Dust Poets: Veronica
[purchase]
Why this, when there's so much broken beauty in the songs of Elvis Costello?
Because my own personal journey through the work of this incredible artist began with the 1989 release of Spike, which included it - a co-write with Paul McCartney that's awfully upbeat for a song about the inner life of the aging invalid.
Because Entertainment Weekly voted it as one of Costello's top ten greatest tunes. Really.
And because it's awesome. I mean, how often do you find an "eclectic chamber folk ensemble" that can transform an already underrated sociopolitical poke into an exceptional acoustic polka?
If The Dust Poets don't tour as much as they could, it's because their members are spread out across the various provinces of Canada; they even went on hiatus for most of last year, though they seem to be gearing up for a few north of the border tour dates, and a few September showcases in the NY / New England region. But see 'em if you can, because seeing them together is a revelation. The rest of their work - which includes songs nominally about cows and magicians, but actually about fairness and just desserts - is equally irreverent, and equally recommended.