Rank E.C's albums - Detailed

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:37 am

Sorry im gonna pass on this one, it's far too hard - there are too many and its too difficult - I keep changing my mind!

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:48 pm

thomasso wrote:i'm sorry 'bout that. you're completely right. I din't mean to offend. MLAR is just my favorite album ... And always remeber, MLAR ROCKS!!

MLAR was the fourth Elvis album I ever owned, after Spike, KoA, and Blood & Chocolate. When I bought it, it was my second favorite (after B&C). I had a MLAR poster on my wall all through college (it came out my Freshman year). I hadn't heard anything earlier than KoA (except once when I was very young and got to hear TYM without knowing what it was or who he was). Anyway, the point is that I loved (and still very much admire) MLAR. When I started listening to older material, I just happened to like those records even more, which surprised me. Over the years, songs like "Broken" and a few others from Spike and MLAR really started to get on my nerves. Can't explain why. But I still adore "Other Side of Summer," "So Like Candy," "Hurry Down Doomsday," and "Invasion Hit Parade." My band plays "Summer" and "Candy," and I always introduce them by saying, "Here's one from the much maligned Mighty like a Rose."

I just happen to like his earlier stuff better (and much of his more recent material). I think there's not a single bad song on any Elvis album from MAIT through Imperial Bedroom. Some are better than others, and I like some albums more and others less. But that output is consistently amazing. It's not until Punch the Clock that I find anything not to like. And even that has some classics.

senior_service · Post by **senior_service** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:32 am

My Aim Is True ****
This Year's Model *****
Armed Forces ****1/2
Taking Liberties ****1/2
Get Happy!! *****
Trust ****
Almost Blue ***1/2
Imperial Bedroom *****
Punch The Clock ***
Goodbye Cruel World **
King Of America ****
Blood And Chocolate ****
Spike ***
Mighty Like A Rose *1/2
The Juliet Letters **1/2
Brutal Youth ***1/2
Painted From Memory ***
When I Was Cruel ****
North **1/2
The Delivery Man ***

Mikeh · Post by **Mikeh** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:34 am

Can I just say (deep breath....) I LOVE 'GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD' AND I HAVE LOVED IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT ON THE DAY IT CAME OUT! I am sorry, I know its wrong. I have tried to dislike it and I know all the reasons why it is not very good...but...I STILL LOVE IT!

strangerinthehouse · Post by **strangerinthehouse** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:12 am

BY *****
TYM *****
MAIT ***
AF ****
WIWC ****
NORTH ****
MLAR ***
Trust *****
GH *****
IB *****
B&C *****
JL ****
Spike ***
PTC *
KV *
AB **
TDM *****
PFM **
KOA ****

This is pretty much the order in which i got to know EC, except for the Very best of compilation i purchase after BY because even though it had some of his best songs i still ended up purchasing the records.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:12 am

The thing is when I say I don't like Goodbye Cruel World, I'm not saying 50 Cent's "The Massacre" is better, I'm just saying that compared to the others, it's overall is weaker. The Costello rule applies here too, any one of his albums are still amazingly good. Even Goodbye Cruel World could compare against 1984's best albums (Purple Rain, Learning to crawl, Born in the U.S.A, van Halen, Like a A Virgin, Reckless...see where I'm going 1984 didn't have much! GCW is one of the best albums for sure!)

lawngnome · Post by **lawngnome** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:14 am

Mikeh wrote:Can I just say (deep breath....) I LOVE 'GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD' AND I HAVE LOVED IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT ON THE DAY IT CAME OUT! I am sorry, I know its wrong. I have tried to dislike it and I know all the reasons why it is not very good...but...I STILL LOVE IT!

Its ok... I love Only Flame in Town.... Its the only song I've heard from the ablum, and its just so damn peppy! I can't halp it...

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 2:03 pm

thomasso wrote:The thing is when I say I don't like Goodbye Cruel World, I'm not saying 50 Cent's "The Massacre" is better, I'm just saying that compared to the others, it's overall is weaker. The Costello rule applies here too, any one of his albums are still amazingly good. Even Goodbye Cruel World could compare against 1984's best albums (Purple Rain, Learning to crawl, Born in the U.S.A, van Halen, Like a A Virgin, Reckless...see where I'm going 1984 didn't have much! GCW is one of the best albums for sure!)

I think Purple Rain, Learning to Crawl, and Born in the USA are much better than GCW. And don't forget that 1984 also gave us Laurie Anderson's Mister Heartbreak, U2's Unforgettable Fire, REM's Reckoning, Husker Du's Zen Arcade, The Smiths, The Replacements' Let it Be, Cocteau Twins' Treasure, Echo & the Bunnymen Ocean Rain, INXS The Swing, Siouxsie & the Banshees Haeyna, and....This is Spinal Tap. I'd say that most of those records are at least as good (some much, much better) than GCW.

1984 wasn't that bad a year for music.

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:24 pm

noiseradio wrote: I think Purple Rain, Learning to Crawl, and Born in the USA are much better than GCW. And don't forget that 1984 also gave us Laurie Anderson's Mister Heartbreak, U2's Unforgettable Fire, REM's Reckoning, Husker Du's Zen Arcade, The Smiths, The Replacements' Let it Be, Cocteau Twins' Treasure, Echo & the Bunnymen Ocean Rain, INXS The Swing, Siouxsie & the Banshees Haeyna, and....This is Spinal Tap. I'd say that most of those records are at least as good (some much, much better) than GCW.

1984 wasn't that bad a year for music.

No it most certainly was not, Born in the USA is one of my favourite Springsteen albums, as is the case with The Unfortgettable Fire for U2. And don't forget Simple Minds' Sparkle In The Rain, Jarre's Zoolook or Rush's Grace Under Pressure (their last great album imo.)

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:39 pm

Not a big Rush fan (though all the Rush fans I know agree with you), but I did forget Zoolook and Sparkle in the Rain, both essential records.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 5:25 pm

Hmmm you guys actually tihnk 1984 was a good musical year? I must be out of my mind. I'm not an 80's fan at all, but where the hell is the talent? In INXS, Prince and The Smiths? C'mon Costello kiked all their asses all the way to china 5 times before they hit the ground!

Masterpiece? · Post by **Masterpiece?** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:10 am

Don't get me started on the 80s...I'm a huge New Wave head, and no one can convince me that this era didn't produce some incredible music. Anyway...

I started buying EC around Punch the Clock, and quickly snapped up GH!! and the rest of the back catalogue. Then I bought albums as they came out, all on vinyl until MLAR (but by then I had also rebought most of them on CD as well). I rebought everything from the Ryko reissues, but I'm being more picky about the Rhino reissues as I don't find the sound quality to be any better, nor the extra tracks any more amazing.

My Aim Is True ***
This Year's Model ***
Armed Forces ****
Get Happy!! *****
Trust ****
Almost Blue **
Imperial Bedroom *****
Punch The Clock ****
Goodbye Cruel World **
King Of America ****
Blood And Chocolate *****
Spike ***
Mighty Like A Rose **
The Juliet Letters ****
Brutal Youth ****
Kojak Variety **
Painted From Memory ****
When I Was Cruel ****
North **
The Delivery Man ***

If we were including the following:

Deep Dead Blue ****
Out of Our Idiot ****
Costello & Nieve ***

Masterpiece? · Post by **Masterpiece?** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:30 am

p.s. Also from 1984:

The Pretenders - Learning to Crawl
Eurythmics - Touch
Joe Jackson - Body and Soul
Rickie Lee Jones - The Magazine
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
The Smiths - The Smiths (also Hatful of Hollow)
Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
The Replacements - Let It Be
Run-DMC - Run-DMC
Psych Furs - Mirror Moves
UB40 - Geffrey Morgan
Lloyd Cole & the Commotions - Rattlesnakes
Thompson Twins - Into the Gap
Bangles - All Over the Place
Don Henley - Building the Perfect Beast
Boomtown Rats - In the Long Grass
The Cure - The Top
Bananarama - Bananarama
Art of Noise - Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?

...and the Repo Man soundtrack.

(sorry, back on topic)

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:44 am

thomasso wrote:Hmmm you guys actually tihnk 1984 was a good musical year? I must be out of my mind. I'm not an 80's fan at all, but where the hell is the talent? In INXS, Prince and The Smiths? C'mon Costello kiked all their asses all the way to china 5 times before they hit the ground!

Prince is a musical genius, who's responsible for a few of the greatest records ever made. Just about all of them are from the 80s, including 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, Lovesexy, The BLack Album, and the incomparable Sign O' the Times. You sound like a person who might only be familiar with recent Prince, much of which is great, but which would be a shame. He's one of the most amazing guitarists ever to pick up the instrument, puts on a spectacular live show, and is more influential that most of his 80s contemporaries. Elvis kicks a lot of ass, but Prince isn't one of them.

I'm much less of a Smiths or INXS fan, but there's no denying the inlfluence of either Moz or Johnny Marr, and Michael Hutchence was a great singer. Moz's vocal style has been ripped off for two solid decades, and no one really does his thing better (though I prefer the Housemartins overall, derivative as they are). Johnny Marr's guitar is proof that the rhythm part can be as interesting as a lead part. "How Soon is Now" is one of the greatest vocal and guitar performances in the history of modern music. For several years ina arow, the sound of INXS was synonymous with cool music. They were the one band that pop heads and underground music fans could agree on in the late 80s. I think they did some pretty inadequate stuff, especially later on. But as Bamboo can attest to, INXS absolutely had the goods.

I'm glad to know you're an enthusiastic fan of Elvis. But other people have talent, too. I don't understand your need to denigrate other people's tastes here. These are well-thought out and informed opinions being expressed here. It's not as if anyone is championing Taylor Dayne, Tiffany, or Frankie Goes to Hollywood here. Then you might have a case for lack of talent. But Prince, talentless? Where's your head?

VonOfterdingen · Post by **VonOfterdingen** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:57 am

Im with Noise Radio.
Prince might me the artist of the 80's. Carlos Santana called His Purpleness "the worlds most underrated guitarist" a few years back.

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 6:29 am

I'm fairly interested in Prince and I've been trying to start listening to him. I downloaded the Sign 'O' the Times album but it sounds terribly dated. Mostly what bugs me is the weak, flat sound of the instruments and I usually like the 80's sound in a way.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:03 pm

I've heard all of Prince's stuff. I'm not ignorant towards his music nor am I trying to gain support. I don't think he stands a chance against Elvis, I don't think he stands a chance against much. Part of the reason he's "Talented" is because he produced records in a time where most of the albums were meant to sell and have hits (Just look at Costello's own 80's Catalogue for pop-hits contenders: PTC,GCW,SP, etc). Personally, Prince isn't my favorite artist...by far, I'm not sure if many fans of Elvis Costello also lean towards Prince, but if you do, that's fine too, because Ive got my own weird tastes as well (Tango, Country-Rock, Folk, Peter Gabriel [has his own category], etc).

lawngnome · Post by **lawngnome** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:13 pm

Not only is Prince one of the best artists, but he puts on one of the greatest live shows ever. I was reeling afterwards. It was just amazing...

And 1984 also was the year of David Bowie's Tonight, which, while it was possibly the worst of the "dance trio"albums, featured one of his best-selling singles- "Blue Jean." It wasn't all bad!

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:17 pm

Part of the reason he's "Talented" is because he produced records in a time where most of the albums were meant to sell and have hits

errr - I dont think there has ever been an album made EVER that hasnt been made to sell and have hits - except maybe Metal Machine Music.
Prince is right up with the Costello's of this world when it comes to talent. "Parade" is as fine an album as has ever been made. The main problem I have with most 80s records is the terrible production values that were in vogue at the time. I heard Springsteens "Human Touch" on the radio yesterday - a prime example of crap 80s production. The best music of the 80s is that which ignored the "sound of the day" and stuck to more natural production values - like the Smiths self titled debut and REMs Murmur, Reckoning etc. There was a hell of a lot of great music created in the 80s, like most things, you just have to dig a little under the surface
to find it. Stuff like :-

echo and the bunnymen - ocean rain
spacemen3 - playing with fire
talk talk - the colour of spring, spirit of eden
the cocteau twins - treasure
husker du - new day rising, zen arcade
the dbs - stands for decibels
the smiths - the smiths
the replacements - tim
televsion personalities - dont the kids just love it
young marble giants - collosal youth
king crimson - discipline
pixies - sufer rosa
rem - reckoning
dinosaur jr - your living all over me
my bloody valentine- isnt anything
jesus and mary chain - pyscho candy
galaxy 500 - on fire
sonic youth - daydream nation

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 3:29 am

For several years ina arow, the sound of INXS was synonymous with cool music. They were the one band that pop heads and underground music fans could agree on in the late 80s. I think they did some pretty inadequate stuff, especially later on. But as Bamboo can attest to, INXS absolutely had the goods.

Noise- Despite how much I like INXS I think they had a rough ride with fame. They were considered cool music always by fans exposed to airwaves at least here in Australia, and also eventually and intensely by a lot of overzealous laggart critics from the big growing worldwide popularity of Kick ('87). There'd been a definite coolness about them on the rise, cool to listen to at the beach in the heat of summer and the smell of hot food or in the car or whatever. But then their profile I think became confused, mainly at the hands of the English music press who largely despised their apparently affected appeal to the US as they perceived it. To be fair though, also at their own hands. Because in the mid to late 80's they seemed not to realize that besides Hutchence undoubtably always being a star the rest of them never could be. Some in the band weren't as grounded and often didn't know how to dress or act-- they were dags. And in cringe inducing interviews they'd pretend like they didn't care but they really did, in my estimation... - if you're going to act like a star, learn the art of it I say. Hutchence always wanted their visibility to be as a band. Their sales diminished gradually in the 90's but at least they still made excellent records, I lazily discovered. I like their penultimate, Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ('92), most. Their last, Elegantly Wasted ('97, the year Hutchence died), was their most disappointing to me. The Swing (which I like easily better than GCW) sounds pretty 80's, however none of their 80's records sound too similar to the others and, save for the very early INXS and Underneath The Colours, I consider them about as good.

Masterpiece - The 80's spawned many an enjoyably cheesy soundtrack... Footloose, Top Gun... Days Of Thunder, anyone? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... 8?v=glance

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:46 am

I think King Crimson's Discipline sounds rather 80's, however they use it to great effect. It's a brilliant album and my favourite next to Red.

Anyone into Adrian Belew's solo work? I've been meaning to try something, but I don't know where to start.

And while on the subject of Prince, where's the best place to start?

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:59 am

Havent really heard any of Belews solo work but as far as Prince goes I would go for Parade or Around the World in a Day. Sign of the Times is great too but being a double album might be a little much to digest first up.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:48 am

I second Around The World In A Day.
A collection of outstanding songs.

And there's a connection with our Elvis.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 4:00 pm

I was just going to say that Elvis himself esteems Prince very highly. He played Pop Life on the Singing Songbook Tour, and is on record many times praising his purpleness.

Some people just aren't funky enough to get Prince.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:10 am

This Years Model *****
Trust ***
Blood and Chocolate ****.5
Armed Forces ****
Get Happy *****
King of America ****
The Delivery Man ***
Imperial Bedroom *****
When I was Cruel ***
Brutal Youth ****
My Aim is True ***
Taking Liberties***
Costello/Nieve ****
El Macambo***
Girls Girls Girls **
All this useless beauty ****
Almost Blue ***.5
North ***
Il Sogno **
Out of Our Idiot ****
Spike ****
Kojak Variety **
Juliet Letters **
Mighty Like a Rose ***.5
Punch the Clock ****
Painted from Memory ***
Goodbye Cruel World **

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Rank E.C's albums - Detailed

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