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Product Details
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, PAL
Language: English
Region: All Regions
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Hip-O Records
DVD Release Date: December 5, 2006
Run Time: 113 minutes

1. Intro 
2. Monkey To Man
3. A Certain Girl 
4. Clownstrike 
5. Tears Tears And More Tears 
6. Tears Before Bedtime 
7. Poisoned Rose 
8. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea 
9. Broken Promise Land 
10. Freedom For The Stallion
11. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further? 
12. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror 
13. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
14. Bedlam 
15. Watching The Detectives
16. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
17. Episode Of Blonde 
18. Pump It Up 
19. Yes We Can Can 
20. Fortune Teller 
21. Big Chief Medley 
22. International Echo 
23. Clubland 
24. Six-Fingered Man
25. The Sharpest Thorn 
26. Band Introductions 
27. Credits 
28. Alison 
29. Band Introductions
30. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
31. Alison 
32. Interview with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint 
33. Photo Gallery / Yes We Can Can / Fortune Teller 

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Costello and Toussaint began the collaboration that resulted in "The River in Reverse." The album includes new and old compositions by Toussaint, several songs co-written by Toussaint and Costello, plus one new Costello original, the title track. 

Musicians featured on the project include The Imposters, as well as Toussaint's horn section and guitarist. Presented in 5.1 surround sound, this amazing DVD includes incredible live performances of Elvis songs spanning the last four decades.

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Elvis Costello has had numerous collaborators over the years, in genres ranging from classical (the Brodsky Quartet, mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie Von Otter) to jazz (pianists Marian McPartland and Diana Krall, Costello's wife) to pop (Burt Bacharach), but his partnership with New Orleans pianist-arranger-producer-songwriter Allen Toussaint has to rank among the most fruitful. Having worked together in the past (on a track for a Yoko Ono tribute project, weirdly enough), the two joined forces again in 2005 for Hurricane Katrina relief concerts; a CD (The River in Reverse) followed, as well as an '06 tour, during which Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade was recorded in Montreal. They certainly had a lot of resources to draw on. Costello's Imposters are the rhythm section, while Toussaint brought along the Crescent City Horns; and considering the amount of available material, including new compositions as well as numerous items from their respective catalogues, it's a wonder that they were able to pare down the songlist to the 25 performed here. It's all rather righteous, but Elvis' songs are a revelation; as was the case with the Band's Rock of Ages, one of the great live albums, Toussaint's arrangements breathe new life into old favorites like "Pump it Up" (a killer riff made all the more so by the horns) and "Alison" (given an almost classical horn-woodwind intro), as well as "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" (from Spike), perhaps the most deeply soulful tune of the whole show. Mix in Toussaint offerings like "A Certain Girl," "Yes We Can Can" (the Pointer Sisters hit), and "Fortune Teller," all bona fide rock 'n' soul classics, and we're looking at a near embarrassment of riches. The audio mix is disconcerting, sounding as if a couple of mikes were placed at the back of the hall instead of onstage, but by and large, the music transcends. Extras include a Costello-Toussaint interview but little else of much interest. --Sam Graham