"The absence of much advance notice or information might seem a little strange and perverse but the record was made so quickly that I didn't even tell myself about it for a couple weeks," Elvis Costello told Billboard back on April 22, 2008 as he marked the vinyl release date of his newest album Momofuku.
According to the Billboard interview, the songs on Momofuku were inspired by the work Elvis did on Jenny Lewis’ upcoming solo record.
Costello works with the Imposters on Momofuku and the tone is fresh and exciting while still maintaining the base of their sound. By adding the harmonies of Jenny Lewis, who stepped over to help Costello, Momofuku is full and unreserved. Packed with elegant melodies and lots of toe-tapping goodness, this may well be one of the best records of the year.
With the album title serving as a tribute to Momofuku Ando, the inventor of the Cup Noodle, Costello and the Imposters wanted the tone of “just add water” to infuse the record and create an raw sound. The speed of the recording and the untreated character of the players work wonders, as each tune unfolds naturally, rapidly and vigorously.
That vigour is the driving force of Momofuku. The wonder of the record is how it works with such ease to create such depth. Made in six days in Los Angeles, it is truly a work of Ramen-esque proportions.
Costello comes across as tranquil and pleased, even when he’s storming through convincing near-polemics like “American Gangster Time” and “Stella Hurt,” both of which serve as charming visions into the sort of “putdown rock” that he can do so well.
Originally set for a release purely on vinyl, Momofuku eventually saw its CD release at the beginning of May. By the time it hit compact disc, the record and Costello’s cheekiness had garnered the recording a great deal of attention. While the CD is a more than satisfactory way to listen to this record, I can only imagine how much more the music would come alive through the cracks of vinyl.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Brother Richardson- You are just so totally, 100% and completely wrong here as to defy imagination. This Momofuku is just some dashed off mofuking crap.
Look, I'm one of the biggest Elvis partisans around. I'm with him through country-ish and classical sidetrips. But this album doesn't have a single decent hook or memorable bit of melody anywhere on it. It was all I could do to make myself listen to it through a couple of times to review it.
I appreciate the desire to dig on all things Elvis, but he's made now two studio albums of original songs in the last five years that are near to utterly worthless, counting this and North. These two albums are nothing but worthless crap that dilutes the brand name.
And the ramen thing that Elvis invokes is NOT a good thing, but a sure sign that it was not a serious effort. it is truly a work of Ramen-esque proportions That is, it cheap starchy junk that takes about one minute to make.
But why would you eat this nasty instant noodle crap when you could just as easily be listening to a truly classic album like, to pick his most recent, The Delivery Man?
And it doesn't particularly help the cause to have partisans that will praise absolutely any turd that comes out of his butt as some memorable work of genius. Even the Madonna album rates above this.
2 - Jordan Richardson
Al, if you don't think the hook on Turpentine is incredible, you have no soul. That will be all.
3 - Al Barger
I do not recognize ANY of these songs as having anything that could reasonably be described as a "hook," much less a memorably developed melody flowing from a hook. A "hook" would be some kind of memorable catchphrase that you remember after one or two listens that draws you in for the rest of the song. Whereas, I cannot remember any specific musical phrase vocal or instrumental from this record.
However, I'm re-listening to "Turpentine" right now. Not only is this not memorable, it's so weak and generic that I can't quite remember how it goes even now while I'm actually listening to it. And he takes near to six full minutes to say nothing.
Then again, it may well be that I have no soul. I rather like Dick Cheney, so that might be an indication of my heart of darkness.
4 - Christopher Rose
Sorry for the heresy but Elvis C, like Van Morrison, lost it when he went all beardy. Beards are bad - unless you're a Muslim or Al Barger of course!
5 - Tom Johnson
I'm not in love with this album like many are. It has some good stuff but seems more stifled than it should. I can't stand "Harry Worth" - that is Costello-by-numbers if there ever was such a thing. What works here worked best in concert when I saw him open for the Police, without Jenny Lewis adding vocals, stripped raw and really pumping them out. These songs were much stronger than on album, and I was a bit depressed to listen to the album again the next day and hear them slowed down and deflated. Live this stuff actually stood up well next to the classics, believe it or not. It's an okay album, but it likely won't be among my favorites of the year - and I love Elvis Costello, even his newer stuff.
I'm also not thrilled with the cheap tactics he used in promoting this album. There was never any plan to not release a CD. The CD was always coming out a couple weeks after the vinyl/digital release. He just let everyone run with the idea that there wasn't going to be a CD because it made bigger headlines. Only a few news stories actually reported the full information that stated the album would be out in all three formats - the rest focused solely on the first release date. Costello's still pushing this in concert, saying that his new album is ONLY out on vinyl. It's just dumb - vinyl is in a mild comeback, but it still sells in tiny numbers compared to CD, and digital sales are still something like 1 to every 4 CDs. The CD was always going to come out. It would be commercial suicide for it not to.
6 - zingzing
chris: "Sorry for the heresy but Elvis C, like Van Morrison, lost it when he went all beardy. Beards are bad..."
hmm. we need to start a list of good rock musicians with beards.
um... most of the band (the band the band) had beards, or at least too much facial hair.
it's a start.
7 - Pico
ZZ Top always had beards, but the quality declined once their beards reached their bellies.
Does that count?
8 - El Bicho
"ZZ Top always had beards"
Except Frank Beard
9 - Tom Johnson
He's still a Beard.
10 - Christopher Rose
zingzing; One goodish album each by a couple of beardy bands doesn't disprove it. Beards are bad!
11 - Pico
If Kenny G had a beard could he possibly get worse?
/ducksandruns
12 - Thom Riley
There may be no memorable "hooks"for this Alzheimers crowd, but my 15 year old son has major wood over this CD. I suppose if he wrote "lick it up, lick it up, yeah,yeah,yeah (ala Kiss) one could easily remember the lyric. Maybe Mr. Costello writes to be mentally challenging but not for the mentally challenged. I heard ginseng improves memory. I am not sure what herb improves taste.
Thom