release date: Jun. 6, 2006
format: digital (13 x Files, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Joe Henry (exec. produced by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint)
label: Verve Forecast: - nationality: England, UK / USA
Track highlights: 1. "On Your Way Down" - 2. "Nearer to You" - 4. "The Sharpest Thorn" - 5. "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" - 6. "The River in Reverse" - 7. "Freedom for the Stallion" - 11. "All These Things"
Collaboration album by Elvis Costello and New Orleans-based songwriter, composer, record producer, pianist and composer, Allen Toussaint, who is a familiar name of traditional American rhythm & blues.
Toussaint had previously contributed as pianist on Costello's "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" for his Spike album, and the two had earlier discussed the possibility of a collaboration work, but it wasn't until the hurricane, Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005 that Costello was concerned about Toussaint, as he was one of many affected artists of the disaster. Both was involved in benefit concerts and Costello initially thought of and performed with Toussaint's song "Freedom for the Stallion" after which the two was paired for live concerts, which ultimately led to Costello suggesting that they made an album together. And in that way The River in Reverse is a requiem on the New Orleans tragedy. Except for the title song, which is written and composed by Costello, the remaining 12 compositions are reworkings of songs composed by Toussaint - a few with new lyrics by Costello.
The result is actually really good. Toussaint has composed lively and traditional music, and Costello delivers some a vocal performance on the majority of the songs with warmt and emotions that at times make me think of Van Morrison. It's a quite different arena than Costello's recent collaborations: Painted From Memory (1998) with Burt Bacharach, and Deep Dead Blue (1995) with Bill Frisell, but it's by no means a left-handed work or a lesser experience - it's just... different, mostly because this album is a genuinely rhythm & blues album, which again shows us how easily Costello adapts to different styles. Not that he masters everything, but I don't think he believes there's a style or genre he cannot handle.
This is a warm and delightful album.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6,1 / 10 stars ]
