Elvis Costello has compiled a new release called “The Songs of Bacharach & Costello” that brings together all of the published songs that he has written with Burt Bacharach.
This release celebrates the three decade songwriting partnership between the pair and first and foremost it offers a 2023 remaster (by Bob Ludwig from the original tapes) of the acclaimed 1999 album “Painted From Memory”. This wasn’t originally issued on vinyl back in the day, although a Mobile Fidelity reissue was put out in 2017.
“The Songs of Bacharach & Costello” also includes the entirety (on CD) of “Taken From Life”, including unreleased songs from the proposed “Painted From Memory” musical score and three newly recorded compositions.
Formats available include a pricey 4CD+2LP super deluxe edition which offers a 2LP vinyl set – of which three sides are the remastered “Painted From Memory” and the fourth and final side is ‘Selections from Taken From Life’ (6 tracks out of 16) – and 4CDs. The first two CDs are “Painted From Memory” and the full ‘Taken From Life’, while CD 3 and CD 4 offer rare live performances (with and without Bacharach). The super deluxe also offers a “detailed 10,000 word essay by Costello”.
A 2LP vinyl package is available on its own, as is a 2CD set which comprises CD 1 and CD 2 from the super deluxe. There’s no option to get the 4CDs by themselves.
“The Songs of Bacharach & Costello” is released on 3 March 2023, via Universal Music.
The Fat Angel Sings 