Like most pros, Elvis Costello can take the knocks as well as the glory. In other words, rejection doesn't seem to bother him. Throughout his show at New York's Beacon Theatre - the second of five nights - Costello delivered an array of golden oldies as well as a menagerie of new songs written specifically for other artists. What Johnny Cash and Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave) declined, Costello sang himself in a way that only he can.

With fist clenched drama and a pocketful of tissues.

This suggests that Costello, at the end of the day, writes primarily for himself. And why the bejesus not?

Why write about the power struggle of a relationship - a lyrical genre Costello has made all his own i.e. ‘Beyond Belief’ and ‘New Lace Sleeves,’ both of which he and the excellent Attractions performed - and then give it to someone else who a) won't get it and b) won't give it justice?

For nigh two hours, Costello traipsed the boards of sexed-up domesticity, upheaval, paranoia, vexed romance, human frailty and of course, high fidelity. 22 songs in total (inlcuding the encore) all of which were littered with the usual twisted metaphors and carefully constructed arrangements. Aided and abetted by surely one of the best bands this side of the E-Street Band, it's impossible for Costello to go wrong.

With the Attractions behind him, Costello can venture into almost any area his heart desires. Upon entrance for instance, Costello described himself as: ‘’living with the curse of sophistication,’’ and then sang a new song called ‘Temptation’ - with just Steve Nieve supplying rippling, mock-classical keyboard flourishes.

Terribly tasteful and a great song to kick off with.

This was followed by the entrance of top notch drummer Pete Thomas (who this time last year was slamming the skins for Squeeze) and highly imaginative bassist Bruce Thomas. Shortly thereafter, both audience and musicians were off on a roller-coaster ride through both the back pages and the present pages of Elvis Costello's thicket of imagery.

Having advertised that he would feature primarily new songs: ‘’cause New York’s a tough audience,’’ Costello's set included only enough familiar tunes to forestall requests. But given that he's such a gifted writer anyway, most of the new songs felt as oddly familiar as such relentless pearls as ‘Watching The Detectives’ ‘(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes’ and ‘Deep Dark Truthful Mirror’ (the latter of which was fuckin’ brilliant).

New songs such as the up-tempo ‘Little Atoms,’ esoteric ‘God Give Me Strength’ (to be included in a new movie) and ultra-passionate ‘A Woman With Understanding’ were great to hear being played with such eagerness and vehemence. They'll no doubt be included on his new album and they'll no doubt be requested a few years down the road, just as ‘Alison’ always has been.

And talking of which, yes he did do it, and this time round it sounded more compassionate than sullen - which, after all these years, is refreshing to say the least.

Long may he reign!