Elvis Costello Tells Fans Not to Purchase New Album, Says High Price Is an 'Elaborate Hoax'

Elvis Costello is taking the road less traveled.

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The singer-songwriter was seemingly unhappy at the hefty price tag for his new album, The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook, which is listed at $202.66 (or nearly 213 pounds in Britain). The box set, one of 1,500 being produced, includes a CD, DVD, a vinyl EP and a book and will be released this month.

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"We at www.elviscostello.com find ourselves unable to recommend The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire," read a posting on Costello's official website.

Costello urged fans not to spend their money on Spinning Songbook, instead telling them to buy Louis Armstrong albums instead.

"If you want to buy something special for your loved one at this time of seasonal giving, we suggest, Ambassador Of Jazz -- a cute little imitation suitcase containing ten re-mastered albums by one of the most beautiful and loving revolutionaries who ever lived – Louis Armstrong," the post said, praising Armstrong's music as "vastly superior."

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It was suggested that fans who may still want to purchase Spinning Songbook should wait until 2012.

"If you should still want the component items in the above mentioned elaborate hoax, they will be available separately at a more affordable price in the New Year," the post said, "unless you are one of those pirates who imagines they are evangelists or that other people’s rights absolve their own thievery, in which case this is between you and your dim conscience."