Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (Alternate Version)

iTunes Review

Open-eared music fans who listen to songs arranged by genres will find that Elvis Costello’s works frequently pop up. From new wave and rock to European classical music and modern jazz, the heralded singer/songwriter/guitarist/occasional thespian has explored a broad cross section of popular and performing arts-type music. For his new Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane album, he reunited with producer T-Bone Burnett (Roy Orbison, Gillian Welch, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack) for the first time since they worked together on Costello’s 1989 Spike album. In addition to guitar and vocals, the new album features dobro, fiddle, mandolin, accordion, and double bass in a percussion-free bluegrass format. Of the baker’s dozen tracks, nine are Costello originals, both old and new. Two were cowritten with Burnett ("Sulphur to Sugarcane" and "The Crooked LIne"), while “I Felt the Chill” was cowritten with Loretta Lynn. And “Changing Partners,” is a song from the ’50s originally popularized by Bing Crosby.