| The Coward Brothers | |
| Type: | soundtrack |
| Artist: | Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett (as The Coward Brothers) |
| Cover: | The_Coward_Brothers_album_art.jpeg |
| Released: | 21 November 2024 |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Length: | 57:27 |
| Label: | New West |
| Chronology: | Elvis Costello |
| Prev Title: | The Songs of Bacharach & Costello |
| Prev Year: | 2023 |
The Coward Brothers is a collaborative album by English musician Elvis Costello and American musician T Bone Burnett, released on 21 November 2024 through New West Records. It serves as the soundtrack to the duo's audio comedy (described as a "wireless drama" by Costello), entitled The True Story of the Coward Brothers.[1] Its plot sees Costello and Burnett, as Howard and Henry Coward, respectively, playing "a trans-Atlantic pair of con men who may or may not be blood relatives."[2]
Costello and Burnett have a history of collaboration, dating back to the 1985 single "The People's Limousine", the first release to be credited to "The Coward Brothers".[3] The duo also utilized the name for production of Costello's album King of America (1986).[3] Burnett has also produced Costello's albums Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009) and National Ransom (2010),[4] and contributed to the production of Spike (1989).[5]
The album was released in tandem with the radio play The True Story of the Coward Brothers on Audible. In addition to Burnett and Costello, the play features Christopher Guest, Rhea Seehorn, and Harry Shearer, among others.[6]
Note: Writing credits refer to Burnett and Costello by their character names (Henry and Howard Coward, respectively). Christopher Guest is credited as "Christopher Guest-Coward".
Adapted from the album's liner notes:[6]