Latest releases reviewed

ELVIS COSTELLO
The Right Spectacle: The Very Best of Elvis Costello
***

He's hardly a dreamboat, but he's not exactly a shipwreck, either; Elvis Costello is, perhaps rightly, known more for his eclectic musical repertoire than his cutting edge videos, but there's something more than just curiosity value about many of these, all of which predate his departure from Warners in the mid-'90s. They begin with the pungent, cheesy promos for (I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea, Pump It Up, Oliver's Army and High Fidelity, and end with rather more big-budget outings for Veronica, So Like Candy and 13 Steps Lead Down. The better news for anyone with an interest in Costello are the extras, which include a terrific one-hour-plus bonus of live performances, culled from television programmes (So It Goes, Revolver, The Tube), live shows, and commentary for each video by the sarky, narky git himself. www.demonvision.com
Tony Clayton-Lea

VARIOUS
Little Movies, Big Noises Definitive Jux
***

Home to more bleeding-edge underground rappers than you can shake an oversized backpack at, Definitive Jux is the label of choice for hip-hop nerds and muppets seeing a respite from the 50 Cents of this world. Thanks to artists like Mr Lif, RJD2, Aesop Rock and company big man El-P, the label has set new standards in how you can throw firing, searing, futuristic hip-hop shapes and make them stick. Here, you can see how the label's impressive and distinctive production verve also applies to the flicks which go with the tunes. Definitive Jux's first video compilation also shows how the label has developed a certain visual aesthetic with every release. Director Brian Beletic's video for El-P's Deep Space 9mm sets a tone that is matched by what you see on screen for RJD2's The Horror and Aesop Rock's No Jumper Cables. www.definitivejux.net
Jim Carroll