A weighty box set containing one concert in three different formats -- CD, DVD, and 10" vinyl -- The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook!!! gained some notoriety in the week prior to its release when
Elvis Costello claimed its “price appears to be either a misprint or a satire.” True, the $262 price tag is steep -- particularly for an album that offers 16 songs on its CD and 19 on its DVD, some overlapped, some not -- but some die-hard fans with deep wallets will surely find the replica of the Spectacular Spinning Songwheel appealing and the musical contents, which are penciled in for a separate affordable release sometime in 2012, are strong. Costello & the Imposters are in high spirits, jumping out of the gate with “I Hope You’re Happy Now” -- a tune whose 1986 vintage dates from the original Spinning Songwheel tour, legendary among
Costello fanatics for its loose, unpredictable nature -- then tearing into
Nick Lowe’s “Heart of the City,” one of two unexpected covers here (the other being
the Rolling Stones’ “Out of Time”). Other pleasant surprises rear their heads -- notably
Susanna Hoffs taking lead on “Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution),” a song
the Bangles recorded after
Elvis -- but he still finds time for such staples as “Everyday I Write the Book,” “Watching the Detectives,” “I Want You,” “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” and “Radio, Radio,” so it’s not entirely a stroll through the darkest corners of
Costello’s past, something that undoubtedly makes that high price tag sting just a little bit more. But disregard the cost of The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook!!! for a moment and focus on the music: it’s an enjoyable set that is absolutely worth the price when it’s available at a lower suggested retail, and for those wealthy
Costello fanatics, this big box is a handsome collectable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine