My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
1977
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!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.
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.
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.
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
Better than the other album but I still don't really get what is so important/significant/brilliant about Elvis Costello. 5/10
Is Elvis aim was to produce an album with 13 songs that are exactly the same, he has achieved this.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 played this a lot since first listening. Miracle Man and Alison are standout songs, but I enjoyed the whole album.
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".
Hot damn this is my first experience with Elvis Costello and I am blown away. This album is absolutely fantastic.
Oh, Elvis Costello! Don't know how many times I've listened to this album. Always a pleasure. Brilliant musicians, great singer!
One of the great debuts of all time and a long time favorite of mine. Not a dud song on the album. 5 stars 🌟
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
Classic proto-New Wave rock is classic. This is what I expected to see of Elvis Costello on this list, not the 85 other albums that I’ve seen.
I love Elvis Costello and "My Aim is True" is one of my favorites. But most importantly, it got the thumbs up from my daughter when we were listening to it in the car. She said the songs were stuck in her head and she "kinda liked it"
I already owned this one. Love this era of Costello. His first 3 albums are true classics.
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.
Liked this one a lot. Never been a huge Costello fan but this album is well done. Great guitar, bass and drum parts. Cool vibe all around.
I had a lot of fun listening to this joint! Costello wears a number of different hats, and does it well. At times he alternately sounds like Graham Parker, the Ronettes, Randy Newman and even the Atlanta Rhythm Section - or do they sound like him? Anyway, short, sharp songs redolent of the pub rock scene, without a whole lot of frippery but plenty of flash. A fantastic record.
I've heard this before, but maybe I didn't really listen to it. Regardless, I love this album. Alison is an all-time great song. But there's not really a filler song on this thing. There's a great collision of old-fashioned rock n roll with something unhinged that just really works for me. Great stuff.
This Years Model is better, but this is a classic album with a lot of Costellos best songs (Red Shoes, Less Than Zero, Im not Angry, Allison, etc).
Actually really enjoyed this. Some really good songs in here and found some getting stuck in my head.
Pretty dope album, had no expectations at all, apart from the album cover. Very pleasantly surprised.
Starts off with a sick backbeat, and the song "Allison" is great! Omg I didn't know "Watching the Detectives" was from this album! Nice quick listen with nice vibes.
this was a great album! I've only ever listened to a couple of his songs, but this album was amazingly done!
Best Elvis Costello album (also the third EC album we've heard in the 1001 albums) - Watching the Detectives and Alison are top tier tracks. The rest are solid.
I think I always confused Elvis Costello with Buddy Holly. Anyways, I liked this a lot, the first track is hype and the album is short, energetic, and fun. 8
Ok ok, now I see why people like Elvis Costello. This was miles ahead of "Blood and Chocolate." I know he's known for changing his style a lot, but kind of wish he stuck with this one. Loved the guitar throughout this record and lyrically this was some really interesting songwriting. One thing I was wondering while listening to this was if I really liked this album or just enjoyed because I knew it was better than "Blood and Chocolate." Overall a pretty fun listen regardless.
So much better than Blood and Chocolate! I really liked this album, it had good energy and pretty good riffs. I was also surprised by how many of the songs were familiar. “Miricle Man” sounded like Bruce Springsteen with a head cold and a hangover - still pretty good😀
Another Costello record, this time his debut. This one has so much more edge and snark, I can finally see what all the fuss is about. Taking old-school rock and roll songwriting and twisting it make for an exceptional sound, like if Buddy Holly got jaded and cool. It seems as though something got lost as he carried on, but this album does a good thing, I think.
Very nice so far. Seems like a good album to play during breakfast. Some parts seem kind of older than 1977 with more of a 50s aesthetic (in a good way).
Nice little starting song, very upbeat and full in a way. Cool little jingle. As the album progress songs get shorter and more straight to the point, catchy, punchy. Lyrics generally of daily life dealing with girls and friends and things of common talk
Spiky, aggressive, energetic. A great songwriter, brilliant sound. But there is such a dark edge to many of the lyrics - aggressive, voyeuristic, impotent rage at being rejected by women, sexual frustration - that at times it can be an uncomfortable listen. And I don’t know how much of that is Costello and how much is a character. Impressive and unsettling.
Dunno what exactly I expected, but this isn’t it. More plain old straight up rock and roll than I expected. Different vocal tone versus the plaintive, apprehensive timbre I associated with Elvis Costello previously. All of this is to say that I like it very much. I have a new appreciation for Costello. Also, I never before realized how much of an influence Costello is on John Flansberg of They Might Be Giants. I feel like an idiot.
Fantastic, I love Elvis & need to listen to him more. This has a lot of recognizable songs on it.
My Aim Is True radiates a raw energy, thanks to Elvis Costello's funny wordy and witty lyrics filled with innuendo's, catchy melodies, a sharp infectious edge, and unique style. However, I do think No Dancing is a bit of a dud due to its low tempo and buried vocals and Pay It Back is a boring listen. 4/5.
I used to think I liked Elvis Costello and that this was his best album, but after being literally ASSAULTED with Elvis Costello albums by this list (I swear like fully 2% of the 1001 albums are Elvis Costello), I've realized that I actually hate Elvis Costello and that this is his ONLY good album. But this album is real good.
Alison and Watching the Detectives stand out as absolutely classics, but there are some great lesser known tracks on here - Welcome to the Working Week for example.
Very pleasant. I’ve listened to Elvis Costello before, but not an entire album. Nice songwriting and solid melodies.
I had only ever heard of Elvis Costello before this but I’m glad I finally listened to one of his albums. This was a fun and catchy album that was solid the whole way through. Makes you nostalgic for a time you’ve never lived in. Fav songs: welcome to the working week, mystery dance
This one grew on me as I listened. I ended up going straight back to the beginning and got a lot more out of it the second go around. Also, the generator is up to some trickery again. Roots and Costello have done an entire album together! It's... Ok
Is this only because I haven't given a 4 star review in ages? Probably. But I'm sick of giving 3s and 3.5s. A solid collection of pop'n'rock'n'rollers with catchy melodies, enthusiastically sung. And some days that's enough, y'know? The generator spitting out 'Welcome To The Working Week' on a Monday morning was a lovely touch.
Never listened to an Elvis Costello album before but I really enjoyed this one, dancey, punchy guitars really fun. Much better than the other Elvis
I only know a bit of EC's work. But what I do know I like. I guess this is as good as place as any to start. The whole DIY / punk feel to the songs really makes it POP. Really digging it.
Early Elvis Costello is OK in my book. I think his voice became a parody of itself on later albums. May require more exploration. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
Some great power pop here! A bit more upbeat than some of the other Costello we’ve heard so far, although ironically Allison is my favourite song on the album - and has been a staple on my playlist for over a decade. This album kicks off with great energy and “Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes” will put a smile on your face. Hard not to tap your feet to several of the tracks here. LOVE the reggae closer Fave songs : “Allison” “Watching The Detectives” “(The Angels wanna wear my) Red Shoes”
Not bad at all. Never listened to EC before, he sings kinda like me, mixed with Gordon Gano and Buddy Holly. The last song “Watching the Detectives” and first song “Welcome to the Working Week” were my favorites
Great stuff, never listened before and thought it was excellent, Alison a stand out track but would listen again without hesitation
Sounds to me like early rock and roll mixed with elements of very early punk music and I dug it. 4/5
Allison was the only song I think I knew beforehand. Pretty smooth album but not that memorable.
Very distinctive voice, but this means a lot of the songs sound pretty similar. Really good songs though, lyrically and musically, with production that lets them shine. Enjoyed it more than I expected, even though I knew enough of the songs to be confident it would be good.
I'm not gonna to get too sentimental Like those other sticky valentines This is a great little album And Declan McManus is close to genius
Honestly, just supremely good! Really enjoyed this one, I'd listen to the whole album again happily. A 5/5 though? Not sure on that one.
This was pretty fun! Previously my only exposure to Elvis Costello was the episode(s?) of 30 Rock he guest starred in but I enjoyed this album. Solid throughout, Mystery Dance onwards had even more of a rock 'n' roll feel which I very much am here for.
The degree of my positive reaction surprises me. Elvis's debut lacks some of the shine of later albums, but it's a nicely-sequenced and diverse piece of work. Simply rock-solid, and not a dull moment. The balance of factors could be changed, I suppose, but some of the appeal is in the corners.
Top 3 Tracks: Welcome to the Working Week (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes Less Than Zero
A quick, fun, pop, punky album. Liked "I'm Not Angry" and "Alison" the most. No song that I disliked either.
Not bad, very Elvis Costello, by now we've all heard enough of his stuff to last us forever. But when it came out I can imagine it was a real breath of fresh air.
Number of albums reviewed thus far: 193 Number of those that are Elvis Costello: 4 We all bow to Elvis (no for real this doesn't seem right. Come on now.) Ok this isn't about me - and no offence to Elvis because I really like this album a lot - I love how the album starts with a catchy tune that's less than 90 seconds long - it plays as a great intro. There are a few radio classics that many people will know ("Alison" "Red Shoes" and "Watching the Detectives") but honestly most of the others are as good or better than the hits. Personal favourite: "I'm Not Angry." Overall it's a quick 36 minutes of great rock that's actually quite a bit more complex than one might think - it's the kind of album you can play in any setting, i.e. easily digested but also more than enough musical complexity and density beyond standard "rock music" to sustain repeat plays. Keeper. 8/10 4 stars
This was my fave Costello album so far, and I’ve had two others. It sounded different and i Really enjoyed it. I wish his other ones were more similar to these; there’s nothing wrong but they just aren’t as interesting as this one.
It sounds like a great first album of a great artist. Still with a lot of rough edges, and on the balance of the rock 'n' roll and new wave.
One of my favorite albums in this thing so far, I've always liked Costello's music (I'm already a bit biased for him due to his collaborations with Paul McCartney). This album definitely has rockabilly roots and some punk influence, and I love the style. 9/10, favorite songs: No Dancing and Watching The Detectives.
Hi- Welcome To The Working Week, Alison, Mystery Dance, Pay It Back, I'm Not Angry, Waiting For The End Of The World, Watching The Detectives Maybe it's my broken mind, but I have always thought that if Buddy Holly survived the plane crash and went hard, we'd get Elvis Costello (I'm not alone in this, btw)...Anyways, My Aim Is True opens with a confirmed hit ("Welcome..."), a rollicking track that sets the tone for the rest of the record. Mr. Costello continues his tradition of writing excellent girl-name songs (Alison), and follows up with Mystery Dance and Pay It Back, with all of the rockabilly goodness you could ever ask for...Except it doesn't stop there! The 2nd half of this album really opens up and swing-rocks around the club, until closing out with the doo-wop classic Watching The Detectives. Listen to more Elvis Costello!
So, he "changed his name to Elvis after Elvis Presley and adjusted his image to match the then-rising punk rock movement." This Wikipedia sentence tells pretty much everything about this album. So he IS Elvis no. 2, and his debut album is much better than the mess made as Napoleon Dynamite. Like Elvis no. 1, it's consistently dull yet for some reason irresistibly catchy. It's like a cheap candy. Enjoyable, but not remarkable or anything. I could say that if his "aim" is to make a punk version of Elvis Presley, then he hit it. His aim was definitely true, whatever that means.
I'm glad there's a world where Elvis Costello works. What an original. Obviously, he is cut from the cloth of Buddy Holly, but that era of American music had such an influence on the greatest British acts like Elton John, The Beatles, Elvis and of course this Elvis...Costello. No Dancing is the song that I think ties it all together in terms of where Costello came from and where he's ultimately going. His roots are in a Motown/rockabilly/pop sensibility that will evolve in the same way as Bowie and Springsteen would. Alison is timeless and whatever it's about - it stops you in your tracks and makes you reflect on life a little bit. Great debut album here.
“A phenomenal debut, capturing a songwriter and musician whose words were as rich and clever as his music.”
It's quirky, fun, uniquely written rock n roll album that's standout among other classic rock album in 1977~
Listened to on 3/29/22 4.5/5 Favorite song: Alison, Welcome to the Working Week, Living in Paradise This album was GREAT - a little all over the place in terms of a vibe but I loves how easy it was to listen to while being fun and upbeat. The lyrics are beautiful and I would absolutely listen to it again and again
Raw, eclectic mix of styles with Elvis not quite into his stride as he is on Armed Forces say. Still proper music though.
I find it hard not to at least be neutral on Costello, it's really hard to dislike him. It's just a fun rock album.
Most of these songs are so ingrained in popular culture that it's easy to forget that this is a debut album. It almost runs like a Greatest Hits. The pub rock production is great. I suspect the songs were even better when played live. Watching the Detectives should have been the album opener, not the final track. A minor gripe.
I’ve herd of the guy quite a bit so I hope he’s good… The album starts with welcome to the working week, it’s a good enough song very short and a good reflection of the rest of the album. Next is miracle man It’s good and I don’t mind his vocal style, but it’s just not that distinctive from the opener. No dancing is a good slow down from before it’s also ( currently) the poppiest cut. I especially like the percussion on here. Blame it on cain is another slower paced track this time reminding me of a sorta 60’s-y kinda sound, the slow tempo of this song works well though as it feels like the sort of thing an audience would clap along to in a gig. Alison is a good slow track, I think I recognise the chorus but nothing else. A probable favourite! Sneaky feelings is a good ( but of it’s time) pop song. My favourite moment is probably the simple but effective chorus; while it’s not the best song I’am surprised it wasn’t a single. Now we have ( the angels wanna wear my) red shoes, I think I know this one. I like everything here from the backing vocals in the poppy chorus and the tidal wave of drumming that occurs. Next is the last single to appear on the album Less than zero, one that I don’t recognise, it’s a nice slower song, fine guitar work throughout and I would argue it’s some of his best singing. Mystery dance us just a short 60’s-y song also it’s probably the heaviest on the album with some loud crunchy guitars on the chorus. Pay it back’s piano line is kinda what I think would be played in a cowboy saloon. It’s actually good though with decent instrumentation snd some okay lyrics. I’am not angry has to be my favourite though as it’s the most directly rock inspired, and while you could view it as annoying the whispering of “angry” is quite cool to me. Also it has my favourite line from the album in “ cos there’s no such thing as an original sin”! The album technically closes with waiting for the end of the world it’s got a good guitar lick and the spiralling drums in the pre chorus is cool. Just doesn’t feel like a closer. The album also ends with watching the detectives, a much slower track with powerful drumming and a great guitar line, I think I recognise things one, what an amazing song! It was good the second half is a little better than the first ( but that often happens in albums) also while I know it’s 70’s there’s so many 60’s style tracks which is odd.
Very distinctive voice, but this means a lot of the songs sound pretty similar. Really good songs though, lyrically and musically, with production that lets them shine. Enjoyed it more than I expected, even though I knew enough of the songs to be confident it would be good. 4 🌟
Another good Costello album. He seems like a fun guy and I wish I could party with his younger self.
Hot take: I might be ready to say that "Watching the Detectives" is my favorite reggae song of all time. Granted, I have not done my due dilligence (like, at all) and making this declaration would probably and rightfully offend the entire island of Jamaica, but... that's a damn good song. And to close out the entire album? Bold move that pays off in spades. It's so much moodier than most of what precedes it and the tempo/rhythm/instrumentation really support the story he's telling. Is dark reggae a thing? It should be if it can be done this well. Alas, I can't say I had the same experience with everything else on this record. In fact, while I like "Allison" something about it's placement in the track listing here didn't work for me. Also, maybe there's one too many tunes that sound like they could have been played by the band at the end of Back to the Future. This could be a shorter listen and I wouldn't complain. But still. Very solid record with an exclamation point at the end of the sentence. Costello has become one of the very few repeat artists on this list that I get excited to listen to again.
This was one of those albums that I could listen to straight through, uninterrupted while walking my dog. I don't remember if I had this album previously as none of the tracks sounded familiar. I can also say that I had never heard this album at all, period. I really enjoyed this album. I would have to listen 1 or 2 more times before I can give my opinion on what I believe the stand out tracks to be but overall the whole thing was very catchy. I could picture just having a lazy day at the beach with a cold beer in my hand and this album playing in the background.
Nice clean style but with its own spin on everything. Minus a star because only about half of the album is good.
Overall enjoyable record. Loved that there was some humour in the lyrics and vocal delivery. Some guitar parts were pretty slick too. Good listen
Always felt like I should like Costello more... maybe my pallet has matured enough. This is good!
fun sound, some songs couldn't really get into but definitely some very interesting bops
Although there are some standout songs I don't think this is the strongest of his albums - there's a lot of material in the middle that runs together for me. Still foreshadows a great talent.
Good group of EC songs; one thing I noticed was the excellent rhythm guitar work that I assume was done by Elvis himself. I liked the songs I hadn't heard before. Highlights: -Allison -Watching the Detectives
Pretty decent. Reminds me of like 50s rock with a decent amount of distortion in some songs.
SIGNIFICANTLY better than blood and chocolate. JESUS. Listening to this, I actually understand why people like Elvis Costello. Feels like classic summer cruising music for high school. Not something I want to listen to frequently, but could feel awesome in a summer barbecue playlist or similar. 3.5 for me, but I'm gonna round down.
My dad used to have this album on vinyl but I've never listened to it hah. The first two songs were so strong and then it fell off and the lyrics were a bit questionable. 6.
rockerillos died so Miley Cyrus could run o algo así no recuerdo el meme pero not bad (tres canciones y lo quité)
Elvis Costello is a blind spot for me. I've never listened to anything. I don't dislike this, but most of the album just feels kinda samey to me. I did like hearing Alison, which I only know from New Girl 😂
Doesn't do much for me, but it's not bad, per se. Let's see how it plays out. It's okay.
I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed by this one. I've considered Alison a masterpiece of a song for quite a while now and to a lesser extent also What's So Funny (About Peace, Love & Understanding). I didn't expect everything to be on the level of Alison, but the drop-off in quality between Costello's best songs and average songs is apparently humongous. My second-biggest issue is the very bad sound quality. I've heard few albums in more dire need of remastering than this one. Costello's songs definitely need a much fuller and vibrant sound. Somewhat less twangy guitars wouldn't hurt either. In addition, the album seems to start off with the worst songs of the album, which set the wrong mood. This is a 3.5 for me. It's lifted from a 3 by the brilliance of Alison, but still rounded down for the feeling of disappointment. With a good remaster it would easily be a 4.
Costello is one of the artists my parents really dig and I just haven't been able to really get into. Truthfully, I just feel like a lot of his stuff sounds the same. Now listening to this full album challenged that some (we get a blues guitar, we get a reggae beat) but more or less my opinion stands. Listenable yes, but seems to be caught in its time. I did enjoy Alison and other tunes. Funny the album name is a lyric from Alison but not the name of the song.
A rather underwhelming debut I thought, shows very little sign of the great work to come....
Fun and replayable rock album, feels like the B side is overall stronger than the A side.
Overall a pretty strong album. Theres a couple of standouts- Watching the detectives, mystery dance, and blame it on cain mainly Welcome to the working week is fairly catchy and straight forward, also very short Some nice guitar on Miracle Man Blame it on Cain is very catchy and has cool guitar riffs. Mystery Dance makes you wanna dance. Watching The Detectives is reminiscent of Master Blaster, cool drum beat. Thematically its also very relevant to todays climate
couple diamonds in the rough, for the most part didn't like a lot of the songs but they've got a few good uns, the good songs are 4's but the bad songs are 2's. Tough choice.
Catchy riffs, somewhat annoying vocals, conventional chords, some nice melodies, "I'm Not Angry" and "Watching the Detectives"
Listened to it once but I was kinda busy and I'm not sure I fully processed it. Enjoyed some of the guitar work. Enjoyable but it didn't wow me - but maybe I didn't give it enough attention.
Not really for me. A nice sound and a fairly happy album. If I heard singles on a compilation or the radio I wouldn’t switch over. But not enough interest for me to re-listen or save any to one of my playlists
I must be missing something about Elvis Costello. It's *alright*, but I'm not hearing anything that screams "rock and roll hall of fame". Maybe its the influence he's had?
Krieg ich latente Jonathan Richman-Vibes von. Aber mit mehr Soul natürlich, dafür weniger Lustigkeit. Ist ganz ok, macht mich aber noch nicht zum Fan, diese hier. 2,8
Honestly, I listened to this while doing other things, so I don’t even really remember it. I think I liked it alright, though it wasn’t stellar.
This album didn't do that much for me. Elvis Costello is another one of those artist that I really respect but am just not that in to.
Solid production and guitarwork. Alison is a fantastic song. Could use a bit more to help it stand out though.
I knew "Alison" and I guess I was expecting the rest of the album to be along those lines but I also knew that Elvis Costello is more punk/rock than the wistfulness of "Alison". So yeah, it was more punk/rock and that's ok. It doesn't sound like something from 1977 - I guess it's another of those influential albums that cast a very long shadow, well into the 80s, 90s and beyond. "Alison" is still my favourite track though.
A killer first line ushers in an enjoyably upbeat downbeat LP that hinges on the incomparable classic "Alison". Where post-punk and new wave intersects with the 50s.
Obviously a familiar name but realized I had never really listened to him. Only really recognized Allison, but regardless he has a pretty cool style. Like Billy Joel but with more Guitar and rock pizazz
Nice, beatsy album though I'm not quite sure how memorable it will be for me in the long run
First Listen. Three of the songs are very familiar, the rest, I definitely enjoyed. Standouts: Alison, Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes, Watching the Detectives. 3/5
I guess I'm realizing through this process that a good vocalist is important to me. Songs/melody is fine. Vocals are just terrible in some cases. Three stars for composition reasons, not vocal efforts.
Good vibes only!! Tycker Elvis gör rätt mycket med enkla medel. Inte riktigt min stil, annars hade jag nog delat ut ett högre betyg.
Another perfectly palatable and easily forgotten Elvis Costello album. Perhaps the curator of this list knows something I don't?
Our fourth from Costello, and it's more diminishing returns. He must be the favorite artist of some bloke responsible for this list because I really don't understand the need to include his entire discography. This one's a bit more punky, and apparently his debut, so credit for the guy just sounding like this on his first album I guess. I don't know, I was bored of his style after two albums, even if it's slightly different from project to project, so I'm not the guy to ask. It's not bad, just not very interesting. Favorite tracks: Less than Zero, Welcome to the Working Week. Album art: I like this one quite a bit, even if it's a genuine eyesore. The colors pop, it's hard to read but a nice retro design. 3/5
chato. é uma pena que esses 1001 álbuns sejam cheio de anglofluentes e pouca diversidade do mundo de outras culturas para além dos americanos e ingleses.
Like every Elvis Costello album, a few great songs, a few mediocre songs, and a few terrible songs. Maybe a greatest hits album would belong on this list but the individual albums are all just ok.
My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello (1977) This debut album from Elvis Costello is good, but not nearly as good as later albums like This Year’s Model (1978) or Imperial Bedroom (1982). In My Aim Is True, he appears to be just getting his feet wet. It lacks the literary lyrical quality and the musical creativity found in his more mature efforts, although there are flashes of true brilliance. I remember passing on Elvis Costello in 1977, since he sounded so out of date. And 45 years later, this particular album has a roughly historical appeal. His voice is energetic, but flawed by excessive vowel bending and overly exaggerated and flippant stylings. His guitar work is capable, but not stellar. Check out “Mystery Dance” for evidence. In a nutshell, Costello gives intelligent lyrical expression to negative emotions, accompanied by bright and sassy rock ‘n roll melodies and chord structures. One can imagine the kicks he got recording “Welcome to the Working Week”, since his day job at the time was as a data entry clerk. “Alison” is overrated as a signature song. For me, the highlight of the album is “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes”, especially given its authentic and reflective biblical angelology, unchained from centuries of static dogma. His quirky hamartiology speculates, “Blame it on Cain, don’t blame it on me/It’s nobody’s fault, but we need somebody to burn.” Think about why he picked Cain instead of Adan, Eve, or the serpent. And there’s a nice eschatological take (in the closing track “Waiting for the End of the World”) when he sings “Dear Lord, I sincerely hope you’re coming, ‘cause you really started something” (I can hear my mother yelling, “Somebody better clean up this mess!”). There’s plenty here to entertain head-scratching armchair theologians. When he sings “I’m Not Angry”, do not, of course, believe him. I’ve known HR directors who could gain insight from Elvis Costello. It’s all good musical fun. 3/5
3/29/22 This album was enjoyable but very background to me. None of the songs I would ever seek out to listen to again. Lots of religious themes which was interesting. Favorite song: Miracle Man
Bit of a greatest hits for what I didn’t realise was Elvis’ first album. Never been a massive fan but these are good tunes and they have the pull of nostalgia too. The production doesn’t sound as punchy as I remember it but that may be my speakers. Alison a highlight here, both lyrically & musically.
Pros: - Wow very Bruce Springsteen-y! - Funny how production wise this is a throwback. It was released in 1977 but songs like "No Dancing" sounds totally like a 1950's boogie woogie. The album cover is a throwback too. - On the topic of the album cover, how interesting is the choice of the text on top of that checkered background? Weird isn't it? Cons: Misc: - pretty nice album all around!
I dig how you get some blues, some oldies rock n' roll, and some more modern pop rock all in one place. He's definitely COOL, but his vocals to me sound a little too "put on" sometimes (same way I feel about Joss Stone... I want more authenticity). He does stick to it though, because they play some of his new releases on WXPN and he sounds pretty much the same!
Me recordó a Ben Folds. Supongo que a esa época se escuchaba revolucionaria esa mezcla de rockabilly, funk, punk y hasta reggae, pero no me hace mucho ahora.
Lively and fun, ascerbic lyrics don't match the tunes. Prefer the Attractions as a band, so the next LP, This Year's Model, gets a lot more listens than this. A good start to Elvis Costello's long recording career.
I have this album in my record collection simply because I like the cover art. The music itself is decent. I like a handful of tracks, but it's not anything I'm crazy about.
I like the fairly basic makeup of this album. Somewhere in his vocals a stimuli looms secretively.
Nice combination of rock and pop. Picks up towards the end and finishes on a high with Watching the Detectives.
Elvis' most important album deserves to be on this list, the other bajillionty from the book? Nah. Anyways… coming from the punk migration to post-punk, pop and new-wave My Aim Is True is a great blending of the prior influences and some others mixed in to make a good album. 3.5/5.
Better than the last Elvis Costello album. A couple of decent tracks, a few annoying songs, and at least one that reminded me of Randy Newman!
It’s old school pure rock n roll. It’s a mixed bag of honky tonk electric guitars and sizzling tube amps on the verge of breaking up...It’s vocals on the verge of doing the same. I can honestly say there are tracks here which make you instantly appreciate how they helped the record get the recognition it’s received. For me though...there just aren’t enough of them. 2 Stars!
For some reason I find Elvis Costello's voice super obnoxious, so listening to this was... painful. It reminds me of a dad-rock cover band. The songs repeat the same vocal and musical phrases over and over. The reggae attempt at the end was the absolute worst of it. I think I understand the appeal, but he is not for me.
Sounds like it's from a different time, and it is (44 years old this year). Had a few toe-tapping moments but I'm not a fan
This album was very inoffensive but also uneventful. We were listening to this while doing other things and kind of forgot it was on. He's got a good voice, and the songs are good, but I'm just left with a feeling of 'meh'.
Alter Elvis ähnlicher Rock. Ganz nette Lieder dabei, aber würde ich mir so wohl nicht anhören.
"Music journalists like Elvis Costello because music journalists look like Elvis Costello" - David Lee Roth. 2/5.
Pas grand chose de mémorable ici. J’aime bien le mix du drum. Pièce favorite: Watching the detectives (qui a été ajouté sur la version US du disque). I’m not Angry vaut aussi l’écoute.
Pas mon préféré... agencements plus ou moins réussi de plusieurs styles, je sais pas trop quoi en penser, c'est pas particulièrement original, il chante pas particulièrement bien...meilleure pièce c'est le single reggae qui a vraiment pas rapport avec le reste... genre j'entends ça à la radio et je vais acheter l'album, je suis assurément déçu pcq c'est plus early rock n roll vibes que reggae...branche toi Elvis 😆
the run of dad rock albums continues. I have no strong opinions about this album except that I'm not a fan of tone of his voice.
Enjoyed some of the guitar to begin with, but I don't like his voice. The album felt very samey all throughout.
idk maybe I am missing something but I had high hopes after first track and then got really disappointed, best track Alison; 2,5
I thought this would be pure crooning before listening, but it's got a fair bit more energy than I expected, which is great. Short, sharp, and snappy songs, that blend into each other quite nicely with a couple of changes of pace. No particular standout, but nothing unpleasant either (although he crosses the line into crooning on Alison). Just fails to squeak into 3/5 territory I think, so a gentleman's 2 for me.
I find Elvis Costello irritating. And he had been over represented in this list - yet I can’t seem to give him very bad ratings because each album has a few gems - this one has Allison and Watching the Detectives. The rest hints at promise but his voice sounds like a Smurf in a toothpaste tube.
Hmm, ziemlich mittelmäßig okaye Songs. Hätte für mich hier nicht wirklich einen Listenplatz verdient. Duh-hull 1.3
Alright this settles it! I am not an Elvis Costello fan, give me the regular Elvis over this guy any day.
... maybe a little too rock and roll for my taste i just feel like this decade has too much potential for my dude elvis to be making 60's beatles style music. .......... no. not. a song. with a woman's. name. on. the title. I'M DONE. PLEASE GIVE ME A GOOD ALBUM SOON I REALLY NEED IT PLEASE. god why. why. end. now. end, album. please. AGAIN. NOT ONE MEMORABLE SONG. really angry that every song is the same. really angry.
Don't get it - why is this Englishman doing American rocknroll cosplay? Why is every song the same and completely forgettable? Why are there apparently multiple albums by this guy on the list? Definitely not an album I'm be reflecting back on being glad I'd heard, listening to it actually made me angry at how boring it was! 1/5 - I can see how some people may enjoy this - but I never want to hear it again.
I don't really get Elvis Costello. Not for me.
Less Than Zero Mystery Dance I'm Not Angry Waiting for the End of the World