elvis costello

[fidlerre]

okay, what are some of his better songs?

i saw him at the grammy's <where the cover of the clash song was awesome> and then he was hosting letterman the other night, and it has intrigued me to wanna get soem of his tunes off of kazza.

so any recomendations for a costello newbie?

[J. Books]

Originally posted by fidlerre
okay, what are some of his better songs?

i saw him at the grammy's <where the cover of the clash song was awesome> and then he was hosting letterman the other night, and it has intrigued me to wanna get soem of his tunes off of kazza.

so any recomendations for a costello newbie?



I highly recommend "Armed Forces" album-wise.. If you buy it on CD, find the one with the Xtra material included.

If you're using Kazaa or something to get his stuff let me know and I'll give you a list of stuff from that album.


"this Year's Model" is also a great album.

"pump it Up" and "Radio Radio" are two of the better cuts from that album.

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by J. Books
If you're using Kazaa or something to get his stuff let me know and I'll give you a list of stuff from that album.

yea i am going to download some stuff from kazza.

so song titles would be geat...

[J. Books]

Originally posted by fidlerre
yea i am going to download some stuff from kazza.

so song titles would be geat...

Durp!...ok,i've only just noticed that you had said as much in your original post.

Here's the better stuff from "Armed Forces". i tend to dig Costello's more instamatic new-wavey-poppy stuff...if you're not into that you might not dig this list, but here go's:

Accidents Will Happen
Senior Service
Oliver's Army
Big Boys
Goon Squad
Moods for Moderns
(What's so Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding?
Clean Money
Talking in the Dark



This is just stuff from "Armed Forces", which is his third album i think. If you like it, you might also like assorted stuff from Joe jackson and/or Nick Lowe (who produced these Costello songs)

He's also known for these tunes:

Alison
Watching the Detectives
Pump it Up
Radio Radio


I'm sure there are others on this board who can add to that.

[skipshady]

Originally posted by J. Books
Alison
Watching the Detectives
Pump it Up
Radio RadioYou can add Veronica to this list. My favorite's Radio Radio, followed closely by Alison and Veronica. I'm a sappy, sensitive bastard.

[ross from st paul]

books and skip are hooked in, fid:
"radio, radio" ....the alpha and the omega!!!
PERFECT, predictive take on the nowadays-corpo-owned-and-focus-grouped cr@p that passes for commercial radio.

"....'n' the radio is in the hands of such a lotta fools tryin' to anesthetize the way that you feel!!!!!"

you GO, declan!!! you'll always be the REAL elvis to me!!
:-)

p.s. but as an R's fan, i should probably state that i also agree with his sentiment "i don't wanna go to chelsea!" ;-P

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by ross from st paul
books and skip are hooked in, fid:
"radio, radio" ....the alpha and the omega!!!
PERFECT, predictive take on the nowadays-corpo-owned-and-focus-grouped cr@p that passes for commercial radio.

"....'n' the radio is in the hands of such a lotta fools tryin' to anesthetize the way that you feel!!!!!"

you GO, declan!!! you'll always be the REAL elvis to me!!
:-)

p.s. but as an R's fan, i should probably state that i also agree with his sentiment "i don't wanna go to chelsea!" ;-P

i need a ross from st paul translator to understand that post :)

[J. Books]

Originally posted by ross from st paul
"i don't wanna go to chelsea!" ;-P

I say OH NO It does not move me even though i seen the movie..

[nancyb]

The Angels Want to Wear My Reds Shoes - That's probably not the actual title, but it has one of the greatest lines in pop music:

I said, "I'm so happy I could die"
She said, "drop dead,"
And left with another guy

Anyway, go to Amazon, find the songs listed on:
My Aim is True
Armed Forces
This Year's Model
Get Happy
Taking Liberties

Most of those titles are going to be good. Avoid later stuff, like the plague.

Armed Forces was produced by Nicke Lowe, in case you care.

[ross from st paul]

>>i need a ross from st paul translator to understand that post<<

YEESH, fidlerre!!! if such a thing actually EXISTED, i might not still be single!!!! :-) (seriousness, though, my last bit was ripped from the EC song "(I don't want to go to) chelsea," like "radio, radio," also from the record "this year's model." and his real name is "declan mcmanus," if'n ya didn't know...)

>>I say OH NO It does not move me even though i seen the movie..<<

hee-hee!! you win, books. you win!!! ;-)

[J. Books]

Originally posted by nancyb


Armed Forces was produced by Nicke Lowe, in case you care.


Nick Lowe has some really good stuff himself.


On the flip side, Elvis is not that great of a producer. He almost ruined the Pogues "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash"..if it weren't a brilliant album on it's own musical merits, he would have.

[dcsiouxfan]

Originally posted by J. Books
He almost ruined the Pogues "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash"..if it weren't a brilliant album on it's own musical merits, he would have.

What did EC do to ruin "Rum..." It is a great album and I have never heard this accusation before.

[Footix]

Originally posted by J. Books

On the flip side, Elvis is not that great of a producer...He almost ruined the Pogues "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash"..

As far as I knew, he's credited with pulling The Pogues together enough to make that record as cool as it is.

Ever heard Squeeze's "East Side Story", The Specials' debut album, or Anne Sofie Von Otter's "For The Stars"? All are fantastic and interesting records, produced by Costello.

[nancyb]

Originally posted by J. Books
Nick Lowe has some really good stuff himself.


On the flip side, Elvis is not that great of a producer. He almost ruined the Pogues "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash"..if it weren't a brilliant album on it's own musical merits, he would have.

Lowe produced the first 4 I listed. I loooovvvve Nick Lowe, btw.

[odg78]

"Little Palaces" and "I'll Wear It Proudly" are two of my favorites

[J. Books]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Footix
As far as I knew, he's credited with pulling The Pogues together enough to make that record as cool as it is.

I might believe that for a second if "Red Roses For Me" (which came first) hadn't been produced so much better, and if Steve Lillywhite's Poques albums hadn't been so much more brilliant. I know, after '87 it's basically a different band with 3 new players, but if it really was a salvage job then Costello should never have leant his name to the album...

"Rum, Sodomy...." is tinny and muddled at best. The mixing throughout is atrocious (like the vocals on "Death Train...")...effects (like reverb on one of the instrumentals in the middle of the album) are used without ryhme, reason, or cohesion. The basic mastering is so bad the volume actually drops noticably by the 8th or 9th song.

It's not as bad as the Cars' 'Candy-O' in the "Albums That Could Have Been" category... but it's pretty bad.

It's only the band and the songs themselves that make 'Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash' a classic...and it is a classic...so there's not too much of a point in me bitching about it either way...



Ever heard Squeeze's "East Side Story", The Specials' debut album, or Anne Sofie Von Otter's "For The Stars"? All are fantastic and interesting records, produced by Costello.

No, I'll have to check them out.

[hangthadj]

Originally posted by nancyb
Lowe produced the first 4 I listed. I loooovvvve Nick Lowe, btw.

I still listen to Dig my mood at least once a week, there is just something about that album that gets me.

[kopiteinkc]

Originally posted by nancyb
Avoid later stuff, like the plague.


His most recent CD, When I was Cruel is awesome though.

Buy "Imperial Bedroom", classic CD of his.

[nancyb]

Yes, his latest is much better than some of the stuff between Almost Blue and it. Imperial Bedroom is great, but, God, he released a lot of dogs. He's a crooner trapped in a rock 'n roller's voice and when he puts out a record of crooning, ouch!

[Footix]

Originally posted by kopiteinkc


Buy "Imperial Bedroom", classic CD of his.

That's my favorite, too. The new Rhino re-issue of IP is even better, with a zillion alternate versions and extra tracks on the bonus disc.