Elvis Costello & The Imposters will release a new album entitled The Boy Named If via Capitol Records / EMI on January 14, 2022. Today, Costello and company shared “Magnificent Hurt,” the LP’s lead single.
Sebastian Krys co-produced The Boy Named If with Elvis Costello. The material on the 13-track album is described by Elvis in a press release as a collection of snapshots, “That take us from the last days of a bewildered boyhood to that mortifying moment when you are told to stop acting like a child – which for most men (and perhaps a few gals too) can be any time in the next fifty years.”
Costello is joined on the album by drummer Pete Thomas, bassist Davey Faragher and keyboardist Steve Nieve. “The full title of this record is The Boy Named If (And Other Children’s Stories),’” explained Elvis. “‘IF,’ is a nickname for your imaginary friend; your secret self, the one who knows everything you deny, the one you blame for the shattered crockery and the hearts you break, even your own. You can hear more about this ‘Boy’ in a song of the same name.”
The prolific musician has put out six releases over the past 12 months, including full-lengths Spanish Model and Hey Clockface. Spanish Model saw Elvis rework songs from 1978’s This Year’s Model in Spanish. “Both that album and The Boy Named If are records that are happening right now and if you want to draw a line between them, go right ahead,” added Costello.
Preview The Boy Named If by streaming “Magnificient Hurt” below:
The Boy Named If Tracklist
- Farewell, OK
- The Boy Named If
- Penelope Halfpenny
- The Difference
- What If I Can’t Give You Anything But Love?
- Paint The Red Rose Blue
- Mistook Me For A Friend
- My Most Beautiful Mistake (guest vocal by Nicole Atkins)
- Magnificent Hurt
- The Man You Love To Hate
- The Death Of Magic Thinking
- Trick Out The Truth
- Mr. Crescent
