The Juliet Letters - Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet

The Juliet Letters

Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet

  • Genre: Pop
  • Release Date: 1993-01-12
  • Explicitness: notExplicit
  • Country: USA
  • Track Count: 20

  • ℗ 1993 Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group

Tracks

Title Artist Time
1
Deliver Us Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 0:50
2
For Other Eyes Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 2:55
3
Swine Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 2:08
4
Expert Rites Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 2:22
5
Dead Letter Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 2:19
6
I Almost Had a Weakness Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 3:53
7
Why? Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 1:25
8
Who Do You Think You Are? Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 3:28
9
Taking My Life In Your Hands Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 3:20
10
This Offer Is Unrepeatable Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 3:12
11
Dear Sweet Filthy World Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 4:17
12
The Letter Home Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 3:10
13
Jacksons, Monk and Rowe Brodsky Quartet & Elvis Costello 3:43
14
This Sad Burlesque Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 2:46
15
Romeo's Seance Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 3:32
16
I Thought I'd Write to Juliet Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 4:07
17
Last Post Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 2:24
18
The First to Leave Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 4:59
19
Damnation's Cellar Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 3:25
20
The Birds Will Still Be Singin Elvis Costello & Brodsky Quartet 4:27

Reviews

  • this is only volume one of two

    4
    By spatrick99
    Great music: out of the ordinary, but still works well. This version available here appears to only be the first disc of the full two-disc set that includes an additional 18 tracks. (The full version used to be on iTunes, but appears to have disappeared.) That's unfortunate, since among those missing tracks is an shockingly good cover of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", and a nice version of the traditional song "She Moved Through the Fair". "She Moved..." is available on a separate album (Elegie) by the Brodsky Quartet, but "God Only Knows" seems to be lost to iTunes for now.

  • Thank god for adventurous pop stars

    5
    By Brian Link in St. Paul
    This is one of my all-time favorite pop-star experiments. Costello wrote the songs, and then collaborated with the Brodsky quartet to make them amenable to string quartet and pop-stylist. It's high-concept as well - an exercise from a fellow who'd made his fortune and felt free to play a bit. The result is an often poignant and sometimes catchy album. I agree with the "liner notes" on iTunes that it doesn't really fit neatly into any studio's catalog. But then, who cares about studio catalogs these days? We've got the whole internet to browse indie bands, folk music from various countries, classical and wax-cylinder recordings. Plenty of folks will listen to whatever's being pushed on the radio or 'net, but with this album Costello was ahead of his time I think, and that time may be now. You might not like Elvis Costello's voice, or may feel funny about an entire album consisting of a pop-stylist singing with a string quartet. The combination is very satisfying, and the prose is fascinating to listen to. There are other adventurous pop stars who've tried with varying success to branch out. Sting made an album of Dowland Lute Songs, for god's sake. Juliette Letters is unique. This particular collaboration was magical. Pick up a couple tracks and tell me you disagree. The performances on this album are a real special point in time.

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