Flirts with rockabilly and country. Comes from a pub rock background - in ways similar to Brinsley Shwartz. Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Dave Edmunds, etc. Song writing and singing style revolves around mainstream pop. Hugely respected by critics who admire his song writing, particularly his lyrics. There is also respect for his voice.
He is essentially a modern singer-songwriter. His first three albums were released around the time of the emergence of punk, and while not being punk, he had some of the energy and thrill of that movement, particularly his extraordinary debut album. He gradually slipped more and more into turgid mainstream country and pop and, for me, became less and less interesting, though critics continued to rave about his work.
I think musical artists can be roughly grouped as music focused or song focused. Costello is song focused. Fairly conventional songs, so it's the performance or energy or image that drives the popularity. The lyrics certainly play their part. They are decent lyrics in the sense that they use interesting and/or amusing word play, cutting a smart line here and there, and sometimes evoking a resonant image in the manner of a Bob Dylan. And those who like Costello like his lyrics.
Exceptional album.
1978 Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model (RS) (CCC) A good album, but mostly repeating what had been done on the debut but with weaker songs.
1979
$ Elvis Costello – Armed Forces (RS) Plenty of good songs on here, but Costello is starting to drift away from the energy and feel of his first two albums.
Get Happy! (1980)
Recordings
Debut single.
 |
| My Aim is True (1977) |
Exceptional album.
| Released | 22 July 1977 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1976–1977 |
| Studio | Pathway Studios, London |
| Genre | |
| Length | 32:56 |
| Label | Stiff, Columbia (US) |
| Producer | Nick Lowe |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Welcome to the Working Week" | 1:22 |
| 2. | "Miracle Man" | 3:31 |
| 3. | "No Dancing" | 2:39 |
| 4. | "Blame it on Cain" | 2:49 |
| 5. | "Alison" | 2:54 |
| 6. | "Sneaky Feelings" | 2:09 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" | 2:47 |
| 2. | "Less Than Zero" | 3:15 |
| 3. | "Mystery Dance" | 1:38 |
| 4. | "Pay it Back" | 2:33 |
| 5. | "I'm Not Angry" | 2:57 |
| 6. | "Waiting for the End of the World" | 3:22 |
- Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, piano and drumsticks on "Mystery Dance"
- John McFee – lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
- Sean Hopper – piano, organ, backing vocals
- Johnny Ciambotti – bass, backing vocals
- Mickey Shine – drums
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 10
1978 Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model (RS) (CCC) A good album, but mostly repeating what had been done on the debut but with weaker songs.
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
1979
$ Elvis Costello – Armed Forces (RS) Plenty of good songs on here, but Costello is starting to drift away from the energy and feel of his first two albums.
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 6
Get Happy! (1980)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Trust (1981)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Almost Blue (1981)
Mainstream and rather dull country songs with some rockabilly. A world away from the debut album.
Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Mainstream and rather dull country songs with some rockabilly. A world away from the debut album.
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Punch The Clock (1983)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Goodbye Cruel World (1984)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
King Of America (1986)
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Blood And Chocolate (1987)
Spike (1989)
The best track is "Veronica", which does hark back to the energy and sound of his early albums. It's a well crafted pop tune, very Beatlesque in a Paul McCartney stylie, with a distinct Sixties baroque/psychedelia feel to it. Quite listenable, but also quite trivial as most McCartney-type songs are. It reminds me of the Hollie's "Jennifer Eccles" with its breezy upbeat tone and simple rather schoolboyish story lyrics - my preference is for "Jennifer Eccles" in that the story is more direct, universal, understandable and appealing, and has a beautiful and memorable image: "White chalk written on red brick / Our love told in a heart". "Veronica" plays around a bit, pulling in random ideas that appear unrelated to the notion of an old woman in a care home -
I think this is about as far as I wish to go.
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
Spike (1989)
The best track is "Veronica", which does hark back to the energy and sound of his early albums. It's a well crafted pop tune, very Beatlesque in a Paul McCartney stylie, with a distinct Sixties baroque/psychedelia feel to it. Quite listenable, but also quite trivial as most McCartney-type songs are. It reminds me of the Hollie's "Jennifer Eccles" with its breezy upbeat tone and simple rather schoolboyish story lyrics - my preference is for "Jennifer Eccles" in that the story is more direct, universal, understandable and appealing, and has a beautiful and memorable image: "White chalk written on red brick / Our love told in a heart". "Veronica" plays around a bit, pulling in random ideas that appear unrelated to the notion of an old woman in a care home -
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score
I think this is about as far as I wish to go.
 |
| Brutal Youth (1994) |
Has some of the energy and charm of Costello's peak 70s period, but not quite enough to make the album interesting.
AllMusic:
Score: 3
Discography
- My Aim Is True (1977)
- This Year's Model (1978)
- Armed Forces (1979)
- Get Happy!! (1980)
- Trust (1981)
- Almost Blue (1981)
- Imperial Bedroom (1982)
- Punch the Clock (1983)
- Goodbye Cruel World (1984)
- King of America (1986)
- Blood & Chocolate (1986)
- Spike (1989)
- Mighty Like a Rose (1991)
- G.B.H. (1991, with Richard Harvey)
- The Juliet Letters (1993)
- Brutal Youth (1994)
- Kojak Variety (1995)
- Jake's Progress (1995, with Richard Harvey)
- Deep Dead Blue (1995, with Bill Frisell)
- All This Useless Beauty (1996)
- Painted from Memory (1998, with Burt Bacharach)
- For the Stars (2001, with Anne Sofie von Otter)
- When I Was Cruel (2002)
- North (2003)
- Il Sogno (2004)
- The Delivery Man (2004)
- Piano Jazz (2005, with Marian McPartland)
- The River in Reverse (2006, with Allen Toussaint)
- Momofuku (2008)
- Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009)
- National Ransom (2010)
- Wise Up Ghost (2013, with the Roots)
- Look Now (2018)
Best Songs
Watching The Detectives (My Aim is True 1977)
Oliver's Army
Chelsea (This Year's Model 1978)
Pump It Up
Chelsea (This Year's Model 1978)
Pump It Up
Accidents Will Happen
I Can't Stand Up (Cover of minor b-side Sam & Brown single) (Get Happy! 1979)
Red Shoes
Mystery Dance
Less Than Zero
Radio Radio (This Year's Model 1978)
I Can't Stand Up (Cover of minor b-side Sam & Brown single) (Get Happy! 1979)
Red Shoes
Mystery Dance
Less Than Zero
Radio Radio (This Year's Model 1978)
Love, Peace, and Understanding (Cover of a 1974 Nick Lowe/Brinsley Schwartz song) (Armed Forces )
Shipbuilding
Man Out Of Time
Veronica (Spike 1989)
Indoor Fireworks (King of America 1986)
Our Little Angel (King of America 1986)
America Without Tears (King of America 1986)
Sleep Of The Just (King of America 1986)
Everyday I write The Book (Punch The Clock 1983)
Everyday I write The Book (Punch The Clock 1983)
New Amsterdam
Human Hands
Man Out Of Time (Imperial Bedroom)
Links
*Rhythmically Admired article
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