Cover Of The Day-Allison

Elvis Costello is one of the many artists I grew up hearing from my Dad. I think he's seen him a couple times and I know he owns plenty of records. Costello is one of the artists who I have heard, and generally like, but I don't fall in love with enough to listen to him a bunch. Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Yes are three of the main criminal offenders (Yes, I know. I want to be a music journalist and I don't know that much Bob Dylan. I'm working on it.) I respect the living daylights out of these guys, but I wouldn't travel more than an hour to go see them live.

There is one Costello song that has always sparked an interest for me, though. "Allison" from Elvis' My Aim Is True is a classic love song. Solid guitar licks and very realistic lyrics cement the song into its place in everyones life. Honestly, "Allison" is more of a plead, a cry for a woman, rather than a two way love fest. But the song never leaps from buildings to proclaim love. It's simple, like a letter, or a call on the phone. Elvis' voice, one that does not pass the usual test for pop vocals, further the everyday setting, as if anyone could be singing the song. I could listen to this song 40 times and not get sick of it, and I have the attention span of a tennis racket.

The other day, whilst blurbing this very song on the ol' Facebook, I good friend of mine mentioned a cover of it by Everything But The Girl. All I can tell you about these guys are what I can her in the song which is that the lead singer is a girl, and theres at least one other person in the band. The songs pretty good though. I think it shoots a little too intimate for the words, but I still like the hushed quietness the band instills in the song. Plus, the singer has some legit pipes on her. Nice harmonics about halfway through the song add a nice touch too. Check Check Check em out.

Elvis Costello

Everything But The Girl