Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach Painted From Memory Mercury Records It sounds like a punch line: Have you hear the new Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach album? It's difficult to think of a pair of musicians with more ground between them than Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. The two have had tremendous success on opposite ends of the spectrum. With Bacharach, you tap your toes and hum, smile pleasantly, and then go on with your day. With Costello, you might still hum the tune, but you're more likely to sneer and kick something than tap your toe. "Painted From Memory: The New Songs of Bacharach and Costello" will be a novelty to most, curious to see how oil and water mix. And too often, the result is less than satisfying. The disc starts out well enough with "In the Darkest Place." From its opening chords, it promises equal parts strychnine and sacharine. Bacharach's flourishing pianos and strings are a good compliment to the urgency in Costello's voice. It seems the formula just might work. Then it's on to "Toledo." The opening horns recall the theme from "The Dating Game" during quieter moments. The story line? Star-crossed lovers in Ohio. (If only Shakespeare could have been from the Midwest...) For all of the songs hooks, it can't overcome its own silliness. That's how the album is divided. Songs like "I Still Have That Girl," "My Thief," and "The Sweetest Punch" offer promise that songs like "Tears at the Birthday Party" and "Such Unlikely Lovers" retract. And nearly every song is about a lover longing for his lost lady. The theme wears out its welcome fairly quickly. Costello completists will want to give a listen for nuggets like "This House is Empty Now" and "Painted From Memory." And Bacharach seems to have a knack for pulling fine vocal performances from everyone he works with. Hell, he made Dionne Warwick a star. Still, too little of Costello's usual bite ends up in the final product. This album would have been better off with a little more attitude and a little less mood. -Nick	Home   Viewfinder   Presswire   Spotlight     Sounds   Films   What Bytes   Dead Trees     About Us