"Secret, Profane, & Sugarcane", Elvis Costello

Picked this CD up at Starbucks a month or so ago and now realize that I really like it. At first there just seemed to be an overall good sound and a few catchy tunes but as a major house cleaning was underway today, set to music, it was obvious that this observation was an underestimation.

With most songs written by Elvis Costello and with the album produced by T Bone Burnett it's a winner. Burnett's productions have a distinct sound and he always adds a little writing and some occasional guitar work. His last major production was the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss collaboration, one in which he was leader of their touring band, and there were riffs there that are evoked on "Secret, Profane, & Sugarcane". Same for T Bone"s own albums as far back as ten years ago, a distinct sound, which is unusual for a producer these days.

Costello's voice works with Burnett's production and musicians, and some of the lyrics are perfect. There's even humor, so how about that.

"The women in Poughkeepsie...the girls in Ypsilanti..."