Who doesn’t love a good cover album? Many of the songs you know and love, re-imagined and repackaged so you can rediscover that classic in a whole new way. Elvis Costello’s Kojak Variety is a vinyl album chock full of covers of classic rock and blues tunes, by the legendary British pub rocker.
Costello himself has become a household name since in his many years on the circuit, owed to being pinned by Rolling Stone Magazine as releasing three of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time, a Grammy and even a Brit Award. Not bad for a Londoner who cut his teeth touring the city’s pub circuit, eh? The Kojak Variety, so obscurely named after a shop that was nearby the recording studio. Naming a covers album probably isn’t all that easy after all!
Why do you need this LP?
Featuring re-imagined classic rock and blues tracks by the likes of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (the original shock rocker!), Willie Dixon, Holland, Dozier & Holland, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman, amongst others, expertly performed with Costello’s signature flair, this is an album for a true lover of music. As it was released in 1995 – when vinyl was distinctly out of vogue – this is its first ever vinyl, so it’s never been heard in such a format before. A must for any old school R’n’B fan, and a real treat for your turntable.