My Darling Clementine – Country Darkness
Format: CD – Digital
Label: Fretsore Records – Continental Record Services
Release: 2020
MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
WITH STEVE NIEVE
(The Imposters/The Attractions)
REIMAGINE THE SONGS OF ELVIS COSTELLO ON NEW ALBUM…
‘COUNTRY DARKNESS’
OUT 6 NOVEMBER 2020, VIA FRETSORE RECORDS
LISTEN TO SINGLE: ‘THE CROOKED LINE’:
As the nights draw in this winter, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE will present… ‘Country Darkness’
A new album that throws a spotlight on 12 hidden gems from the Elvis Costello repertoire and vividly reimagines them in the duet’s definitive country-soul styling.
Released on 6th November 2020, the record will see the familiar husband/wife pairing of Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish joined by a very special guest in the form of The Imposters / The Attractions original: Steve Nieve, whose inimitable keys and wisdom radiate throughout the release.
Teasing the release with a new single, “The Crooked Line”, the folksy ‘Secret, Profane & Sugarcane’-era Costello number receives a ramped-up and electrifying rework that sets a tantalising precedent of what lies ahead on the upcoming LP.
As avid admirers of Costello’s rich back catalogue since his “angry young man” earliest days, ‘Country Darkness’ arrives as both a salutation to the man himself and something of a labour of love for My Darling Clementine. Drawing together a collection of three 4-track EPs for the first time (‘Country Darkness’ Vol. 1-3), the upcoming compilation sees the band host some of the lesser-known marvels from Costello’s repertoire and explore their potential for something entirely different; and often darker… Reconfiguring the tracks with shades of Gothic Americana, Outlaw Country and heart breaking Folk, the trademark vocal duet of King’s lugubrious baritone and Dalgleish’s tender siren-song unearth exquisite drama in Costello’s scriptures.
Offering a carefully considered and retrospective selection, ‘Country Darkness’ sees the band take-on a representative range of Elvis’ multiplicitous and ever-changing eras. From his work with the Attractions (“Stranger In The House”, “Too Soon To Know”, “Why Can’t A Man Stand Alone”), to the Imposters (“Either Side of The Same Town”); to cherry-picking some remarkable solo efforts (“The Crooked Line”, “I Lost You”), as well as reappraising a smattering of his inspiring collaborations with Emmylou Harris (“Heart Shaped Bruise”), Grammy-winner Loretta Lynn (“I Felt The Chill Before The Winter Came”), Paul McCartney (“That Day Is Done”), legendary Nashville singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale (“Different Finger”), and of course, his long standing right-hand man: Steve Nieve.
Synonymous with the Elvis Costello sound, Steve Nieve has worked with Elvis since 1977, recording with him for the first time on his second album ‘This Years Model’. He was a founding member of The Attractions, and now, for over 20 years, one of The Imposters. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, Nieve has become one of the most in-demand session keyboard players in the world with his playing identifiable on countless classic records. Which now includes My Darling Clementine’s ‘Country Darkness’ LP. As the band sought Nieve’s seal of approval for the project, the legendary keyboardist went one better and offered his services to the project instead. Actively involved throughout working with the pair in song selections and arrangements, his unmistakable style is evident throughout.
Further formidable accompaniment on the record comes from Richard Hawley’s esteemed backing-band: Colin Elliott (bass/cello), Shez Sheridan (guitars) and Dean Beresford (drums). Having played on My Darling Clementine’s acclaimed second album: ‘The Reconciliation’, King and Dalgleish reunite with the trio to recapture the same magic here. Additional players on the record also include former Van Morrison and Nick Lowe horn players Matt Holland and Martín Winning.
Pre-produced at Steve Nieve’s home in France, the recordings were then transferred to Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield where they were produced in collaboration between King and Colin Elliot (who has notably also produced Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, Duane Eddy and more).
As something of an added bonus track, a completely original and previously unheard My Darling Clementine composition entitled “Powerless” is also included on the upcoming album release. Guest featuring Nieve’s playing and bearing Costello’s lyrical fingerprints, this smouldering country ballad between King and Dalgleish closes a collection of remarkable reinventions with a track that confirms there’s more than a little shared DNA between Costello and Clementine.
Tracks:
01. Either Side of The Same Town (from The Delivery Man)
02. I Lost You (from National Ransom)
03. I’ll Wear It Proudly (from King Of America)
04. Why Can’t A Man Stand Alone (from All This Useless Beauty)
05. The Crooked Line (from Secret, Profane & Sugarcane)
06. Heart Shaped Bruise (from The Delivery Man)
07. That Day Is Done (from Paul McCartney’s Flowers In The Dirt and I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray by The Fairfield Four)
08. Different Finger (from Trust)
09. I Felt The Chill Before The Winter Came (from Secret, Profane & Sugarcane)
10. Stranger In The House (from Taking Liberties)
11. Indoor Firework (from King Of America)
12. Too Soon To Know (from Brutal Youth)
13. Powerless (MDC Original)
Website: My Darling Clementine
