Lunar Boulevard

Having properly exorcised his demons with two stellar albums in 1986, Elvis Costello signed with Warner Bros. and entered into a new chapter of his career. No longer with The Attractions and with a new wife by his side, it seemed that he was once again free to take his time and pursue new interests. Elvis said at the time that he had five different albums in mind and ended up taking all of those ideas and melding them into one album. Spike is a lofty and complex album with its fair share of twists and turns, making it one of the longest and most diverse in his entire discography. The first thing that makes this album so unique is that every track sounds different, a rarity in terms of EC albums. The album runs through pop, folk, classical, and different Irish influences with ease and the production help of T-Bone Burnett definitely aids in this process. Songs range from the pop melodies of "Chewing Gum" and "Pads, Paws and Claws" to the gentle ballads of "Any ...

Elvis Costello's second record of 1986 is a stark departure from the first, a rollicking and ferocious effort in the vain of his earlier albums like This Year's Mode l and Armed Forces . For anyone who wondered if Costello had lost the edge and spunk that made him famous to begin with, Blood & Chocolate left little doubt that he hadn't completely disposed of the anger and energy that made his first albums so compelling. The Attractions make a welcome return here and tensions in the group were at an all-time high. In fact, this would be the last album that Costello would record with them for nearly a decade. The unrest is evident in the songs, which are loud and have a "live on the floor" feeling. There's little polish or double-tracking, just pure rock n' roll at its finest. "I Hope You're Happy Now", "Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?", "Crimes of Paris" and "Blue Chair" are all great rock songs tha...

After the less than stellar reception that greeted his 1984 album Goodbye Cruel World Elvis Costello took the next year off while touring solo. This gave him plenty of time to write new material, much of which was written on an acoustic guitar with sparse arrangements. The resulting songs would go on to comprise one of his finest and most adored albums: King of America . This is Costello's first excursion into the world of Americana and folk and it pays off in spades. Nearly every song here is tight and the overall album is extremely focused. Costello clearly had a vision for this album and thanks to T-Bone Burnett's production the album feels both warm and intimate. It's a gentler and more introspective Costello record and it's a refreshing change of pace. Despite the fact that The Attractions hardly make an appearance the backup musicians are solid and gently compliment Costello's songs without robbing them of their honesty and rawness. It's a far cry from th...

"Congratulations! You've just bought our worst album!" This pessimistic phrase opened the liner notes of a reissued copy of this CD many years ago and apparently Costello's view hasn't changed with subsequent remasters and re-releases of this album. It's no surprise, especially considering that many fans and critics tend to view this album as his weakest work as well. With tension arising between himself and The Attractions, not to mention the collapse of his first marriage, Goodbye Cruel World is about as bleak as it gets. Many of the lyrics don't even try to hide this and Elvis readily admits that he took a decent bunch of songs and ended up completely missing the mark with them. It's a bleak picture but I personally believe that Costello's being a bit hard on himself. This album certainly isn't his finest work but it has enough gems to warrant a few spins and even ownership. The opener "The Only Flame in Town" (complete with a gue...

After the epic masterpiece of 1982's Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello wasted no time in taking the poppier elements of that album and taking them even further. Punch the Clock is undoubtably Costello's pop record, even more so than Armed Forces . The sound is brighter and definitely seeking a much different audience than might have been expected. Add to that the fact that the TKO Horns make an appearance on a number of songs and you have an album full of energetic, if somewhat dated, pop anthems that still sound unlike anything else he's done before or since. "Let Them All Talk" opens the album with a blast of horns and the always-flawless Attractions. Most of Costello's album openers give you a good idea of what you can expect the rest of the album to sound like and this song is no red herring; the confident horns and upbeat melody take you by surprise and both move along at a blistering pace. The TKO Horns lend their talents to numerous tracks here, includi...

Here it is: Elvis Costello's magnum opus and arguably his finest album. Imperial Bedroom is a sprawling and epic piece of work that finds Costello at his creative and contemplative best; it's an ambitious effort that, thanks in large part to Beatles producer Geoff Emerick, succeeds on every level and takes Elvis Costello and the Attractions further than they've ever gone before and possibly since. The first striking thing about this album is the sound itself. It has a warm and inviting sound that immediately draws you in. The songs have much more breathing room and feel more laid back than they did on any previous EC album and there's no doubt that Emerick is responsible for this. He takes Costello's songs and gives them a life of their own while still allowing Costello and the band to work their magic. It's slick and more restrained with a gentle warmness that flows effortlessly through every song. "Beyond Belief" is another gem in a long line of gre...

After releasing the brilliant Trust in 1981 Elvis Costello wasted no time in releasing a second album that same year. Costello had made it clear through his work that he was no stranger to experimentation and reinvention but few could have seen this album coming: a cover album of classic country tunes. It was a gutsy move that, despite the mixed results, gave us another side of Elvis Costello that would manifest itself on many future recordings. Costello had toyed with country sounds on previous records, especially on My Aim Is True , but this album found him taking it on full-force. All 12 cuts on this album are covers and, although done well, they're not as interesting as his original material. Still, there are some fine performances from EC and the Attractions. There are some energetic numbers like "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)?", "Honey Hush" and "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down". These are a lot of fun but some of the slower tra...

For his next album Elvis Costello said he wanted to mix the melodies of Armed Forces with the rhythms of Get Happy!! . 1981's Trust is a brilliant hybrid of his previous works, taking everything that made his first four albums successful and merging them together into one coherent work. Despite the fact that Elvis was drinking heavily at the time and the strain of touring seemed to be taking its toll on the group, he and The Attractions managed to churn out another brilliant record that still remains one of my utmost favorite Costello albums. The jangle and chimes of "Clubland" open the record in traditional Attractions style with a catchy chorus and energetic playing. It was never a high-charting single but it should have done better because it's a great piece of work in the classic Costello vein. "Lovers Walk" and "Strict Time" both give drummer Pete Thomas a chance to hammer way and his island-style drumming on these tracks gives them an extra...

By 1979 Elvis Costello and the Attractions had proven themselves to be one of the best and brightest acts to come out of the English music scene. Elvis Costello had shown over the course of three very different and distinct albums that he was nothing short of a songwriting genius. After the pop success of Armed Forces it seemed that everyone, including his label, was expecting a repeat with a similar sound and style. Elvis wasn't about to be put in a box and it all came to head in April of 1979 when, during a drunken argument in a bar, Costello uttered a racial slur that gained him a fair amount of backlash and suspicion. Costello has apologized on more than one occasion and has proven over the years that he's anything but a racist. Still, the damage was done and Elvis fought his way out of it through his music. Get Happy!! , released in 1980, is one of his most ambitious and exciting efforts. It's a mile-a-minute thrill ride through Motown and RnB stylings that no one coul...

By 1979 it seemed that Elvis Costello couldn't write a bad song or make a bad record. With two successful albums under his belt expectations were obviously high. Spending a good amount of time on the road, EC and The Attractions were a tight unit that had only improved over time. The album's original title was going to be Emotional Fascism but was later changed to Armed Forces and the title couldn't be more perfect. Not only does the album deal with global and domestic turbulence (mostly in the form of dysfunctional and unsatisfying relationships) but the title also works as a metaphor for the band themselves. They're tight, precise, and darn near flawless in execution. Like his two previous albums, Costello opens with a number that immediately grabs you in the form of "Accidents Will Happen". It still remains one of his finest pop gems and it's a personal favorite of mine. Right way it's apparent that this record features a more pop oriented sound tha...

After scoring a success with his debut album My Aim Is True Elvis Costello wasted no time in recording a follow-up. This Year's Model takes everything that made his first album great and multiplies it several times over. The catchy melodies and intricate wordplay remain firmly intact here but they're given an extra dose of energy by EC's famous backing band The Attractions, composed of Bruce Thomas on bass, Pete Thomas on drums, and Steve Nieve on keyboards. It's a firecracker combination that doesn't let up for even a second during the album's 39 minute duration. "No Action" opens the record with such intensity that it's almost exhausting just to listen to. Elvis begins by snarling, "I don't wanna kiss you, I don't wanna touch/I don't wanna see you 'cause I don't miss you that much." Every member of the band comes in at full-throttle and it's a perfect slice of punk energy that demands your attention and leaves yo...

Recorded in six four-hour sessions (essentially 24 hours), no one could have predicted that Elvis Costello's debut album My Aim Is True would go on to be considered one of rock n' roll's best albums over 30 years later. This explosive debut proved that Costello had the capacity for greatness and was a force to be reckoned with. His geeky Buddy Holly-esque manner of dress and penchant for clever wordplay and catchy melodies was all evident right from the beginning and one listen to this album is all it takes to convince even the most staunch critic. Right from the beginning EC wastes no time in grabbing your attention. The first line of the album states, "Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired and you can have anyone that you have ever desired/All you gotta tell me now is why, why, why, why, why." It's a fun piece of both brilliant and perverted wordplay that perfectly sets the stage for what's to follow. The album's opener,...