genre throughout his career. From the Country influenced Almost Blue, the R&B flavor of Kojak Variety to classical music on The Juliet Letters, it seems there is nothing this Elvis won’t try. After his collaboration with Burt Bacharach, Painted From Memory, Costello took a long overdue break. In 2002 he released his first studio album of original material in six years. Teaming up with Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas of the Attractions, When I Was Cruel brings Elvis Costello full-circle back to rock and roll.
Comparable to his 1979 release, Armed Forces, When I Was Cruel has a dark ambience throughout. This becomes evident from the first cut, “45” where Elvis paints an abstract portrait with his trademark play on words approach to lyrics. “Tear Off Your Own Head” embodies the angst as his early records with heavy percussion and snappy guitar licks. The title track is as hauntingly disturbing, both in tone and content, as 1978’s “Watching The Detectives”. Elvis brings back a horn section with a salsa beat on “15 Petals”, an oddly composed love song.
Elvis Costello was clearly ready to get back to his Rock and Roll roots with this project and while lyrically, he comes off as annoyed he also has much to say. When I Was Cruel is an amalgamation of all Elvis’s earlier work minus the obvious politics, from 77 to 81, and one of his best efforts since Blood and Chocolate.