My Aim Is True

I think the editor of 1001 Albums must have lost his first virginity to Elvis Costello or something. Every album is just incredibly okay. Not unpleasant, but pretty good. But he keeps popping up! I am learning that Elvis Costello has existed fairly consistently. But this is meant to be 1001 of the best albums to hear before you die. On my deathbed, of I even remember listening to this, I don't think I'm going to think "I wish I had listened to more of Costello's consistent but dull music.

A pretty cool style for the time period. Didn't love anything here, but nothing excruciating either Side note; whether intentional or not, this is one of the ugliest album covers I've ever seen with my own eyes

Is Elvis aim was to produce an album with 13 songs that are exactly the same, he has achieved this.

One of my all-time favorites. Packed with great songwriting. An incredible debut album. I love how confidently he uses different genre styles throughout the album. There’s some doo-wop on “No Dancing,” country twang on “Blame It On Cain,” old fashioned rock n roll on “Mystery Dance,” and reggae in the beat of “Watching the Detectives.” Most of all Elvis Costello just sounds so cool. He’s a great performer. I remember listening to this in high school and even though I was too nervous to date girls at the time, this album gave me a little window into an adult world of relationships and sex. Hearing Elvis Costello sing about dating with a snarky attitude had a huge impression on me. He was smart and nerdy looking but still had swagger. A lot of songs went over my head — I still don’t know what “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” or “Less Than Zero” are about) — but I loved the style with which he sang them. Fun fact: I was Elvis Costello for Halloween in college once and I based my look on this album cover. I’m sorry to say no known photographs exist of this costume but I swear it was really good.

Yasssssssss. Not sure anything more needs to be said, but this is in my top 20 ever albums based on the line "she's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake" alone, much less Alison, Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes and everything else on this goldmine.

Another artist that I know is well-respected but that I knew little about. What a great album. And the Elvis moniker is very befitting - he's got his own sense of rockabilly for the modern era. Very cool. Some perfect examples were Mystery Dance (sounds like Elvis Presley reimagined) and No Dancing (sounds like a modern cross between the King and the Beach Boys). Welcome to the Working Week might be the coolest 90 second song ever made; it doesn't feel that short with all he packs into it. I still don't love Alison, other than to jokingly sing the title like Costello does. Still, side one is brilliant. Great energy and great arrangements, with neat wordplay. Side two isn't far behind. The singles Red Shoes and Less than Zero are solid, but I really like the tempo and beats in Pay it Back.

What an overrated, low-talent hack. Elvis Costello has hung his whole career on leveraging the misplaced, rose-tinted-glasses nostalgia of white middle class America. And they've eaten it up thinking that this plastic imitation is the real deal.

Now this is some grade-A power pop.

I would say its at least twice as good Blood and Chocolate so that makes it a 6 on a 5 star scale? I feel like this album has a ton of personality and is fun to listen to. A variety of sounds that all still carry Elvis's style without being an album of songs that all sound the same

Wow, I really enjoyed this album. I've heard of Elvis Costello, but can't say I ever listened to his music (at least if I did, I didn't know about it). This was just a fun, high quality album. It's like a more modern version of classic rock 'n roll (and songs like No Dancing and Less than Zero sound like pure old fashioned Rock n' roll). Favorite tracks were Miracle Man, Waiting for the End of the World, and Pay It Back (which really got stuck in my head). Least favorite were Alison and I'm Not Angry. Both were just a little cheesy, but still enjoyable (and the guitar on I'm Not Angry was pretty good). Looking forward to listening to more of his stuff.

What a debut! Costello came out of the gate running. Pure anger, spitting power pop. BT: Welcome To The Working Week, Alison, (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

Really like the album, both songs I knew and loved, and others that I had never heard before. To this point, this is my highest rated album.

Better than the other album but I still don't really get what is so important/significant/brilliant about Elvis Costello. 5/10

This guy is such an asshole. Best track: Alison

Just like all his other stuff I like it but don't find it too interesting, feels like he has 1 or 2 songs on an album that are really nice to me and then lots of fillers which I don't mind but are very forgettable

I honestly don't get the hype. Would this guy even be famous if he hadn't changed his name and have the fortune of having an album gain popularity in the wake of [the other] Elvis's passing?

Wow, it’s hard to believe this is his first, and not a greatest hits album. Lots of really good tunes, and “Alison” just gets better and better with age. “Watching the Detectives” still has an incredible base line and punchey drums, “Less than Zero”, and “Blame it on Cain” still hold up 45 years.

I dug this one a lot for some reason. It’s got this earnest nerdy rock vibe to it that feels like a precursor to more modern stuff I like, like weezer, lcd soundsystem, the strokes. The songs are fun and energetic but also feel genuine and homespun and have a rebellious youth vibe to them. Allison is an all-timer, Welcome to the working week is a great opener, the stretch from blame it on Cain to mystery dance is pretty killer. I don't love watching the detectives as the closer but otherwise I like the album from top to bottom. Probably a strong 8 for me

I really liked this album. Such a good debut record!!

A classic. I don’t love Elvis Costello’s later stuff, but this holds. It’s a unique, angsty kind of punk that was very unique at the time.

My fave album by the Other Elvis.

My first time hearing Costello was in December of last year, with the album "This Year's Model" with his band The Attractions. This isn't quite as strong. Something about his voice frustrates me, like it's in an uncanny valley between a few other, better vocalists. He sounds *kind of* like Billy Joel, the better Elvis, the Strokes, and a few other rock bands from various eras mashed together. Another problem, related to that one, is that the music doesn't really bring anything new to the party, other than some decent compositions. The style is an odd sort of soft-punk, with clear 50s/60s R&B and rock influences. (My friend and I argued briefly about whether this counted as rock, and we couldn't come to an agreement. But being "genreless" isn't necessarily a good thing.) There's a lot of filler music and poor mixing on the album too. As for the positives: Watching The Detectives, Alison, Red Shoes, and Less Than Zero are really fun little tunes, especially when paying attention to the instrumentals only. Watching The Detectives has a great bassline that really holds the song together. Alison is an enjoyable sort of chill power pop, featuring a chorus that sounds exactly how you'd expect based on the title and genre. Throughout the album, the guitar and drums are generally pretty good, and the bass is pretty killer. 3/5 Key tracks: Alison, (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes, Less Than Zero, Watching The Detectives

Not a huge amount to say about this. Enjoyable for the most part, nothing to write home about though. Just a good 70s album, nothing more or less.

Another album I was dreading this week that was much better than expected, this time thanks to Costello opting to nOt dO waCkY gOofY thInGs WItH hIS vOicE.

I dunno man, sometimes shit just rocks

Elvis Costello crosses so many genres here you’d think it wouldn’t work. Not only does it work, it works in such a way that creates a sound that is unique to Elvis Costello. I can hear a strong Beatles influence as well as elements of reggae, punk, laurel canyon folk, and new wave. Elvis Costello’s vocal delivery is energetic and unique as well

First Elvis album, either Costello or Presley. If we're including "Watching The Detectives" on this album (and there's no reason not to, it was on every United States version of the LP), there's a chance this could be the best Elvis album (although not overall if we include Presley). What a debut album, from the moment the killer Track 1 kicks off through the end. Oh, and "Alison" is on this album. This is the power pop you're looking for. There's a ton of Elvis on this list, and if I could only have one (Costello) album, I'd be hard pressed choosing between this one and "This Year's Model".

Great record. Throwback to 50s/60s rock and r&b but with 70s punk vibe/influences. Also somewhat of a landmark for alt/indie rock.

I've never been a big fan but I recognize the talent. I had an old boyfriend that listened to him too much and it put me off it forever. But this is an iconic album. Favorite track: Watching the Detectives

I know all of EC's pre-1990 albums like my own heartbeat and this is nowhere near the best of the lot. What strikes me, revisiting it now, is that its main contribution is in the cleverness of the lyrics; the songs are straight-up rock & roll tunes (only Watching the Detectives, which was not on the original album, sounds like any kind of departure). Nonetheless, I have to give it at least a 4 for cultural significance and announcing a major talent, not to mention encapsulating my youth. (Also, do yourself a favor and listen to a remaster--the old one sounds like crap)

No one writes or sings like Elvis Costello.

Better than I expected—especially because I didn’t like the last EC album.

I discovered and started to like (as much as possible) Elvis Costello on the 1001 list. After five (5!) albums, I feel he can achieve the impossible. He can sound very repetitive, and very repetitive, even though it has one of the widest ranges of styles on the list. How is it possible? I don't know. I prefer his work with "The Attractions," but I didn't dislike this debut. The rawness that is only possible in a debut album saves it from being just "another (but different)" Elvis Costello album.

I’m going start off by saying something nice about Elvis Costello, because in my previous reviews I’ve refered to him as “the pied piper of shitty records” and made allusion to hoping that he gets mauled by a lion. I think it’s only fair to pay him a compliment, because, honestly…those were kind of shitty things to say about a guy whose only real crime is writing some not-so-hot songs. So, without further adieu, a compliment for Elvis Costello: Elvis Costello plays a Fender Jazzmaster and I think that makes him pretty cool. Now, with that out of the way, I’ve got some shitty things to say about Elvis Costello. Just kidding. For me, Elvis Costello is an artist whose work became more and more conceited as his career went on. In other words, he started off pretty strong and it all went downhill from there. “My Aim is True” is a solid slab of power pop. It doesn’t get bogged down in self-importance or have lofty ambitions. It’s just a straight forward rock record: concise and with a set of songs that are all pretty good. His later albums would become a little too big for their britches, if you will, but here, he is in fine form.

this was a bit hit and miss and when i did like a song it was really good as oppose to songs i didnt really like which were fine but not like fine when you see an attractive person and elongate the i in fine

Well you know what it didn't rile me as much as usual. I still find it bland really don't get the ES hype. But still surprisingly ok

See previous Costello reviews.

This album would have been 5 stars if it was written by Declan Patrick MacManus and not Elvis Costello. Walk into a Johnny Rockets or Hard Rock Café and I can guarantee you hear one of these songs playing. Middle of the road and as vanilla as it gets from the late 70's. Some good hits but nothing special.

Living up to my usual tropes re: Elvis Costello, debut albums and Greatest Hits. The tracks from here included on Girls, Girls, Girls are wonderful, the rest very meh particularly those that take a dead end into pop country and rockabilly. Keep trying Elvis!

Off-brand Elton John?

overall: feels like every awkward dance scene in a teen rom com. elvis costello to me sounds like a guy trynna be someone else like drowned in water and thrown across a field? i cant put my finger on it but it just doesnt sound right. the instrumentals arent bad especially for the time. take this album, tweak it for the 90s and it would slap

Inte min musik

This is where the rot began. If people hadn't bought this record, let it be the abject failure it should have been, then maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't have been cursed with more content by Mr Costello. This is the saddest, retro-pop from one of the most exciting times in music. It's like Billy Joel and Buddy Holly got together and produced the blandest collection of awful music, pretending the last twenty years hadn't happened. The Wikipedia article has punk as one of the genres for this, but I couldn't hear anything remotely punk about it, just fake. There was a Rockabilly revival coming round the corner, with Shakin' Stevens and The Stray Cats among other bands who jumped on the bandwagon in the early 80s. I remember how truly awful they all were, but I still hold Elvis Costello as one of the originals, exhuming something that should have remained dead.

I’m not a stickler for authenticity but Elvis Costello just comes off so fake.

The most uniquely sophisticated lyricist in the history of rock music, Elvis Costello spawns a universe of effortless wordplay, effective storytelling, and pop-punk compositions that stand alone in their capacity to move you cerebrally and lowdown corporeally. Lyrically, he knows that memorability has to do w/ word choices that surprise as much as they align w/ our expectations. He rhymes vengeance w/ sentence, punctured w/ disgusted, listen w/ ignition, visit w/ limit, parents w/ disappearance, as any deft rapper might. The only comparable lyricist I can come up w/ is Smokey Robinson, who likewise grasps the sticky materiality and objectivity of words. And in terms of the music itself, it boils down to rockabilly meets punkabilly. Superb.

Never thought I would love this as much as I did! Cook mix of several different musical genres. Punk, rock and RnB.

This came out just when I was switching my musical preferences from what you would call classic rock today phase into my punk, post-punk and new wave phase and this is one of the reasons for the change. Standouts are Allison, Red Shoes and Less Than Zero

WELCOME TO THE WORKIN' WEEK!! what an opener... i know it don't thrill you, i hope it don't kill you... lol... MIRACLE MAN... another banger... bam... bam... now this is rock n roll... bop city baby... NO DANCING... hey not every song can be a homerun... but not a bad little doo wop, throwback tune... almost, dare i say it, Springsteen like... BLAME IT ON CAIN... straight up banger... it's like EC is running through all the old versions of RnR... and giving it a punky overtone... ALISON... a standard... and what a vocal performance by Elvis... one of the great songs of my lifetime... SNEAKY FEELINGS... another cool rockin' throwback... i think he may be doing a Van Morrison impression here... THE ANGELS WANT TO WEAR MY RED SHOES, LESS THAN ZERO, MYSTERY DANCE... three of the best songs of the era... PAY IT BACK... another throwback sounding RnR tune... I'M NOT ANGRY... not a homerun, but strong... WAITING FOR THE END OF THE WORLD... straight up Banger... and a classic tune... and the album closer, WATCHING THE DETECTIVES... a reggae tinged, all timer... what a great album... five freakin' stars... he looked like a punk... but was a real rock n roller... Elvis Costello... legend.

In preparation to see Elvis Costello open for Bob Dylan when I was in college ~2008, this was the first album I listened to to get familiar with his music. I loved it from the beginning, and even though I think Costello has a remarkably deep catalog I still think it’s his best. It gets wrapped into British punk and new wave, but I almost look at it as Born To Run’s British cousin. Tremendous songwriting, passionate vocals, and great arrangements throughout.

Listened to this album all Summer in 1978, and still like it a lot. Saw the concert for this album but the venue was not great and concert was too short. I haven't liked anything he has done since then. 5 stars or A.

This one might be his best.

Costello has been on my radar since my high school days - the man is legend in my book and been on my play lists for decades.

I enjoyed this, great album I only knew a couple of Elvis Costello’s songs before listening to this album.

Ugh fucking masterpiece. Love the vibe of this album in particular it is kinda saturated. So damn good

I loved this. Listened to it multiple times.

pretty solid. underrated by me before

Awesome! Like a 50's rock mix of Elton John, Billy Joel & Buddy Holly. Best album yet.

If you’ve heard an Elvis Costello song on the radio it’s probably from this album.

kicking off is the debut album of elvis costello; if you're the kind of guy who loves classic rock, you'll LOVE this album. this to me is a brilliant example of mixing old and (at the time) new, catchy and original alternative rock music with vintage influence. i wonder if costello was a big fan of presley... his music also reminds me of weezer's, like if it was one guy in the 70s instead of a 90s band. he's delightfully strange and almost nerdy, unconventional when compared to the classic rock heartthrobs, but with music so full of emotion. it's an awesome listen.

An unexpected favorite. Right out of the gate I loved this album. The mix of musical styles and influences was great.

4.5

I read Complicated Shadows a few years ago and was disappointed to learn that Elvis Costello (born Declan MacManus) really didn’t have anything in his history, upbringing, or story that justified his being such a significant musician or such a significant asshole. And yet here he is. This is great music made by a tedious person. I love this album, and whether or not he is rehabilitated from his dickhead years, I’m glad I’ve never been locked in a walk in pantry with Elvis Costello.

Very obviously influential on artists to come

Und immer wieder ein Push nach vorne. Großartig!

Possibly the strongest debut of all time. Simply fantastic

- If you don't understand what a great songwriter Elvis is, I can't help you. Another stellar debut album ..... -

There have been a few concerts I've attended where I went in knowing the bare minimum about the artist -- a few hits maybe -- and came away as a fan. Seeing Bruce Springsteen bring the noise for three hours was one. Seeing the Old 97's in a historic ballroom was another. The third? Elvis Costello. Emmylou Harris opened for him. He was astoundingly good as a performer, his stage banter was top notch, and his guitar tech was the hardest working roadie in the biz. And it all started here with this hard-to-look-at-the-cover album. What a tight set of tunes. No skips -- just rock and roll in all its awesome variations with songwriting that's tight as shit. (Seriously, few lyrics in rock history go as hard as "She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake.") So many good, hookable songs on here. Just turn it on, turn it up, and enjoy. Unexpected bangers: Miracle Man, Sneaky Feelings, Mystery Dance

Very plugged in sound - incredibly listenable. Absolutely part and parcel of a movement. Ear worms for days on this album.

Another excellent Elvis album. Something about his music I just really vibe with.

classic album from MY YOUTH

One of the all-time greatest debut albums.

A true masterpiece 10/10

<3

I asked a witty classmate what he thought of New Wave? He replied, "Old hat." He was wrong.

I like this

Already one of my favourite albums of all time. Brilliant.

Really enjoyed it, recommend it😊

I could never quite get why Elvis Costello had some albums with The Attractions, and some that weren't. They were all intermingled. But I digress... My Aim Is True came out just as the New Wave/Punk movement was making headway into the mainstream. Punk had started in NYC, made its way to London, and was heading out to L.A. in 1977. Even in a year of crowded albums by The Ramones, Blondie, The Clash, and Talking Heads, My Aim Is True stood out. It wasn't just fast and loud, or kitschy, or artsy. It was all that but also bittersweet (Allison), literary (Watching the Detectives), socially conscience (Welcome to the Working Week, and just fun (The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes. There's so much going on, but the album is cohesive. Costello's popularity has never been about his voice, which is marginal though original. It has never been about his guitar playing, which is fine but not exceptional. His main attraction (see what I did there) is his songwriting and My Aim Is True is a tour de force of songwriting.

When I got this album yesterday I laughed out loud. I know that Elvis Costello is kind of the villain of this project for many people; he’s got like eight albums on this list. I’ve been doing this for over a year and still hadn’t gotten a single one of his albums and was starting to wonder when I’d see him. And here he was, AND, it was his very first album. Here’s the thing - I LOVE Elvis Costello!!! Now, I don’t love every single album he’s made. But I love A LOT of them. So I was absolutely tickled to get this one yesterday. Perfect songs, perfectly short (I blasted through this album like three times yesterday). I love Costello’s voice, the lyrics are cheeky and smart. Hooks are there. This is truly a perfect album! Here’s to 7 more Costello albums!

Great album to listen to during a work week. Dude literally invented The Police with Watching The Detectives. So many great tracks and a good cover to boot. It would be an honor to be compared to this guy.

For some reason I wasn't that excited to get this one and am getting around to it about a month late. But I was a fool, it's very good and at least 4.5 stars. I'm rounding up.

Loved it. Great beats, ska vibes, interesting songs - absolutely classic!

Really enjoyed this album and will be looking into more of Elvis Costello's work! Keep the good tunes coming.

It's such a cliche to like Elvis Costello, I hate it.

It can honestly be kind of frustrating that some of the hardest albums for me to write about are the ones that are among my favorites of all time. For real, this album is one of those that I describe as being "entrenched in my soul," alongside stuff like Pink Floyd's THE WALL, The Beatles' ABBEY ROAD, and Weird Al's ALPOCALYPSE. It was one of the first two albums I ever picked up on vinyl. It's been pretty much always one of my first choices whenever I just wanna throw on a random album. Heck, I've barely listened to any other Elvis Costello album outside of a few songs simply because they just don't hit me in the same way that this one does. And the whole time, I've hardly thought about **why** — and I never even really wanted to. I was just happy to accept it as one of my all-time favorites without reason or question. So, like, I'm not even sure exactly what I wanna say here. But you didn't stumble across this review expecting no opinion, so if I could take a stab at it... I think it's because this album is kind of nerdy. Not in the way that, like, They Might Be Giants is nerdy, but more like... I mean, just look at him on that album cover. Scrawny. Bit of an awkward pose. And with the **Buddy Holly glasses**... This man is not cool. If he was in a high school movie, the jocks would be pushing him around. Heck, even at a regular corporate job, the guys who used to be jocks would be doing the same thing. But he is **smart**. He knows his way around words and then some. And it's not even particularly deep poetry; it's just good words, about life and love and all that. And as for the music, well, he was never gonna make it as an absolute rocker, so instead he makes this New Wave pub punk power pop... And gawddamn, he's **so good** at it, and it's so perfect for his voice... And you gotta look at his smirk on the cover, too: he might not be traditionally cool, but hell if he cares. This is the music he wanted to make, and dammit, he's happy with it. I gotta throw a shout-out to The Clovers (the band who backed Costello on this album), too. I think part of the reason why I never really 100% gelled with Costello's later albums is that he switched to being backed by The Attractions, and while they are a good band, don't get me wrong, they're just... A little more forceful than I'd like Costello's music to be. The Clovers, from what I've read, were a country band, so they're a little looser, a little more relaxed... And, I'unno, I just think they're perfect for the material here. They probably couldn't do "Radio, Radio" all too well, but for stuff like "Allison", "Miracle Man", "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes)" and "Less Than Zero", I couldn't imagine them being performed any differently. This is subdued rocking, but it's still rocking nonetheless. And those, hopefully, were the right words to explain why I was always gonna give this album a perfect 5. 'Coz, don't me wrong, I do believe in those words, but... I'unno. Just like any other album that's truly been entrenched in my soul, I don't know if words alone could completely express how I truly feel for them. Short of listening to this music through my ears, through my perspective, there's no better job I could realistically do. I suppose that's true of all opinions and trying to relay them, really, so... I'unno. Take it or leave it. Just know that whatever I type, without a doubt, my aim is true.

New wave at its simplest (and greatest, potentially). 4.5 bumped up to 5.

Me gusto mucho lps instrumentales y la voz, quiero revisar más albumes

One of the greatest debut albums of all time! This is the best example of “Pub Rock”. I imagine patrons sitting around the bar and having a few beers while Elvis Costello is playing his original songs and being blown away.

Absolutely blew me away. I've never listened to any Elvis Costello before (though obviously I've heard of him) but I had a rollicking good time listening to this one.

rockzinho leve, animado e gostoso de ouvir

Classic. What’s not to love

Shout out to Randy in the group who introduced me to Elvis Costello's greatest hits at a young age. I loved this album and re-listened to several songs. I don't think My Aim Is True was meant to upend the musical world with some sort of artistic breakthrough so much as modernize and elevate music from the 50s and 60s. But that intention works well in this album (which I felt was generally pretty tight) and for me in terms of my personal taste. Probably would give this a 4.5, but averaging up to a 5.

Love this album. One of my favorites.

actually my favourite album yet, such a fun beat and groovy lyrics- watching the detectives, mystery dance and red shoes were some favs

I'll admit that I'm a big Elvis Costello fan so of course I love this. A really fantastic debut. "Welcome to the Working Week" might be the most perfect 90 seconds in rock.

ate down

Very Groovy guitars accompanying a traipsing Costello modulated crooning

4.5 - This really snapped me to attention and it actually has so much character. Enjoyed a lot, second album that's surprised me of his

Top ten desert island album for me. Live this dusk front to back. I distinctly remember my first listen and how enthralled I was at the time.

This is my first real exposure to Elvis Costello and it’s one of those things where you say to yourself “why hasn’t anybody told me about this guy?!” This album is amazing. He’s like a mix between Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Buddy Holly. Quality songwriting, different styles and grooves, varied themes, all around amazing stuff, I love it.