Jim_W said:
Elvis Costello couple of days; had to clean some of them up a bit...it's been too long.
'This Year's Model'.
'Armed Forces'.
'Goodbye Cruel World'.
'Get Happy'.
'Trust'.
'Taking Liberties'.
'Spike'.
What can you say about this wonderful music? As a hippy, 'This Year's Model' shocked the life out of me, but it was so powerful, literate and involving that I was soon wearing safety pins and ripped dustbin liners. Nobody, but nobody, delineates sexual jealousy, emotional turmoil and hurt like Elvis...or with as much rhapsodic enthusiasm. Point is, of course, this is beautifully tuneful pop music with killer choruses and great soundbite lyrics. He occasionally overdoes the wordplay and wraps himself in a knot: 'Spike' is a noteworthy example of this. Even when he can't stand up for falling down he produces melodic gems: I think 'Goodbye Cruel World' is at least 75% brilliant. Love his voice too. Yep, thoroughly enjoyed listening to these pop classics from the last century. 'King Of America'. 'Imperial Bedroom' and 'Blood And Chocolate' next.
EC is God. But I think that lot meant Clapton, I'll go with Jim and say it's Elvis Costello.
I'd put him on a par with Bob for atomising the matters of the heart and head, definitely. In slight defence of Spike, yes there's too many verbose songs but some great pop with Macca and his voice is at its zenith of fright and fury, which redeems it. But yes, Spike and Mighty Like A Rose are in that "too much and too often" phase.
As for your next three, you've just listed my very top three of his. I think they are expressions of (some) of his magnificence: I won't describe them or what they mean to me, as you know them inside out, but those are the three I've loved longest and deepest over the years.
One final aside, is it really the same man singing "And In Every Home" and "I Want You". The delicate delight to the deadly assassin.
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