British rock star Elvis Costello

In the late 1970s, Costello burst out of Britian's pop-music scene as an angry young-man with a fresh sound. On his new release, "The Juliet Letters," he works with the Brodsky Quartet. His new songs are based on a correspondence addressed to Juliet Capulet of "Romeo and Juliet."

Costello's first album, My Aim Is True, showcased his tough but emotional songwriting and his classic rock star persona. He joins Fresh Air to discuss his growth as a singer, and to perform a few of his songs.

The members of Shoes have cobbled together albums like stubborn craftsmen who know that their trade is at once outmoded and valuable. Ken Tucker says Ignition retains the same pop-rock rigor heard in the band's 1970s records.