Great music: out of the ordinary, but still works well. This version available here appears to only be the first disc of the full two-disc set that includes an additional 18 tracks. (The full version used to be on iTunes, but appears to have disappeared.) That's unfortunate, since among those missing tracks is an shockingly good cover of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", and a nice version of the traditional song "She Moved Through the Fair". "She Moved..." is available on a separate album (Elegie) by the Brodsky Quartet, but "God Only Knows" seems to be lost to iTunes for now.

This is one of my all-time favorite pop-star experiments. Costello wrote the songs, and then collaborated with the Brodsky quartet to make them amenable to string quartet and pop-stylist. It's high-concept as well - an exercise from a fellow who'd made his fortune and felt free to play a bit. The result is an often poignant and sometimes catchy album. I agree with the "liner notes" on iTunes that it doesn't really fit neatly into any studio's catalog. But then, who cares about studio catalogs these days? We've got the whole internet to browse indie bands, folk music from various countries, classical and wax-cylinder recordings. Plenty of folks will listen to whatever's being pushed on the radio or 'net, but with this album Costello was ahead of his time I think, and that time may be now. You might not like Elvis Costello's voice, or may feel funny about an entire album consisting of a pop-stylist singing with a string quartet. The combination is very satisfying, and the prose is fascinating to listen to. There are other adventurous pop stars who've tried with varying success to branch out. Sting made an album of Dowland Lute Songs, for god's sake. Juliette Letters is unique. This particular collaboration was magical. Pick up a couple tracks and tell me you disagree. The performances on this album are a real special point in time.