MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ELVIS COSTELLO - UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & SOUNDTRACK ALBUM

Costello has penned what many reviews are calling one of the most entertaining rock bios, full of stories and observations from a performer on the cusp of the A-list but not really part of it. He also does a very smart tie-in here, with a two-disc best-of collection to go along with the read.


Knowing there would be interest from all corners of his fandom, casual observers to obsessive collectors (hi there), he shook things up on the track list a bit. Lots of the usual suspects are here, from Alison and Watching The Detectives to Indoor Fireworks and Shipbuilding, but there are plenty of deep cuts from lesser-known and later albums. Virtually every period of his career is covered, up to his last collaborative album with The Roots. Veronica, one of his best-known, is featured in its demo form here, to mix things up, and Stranger In The House, a country favourite, comes in the less-familiar duet version with George Jones.


The super-fan (hi again) will actually have all this if they bought all the deluxe editions and reissues, so there are even some previously-unreleased temptations. April 5th is a song written and performed with Kris Kristofferson and Rosanne Cash, an interesting collaboration but too earnest and self-conscious, like they know they should be creating great art. I Can't Turn It Off is a very early demo from his career, pre-recording deal, when he was known as D.P. Costello, called I Can't Turn It Off. It sounds like most of his other demos from that time, too many clever lines and not enough melody, still searching for his style, and a good inner editor.


Best of the new stuff is actually some out-takes from the book. Included at the end are three extra stories not included in the final pages of his bio, but recorded here in audio-book form. That includes a funny meeting with Paul McCartney about writing more songs together, and a brush-off of a guy Costello assumed was looking for an autograph, but who turned out to be L.A. music mogul Lou Adler, the Mama's & Papa's producer.


Anyway, there's lots of great music here, especially if you haven't kept up with every Costello period over the years. Can't wait to read the book.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JOHN MAYALL - FIND A WAY TO CARE

The ageless Mayall (okay, it's 81) continues to impress, and make some of the best music of his career as well.  Coming off last year's very strong A Special Life, he switches things up a bit here, with a set that puts the spotlight on his keyboard playing.  Whether its up-front organ playing on faster numbers, or strong piano-led slow tunes such as Drifting Blues, Mayall is in firm command of the proceedings from behind the 88's.

There's also a horn section added to several cuts, which helps set this album far apart from the normal blues fare, dominated by so many guitar bands.  Mayall's keyboard dominance on the cuts is wall-to-wall refreshing as he moves through several styles, from the solo stride of his own Crazy Lady to the classic 12-bar of Don Robey's Mother In Law Blues.  Mayall penned five of the 12 songs here, and his choice of covers is impeccable.  He steers clear of the usual suspects, and prides himself in finding more obscure works from Percy Mayfield, Lightnin' Hopkins and Lee Baker.  Even his voice is holding up pretty well.  Eric who?  Fleetwood what?

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: T. BUCKLEY TRIO - NOWHERE FAST

The T. Buckley Trio didn't have to travel far from Buckley's Calgary home to make this album, just an hour west to Banff. But it took them out of rat race and into an artist's dream, the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, where they settled into a two-week residency. Given a creative space in mountains sparked the entire album, recorded right there by the trio, in a burst of inspiration and beauty.


On previous albums, it's been Buckley's game, but here the whole trio got to shine, with Tim Leacock and Derek Pulliam not only providing the usual acoustic charms on guitar and bass, but also taking turns singing lead, and writing tunes as well. As much as I enjoy Buckley's honey-coated pipes, it's fun to have the more rustic flavour of the others to break up the routine.


Leacock gets to reprise a number he co-wrote with the late, great Billy Cowsill when he played with him in the band The Co-Dependents, called Had It With You, a country-blues with lots of charm. Pulliam's Show Time In The City is old-time and charming, a jazzy little novelty number with humour. The group rearranges a couple of Canadian classics, Neil Young's Birds taken at a more brisk pace, and Lightfoot's Steel Rail Blues sounding like the classic folk song it truly is.


Oh, and just because it's what he does, Buckley knocks off a bunch of his usual roots killer cuts, with his ability to make 'em catchy and tuneful, and lyrically smart. Sure, there's something special in those Banff springs, but you have to bring your own magic there too.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ALAN DOYLE - SO LET'S GO (DELUXE EDITION)

Alan Doyle put out this strong collection earlier this year, and has been touring with his crack band, mixing the new stuff with his well-loved Great Big Sea shanties. Now it gets a boost to deluxe status, with the addition of three tracks, plus a video.


Doyle has formed a good bond with Barenaked Ladies over the years, and is currently touring with the band. Their lead singer, Ed Robertson, guested on the fun single 1,2,3,4 from this album originally, and now it gets a new mix for the tour, with Ed's part a little more prominent. It's a classic BNL suburban guy rap, so that's entertaining. Plus, a new video is included, which is a nice bonus.


The other cuts include a strong ballad, called I Am A Sailor, which easily could have been on the main album in the first place. But the big gem here is a live version of the previously unreleased Dream Of Home, a song written way back in 2010 for the Robin Hood movie, in which Doyle acted and contributed soundtrack songs. However, this number was dropped. He performs it a cappella in concert, and here we got a stirring version recorded in Halifax earlier this year.


And in case you missed my original review of the album, here it is again.


This is Doyle the songwriter, a modern Newfoundland sound he was largely responsible for creating and popularizing. So Let's Go features 10 original cuts, with that blend of old instruments and sounds, with full production and pop/rock attitude. No, no shanties, no donkey riding, no 1830's, it's all today, but unmistakably the classic voice and sound of the same Alan Doyle we've known for 22 years. There's lots of strumming of acoustic guitar, bouzouki and mandolin, plenty of accordion, big group backing vocals, hand claps and stomps. The biggest addition is the fiddle work of Kendel Carson, a key member of Doyle's new touring band. In all, a souped-up version of the trad pop GBS sound.


Sins Of Saturday Night, produced by and co-written with Gordie Sampson, has some new country hints with a big rock chorus, crafty enough to mix a sharp lead guitar with Carson's fiddle. The title cut has a happy whistling-and-mandolin chorus, which builds into a big celebration, sure to be a new concert favourite. It's quite impressive how rocking he can make a song built on a mandolin riff, like The Night Loves Us. And even an acoustic ballad, Laying Down To Perish, gets a major treatment, with martial drum beats, soaring whistles and what might be seagulls in behind. This will easily appeal to all who have followed GBS, and might very well interest a whole new generation in this Newfoundland hybrid.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE MOTORLEAGUE - HOLDING PATTERNS

More heavy-duty rock from Moncton's Motorleague, played at full energy. This has to be one of the most powerful bands in the country, working at punk speed and metal volume, but somehow keeping lots and lots of melody and tunefulness throughout. There are drums, drums, pounding drums, and lots of grinding guitar that just keeps churning and sustaining. Even when they try to slow things down and back up the amps off eleven on one lone track, Burn Everything, it doesn't take long before the power ballad becomes more scary than soft.


Underneath all the oomph is a set of songs that could have come straight out of the '70's, when guitar bands were trying to stave off disco. There's no pretense here, it's meat-and-potatoes rock, the message straightforward, musically and lyrically. "I've got you like a wounded animal" isn't a complicated theme for a song, but you don't want philosophy when your head is bobbing too fast to think. So the basic concept is simple, a rock quarter with two guitars, bass and drums, but who knew something this loud could be this catchy?

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JIM LAUDERDALE - SOUL SEARCHING

In an eclectic career that's always been somewhat under the radar, Lauderdale has moved back and forth in American roots music, from bluegrass to power pop. He's an A-list sideman for folks as diverse as Elvis Costello to Ralph Stanley, and a prime songwriter found on the finer Nashville releases.


It's only 212 miles between Nashville and Memphis, but they are worlds apart for many music fans. Here Lauderdale proves they are a lot closer than you'd think. The first disc here was recorded at Royal Studios, where much of the beloved Hi Records material was made by Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Ann Peebles and the like. Lauderdale worked with Mitchell's son Boo, who now runs the studio, original Hi Records players Charles and Leroy Hodges, the great session men Spooner Oldham and David Hood, and North Mississippi Allstars Luther and Cody Dickinson. This is a couple of generations of Memphis music history, nothing to trifle with.


If anyone can rise to that level, it's Lauderdale, who delivers a set of instant soul classics. Vocally, he's as smooth as Boz Scaggs (that's a big compliment in my books), but can pull a growl as earthy as Leon Russell. There's No End To The Sky has a thick groove, horn stabs and classic backing vocals. The classic horns and strings of the Al Green hits are used for There's A Storm Out There (But It's Calm In Here), Lauderdale equal to the sexy task. He also has no trouble with the more bluesy styles, and Worth The Wait would've made a great Etta James track.


On the Nashville disc, it's another legendary studio session, this time in Victor Studio A, where Dolly, George Jones, Roy Orbison and lots more made hits. This time, Lauderdale and the Dickinson's do most of the heavy lifting, and despite the surroundings refuse to play by the house rules. This set is a tougher-edged batch, with just a couple of country numbers featuring fiddle. Instead, Lauderdale lets the brothers loose for some roots workouts, I'm Just The Lookout featuring a ripping solo from Luther. There are some grand tales and imaginative lyrics, featuring Tarzan Houdini, black widow spiders, signals from space, mermaids and crocodiles. And in the middle of it all is the great question of religion, Why Does God Let That Happen, a jaw-dropper of a tune.


Lauderdale is so creative, even two of the great American music capitals can't contain him.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: SQUEEZE - CRADLE TO THE GRAVE

Squeeze has kept the flame going when needed over the past few years, touring for the fans (and the pounds), financing the solo careers of leaders Difford and Tilbrook. There have been a few albums too, although no completely new material since 1998's Domino. So this is a pretty big deal for band and followers.


The band is still a vehicle for Difford and Tilbrook, along with a trio of recent additions, although John Bentley, from the hit days of the '80's, played bass on some tracks. The real magic of the band is always the pairing of D&T's songwriting, and after listening to most of their solo albums, it does seem they need each other to hit those highs.


And oh what heights they hit. If you're a lover of the old days, Pulling Mussels and all that, you'll find plenty of moments to cheer. The title track is both catchy and punchy, with all the word play. Big group harmonies pile up on the tracks, and as in the old days, Tilbrook's voice shines, a high-pitched happy sound, with just that right touch of Jack the Lad.


In the early days of the group, they sang a lot about working class young folk in England, but as they've aged, that's been replaced by a lot of songs featuring nostalgia for those days. Some of those songs can come across as rote, with Sunny and Only 15 joining the pile of memories. But as the rest of the numbers show, there's lots of life left in the band to look forward to. On with the show, this is it!