| Elvis Costello | Primary Artist, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer, farfisa organ, Fender Telecaster, Vocal Harmony |
| Jerry Douglas | Dobro, Lap Steel Guitar |
| Jim Lauderdale | Vocal Harmony |
| Leon Russell | Piano |
| Marc Ribot | Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Electric Guitar |
| Bruce Dukov | Violin, Concert Master |
| Steve Nieve | Piano, Celeste, Vox Continental, Hammond B3 |
| Mike Compton | Mandolin, Vocal Harmony |
| Dennis Crouch | Double Bass |
| Stuart Duncan | Fiddle, Violin, Electric Violin, Electric Viola |
| Vince Gill | Vocal Harmony |
| Darrell Leonard | Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Bass Trumpet |
| Buddy Miller | Guitar (Electric Baritone), Vocal Harmony |
| Ira Nepus | Trombone |
| Tom Peterson | Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute, Baritone Saxophone |
| Maurice Spears | Bass Trombone |
| Pete Thomas | Percussion, Drums |
| Mike Piersante | Shaker |
| Jeff Taylor | Piano, Accordion, Low Whistle |
| Caroline Campbell | Violin |
| George Bohanon | Trombone, Baritone Horn |
| Andrew Duckles | Viola |
| Neel Hammond | Violin |
| Lucia Micarelli | Violin |
| Radu Pieptea | Violin |
| Dave Eggar | Cello |
| Matthew Funes | Viola |
| Tim Lauderdale | Vocal Harmony |
| Jim Lauderdale | Composer |
| Elvis Costello | Arranger, Composer, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Whistle |
| Leon Russell | Composer |
| Jill Dell'Abate | String Contractor |
| T Bone Burnett | Composer, Producer |
| Darrell Leonard | Horn Arrangements |
| Drew Bollman | Engineer |
| Gavin Lurssen | Mastering |
| Mike Piersante | Engineer |
| Joey Turner | Engineer |
| Paul Ackling | Guitar Techician |
| Jason Wormer | Engineer |
| Curtis Laur | Guitar Techician |
| Kyle Ford | Engineer |
| Vanessa Parr | Engineer |
| Darrell Gilmour | Management |
| Larissa Collins | Art Direction |
| Tony Millionaire | Illustrations |
| Steve Macklam | Management |
| Sam Feldman | Management |
CRatliff
Posted December 8, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Yes, it's another great album from Elvis Costello. And to a certain extent, that's a problem for Costello, because in some quarters, there is fatigue associated with an artist who writes TOO many good songs and records TOO many great albums.
Here's the thing: almost every Costello record since the early 1980s has been hailed by SOMEBODY as a "return to form." The thing is, he's never really had a dry spell that everybody agreed on. While there is nearly unanimous praise for his first trio of albums in the late 70s, almost each record he's put out in the past three decades since has gotten a ton of people hailing it as a masterpiece (or a comeback), while a smattering of others have expressed disappointment or exasperation with yet another album in the always-expanding canon of Elvis Costello recordings.
If Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney were to write and record an album of 16 songs as good as those featured on NATIONAL RANSOM, we'd be talking Album Of The Year, no question. But with Costello, the headline is: ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER GREAT ALBUM, followed by the complaint: "too many good songs" or even "too clever."
Perhaps the solution would be for Costello to write some truly terrible songs and get the hackiest pop producer he can find to ruin them. Repeat that trick a few times and the stage would be set for an album like NATIONAL RANSOM to receive the kind of adoring reception it actually deserves.
I have no doubt that people will stil be "discovering" this album twenty years from now. Many will wonder why it wasn't more beloved in 2010, by more listeners. Buy it today, and be there to tell them, "well, I was one of the lucky ones. I got there FIRST..."
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Posted November 20, 2010
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Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Elvis Costello has worn willful eclecticism as a badge of honor for so long that his decision to retain the same essential support and sound for 2010's National Ransom as he did for its 2009 predecessor Secret, Profane & Sugarcane means something. Building upon a foundation instead of beginning another journey suggests that he knows he has a fruitful collaboration with producer T-Bone Burnett and a good band with the Sugarcanes, who are now melded with the Imposters to give this Americana -- equal parts roots-rock, country, and pre-war balladry -- some serious kick. Secret, Profane and National Ransom share some superficial sonic characteristics, but the ...