Almost Blue [Expanded]

Disc 1
1	Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)? 1:39
2	Sweet Dreams 2:59
3	Success 2:41
4	I'm Your Toy 3:23
5	Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down 2:09
6	Brown to Blue 2:41
7	Good Year for the Roses 3:09
8	Sittin' and Thinkin' 3:03
9	Colour of the Blues 2:21
10	Too Far Gone 3:28
11	Honey Hush 2:14
12	How Much I Lied 2:48
Disc 2
1	Stranger in the House 3:39
2	We Oughta Be Ashamed 2:47
3	Radio Sweetheart Live 3:15
4	Stranger in the House Live 3:56
5	Psycho Live 3:35
6	If I Could Put Them All Together (I'd Have You) Live 2:28
7	Motel Matches Live 2:21
8	He'll Have to Go Live 2:51
9	Girls Talk Live 1:46
10	Too Far Gone Lost Session Version 3:11
11	He's Got You Lost Session Version 3:51
12	Honky Tonk Girl 2:26
13	That's Why I'm Walking 2:22
14	Wondering 2:21
15	Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie 2:38
16	My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You 2:03
17	Blues Keep Calling 2:07
18	Tears Before Bedtime 2:26
19	Psycho 3:22
20	Cry, Cry, Cry 2:50
21	I'll Take Care of You 3:11
22	Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven 1:59
23	Brand New Heartache Live 2:29
24	There Won't Be Anymore Live 2:32
25	Sittin' and Thinkin' Live 2:51
26	Honey Hush Live 2:30
27	I'm Your Toy Live 4:01

Barnes & Noble

A lot of people were shocked when the artist sometimes known as Declan McManus became the second Elvis to go country when he released this disc, but the music contained within proves that he knew exactly what he was doing. Certainly the most stylized album in Costello's career, Almost Blue brims with pedal steel guitars and twangy melodies, but not at the expense of the artist's rapier wit. In keeping with the exhaustive nature of Rhino's reissue campaign, the original album more than doubles in size on this edition, which boasts a 27-song bonus disc. More than a dozen of the additions are live tracks, notably a rending take on Gram Parsons' "I'm Your Toy" and a handful of revamped originals, like "Motel Matches" and "Girls Talk," that demonstrate the preexisting bond between Costello and country. That understanding is furthered by some of the disc's studio cuts as well, particularly duets with George Jones, on Costello's "Stranger in the House," and the late Johnny Cash, who takes charge on a gravelly "You Oughta Be Ashamed." Consider Almost Blue to be incontrovertible proof that you don't need a cowboy hat to play country music. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Given the nature of Almost Blue -- a covers album filled with country songs that Elvis Costello loved -- it doesn't come as a surprise that there's a lot of related material left in the vaults, whether it's songs cut during the sessions that didn't make it to the finished record, B-sides, live tracks, or duets tucked away on other records. In other words, there's a bunch of songs that can be featured on expanded editions such as Rykodisc's 1994 reissue, which nearly doubled the length of the original 12-track LP, or on Rhino's subsequent 2004 double-disc set, which has a whopping 27 tracks on its bonus disc. The 11 bonus cuts on the Ryko edition are all here, along with a slew of outtakes from the album sessions, a set of seven live songs cut with steel guitarist John McFee (who played on My Aim Is True) from 1979, a handful of other in-concert recordings, plus duets with country legends George Jones ("Stranger in the House," originally released on the Possum's My Very Special Guests album) and Johnny Cash (the Dave Edmunds-produced "We Oughta Be Ashamed," a previously unreleased gem). Many of these recordings were initially released as B-sides or have circulated on bootlegs such as Plugging the Gaps, so there are few, if any, revelations for the hardcore here, but it's hard not to celebrate the official release of this material, since it's nearly all excellent. Given the large number of different sessions and concerts that comprise the source material for the bonus disc, it's hardly surprising that it's altogether more ragged than the finished album, but that's part of its charm, particularly because that raggedness leads to impassioned performances, such as the haunting, nervy "Stranger in the House" with McFee, which is arguably the strongest version Costello cut. While some songs are duplicated as live versions, either from the finished album or elsewhere on the bonus disc, the performances are different -- either in terms of conviction or tone -- so it never feels redundant, particularly since the music is consistently strong throughout the disc. Ultimately, the bonus disc is as satisfying as Almost Blue itself, and that's because it's essentially more of the same -- namely, more of Costello & the Attractions playing great country songs with heart and passion. If you liked the original album, which remains one of his most purely enjoyable records, this is an essential upgrade. Stephen Thomas Erlewine