Elvis Costello Has Two Compilations And 11 Reissues Coming

04/20/07 5:30pm

Elvis Costello's music has been compiled and reissued by various labels numerous times, but another batch is coming your way.

Digital versions of Costello's first 11 albums, complete with interactive booklets featuring album art, will be made available on iTunes by Hip-O/Universal on May 1. Other digital music retailers can start selling them 30 days later.

The same label will release CDs of two new compilations, The Best Of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and Rock And Roll Music, on the same day. The title of the first collection tells you everything you need to know about it, while the second package features B-sides, demo recordings, live songs and previously unreleased tracks.

A 30th anniversary edition of Costello's My Aim Is True debut will be released in the fall with bonus material including demos, alternate versions and live cuts.

While Costello told Billboard.com that Hip-O initiated the reissue program, he's been fully involved with it.

"It doesn't require a huge amount of soul-searching to do it. You're trying to make a program that might interest people who've never heard you before. It's another way to present it that's neither superior or inferior. It's just different."

Costello and his band The Imposters begin a 10-date U.S. tour in Los Angeles on May 2. He'll tour Europe this summer with longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve and New Orleans songwriting legend Allen Toussaint, whom he collaborated with on last year's The River In Reverse album. A DVD titled Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade, which captured a Costello-Toussaint performance in Montreal, was released in December.

Diana Krall's husband is also working with choreographer Twyla Tharp on a still-untitled piece for the Miami City Ballet that will premiere next year.

Here are the songs on The Best Of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years:

"(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
"Alison"
"Watching The Detectives"
"(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea"
"Pump It Up"
"Radio Radio"
"Accidents Will Happen"
"Oliver's Army"
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding"
"I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down"
"High Fidelity"
"Clubland"
"New Lace Sleeves"
"Good Year For The Roses"
"Beyond Belief"
"Man Out Of Time"
"Almost Blue"
"Everyday I Write The Book"
"Shipbuilding"
"Brilliant Mistake"
"Indoor Fireworks"
"I Want You"

Here are the songs on Rock And Roll Music:

"Lipstick Vogue"
"No Action"
"Big Tears"
"(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea"
"This Year's Girl"
"Miracle Man"
"Pump It Up"
"Clean Money"
"Tiny Steps"
"Wednesday Week"
"Mystery Dance"
"You Belong To Me"
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding"
"Girls Talk"
"King Horse"
"Lover's Walk"
"Uncomplicated"
"Honey, Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?"
"Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo"
"I Hope You're Happy Now"
"Tokyo Storm Warning"
"Welcome To The Working Week"