Elvis Costello

Dai Griffiths is Principal Lecturer in Music at Oxford Brookes University. He has published papers in popular music including the history of pop music since punk, cover versions, and the role of words in songs. His book Radiohead: OK Computer was described by The Independent on Sunday as 'clever, honest, and witty'.

• PrefaceChapter One: PastChapter Two: MusicChapter Three: WordsChapter Four: CriticismDiscography

As part of the "Icons of Pop Music" series, this book looks at what madeCostello such an icon. Griffiths (Oxford Brookes Univ., UK) documents Costello'srise to popularity since he emerged in the 1970s alternative pop/punk scene inLondon. To illustrate how Costello is unique among iconic musicians, the authorlooks in particular at how artists in prior decades influenced Costello's music andlyrical content. Griffiths analyzes Costello's music in a variety of ways: forexample, he looks at Costello's approach to music, his vocal style, the crossover toclassical music, his harmonics, and his poetic accomplishments (for the last, heuses a method created by Larry David Smith). Griffiths also considers Costello'slyrics, both the political and the romantic, and even inspects his liner notes onhis own albums years after their initial release. Last, Griffiths scrutinizes thosewho have written about Costello's music, including prominent critics Nick Kent, Greil Marcus, and Robert Christgau. Sum