The Juliet Letters (1993)

The Juliet Letters (1993)

On The Juliet Letters, Costello elected to dispense with the more customary rock-band lineup and instead secured the talents of the Brodsky Quartet, a modern and innovative – but more or less traditionally “classical” – string ensemble. The result was an album of chamber pop premised on a series of letters to Shakespeare’s Juliet Capulet. The outcome is nothing less than interesting – not everything works completely, but there are some genuinely high highs. “I Almost Had A Weakness” ranks with the best of Costello’s pop hits and is gracefully abetted by the lovely, lyrical string lines. “This Offer Is Unrepeatable” is light, funny, and show-tuney in the best possible way, while “Jacksons, Monk & Rowe” is a straightforward gem. Juliet Letters might not be for every listener and is definitely not the record to recommend for someone looking to “get into” Costello, but the performances are peerless, thoughtful, and often quite affecting.