Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet – The Juliet Letters

Truly outstanding work here, provided you can handle a solid hour of a string quartet (not difficult) and Elvis Costello singing (sometimes a bit grating). The song “Taking My Life In Your Hands” is amazing – yes, even the vocals. There are no “contemporary” instruments at all, though the Brodskys can really make their instruments do some amazing things. “Taking My Life In Your Hands”, “The Letter Home” and “The Birds Will Still Be Singing” stand out as my favorites, all rather mournful pieces which make the best of both the strings and the vocals. “Who Do You Think You Are?”, “Swine” and “Jackson, Monk and Rowe” bring some much-needed levity to the proceedings, but within the variety of songs there’s a cohesive and very unique concept. Highest recommendations.

1. Deliver Us (0:49)
2. For Other Eyes (2:55)
3. Swine (2:09)
4. Expert Rites (2:23)
5. Dead Letter (2:19)
6. I Almost Had A Weakness (3:53)
7. Why? (1:26)
8. Who Do You Think You Are? (3:29)
9. Taking My Life In Your Hands (3:20)
10. This Offer Is Unrepeatable (3:13)
11. Dear Sweet, Filthy World (4:18)
12. The Letter Home (3:11)
13. Jackson, Monk and Rowe (3:44)
14. This Sad Burlesque (2:47)
15. Romeo’s Seance (3:33)
16. I Thought I’d Write To Juliet (4:08)
17. Last Post (2:25)
18. The First To Leave (5:00)
19. Damnation’s Cellar (3:26)
20. The Birds Will Still Be Singing (4:27)

Released by: Warner Bros.
Release date: 1993
Total running time: 62:55