The King is back.

That is not to say that he was ever really gone, of course. Perhaps it was just us critics, but I really kind of like The Juliet Letters. And although I will gladly admit that Mighty Like a Rose was not his best work, it still had quite a few memorable songs. (To deny the greatness of "The Other Side of Summer" is sheer lunacy.)

But Brutal Youth is what we in the business like to refer to as "a brilliant return to form." This comes in no small part thanks to the return of the Attractions, who have been nowhere to be seen since 1986's Blood and Chocolate (although drummer Pete Thomas is now doing double duty as a full-time member of Squeeze). Nick Lowe also returns as a band member. Mitchell Froom (who did the duties on Mighty Like a Rose) coproduces along with Elvis himself.

From the opening track, "Pony Street," with the instantly-recognizable piano work of Mr. Steve Nieve, you just know the chemistry between the bandmembers is still there and that the world is a better place for it. "13 Steps Lead Down" and "You Tripped at Every Step" have great hooks to them, but lest you be concerned, they are not isolated instances. The album is chocked full of them. ("Clown Strike" also has an especially nice hook.) "20% Amnesia" bears a slight resemblance to "Pads, Paws, and Claws," from Spike. If Elvis is going to hark back to an earlier solo work, it might as well be Spike. "This is Hell" is delicate but beautiful. Lyrically, I love "Sulky Girl," but that may be due to the fact that it might as well have been based on someone I know.

Elvis has shown several sides to his musical and composing abilities recently (including the aforementioned Juliet Letters as well as Wendy Jame's Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears, of which he composed all), but with Brutal Youth, he has shown that he can still go back to his roots and rock out with the best of them.

Reviewer:  William Harris, courtesy Flash Magazine.