ELVIS COSTELLO
Trust
[Columbia]

Elvis Costello never tires of producing music for his legion of fans. In the past year alone, three LP's have been released: Get Happy, Taking Libertiesand now, Trust. The first two albums reflected a different attitude for Elvis, one of the silent artist struggling to maintain his musical dignity. Trust however, is a departure. Costello is now the self-assured star, no longer insecure (still paranoid though), and content in his new role. On Trust, he settles back into the role of record company executive, star and latter-day Buddy Holly. The inside liner photos tell all. In one, Costello is the center of a big band send-up, straight out of The Buddy Holly Story. In the other, he plays Bogart, confident and mysterious.

The music on Trust is a reflection of this. The sound is less frantic than before, and smoother. Costello's voice does not sound as gloomy or plaintive. An example of this is "New Lace Sleeves", where he sounds breathless and almost, but not yet, happy. This is a new emotion for Elvis.

There are other excellent moments on Trust. "Pretty Words" is a great mid-tempo song with some good piano backing up a nostalgic Elvis, wondering where all the nice things in life went. "Clubland" has a similar feel to "Pretty Words", though it is more upbeat. "Lover's Walk" and "Strict Time" are both driven along by the kinetic backbeat of Pete Thomas, and are reminiscent of "Clean Money" or "Radio, Radio" from previous albums.

But the real highlights of Trust are "You'll Never Be a Man" and "From a Whisper to a Scream". Both are alike in that they have the potential for being hits, but that is where the similarity ends. On "You'll Never Be a Man", Costello is sardonic behind the innocent melody, putting down his listeners while exalting his own stature. "From a Whisper to a Scream" features Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze in a duet. Tilbrook is one of the mast outstanding vocalists on the scene today and his voice perfectly complements Elvis'. The song is guitar dominated, much like Squeeze at its finest.

Trust sets a new tone for Costello. He has come to grips with his ideas and himself. He seems more relaxed and less cocky. Perhaps he has finally found his niche in life. He even looks a little plump, but then again it could be a bulletproof vest.

-Gary Held