27 September 2013 (Day 270)– What’s My Favourite Elvis Costello Album Ever (Pt 1?)

Now I jump from the frying pan into the fire.  Having been relatively non committal about a favourite Sonic Youth album, today I turned to one of the most prolific recording artists of the last 30 years, Elvis Costello.  Comparing albums from the various stages of his career is bad enough; there’s the early angry young man albums, country albums such as Almost Blue, National Ransom or the grossly underrated Profane And Sugarcane, the jazz  ballad heavy North, the strong mature rock albums such as When I Was Cruel or Brutal Truth, tremendous B-sides and rarities albums such as Out Of Our Idiot or Cruel Smile and stonking live albums including the legendary Live At El Macambo and the recent The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook.  And then there are the generously extended versions of the first dozen albums or so and the double album versions of most of these.

THEN there’s the collaborative albums and nobody collaborates like Elvis.  There’s The Juliet Letters with string quartet The Brodsky Quartet, Il Sogno a classical album performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the wonderful hook up with Burt Bacharach Painted From Memory (featuring the incomparable God Give Me Strength), another with New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint (The River In Reverse) and even a collaboration with Swedish mezzo soprano Sophie van Otter.  And now comes news that his next albums will be credited to Elvis Costello And The Roots.  No wonder I’m not looking forward to this!

As it turns out, all of my favourite Costello albums are either those attributed to either Elvis solo or to his work with the Attractions or The Imposters, in other words his straight ahead rock and or country work.  I suspect that he finds cranking out these albums comes a little too easy for him and his various stylistic diversions are intended to stretch himself musically.  Yet it all works; there are very few dud albums across his entire catalogue and he always appears to emerge re-energised after his musical diversions ready to rock out or engage his country muse.

But, as it also turned out, I turn out not doing justice to the man today.  I thought I’d get through about seven albums today having no commitments whatsoever yet I’m seemingly besieged by ad hoc issues for much of the day and barley get through four albums.  It means I can’t rave about his latter day classic with The Imposters, The Deliver Man, his mid period masterworks Blood And Chocolate and Imperial Bedroom or my dark horse, the lush yet biting Punch The Clock.  But I did get to play:

(# 633) Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True (1977)

This was a short sharp blast from a major new talent.  Backed by American act Clover , which was to eventually mutate into Huey Lewis’ News ( listen especially for their distinctive harmonies right at the start of Welcome To The Working Week), Costello fired off a dozen quick fire shots of what was essentially British pub rock with a punk attitude and really not all that different to Graham Parker.  Pay It Back, in particular, could easily be mistaken for a Parker track.   No Dancing has a distinct American East Coast feel but the early classic tracks – Working Week, Miracle Man, the lovely Alison, (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes and Mystery Dance all have a verve that simply couldn’t be denied.

(# 634) Elvis Costello And The Attractions – This Year’s Model (1978)

In which our newly found hero delivers another short sharp blast aided by a terrific backing band and even stronger lyrics.  No Action, The Beat, You Belong To Me and, especially the mighty Pump It Up all benefit from  a stronger guitar presence but its Steve Nieve’s organ that really places itself as the cedntral element of The Attractions soundscape.  (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea, Living in Paradise and Night Rally see Elvis attempting different rhythms and moods.  Crucially these are placed towards the end of the albums as if already warning the listener to expect change.

(# 635) Elvis Costello And The Attractions – Get Happy! (1980)

The one word that cannot be used to describe this 20 track album is short.  (The two disc version of this album clocks in at a whopping 50 tracks!)  The sound is now a little denser which is great news for the rockier numbers  such a Love For Tender, the furious The Imposter, High Fidelty, I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down, 5ive Gears In Reverse and I Stand Accused.  But interspersed amongst these tracks is a great deal of diversity as Costello really starts to reach out into various directions; both Secondary Modern and Temptation are underpinned by a wonderful backing that recalls Booker T And The MG’s, King Horse incorporates a lush piano feel, New Amsterdam a vaguely fairground sound, Human Touch utilises ska to great effect and Riot Act provided the slowed down dramatic closer. 

(# 636) The Costello Show – King Of America (1986)

A kind of folk, acoustic rock album with distinct country leanings, I seem to remember this album pretty much dividing critics on its original release.  Much of the venom appeared to be reserved for the, admittedly ill-advised, cover of Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood but the rest of the album worked remarkably well.  (And live with The Confederates, these tracks went down a treat.  I enjoyed the first night I saw in Melbourne so much I had no hesitation in returning the following night.)  Brilliant Mistake was a tremendous opening and fed beautifully into the acoustic rockabilly of Loveable.  Glitter Gulch and The Big Light were convincing Gram Parsons inspired acoustic honky tonk romps and I’ll Wear It Proudly and Poisoned Rose strong ballads.  Jack Of All Parades and Sleep Of The Just both stately numbers in the same mould as Brilliant Mistake ensured the album ended on a strong note.

At the end of the day I'm none the wiser.  I think I can reasonably leave out the first two albums, which today would probably have been combined into a single CD.  And as much as I love the remaining two, I think I'll need to defer a decision until I played the other 4 albums I mentioned previously.