Audible today announced The True Story of The Coward Brothers, a three-part scripted Audible Original audio series – referred to by the author as a “wireless drama” – that recounts the history of Henry and Howard Coward, a pair of delightfully deluded pop practitioners and conjurers played by Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett, premiering Thursday, November 21, exclusively from Audible.
Adding to the lore of these rock and roll charlatans comes an all-new, 20-track album from Costello and Burnett, who first worked together as The Coward Brothers forty years ago, debuting from New West Records alongside the Audible Original on November 21. Ahead of the dual roll out, New West Records will release the first album single, Always, which is also featured in the Audible Original, on Tuesday, October 8. The track will be available on all digital music services.
Audible’s The True Story of The Coward Brothers follows two musical brothers – one English, one American, both the illegitimate sons of dubious parentage who may, as they claim to be, “one and half-brothers” – perhaps a reference to the disparity in their height and relative talents. In this satirical audio series directed by Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show), Henry and Howard Coward are lightly grilled by radio host, Sterling Lockhart (Harry Shearer) as they bitterly retrace the story of being duped out of their royalties and rightful place in pop history by their cutthroat manager who, among other things, persuaded them to fake their own deaths. Their sometimes poignant and heartrending story reveals an improbable love triangle involving their publisher’s secretary, Phyliss Dandy (Rhea Seehorn), as well as entertaining listeners with tales of their lost music, unsupportable claims of having written titles curiously adjacent to more famous songs, such as “A Lotta Money”, “Tipsy Woman” and their failed attempt at Cold War topicality, “My Baby Just Whistles (Here Come The Missiles)”.
The Audible Original features all-new music from The Coward Brothers and boasts an all-star cast which also includes Edward Hibbert (The Prestige, Earthworm Jim), Stephen Root (Barry, Office Space), and Kathreen Khavari (Avengers Assemble, Big Little Lies). The Elvis Costello scripted musical-comedy series will be available exclusively for Audible listeners beginning November 21.
In conjunction with the release of the Audible Original, New West Records will release The Coward Brothers, a self-titled new album from Burnett and Costello – otherwise known as Henry and Howard Coward – inviting listeners to indulge in the musical library, the forgotten hits and demos of the imagined brothers. The album will feature tracks also in the Audible Original including “Pure Bubblegum”, “Like Licorice”, “World Serious”, and more. The Coward Brothers will release on CD, LP, Limited Edition “Licorice Red” vinyl as well as a limited-edition “Pink Bubblegum” variant with Barnes & Noble on November 15. The digital release will be available on iTunes and all streaming services on November 21.
“With regard to the ludicrous assertion that this person, Howard Coward, and I are one and the same, I have to say: this is the work of a bounder, a rounder and a charlatan, and I shall be examining my legal options forthwith,” said Elvis Costello on the Audible Original and album from The Coward Brothers.
When asked about his connection to the musical duo, T Bone Burnett said, “I have a vague recollection of buying a 45 of the song Pure Bubblegum by an act called The Coward Brothers many long years ago. I heard it on a Fort Worth radio station called KXOL, billed as ‘the new music.’ The disc jockey played it once and got such a bad response from listeners that they burned it the next morning in front of the station. What ever happened to those guys – are they still alive?”
The True Story of The Coward Brothers expands Costello’s and Burnett’s Audible catalogues, joining Burnett’s The Confederacy: Truth and Reconciliation and Costello’s How to Play the Guitar and Y, both of which are part of Audible’s Words + Music slate. The upcoming Audible Original also joins an exciting slate of audio-only original comedies including Hot White Heist starring Bowen Yang, Trust Fall starring Colin Jost and Wanda Sykes, Yes We Cannabis starring Sam Richardson and Method Man, and Hit Job starring Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson.
