Note: the CD I listened to was the 1994 Rykodisc reissue with 9 bonus tracks.
I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I was once at a dinner party where I was offered some wine by what I'll graciously call an enthusiastic, self-proclaimed wine aficionado. I politely declined, but this guy was insistent. I responded with some BS along the lines of "the sulfites give me a headache" hoping he would finally leave me the hell alone. But just like your friendly neighborhood corner drug pusher, he kept at me saying, "I believe everybody likes wine, they just haven't yet found the wine they like." [I'll pause here whilst you roll your eyes.] I'm not sure if he just wanted to be 'right,' or if he needed my approval as if that would somehow validate his own wine opinions. In any case, I walked away from the winey and opened a beer. Scene.
What's that story got to do with this Elvis Costello album? For many years (and on previous posts to this blog) I've said/written things like "I'm not much of an Elvis Costello fan, but occasionally I'll pick up a Costello release because I sometimes think I should like him. But I always reach the same conclusion: Costello is a great songwriter and usually includes 3 or 4 wonderfully crafted pop songs on each of his albums. So, to me, he's more of a singles artist than an albums artist." And then I bought this CD. It's fantastic throughout. So, relating to the above tale, apparently everybody likes Elvis Costello albums, they just haven't yet found the album they like. I don't know how I possibly would have been introduced to this album back in '81, but I'd welcome a visit to that alternate universe because this would have sounded fantastic pouring out of the windows of my '72 Ford Maverick.
A cohesive mix of styles (if that makes any sense). And Steve Nieve remains one of the most underrated rock keyboardists of all time - if it's even possible for a hall of famer to be considered underrated. He's got a helluva an ear and the talent to play exactly what is needed at precisely the right time. Plus there's Nick Lowe's production. I could go on and on. Yada, yada, yada, better-late-than-never, etc.
In The Village Voice's annual 'Pazz & Jop' critic's list, this album placed at #3 for 1981, but was lauded as #1 in Trouser Press. Ten years ago, Rolling Stone magazine's Rob Sheffield called the album "Elvis Costello’s Best (and Most Curiously Underrated) Album." And I think he's right. My favorite EC song remains Beyond Belief, the lead track from Imperial Bedroom, but as far as albums go, it's Trust.
Press of the time:
- Smash Hits (9 out of 10): "buy it"
- Rolling Stone (★★★★): "the results are awesome."
- Downbeat (★★★★½): "displays a great diversity of musical styles and a powerful ability to achieve emotional impact with tommy-gunned lyrics and mournful pleas alike."
- Robert Christgau (A): "This is rock and roll as eloquent, hard-hitting pop"
- Billboard: "Arguably, this is by far Costello's best album yet."
- Musician: "a more open, brighter feel"
- Trouser Press: "As always, the album contains some instant classics that, without relying on a formula, could only have sprung from the Costello pen."
- Roadrunner: "dare I say it?, this is his best album yet."
Album chart peaks:
- US Billboard 200: #28
- Billboard Rock: #16
- CashBox: #27
- Rolling Stone: #11
Tracks: The best songs are Clubland, Lovers' Walk (with that wonderful Diddley beat), Strict Time, Luxembourg, Watch Your Step, New Lace Sleeves, From A Whisper To A Scream (with Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze), and Fish 'n' Chip Paper. The only skippable track is Different Finger, which is a bit too country for my liking.
Bonus tracks: a couple of later b-sides and previously unreleased material, some with unrefined production. Nothing really objectionable other than an ill-advised cover of Cole Porter's Love For Sale; but nothing measures up to the original album. The only tracks that kinda catch my ear are Sad About Girls and Seconds of Pleasure. Long story short: the only tracks I've ripped to files are the original album, tracks 1-14.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Until I bought this CD, my only knowledge of this album came from Less Than Zero, the 1987 movie as well as the 1985 book (pic of my battered paperback below).
Previously revisited for the blog:
Painted From Memory (1998)
Spike (1989)
Imperial Bedroom (1982)
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