Elvis Costello & The Attractions / Oslo 1980 / 1CDR

Elvis Costello & The Attractions / Oslo 1980 / 1CDR / Uxbridge
Chateau Neuf, Oslo, Norway 19th November 1980

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Perhaps the most popular time for Costello enthusiasts is from the album “GET HAPPY!” To “TRUST”. In 1980, when the former was released and the latter was produced, live activities were as energetic as before, but for that reason there were extremely few items. However, on the other hand, it is also a very popular time for enthusiasts for the above reasons.
In particular, the short-term Scandinavian tour that took place in November, when the production of “TRUST” had settled down, has been handed down as a legend among enthusiasts. It was a peculiar time when the set list was compiled only with the new songs from the same album and the songs from “GET HAPPY!” Even though it was still before the release of “TRUST”, and the songs before that were hardly played. .. Even in the live history of Costello & Attractions, where live performances are already aggressive, the time when they have been so aggressive is outstanding.

The Oslo performance on November 19th, which will be released on CD-R from the Uxbridge label, is the final day of such a legendary short-term tour. The concert is too bold to start with the new song “You’ll Never Be A Man” before the release, as if to tell the composition that can be said to be too aggressive. I hope this alone will give you a real sense of how precious it is.
Even after that, only the songs recorded in “TRUST” and “GET HAPPY!” Are played in rapid succession, which is unbearable for enthusiasts. Among them, “Fish’N’ Chip Paper” was a sad repertoire that it was not played live after the release of the essential album, and it was too precious that it was played only in November 1980. Song. On the contrary, it was this short-term tour that the songs recorded in “TRUST” were shown on the stage even before the release.
After all, since it is before the release of the album, it is valuable that the major songs “Clubland” and “New Lace Sleeves” will be played for the first time. This tour still included some past songs on other days, but on this day even “Pump It Up” is no longer played, and it is shocking that “Oliver’s Army” is the finale instead. The end of the curtain.

Such an extremely valuable short-term tour, although there was a sound source for the time being, many of the remaining audience recordings were of poor quality. Among them, this Oslo performance is evaluated as “outstandingly easy to hear” even among enthusiasts. It’s certainly in the category of a vintage audience, but it’s not rough and the outline of the performance is really clear. The power of the performance is also sufficient.
However, after “King Horse” was incompletely recorded from the tape change, the slight increase in pitch that occurred for a while from “Watching The Detectives” that resumed recording was adjusted firmly at the time of release. We did not just release the sound source, but made it easier to hear.
As a final bonus, a short-term Scandinavian tour includes rare “TRUST” songs played on other days. In particular, “White Knuckles” is the least played of the songs recorded in “TRUST” than “Fish’N’ Chip Paper”, and on the contrary, it was only performed three times on the Scandinavian tour, and the sound source is only two times. Mega rare repertoire that does not exist. I think there are many enthusiasts who know the fact that this release was played on the stage in 1980 for the first time.
Such a super rare 80-year short-term Scandinavian tour is finally released. The main part of Oslo alone is extremely valuable, and with the addition of a luxurious bonus, the content as a live sound source release during the “TRUST” period is finally perfect. This is the 1980 rare live sound source that Costello enthusiasts wanted to hear!

コステロ・マニアにとって最も人気のある時期がアルバム「GET HAPPY!」から「TRUST」にかけてではないでしょうか。前者がリリースされ、後者の製作が行われた1980年という年はそれまでと同じように精力的なライブ活動が行われていたのですが、その割にアイテムが極端に少ない時期。ところが一方で先の理由からマニアには非常に人気の高い時期でもある。
特に「TRUST」の製作が一段落した11月に行われた短期スカンジナビア・ツアーはマニアの間で伝説的な存在として語り継がれています。まだ「TRUST」リリース前だというのに同アルバムからの新曲と「GET HAPPY!」からの曲だけでセットリストがまとめられ、それ以前の曲がほとんど演奏されなかったという特異な時期だったのでした。ただでさえ攻めな姿勢のライブをするコステロ＆アトラクションズのライブ史においても、これほどまでに攻めまくった時期というのは突出しています。

今回UxbridgeレーベルからCD-Rにてリリースされる11月19日のオスロ公演はそんな伝説的な短期ツアーの最終日。その攻めすぎとも言える構成を物語るようにコンサートはリリース前の新曲「You’ll Never Be A Man」からという大胆過ぎる幕開け。これだけでもいかに貴重な時期であるかを実感してもらえるのでは。
その後も「TRUST」と「GET HAPPY!」収録曲ばかりが矢継ぎ早に演奏されるというマニアにはたまらない展開。その中でも「Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper」に至っては肝心のアルバムがリリースされた後、何とライブで演奏されなかったという悲運のレパートリーであり、結局80年11月しか演奏されなかったという貴重すぎた曲。それどころかリリース前ながら「TRUST」収録曲が一番ステージで披露されたのがこの短期ツアーだったという。
何しろアルバムリリース前ですので後にメジャーソングとなる「Clubland」や「New Lace Sleeves」が初々しく演奏されるもの貴重。このツアー、まだ他の日ではそれなりに過去の曲を盛り込んでいたのですが、この日はもはや「Pump It Up」すら演奏されることなく、代わりに「Oliver’s Army」がフィナーレというのも衝撃的な幕切れ。

そんな極めて貴重な短期ツアー、一応音源は存在するものの残されたオーディエンス録音はイマイチなクオリティなものが多い。それらの中でマニアの間でも「ずばぬけて聞きやすい」と評価されているのがこのオスロ公演。確かにビンテージ・オーディエンスの範疇ではあるものの、粗くなくて演奏の輪郭も実にクリアー。演奏の迫力も十分。
ただし「King Horse」がテープチェンジから不完全収録となった後、録音再開の「Watching The Detectives」からしばらくの間に生じたピッチの微妙な上昇はリリースに際してしっかりアジャスト。単に音源をリリースするだけでなく、より聞きやすく仕上げました。
とどめとしてボーナスとして短期スカンジナビア・ツアー他の日で演奏されたレアな「TRUST」収録曲を収録。特に「White Knuckles」は「Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper」以上に「TRUST」収録曲の中で最も演奏回数が少ない、それどころかスカンジナビア・ツアーで三回披露されただけにとどまり、なおかつ音源は二回分しか存在しないというメガレア・レパートリー。今回のリリースで初めて80年のステージで演奏されていた事実を知るマニアも少なくないのでは？
そんな超レアな80年の短期スカンジナビア・ツアーが遂にリリース。オスロ本編だけでも貴重極まりない、そこに贅沢なボーナス追加によっていよいよ「TRUST」期ライブ音源リリースとしての内容が完璧なものに。これぞコステロ・マニアが聞きたかった1980年のレア・ライブ音源！

(75:45)
1. You’ll Never Be A Man
2. The Imposter
3. Temptation
4. Strict Time
5. Fish’n’Chip Paper
6. High Fidelity
7. He’s Got You
8. Lovers Walk
9. New Lace Sleeves
10. Big Tears
11. Big Sister’s Clothes
12. Luxembourg
13. Secondary Modern
14. Slippin’ And Slidin’
15. Clubland
16. I’ve been Born Again / King Horse
17. Watching The Detectives
18. You Belong To Me
19. I Can’t Stand Up (For Falling Down)
20. Mystery Dance
21. Little Sister
22. Miracle Man
23. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding
24. Oliver’s Army

Bonus Tracks

Live at Erikisdalshallen, Stockholm 13th November 1980
25. White Knuckles

Live at The Skandinavium, Gothenburg 18th November 1980
26. From A Whisper To A Scream

Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals

The Attractions
Steve Nieve – keyboards
Bruce Thomas – bass
Pete Thomas – drums

Uxbridge 1389