Great moments exist on this CD and a few failures. This CD is typical of Costello. Also, it is typical of his fans to disagree where the music is great and where the music is weak. Costello's "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man" is, in this fan's opinion, one of his greatest moments of recorded music. On the other hand, his version of the Kink's "Days" is amazingly misguided. I have a friend who says the exact opposite. You judge for yourself. "Hidden Charms," "Strange," "Remove This Doubt," and "Leave My Kitten Alone" are, as with most Elvis Costello's songs, wonderfully sung with feeling and charm. "The Very Thought of You," is a standout moment in which Declan MacManus's voice is so perfectly matched with the music, that it is a wonder how he did it. The rest, with the excepection of "Pouring Water" is dispensible. Still, an uplifting and unique record where Elvis Costello actually sounds as if he is enjoying himself. The liner notes are insightful and full of well chosen words. Not your typical Attractions record, but typical of Costello as he goes through his mid-life transitions and tries to redirect and rediscover himself. Such a task is not always easy and often times, failures may exist. In the redirection, when Costello hits the mark, he is right on target.

In the liner notes to KOJAK VARIETY, EC mentions that he considers this CD the first volume in a series. My question is "Why?" This mixed bag of R&B, ballads and the occasional well-known classic (Ray Davies "Days") is unsatisfying to say the least. Actually the liner notes are the best part, insightful looks at Costello's past and how his taste in music developed. The problem is I don't understand why Costello needed to make this record. Better he had put his name on a compilation of original recordings and let the listener in on what motivated him to create CD's like GET HAPPY. As it stands this CD is just a mistake. Costello's take on the various tunes lack the vitality of his original work and even the songs he should make his own, like Randy Newman's "I've Been Wrong Before" and "Days" are more annoying than memorable. If KOJAK VARIETY Vol. 2 does appear as promised, I think I'll skip it.

The highlights make the mistakes on this album forgivable:

"Remove this Doubt" puts a huge grin on my face - Elvis as a Supreme...brilliant fun!

"I Threw It All Away" - a better performance of a great Dylan song than the original.

"Strange" and "Must You Throw Dirt in my Face" - hilarious! I hope Elvis wants us to laugh with him at these performances - I think he does....

The rest of the songs range from pretty cool ("The Very Thought of You") to head-scratchers ("Leave My Kitten Alone," "Bama Lama..whatever") and of course, don't buy this one if you have any significant holes in your EC collection. But this is a more satisfying album for me than Goodbye Cruel World and even All This Useless Beauty. I know I'm probably about the only EC fan who likes Kojak more than Beauty, but there you have it. It's worth it for the Dylan and Supremes numbers, and you may find enjoyment in some of the other pieces where I have not.

I have always had a soft spot for this particular chapter in Elvis Costello's library. Recorded roughly the same time as "Spike," it sat in a vault for a few years before Elvis could talk the WB into putting it out. It's basically a lighthearted romp through 15 of Elvis' favorites. In the liner notes, he also mentions that it was recorded in about two weeks time. The loose feel of the songs does hint at that, and it provided some of the more uptempo numbers with a free wheeling charm.

The results are a mixed bag of treats, though. Randy Newman is a spiritual kin to EC anyway, so it's little surprise that his "I've Been Wrong Before" comes of very strong. "Remove This Doubt" recasts EC as a Supreme, which is good for a smile, and he also does a passable Dylan on "I Threw It All Away." And since country-esque ballads have long been one of his strong suits, "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face" is a perfect fit.

On the other hand, "Bama Lama Bama Loo" and "Leave My Kitten Alone" provide evidence that not every song needs to be re-recorded. And as good as "Days" is from the Kinks' catalog, it comes across as clumsy sounding here. (As opposed to the Wim Wenders' "Till End Of The World" soundtrack where it was a standout.)

How much you need to have "Kojak Variety" depends on how fanatical of an EC completist you happen to be. I will say it will never leave my library and if he ever does release another volume, I'll be there to buy it. Can't wait to see what his favorite songs from the seventies were.....

A curious collection that comes across as more of an exercise than a tribute. They may be some of his favorites, but, unlike, say the Beatles covers, he doesn't seem to really make them his own. The song selection seem disjointed, and the album does not seem to have any identity. It just hasn't grown on me. Could be my least favorite E.C. album. There are many other E.C. albums to buy before you spend your money here.