Blog Sean Michael Dargan and pals to pay Lip Service to Elvis Costello

I'm not a telephone junkie, but I did call up local singer-songwriter Sean Michael Dargan this week to talk about Elvis Costello And The Attractions. Dargan's getting together a few other Madison musicians to re-create the sounds of Costello's early albums for a happy-hour show next Thursday at the High Noon Saloon. From our conversation, it seems clear that Dargan's not just some dude who ran across a little "Alison" and "Pump It Up" on a compilation somewhere; his specific plans for the show, and other comments about Costello's music, pass the musical dorkiness test that good covers demand. By "early," Dargan means Costello's first album, My Aim Is True, and then the first five albums he recorded with The Attractions lineup (Pete Thomas on drums, Bruce Thomas on bass, Steve Nieve on keys): This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy!!, Trust, and Imperial Bedroom.

Dargan says "Beyond Belief," the first track on Imperial Bedroom, was one of the first songs he learned on guitar, and that he sometimes covers the tune in his own sets. His tribute show, dubbed Lip Service, should involve two sets of about 15 songs each. These days, you don't really have to force anyone to appreciate Costello's work, but it's worth re-creating the Attractions sound. Costello and producer Nick Lowe put a slightly rough, cheesy edge on the band, yet at their best (by which I mean This Year's Model and Get Happy!!), they kicked up a tight blur of soul, ska, and even a touch of punk. (And some country and rockabilly and other stuff the ever-eclectic Costello was into.) Even though nobody really listens to Costello to check out virtuouso musicianship (Costello once dubbed himself "The Little Hands Of Concrete," in the liner notes to King Of America), the Thomases proved themselves a pretty kick-ass rhythm section on songs like "Lipstick Vogue," with Nieve's organ lines careening around them. Anyway, you can also read about the show in our calendar next week. For now, crank yourself into snotty youngster mode with This Year's Model's first track, "No Action."