Need Elvis Costello recommendations

Hi,
I don't have any Elvis Costello in my collection.. Gulp!
What titles do I need? My mate swears by 'King of America', reckons it's his best and most underrated. I've heard 3 tracks from this one and find favour. So what other titles does anyone recommend?
Just dloaded 'My aim is True' which also sounds good to me, so will buy this one also.
As for King of America, this title seems out of print. Does anyone know if Rhino intend to remaster this one?
Thanks, Snowman.

 

Well - you really need to get:

"My Aim is True"
"Armed Forces"
"This Year's Model"
"Imperial Bedroom" - (one of my personal faves)
"Get Happy"
"Trust"
"Blood and Chocolate"

and yes...."King of America"

Once you get those - then start going for the rest.

 

My advice to you would be to begin at the beginning with My Aim is True, and then just buy them one by one in chronological order taking some time to absorb each one. The new reissues sound very good, but many stand by the older Rykodisk reissue series. I have most of his records in a scattering of different versions. I've been very pleased with the new reissues I've bought, but the Rykos have always seemed fine to me (much better than my old LPs, I've thought; I never had any of the original CD issues). If you must jump ahead, I'd say that This Year's Model, Imperial Bedroom, and King of America are highlights. The fact is, with the possible exception of Goodbye Cruel World, he hasn't yet made a record that's not worth a listen.

L.

 

I think you should start w/ The Very Best Of 2 CD set.

 

Starting at the beginning is a good idea but I would also get "Spike" now.
It is one of his best and most varied collections of songs. From the powerful "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" to the pop hit "Veronica" (cowritten, as were some of the other tunes, with a certain "Paul"). The 2 disc Rhino version gives some cool insight into Elvis' song writing process with the demos on the awesome bonus disc. I guarantee you will love it!

 

The big three of Elvis C.:

My Aim Is True
This Year's Model
Armed Forces

These are his first three albums, all masterpieces, and were reissued on CD by Rykodisc and Rhino to include everything from both US and UK versions. All three are absolutely essential (my favorite is "This Year's Model").

Outside of that, "Get Happy!" is another favorite (not yet reissued by Rhino).

King of America and Blood & Chocolate are also really good; KoA has been called his best, but there are some weak spots (a terrible cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"). Still a really good album, though.

Imperial Bedroom is real nice, but a bit overrated IMO.

You may want a good compilation like two disc sets The Very Best of..., GirlsGirlsGirls, or the single Rykodisc best of; even his weak albums have their gems. Even "Goodbye Cruel World" has "Love Field" and "Peace in Our Time" (the latter having a pretty weak arrangement, but is a good song).

 

To get at what Elvis Costello was initially about, you simply must take Matt's advice above and start with his first three albums.

 

... In which case seeking out the Ryko box set 2 1/2 Years makes a lot of sense, not to mention the fact that it also gets you a copy of the otherwise unavailable Live At The El Mocambo disc.

 

I concur with everything said above. If there's any three you're going to get, those are it. TYM is my favorite, too.

I have all three o' these on the recent Rhino reissues. The sound is a little LOUD, yes, but it's, thankfully, not distorted and no NR, of course, as is usual of Rhino. I used to have the Ryko MAIT, but donated it to the library. It was definitely good sounding, too, not as loud, but I'd say the Rhino's are worth it alone for EC's liner notes in each set.

But yep, those are definitely THE three!

 

Agreed! Matt hit the nail on the head.

A favorite "Elvis" CD of mine is the unofficially released collaboration disc with Paul McCartney. When they do 'Candy' together it reminds me very much of "a new" fab four song.

 

I have an original "Live At The El Mocambo on vinyl. Columbia/CBS Canada promo LP. It's a great concert.

 

These are the best Elvis discs:

Imperial Bedroom (masterpiece)
Punch The Clock (Elvis with with Horn Section)
Armed Forces (his 3rd CD)
Get Happy (lots of short songs)
Trust (some great songs)
Blood & Chocolate (Lennony)
This Years Model (his 2nd CD)
When I Was Cruel (his latest CD)
Spike (Some songs with Paul McCartney)

These are not his best:

Kojak Variety
Almost Blue
Goodbye Cruel World
King Of America
All This Useless Beauty

 

I personally think that all of EC's albums are worth having. Even the weakest ones have enough killer tunes to make them worthwhile. My personal favorites are GET HAPPY!!, IMPERIAL BEDROOM, THIS YEARS MODEL, MY AIM IS TRUE, and KING OF AMERICA.

One of the things that makes Elvis really amazing is the fact that his music is as vital now as it was 25 years ago. His last proper studio album, WHEN I WAS CRUEL, is stunning, and many of his other releases from recent years, like ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTY and BRUTAL YOUTH, are outstanding as well.

I agree, however, with the idea that you may want to buy the most recent 2-disc VERY BEST compilation and see which albums/eras interest you the most. If you're like me, you'll eventually decide that you must have everything!

 

Interesting thread.

If I had to choose Elvis' "best" album, I'd probably go with This Years Model. His most "commercial" (at the time anyway) was probably Armed Forces. Even Elvis refers to that as his pop-star album.

These rank as three and four of my favorite EC discs.

My fave is Get Happy. Get Happy is probably my favosite ablum of all time -after Abbey Road. High praise, indeed. It's very high octane, wham bam! Ryko's version is 30 songs!

After that I enjoy King of America. But that disc could almost be by a different artist, it's so unlike Get Happy.

But, if you are looking for "typical" EC (if there is such a thing) - This Years Model & Armed Forces.

You can't go wrong with any of the four. Happy listening. And let us know what you think.

-BZync

 

Elvis nearly ties Dylan as my favorite rock artist ever, so of course, I must respond here.

This Year's Model should be your first purchase. Period.

After that, you can play a bit. If you've heard some of his more synth-ed pop hits, you might hit Armed Forces. A folky fan might feel more comfortable with King of America. Once you feel a bit more comfortable, you should try Imperial Bedroom, a baroque pop pleasure.

My Aim is True is a great album, and certainly essential, but contrary to the advice of most, I wouldn't start with it. His songwriting is evident, but other than that, it is quite different from his other releases.

Next choices could probably include Get Happy!!, Blood and Chocolate, and my second favorite Costello album (again, though, not a great first choice), Trust. For a good latter day album, try Painted from Memory or the expanded All this Useless Beauty.

Personally, I wouldn't start with a best-of, especially not the recent Rhino release. It has quite a bit of great material, but slants the picture quite a bit, and doesn't really work as a whole nearly as good as his individual albums do. A good compilation, such as Girls Girls Girls, will save you from having to buy the subpar Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World later down the line, however...

Exteme Honey nearly makes Spike and Mightly Like a Rose disposable. Nearly.

Good luck!

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

I honestly prefer EC's later albums. While those early albums have a ton of energy, they no longer speak to me as much as the more diverse and mature albums he has made since. In the end, I think he has actually improved throughout his career, allowing his influences to widen and become visible with his writing and performances constantly deepening. (In a weird way, it kind of parallels the "other" Elvis, for which I prefer the late sixties and early seventies to the glorious Sun years...mature talent vs. raw energy - take your pick...)

Personally, my favorite is the Painted from Memory album, with Blood and Chocolate coming in second. The third favorite spot is constantly rotating, from Imperial Bedroom to King of America to Brutal Youth to All This Useless Beauty to....well, you get the picture. I recently connected for the first time with Mighty Like a Rose, which I used to include in the EC "artistic failure" category with Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World. (Those two remain in that category, however.)

He is definitely one of those artists that every album is a worthwhile listen. I struggle with how to turn other people on to him, as those first couple of albums come nowhere near to capturing his depth...I always end up doing CD-R samplers, with his commerically available best-ofs being idiosyncratic - EC seems to be too involved in the track selection, so left field choices abound - not a bad thing, but not the way I'd go.

For whatever it is worth, the EC samplers I use include the following (and I need to work his newest album and the Anne Sofie Von Otter into them, I haven't tried yet):

Disc 1

Alison
Red Shoes
Watching the Detectives
Radio Sweetheart
Pump It Up
Chelsea
Radio, Radio
Accidents Will Happen
Oliver's Army
Peace, Love, and Understanding
Love for Tender
Posession
High Fidelity
I Can't Stand Up
Girls Talk
Clubland
You'll Never Be A Man
Strict Time
Good Year for the Roses
Psycho
Beyond Belief
The Long Honeymoon
Man Out of Time
The Loved Ones

Disc 2

Everyday I Write the Book
The Only Flame In Town
Peace in our Time
Brilliant Mistake
American Without Tears
I Hope You're Happy Now
Tokyo Storm Warning
I Want You
This Town
Veronica
The Other Side of Summer
So Like Candy
Sulky Girl
You Bowed Down
It's Time
God Give Me Strength

 

Plenty of great suggestions here. Let me say that I became an instant fan of Costello when "Spike" hit the charts and I bought the CD. After that I believe I bought "King of America" and it's always been a favorite album of mine.
He has too many brilliant albums to just buy one, so for the beginner I second (or third or whatever) the latest Rhino 2-CD "best of" comp.

Interesting how many fans have "love it" or "hate it" EC albums. Every EC albums has something to love at the very least.

Oh, I also agree with CM that "Mighty Like a Rose" is a misunderstood masterpiece.

And "All This Useless Beauty", geesh just the title song alone gives me shivers.

Aw heck, buy 'em all!
Dan C

 

Dan, your story is remarkably similar to mine. I was in high school when SPIKE came out, and it was the very first EC album I ever bought. I bought it, of course, because I'd fallen in love with that brilliant Paul McCartney collaboration, "Veronica". I was amazed at the range and depth of the whole album and I instantly became an EC fanatic. It wasn't long before I was buying everything I could get my hands on. My next purchase was the old Columbia hits CD, then THIS YEARS MODEL. Once I heard that album in its entirety, I was hooked for life...

 

I am a very inexperienced EC buyer, but someone recommended the CD version of this to me and I can't take it out of the player!! The live version of Less Than Zero on this song is so intense you wanna pull your hair out! Check out this disc at all costs.

 

First of all, if you're a fan who is prone to complain about buying the "same" CD over and over again, you may want to stick to the Rhino reissues. Along with liner notes by Elvis and remastering, they each feature a bonus disc (usually as long or longer than the original album) full of superbly compiled b-sides, rarities, outtakes, demos, etc. The sound is generally considered to be an improvement over the Rykodisc editions, but, as is often the case, some fans swear by the vinyl (particularly the UK pressings).

The Rhino's have been released thematically, rather than chronologically, so perhaps a recap would be helpful.

The first set of reissues focused on him as an eclectic solo artist-- a tad strange in that he had Clover backing him on one of them and The Attractions on another, but that's how it is. They included:

MY AIM IS TRUE: EC's debut, and home to some of his best known songs including "Alison", "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", and "Watching the Detectives". Many critics rate it as one of the strongest debuts ever, and the backing band Clover lend it traditional rock'n'roll sound, even if the songwriting is anything but conventional. He's grown by leaps and bounds since then, but it's a helluva starting point.

SPIKE: This is the record that made me a lifelong fan(antic). The lyrics rate among his very best and most literate, and the production is the most ambitious of his career, incorporating Celtic, New Orleans, and orchestrated pop elements. The bonus disc is largely composed of studio demos to the album tracks.

ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTY: a vastly underrated album, with some very subtle performances and uniformly excellent songs (many of them written over the course of many years previous but recorded here for the first time by Elvis). The bonus disc is one of the finest yet, with top flight rarities and a host of demos, many of them features songs not otherwise recorded by Elvis.

The second set focused on EC's famous backing band The Attractions in full-rock mode.

THIS YEARS MODEL: The favorite of many a fan, and the debut of The Attractions. EC's songwriting takes a leap forward, and the recordings are bursting with energy. best known songs include "Pump it Up" and "Radio Radio"

BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE: EC has called it his divorce record, and it shows. It has a clausterphobic and very hard edged sound to it. The centerpiece song "I Want You" is unforgettable and I think compares favorably to all the other great songs that share that title! The bonus disc is incredible, with a host of great outtakes and five very emotional solo covers to close it out.

BRUTAL YOUTH: EC delighted many fans with this return to a more aggressive sound and a quasi-reunion with the Attractions (they appear in their entirety on only a handful of the songs), but I don't think this is an album that has a lot to convert a new listener.

The final set to have been released so far explored his more elaborate studio efforts.

ARMED FORCES: EC begins to explore quirker songwriting and more textured arrangements and production. Famous songs include "Oliver's Army", "Accidents Will Happen", and a song that's getting a lot of airtime these days "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding". The bonus disc includes an extensive array of live tracks from the period, showing off what an explosive band they have grown into.

IMPERIAL BEDROOM: Many people describe it as his personal SGT PEPPERS, and with Geoff Emerick producing that's not as far off as you might expect. "Beyond Belief", "Man out of Time" and "Almost Blue" (his most covered song) all rate among his finest compositions, and can be found here. I consider the bonus disc on this set to be the most impressive one yet, with an amazing array of studio alternates, covers, and whatnot, but the album itself takes several listens to begin to reveal it's full accomplishment.

MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE: Sadly, this record is much derided by segments of fans and some critics. What's they are missing is one of EC's darkest and most challanging albums. Although I think there is a lot to recommend on it, like IMPERIAL BEDROOM, I think it may be a challanging listen for someone new to Costello's music.

Your friend is right, though. KING OF AMERICA is a stunning album, and the one I've had the most sucess turning friends into Elvis fans with. They way the reissues are going, it'll probably be about a year before it's reissued, so if you don't mind the prospect of purchasing it again, by all means pick up a copy if you can find it.

As for the future Rhinos, the next batch is currently scheduled for late this summer and includes GET HAPPY, TRUST, and PUNCH THE CLOCK. Next after that are his more Americana-Roots influenced album ALMOST BLUE (a suprisingly good collection of country covers), the aforementioned KING OF AMERICA, and KOJAK VARIETY (another cover album). The reissue series will conclude with a few that defy catagorization, THE JULIET LETTERS and GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD and perhaps an "expanded" edition of the previous rarities compilation TAKING LIBERTIES (of which very little is known at this point).

Beyond that, his recent UMG CDs PAINTED BY MEMORY and WHEN I WAS CRUEL are still in print, and both garnered strong reviews. PAINTED FROM MEMORY, his collaboration with Burt Bacharach is another personal favorite, and recommended to anyone who's a fan of classic pop songwriting.

whew! that was far more longwinded then I intended-- hope it's helpful!

 

Thanks for all the recommendations people. Seems I'm spoilt with info now.
Wow, what a discography... seems most of his titles are strong.
I managed to find\dload Imperial Bedroom which I like... sounds a very 'polished\high production' piece of work. Will buy this one for sure.
It seems everyone approves of 'This Years Model'.
I guess I will start with 5 of his titles and go from there.
Thanks,
Snowman.

 

If you're choosing five, my recommendations would be (in order of my personal preference):

1. King of America (The angry young man settles down, matures, and grows a heart ... and buys an acoustic guitar! Sounds better to me every year.)

2. Get Happy!! (Elvis and the Attractions masquerade as a Sixties soul group ... loads of mad, vitriolic fun)

3. Imperial Bedroom (Elvis replaces producer Nick Lowe with ex-Fab engineer Geoff Emerick, and pop granduer rules)

4. My Aim is True (Maybe my favorite debut album ever ... worth it for "Alison" and "Red Shoes" alone, but there's much more)

5. This Year's Model (Yup, gotta have it ... ROCKIN').

 

I might say get 6. Jeff's recommendations, plus you have to get "Armed Forces" also.

 

Everyone has their favorite EC albums. I say go for "Trust" it's his most versatile LP full of great songs.

Joe Lee

 

There are some very sound recommendations here...his entire catalogue is very strong indeed.

However, my absolute favourites would include:

This Years Model
Imperial Bedroom
Blood and Chocolate
Get Happy
Trust
King of America

and for a great compilation, I agree with lbangs and go for "Girls, Girls, Girls" for an excellent introduction to classic Costello....