Elvis Costello came out of the British pub rock scene, which developed into the facet of new wave characterized primarily by angry young men—Graham Parker, most prominently, and pub-rock pioneers Dr. Feelgood, as well as singers like Joe Jackson, who didn’t come so much from the pub-rock scene but shared some similar qualities. The pub rock scene was also known for a return to more direct song forms, in contrast with the bombast of arena rock, and for infusing their songs with irony and wit, as in the works of Nick Lowe and Ian Dury.
But towering above them all, ever since since his 1977 debut album, is Elvis Costello. He’s one of the greatest songwriters in rock history, with a lengthy career filled with notable highlights.
Different people seem to have their own favorite Elvis Costello album. I’ve got my own favorites, of course, and I’m continually baffled by folks who insist, for example, that Armed Forces is the best Elvis album, when it’s clearly not even in the top five. (So says me.)
Perhaps it’s a bit like Lennon and McCartney rolled up into one artist (no small compliment, that). Malcontent cranks (like myself) who’d rather listen to Plastic Ono Band than Band on the Run will most likely prefer Costello’s angry peaks—My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Get Happy!!, Blood & Chocolate. Those are my Costello Big Four right there. Cheerful folks who’d prefer a sip of Ram on their way to the gumball machine will mostly likely prefer such Costello efforts as Armed Forces and Spike. Those who are more reasonably well-adjusted will probably appreciate them all.
As for me, I don’t expect the poor guy to be angry all the time—if Costello were to fake it, things would grow tiring pretty quickly. But I reserve the right to insist that most of his greatest moments came when he was in a foul mood and had an axe (or three) to grind.
Playlist 1
Playlist One combines Costello’s first two albums, the equally brilliant My Aim Is True and This Year’s Model, with very few cuts.
Playlist 2
Playlist Two gives some highlights from Armed Forces, followed by almost all of Get Happy!!
Playlist 3
After four highly regarded consecutive albums, Costello seemed to gradually lose focus. Playlist Three highlights a murky period of Costello’s career, in which he released a few worthy albums (Trust, Imperial Bedroom, King of America) and some less notable ones.
Playlist 4
Costello appeared revitalized in 1986, first with King of America and then with Blood & Chocolate, another great burst of bitterness and bile. 1989’s Spike showed him broadening his sound, often with excellent results. Playlist Four has almost all of Blood & Chocolate and a healthy selection from Spike. (I seem to like different songs than most, here—the minor hit “Veronica,” for example, is hardly one of his stronger efforts, I feel.)
Playlist 5
Elvis Costello has continued to release music, of course, but he mostly fell off my radar toward the close of the ‘80s. I’ve listened to a few of his albums since Spike, but the only one that has really stuck with me for long is another blast of anger and cynicism, When I Was Cruel (2002), which also features some successful exploration of more current musical styles. For now, Playlist Five contains highlights from that album only. I promise to update the playlist in the future with other Costello works from the ‘90s forward.
Cover Art:
- xxx: Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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