Reviews (page 10 of 13)
ganz nett
Very enjoyable.
I'm surprised it's 1977. It sounds like it's a 60s revival from the 80s. I like it. I wouldn't go so far as to say weird, but it's different. Actually it kind of goes back and forth, a few songs are kind of standard and boring
This is very inoffensive - a funny contrast to Kanye previously. I get a lot of Billy Joel vibes here but if Billy Joel had a guitar instead of a piano. I don't love it I don't hate it. It doesn't make me want to skip songs or turn it off but it also doesn't do much for me. Some of these songs would be really great movie tracks because they just kind of blend into the background, but I mean that in a good way. I think the last couple of songs are the best.
Solid album. Great artist.
Deceptively simple sounding 50's style rock n roll songs with more modern topics. It's not breaking any new ground, but it's well made and pleasant to listen to.
I know there are a lot of EC albums on here and on all I will say his voice grates on me a bit. This debut has some spikey pop songs released at the birth of punk. It washes over me a bit.
The hits are brilliant, the rest is a bit forgettable. Somewhere between a 3 and 4.
Cute, fun and groovy. Sound that is familiar but not sure if he pioneered it or what.
Elvis Costello is objectively cooler than either you or I.
Costello has always felt like that guy in the background who wanted to be a star, but the THING just wasn’t there. I will say though, after hearing this, the man left a lot more influence than he gets credit for. This is a solid debut that has stayed (for the most part) relevant and stylish over the years.
A good mix of different influences. It’s clear Costello has a knack for many different styles of music. Some very very catchy and well done songs but nothing too terribly memorable. Feels like the the 70’s rock album you think your dad would like but he doesn’t actually like or “get” at all.
One of the things I read about this album is that there weren't any singles, and that makes sense. The whole album is solid and definitely worth the time spent on it, and I'll probably return to it in the future for that reason. Altogether enjoyable
Handgemacht, zum Teil eingängig, ganz ok! 3
Nice to hear, nice voice.
wtf is this cover?
Pop rock, kinda billy joel-esque
Better than the last one
Conocía su música pero nunca me había interesado en escucharla, no está mal
Lo escuché ayer y ya lo he olvidado. Un disco de rock clásico que suena a Buddy Holly con un par de canciones que no suenan a estudio sino a maqueta, lo qye le da cierto encantó, pero no es un disco que puedas volver a escuchar y pensar en lo maravilloso que es. Por cierto, la portada a matado a más diseñadores que el botulismo. Un disco correcto, sin más.
Not my thing.
This was alright not something I would return for but not bad
Better than the last Elvis Costello album on this list. There were some enjoyable tracks on here; enough in fact to give this a 3/5
I liked this album a bit more than the previous Elvis Costello album on this list. The first half was more samey but the second half was more varied and fun. Pub rock isn't really my thing, but if it mixes with some rock 'n ' roll and reggae rhythms, then it's more bearable.
It got better as it went on. Blame Jane is a bop. Some tracks were too duwap for me but I like the more experimental ones. Nice. Crunchy guitars.
Man hört tatsächlich ein bisschen Ted Leo raus und auch ein bisschen Bruce Springsteen. Gefällt mir ganz gut. Werde ich es noch mal hören? Vielleicht. Mal sehen. Bisschen unspannend auch. Aber geht klar.
Just ok. Background music
Elvis just always sounds the same to me, but this one has Alison which is a pretty memorable tune
Probably about a 3 and a half. Very good with some high highs, but a bit repetitive and a lot of songs don’t really do it for me.
All I really knew about Elvis Costello was his cameo in Austin Powers. So much more to be discovered. Great debut album that could’ve come from the 50s with its rock n roll swagger. Really enjoyed it.
it's ok.
Never paid much attention to Elvis Costello but found this album listenable. Kind of liked it
I like a couple of songs but overall no.
Ok flashback
Good-mood music but I lost interest towards the end of the album
Some good, some bad. Not the biggest fan of Costello but there were some appealing songs and structures. Mayyyybe found one track to save out of the bunch.
I enjoyed this one. Nothing groundbreaking clearly borrowing much from styles done years before. Most of the songs have a very similar sound, but I like the sound so I won’t complain. Favorite tracks are Welcome To The Working Week, Miracle Man, Blame It On Cain, and Less Than Zero.
Ok; kind of ambivalent
I enjoyed this album
I always want to like Elvis Costello more than I do, and this album sums that up perfectly. Mostly, it's great, but overall I just don't like it as much as I think I should do. It's still a great album though.
Canciones favoritas: - Welcome to the Working Week - Alison - Watching the Detectives
no fue uno de mis favoritos, debe ser porque no me gusta mucho el punk, pero hubieron muchas joyitas que me gustaron: miracle man, alison, red shoes, mistery Dance, wfteotw.
Just slightly inconsistent to pull it down from a 4. Cool stuff though
Nice Rockabilly, for me good, but nood outstanding. Would be nice to hear it life.
Bah, Elvis Costello maakt gewoon af en toe best prima liedjes. Zeker als het wat rock n roll klinkt. Terwijl ik hem gewoon wilde afkraken en me wilde ergeren aan zijn aanstellerige stemgeluid. Blijkt het gewoon een prima album te zijn. Bah bah bah
It's okayy
Many different genres. Quite enjoyed it.
Like 50’s rockabilly meets early punk music.
Bored, stopped halfway
Yeah not bad
Two songs from this record were on at least one of the mixtapes made me when I was small. The rest is fine to good. Nice to expand my Elvis Costello experience.
Not bad, not exceptional. Some nice pieces.
A staple of classic rock sounds from the 1970s. Good, but not very remarkable. 'Alison' was a track that stood out.
I think we all just need to realize this a polarizing artist. If you don't mind his voice you're gonna like this, if you hate his voice you'll hate this. Not many songs I would write home about but it's a fun listen. I feel like I can hear the fun they had making this album because all the instruments feel playful. Couple of songs I would rather not listen to. 6/10
Pretty cool! There's definitely a lot of different kinds of rock influences going on here, which would generally be my thing. Somehow this record doesn't work as much for me as I feel like it should. It doesn't feel like many of these songs go anywhere that interesting. It's all quite gopd, just nothing truly great here (don't really see myself listening to this again).
This was quite enjoyable. Great guitar playing. Lovely songs, simple, effective, timeless songwriting.
Bien, pero un poco pesado.
It's fine rock and roll. It's not your (insert appropriate generation) Father's rock and roll, and that might be all that's wrong with it. I'd probably just go find some first wave rock and roll if I was in the mood. This sounds too clean for me.
Okay but not my fav
Pretty solid 70s rock album, felt fresh will listen again
Didn't listen to Costello much at the time.... Kansas and Journey were big. Talented....
Alison hard carries this album - it feels so generic and like it was written 5 minutes before recording each track
enjoyed!
Fav song: I'm not angry
Pretty decent album. Costello pretty easy to listen to.
Весела драйвова музика, може це бути якась тематична вечірка, або саундтрек з якогось сіткому Але на повторі не слухала б
Pretty nice rock n roll album.
2.5-3.0
Great
It's okay. But it's nothing dramatic or special. Not hitting me personally.
I never listened to Elvis Costello, but this album was pretty enjoyable. It is very easygoing which I like. I probably wouldn't listen to this often though
I have not listened to much Elvis Costello prior to this and was pleasantly surprised by this album! It has good rhythmic energy throughout. Certainly easy listening. Songs that I liked included “No Dancing,” “Alison,” and “Sneaky Feeling.” I can hear how this artist/album could have influenced future bands, like Weezer.
Basic: I felt this whole album was very basic white 60s rock. I felt it sounded around 10 years older than what it already was with Costello not really creating anything new through releasing this album. Sounded like I could be sitting in that diner from Back To The Future and this would be just playing on the jukebox in the background with no one listening.
Christ. Like ok its not bad, and straight up good musically, and I wanted to like this album. I genuinely see the appeal, I've heard many worse songs/albums, I just........... dont care? His voice is good, the musicality is good, the songs aren't too long, and yet I already forgot what I listened to, it is not sticking to me whatsoever
I like the early Elvis Costello- not so much Punk but early New Wave and perfect pop. I remember when this came out - it was so cool.
***** = Amazing (90 - 100%) **** = Great (75 - 89%) *** = Good (50 - 74%) ** = Average (35 - 49%) * = Poor (0 - 34%)
Fun, a little poppy, but mostly light rock.
It sounds like he thinks he’s too cool for this when that is absolutely NOT the case.
Bin eigentlich kein Fan des Genres, aber trotzdem hat es mir gefallen. Gefühlt wäre 4 Sterne aber zu viel, also bleibt es wieder bei 3
Songs that have topics? Catchy tunes but some of the lyric’s don’t jive. Maybe another listen is needed.
ah, this one def a classic. Last time I was thinking about Costello I was wondering how tf it worked out so well that his name is literally Elvis and there was no weirdness around it considered one of the biggest musical names of all time is literally just Elvis. hmmm.... I have been very disappointed in the recent Deer Tick albums and I am def hearing where they are getting their inspiration now; just that they are 50 years late in the innovation department. Sounds a lot like Tom Petty, though pretty obvious, I never listened to Costello much. Overall an acceptable listen.
Not my vibe
Consistently good, and great trajectory with its “Watching the Detectives” finale.
It's got a lot of great attitude, I'll give it that. Nothing I think I'll want to remember and revisit, save "Watching the Detectives." I understand that was tacked on for US rerelease, so he doesn't get credit for it on the album :)
**
Wow the author reaallyyy loves Elvis Costello. This is like the third of his albums I've gotten so far. This is also the only one of his albums that I think should be on this list. I think it's pretty good honestly. He really takes the whole rockabilly and garage rock vibes and translates it into a late-70s punk-ish context.
Have heard Elvis Costello, without having ever listened to a full album. Liked it. Few songs I recall hearing before.
Incredibly ok
"lackluster" comes to mind when trying to find a word to describe this album. a lot of the songs could've been new wave hits if they had better hooks, or bridges, or just anything to give them character. at the same time, the album is not bad or exceedingly boring to listen to (the short length definitely helps). this is my first E.C. album and apparently he appears multiple times on the 1001 albums list so here's hoping he got better later on tracks i liked: Blame It On Cain, Alison, I'm Not Angry (i really wish this site had the option to give half stars, my real rating would be 2.5)
Another from Elvis Costello. It’s pretty good, I guess. I can’t really talk at length about this one. I like ‘Watching The Detectives’, even if it’s not on the original release. Just for the record, I prefer this to Blood And Chocolate. I’ll probably get that treated to a 2. Bye.
Good, but this list doesn't need three Elvis Costello albums.
3.5
solid debut, some good tunes in there
this album and "Animals" by Pink Floyd were both released in 1977... Only one makes this list... WTF? this is a late 50s to early 60s rock n roll record but from a decade later. It reminded me a bit of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers debut wich had a similar vibe... my rating is a 3 just because i think that it's good enough to be put over average but not in great
This is the kind of album that I wish I had the proper historical perspective to appreciate. I can hear it's influences, and hear the influence it's had, but I don't lack the proper appreciation for its momentum in the moment. I do like it, but not as much as I'd hoped.
Another Elvis Costello album that is simply fine.
Not a fan of his, but this wasn't bad.
The lyrics are really good but the music is boring as hell and I just don’t like Mr. Costello’s voice.
Well-written lyrics paired with a subpar singer and a somewhat boring band
It was great and also fun, but ultimately not my style. Maybe if I listen to it more, the rating could change.
EC seems to appear heavily in this list so I was a bit “not him again”. But I enjoyed.
Parasta Costelloa, mitä olen kuullut. Arvostan nasevuutta ja kompakteja biisejä. Ei tää silti vielä omiksi suosikeiksi nouse. 3,5/5.
the real elvis
Out of the 150+ albums I need to catch up on, I chose this one because it’s only 36 minutes long. Just enough time for me to take all my clothes out the closet, get overwhelmed, and then shove it in boxes so that I can do the same thing again in 6 months.
A solid debut, but there's definitely too much Elvis Costello on this list.
Didn't love it or hate it, it was alright. A lot of the tracks just sound the same. The song "Alison" was quite enjoyable though and probably the only track i might listen to again.
It wasn't what I was expecting - it was more upbeat and a bunch of different genres. At times it kind of reminded me of Billy Joel?
Boa, schon wieder Elvis Costello.
Highlights: "Welcome to the Working Week," "Alison," "Less Than Zero," "Pay It Back" Honestly hard to pick highlights. Every song is memorable, with striking left-turn harmonic fluorishes and hooks that give precise impact to the cutting lyrics. I noticed how often I couldn't really scan how a lyric was going to be read, or I needed the riff to hit to realize its tenor or meaning. It's deliberate, tight, holistic songwriting at work, again and again in a exciting range of styles with bracing, expressive vocal performance. Too bad it's mainly in service of sleazy GQ dispatches.
Mediocre punk rock album. No hits.
Sounds like an album that was brought out for a coming of age film in the 80s, great sounding album with a great cover.
Close up on the sign that says 'We never close'
missed the target
Just okay
better than other 3 star albums but not quite enough for a 4 star. strong 7/10.
Decent album, 50s with a 70s rock twist, Watching The Detectives is a great song!
This album makes me think of my dad. Dude loves that Alison song. I do really like this album. Probably not something I would listen all the way through very often. But would definitely listen to some tracks here and there.
This is a music album.
Good classic sound that I enjoyed Watching the Detectives is very reggae like and is awesome
ALLLLLLISSSSONNNNNNNN Sometimes gets a bit too rockabilly for me but pretty solid.
He covers a lot of bases in this first stab of the donkey. Pretty good! Doesn’t hang around. On this first couple of listens, only the opening track and “Less Than Zero” jumped out. The rest sounded amiable, like sitting next to a mildly drunk John Cusack. Don’t like it as much as ‘Blood and Chocolate’.
captures rock and roll vibe from 70s but not in an obnoxious way, realtively chill. Alison is an all time classic, knew that one before knowing who elvis costello is. Consistent throughout the whole album, with some songs being a bit more fast and jazzy and some more slow and relaxed rock. Watching the detectives is a banger end to an album.
Well produced and very catchy. Most of the songs sound the same but it isn’t a very bad things. Songs have replay-ability. Some songs seemed a little sloppier than others and some were repetitive but the overall vibe of the album doesn’t seem to be super proper which is ok, given the era it was produced in.
Good
First "pub rock" album I've ever heard. Reminds me a lot of a few tracks off of London Calling. Was really hoping for an explanation of what's going on with the dudes knees :-\
I like the song "Alison" because it was in New Girl
I'm bopping my head, must be enjoyable
Heel leuke muziek, vooral het openingsnummer "Welcome to the Working Week". Het doet me een beetje aan Weezer denken. ***
This was actually quite good, especially liked the last couple tracks
first listen pretty good album
Pretty fun album. Might check out other albums of his.
I like this record, not crazy about it but it's solid
Cool, as he always is
Not bad
It was enjoyable. Didn't leap out at me but solid. This will sound sacriligious but a step above most 70s rock I've heard, felt forward-thinking and modern while also having a comforting familiarity creeping in.
Well, fun fact for me reading the Wiki, I used to live a block away from where this was recorded, just about 20 years too late. Elvis has a great singing voice, comes out clearly in the mix. As a debut this is great. Working Week kicks off with some fun, a bit 'doo wop' for me but doable in small doses. Miracle man suffers from some bad bass work (or perhaps bad mixing) and there is a lot of filler on the album. Alison though is just one of the great songs in the world, and the guitar (and bass) work really well here. Watching the Detectives is also a 5 star song. Not enough quality for on this one but some real good tracks
C'est pas mal mais ça casse pas 3 pattes à un canard
bien vu pour Alison
It all feels so contrived. Its OK, but its def not great. 3/5
Some fine pop rock/new wave but nothing special or memorable.
Way better than the last album of his we got
Inoffensive, but not terrible. I feel like this would have been revolutionary at the time but as wth everything revolutionary it gets copied to genericism
Didn't enjoy this as much as the other EC albums that have come up on this list
Not bad! First Elvis Costello album I've ever listened to. I thought it was pretty fun and his guitar playing was impressive. Not bad!
I’ve always felt like I should like Elvis Costello more than I do. His music is almost there for me, but just doesn’t quite hit. Like a show or movie that can’t get the rights to the song they want so they make a faux sounding dupe. I liked Alison, and a few songs towards the end of the album, but none enough to make me want to listen again. I do appreciate a 13 song album coming in at a tight 36 minutes though.
Okay-ish.
I don't think I've listened to any of his music before, so this was fun to listen to
I recognize the importance but it's just not for me. The album's second half does a lot of heavy lifting.
On the whole this album didn't do much for me outside of a few good songs. I will say, however, that this album truly feels timeless, and wouldn't seem out of place in the 50s or the 21st century.
It was okay... Felt like a cheap imitation of pop and rock and roll from a decade or two before. And yet it didn't feel that special? All a bit cookie-cutter. It got a bit boring too, but I thought the guitar solos in I'm Not Angry made up for some of it. Favourite: I'm Not Angry
I wanna like it, but I just can't. It's too poppy and "happy" for my tastes, plus in general it all just feels slightly manufactured, I don't know. I wish I could get into Elvis Costello but it's not for me. It's definitely not bad though.
Surely there are better Elvis Costello albums? Apart from "Watching The Detectives" - which wasn't on the original album - I don't think that I've heard any of these tracks before. Average.
I enjoyed the album. The highlights for me were Welcome to the Working Week, Blame it on Cain, Alison, Sneaky Feelings and Watching the Detectives
Listened Before? N Pretty good! I don't have any familiarity with Elvis Costello at all other than Alison. THAT song is pretty solid but never caught my interest. The rest of this record is fun and light hearted and has a good relaxed feel to it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Watching the Detectives
Quite good. Enjoyable but only a 3 as it didn't take it further for me. Guitar and effects were quite good.
solid rock n roll 3/5
I like costello, and this debut album has a lot off decent tracks on it, but I don't love any of them, and find sometimes he can grate slightly.
Didn't really listen, seemed ok
Never been a Costello fan, and this doesn’t do much to change that, but I like the more interesting guitar licks he pulls out, although I don’t care for the rockabilly or reggae sounds as much. C+
3 stars - cool album
bien qsy 7/10
Solid
I mean, I guess if I had to listen to an Elvis Costello album, then this one wouldn't be the worst choice for me, but I really don't want to have to listen to an Elvis Costello album...at least not any one that I have heard so far. This album has a nice popiness to it, and I did find the melodies fun much of the time.
Interesting. I think I like it more than This Year's Model? It felt weirdly more punk rock given the shorter songs and the more in your face riffs. Standouts: No Dancing, Sneaky Feelings, Mystery Dance, I'm Not Angry
NO MORE ELVIS COSTELLO!!PLEASE! Hmmm 4 Oh there is the Jailhouse Rock ripoff "Mystery Dance" 3
Okay, look. I like Elvis Costello. He's got fun, punky energy in these early years without being what I would call punk. However, this is the second Elvis Costello album that I've gotten in the last two weeks, and it's too much for me. Please send me fewer Elvis Costello albums so that I can properly enjoy the ones I already have. All silliness aside, I like this album, but I felt like This Year's Model was a better album from this early period. There's nothing wrong with the songs on this album, but they are both less catchy and less interesting than the ones on that album. This one still has the characteristic Elvis Costello style, both in terms of the music and his voice, but it feels less mature here than on Last Year's Model. Taken in isolation, though, this is a fun album that I still find unspectacular. It's a lot more of a blues rock album than I thought it would be, though he does blues rock far better than most white dudes 3/5
fine
Bra debut. Det pubrockiga drar ner det lite för mig.
Very funky I enjoyed it
Enjoyable, but overhyped.
Very confused before realizing this is a different Elvis.
Lepposaa menoa ja hyviä soundeja. En tiedä miksi tämä Elvis ei ole koskaan kummemmin sytyttänyt, mutta voisin kyllä kuunnella enemmänkin.
Menevä levy. Vois kuunnella useemminkin, mut jos aikaa pitäisi musiikin kuunteluun käyttää, niin löytyy parempaakin tietty. Laitamme kuitenkin tänän jatkoon tulevaisuutta, jos sattuis tulee sellanen Costello-fiilis
I don’t get Elvis Costello
Power pop/rock, Singer/songwriter, ok underholdende
This album is a short pop jaunt into Costello's world. It features biting lyrics, punk and ska influences, as well as notable hooks. The key track being Allison, which showcases Costello's ability to write a timeless love song.
Impressed. You hear how Elvis Costello clearly serves as an inspiration for a lot of the artists we have today who channel 70s nostalgia. Alison is a beautiful song.
OK
I'm always thinking that I'm going to dislike an Elvis Costello album, then end up liking it.
Very solid and clearly influential. A lot has come out since that has expanded on this sound that makes it sound a bit dated nowadays.
Elvis Costello is just one of those artists where I respect him and his work, but it just is not my thing. "Alison" is a great track, but other than that it kinda falls flat.
This is a decent album. I'm sure it's great if you miss the 50's. I'm enjoying it, but I wouldn't pick it.
Not bad not my fav
I'm starting to really dislike Elvis Costello...there's the odd great song and then a distinct feeling he's a bit of an arse.
Lots of just quick, catchy tunes. I don’t mind it but nothing to go crazy over. 5/10
7/10
Well almost anything would sound good after Captain Beefheart. I thought This Year's Model was way better than this. Its fine, if pretty dated sounding. Its like a 50s rock star came forward into the future.
I went into this with low expectations, but I liked it a bit more than I thought I was going to. I'm not usually too into rock and roll and rockabilly stuff, but this album manages to make it sound a little more interesting. My favourite songs were Alison and I'm Not Angry.
the list compiler definitely has a soft spot for costello as this is the second offering we've had from him and one in 1001 is more than enough. that said, it should be this one over the other one as its fairly pleasant listening.
New wave retro rock n roll. It's jolly good fun in an unadventurous kind of way.
Starts with a song that could be a sitcom intro, but I think that might be intentional, sarcastically. Fun record, high energy, but not very fresh or unique.
It sounded so good in black and white. No longer as on the mark as it was when purchased on the day of release.
That’s some pretty good pop music. Although every song sounds very similar. 3/5
This is the third or fourth Costello record I've gotten and I'm starting to feel bad. He really should click with me, but I can't get anything below the surface level with him. It's pleasant enough when it's on, just nothing I enjoy enough to go out of my way to listen on my own. Favorite tracks: "Allison", "Blame It On Cain", "I'm Not Angry"
Perfectly serviceable album. Little bit dull. Has some songs I know, has others I'll forget. I probably would give it a two but I have a sort of inexplicable affection for Costello and I'm not sure why, so I'll give a bonus
Very aware of Costello and have heard a few songs on that radio, but never took the time to listen to his stuff. Glad I did. I enjoyed this album. Even added Waiting for the end of the world to my music downloads. Loved Waiting and likes Welcome to the working week, Alison and Mystery dance. I will now take the time to get to know better 3-3.5
3.5 I really enjoyed this one. It didn’t do anything amazingly remarkable but I can absolutely see why people really like this album. I’ll definitely be listening again. Favorites: Welcome to the Working Week, Miracle Man, Alison, Sneaky Feelings, Waiting for the End of the World, Watching the Detectives
Nice but background
So good. Have not heard this whole album before. Worth the listen.
7/10
3,5 classic ragga roolin maybe a 4,2 on a good day
isch ok
pretty decent, nothing jumping out as special. inoffensive to the ears
good album easy listening
Super based album. Much better than the usual ABBA fare. This is going into my regular rotation.
a bit old school
Really good. 3.5/5
Enjoyable but some of the songs on this album just sound so dated, especially given this came out in 1977
Vu le succès de la première émeute anti-Costello organisée par mon rival eltrapeze et moi-même, nous vous invitons à sa deuxième édition qui se tiendra le 19 septembre prochain, à 14h. Pour rappel, nous étions pour la première édition plus de vingt-mille émeutiers à nous être déplacés selon nous, dix-mille selon la police, et vingt-cinq selon Elvis Costello. À notre grande satisfaction, de nombreux magasins ont été vandalisés, des voitures incendiées, et des monuments tagués du slogan "no costello". Nous prévoyons de faire encore mieux la prochaine fois et avons hâte de vous y retrouver. À bientôt chers lecteurs.
Elvis Costello est ici fidèle à lui-même, à savoir complétement insipide. J'en profite pour vous rappeler que la deuxième édition de la manifestation anti Costello aura lieu le Lundi 19 Septembre. A cette occasion, nous distribuerons divers drapeaux et banderoles à l'encontre de Costello. Au plaisir de vous retrouver là-bas, prêts à en découdre.
My favorite Costello to date. Really like "Watching the Detectives". 3.5/5
Honestly, I'm not sure what to say here. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It was just average, through and through. It wasn't offensive, but nothing was really exciting about it, either. It was just consistently just "okay". In this album, I can definitely hear where Costello is likely influenced by and trying to carry over some of the power pop and rockabilly of the 50s and 60s, such as The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Buddy Holly. You can even see it in the album cover art. But again, I think it's all a little too evenly neat and one note, nothing out of bounds or surprising like you might have gotten from the above-mentioned bands. Where they all got their fame taking risks and playing around in these genres, Costello just seems to be mostly rehashing them. Again, I always like to note when an album is someone's debut album, because I think it can say a lot. In this case, I definitely feel like Costello already had a solid idea of what he wanted to do and didn't need multiple albums to find his sound; he had it right away. As I understand it, there's a LOT of Costello on this project, so I'm definitely feeling indifferent about that, but at least my first Costello entry was this, his debut album, so I can maybe do some interesting comparisons with future albums. You know, for science. So far, I'm definitely not seeing what all the fuss is about.
Ik vond dit net iets minder speciaal dan het album dat eerder de revue passeerde.
Both nostalgic and ahead of its time.
Kinda boring and the guy's voice is annoying.
Not quite pop, not quite punk, not quite rockabilly. But is it really good? Not quite.
Decent sound, decent songs.
Not a fan of Costello. That said, not a bad album.
Genre: New Wave 3/5 In what was probably my favorite Elvis Costello experience so far (not saying much, but it's the truth), My Aim Is True, his debut effort, is a pretty straightforward new wave/pub rock experience. A lot of his early rock influences creep in here, and his voice is dialed down quite a bit than later albums, with a lot of the songs sounding more like 70s post-Buddy Holly than his 80s Costello tracks. What transpires is quite a run-of-the-mill pop rock experience, but it ends up being way more enjoyable than most other Costello albums due to classy, smooth production and its pared back attitude. The album's opener, the quick and punchy Welcome to the Working Week, is such a great opener that you're upset to find that it's less than a minute and a half, as the album launches into Miracle Man before we get a chance to even acknowledge how good it was. Songs like the rock & roll cut Mystery Dance, or the soft soul cut Alison, provide us with some sonic variety, but not enough to keep this album from sounding like one big continuous New Wave song. Decent, though, and a lot more enjoyable than I was expecting or hoping.
Some goodies but a little too old timey for me
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.
Thought it was a good but not great debut by Costello Favourite song was “Watching the Detectives” 23/06/22
I've always said Costello > Presley and this cements that fact
Some great songs on here but not as polished as some of his later work.
I've always loved this album. The 48 song Spotify version is a bit much for me. Stick to the basics.
Not my normal music, but I enjoyed it enough. Like the upbeat, light music.
Nice combination of rock and pop. Picks up towards the end and finishes on a high with Watching the Detectives.
Meilleur que l'autre que j'ai eu, mais ça reste un peu dull.
I like the fairly basic makeup of this album. Somewhere in his vocals a stimuli looms secretively.
2.5/5. Let’s just say I have heard better bad music.
Easy listening but nothing much to it.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Short, not bad
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.
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
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
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.
Probably one of the better pop rock albums I’ve ever heard.
Great Singer. Good to hear him.
Nerd
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.
I just wish it wasn't Elvis Costello
b-side is really really solid
I don't really like his singing style. The songs are fine.
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
Never liked Elvis
Old school not bad
"My hopes were so high when I heard the first track. But honestly it went downhill after that. Alison is good and Welcome To The Working Week is the best."
Another perfectly palatable and easily forgotten Elvis Costello album. Perhaps the curator of this list knows something I don't?
Good vibes only!! Tycker Elvis gör rätt mycket med enkla medel. Inte riktigt min stil, annars hade jag nog delat ut ett högre betyg.
Cantautor con algún toque más rockabilly, con voz característica y canciones sin ser un gran alarde de composición y de ritmo. Escuchable, hasta ahí
I like it... kind of repetitive but I like the vibe. 3.5 I guess.
Enjoyed it a fair amount. Nothing crazy but good tunes overall
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.
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
Decent. Some of the songs are great, some are middle-of-the-road.
Great live. Great to live. Elvis!
Fairly timeless
Recognized two great songs...fun album!
Nice, beatsy album though I'm not quite sure how memorable it will be for me in the long run
Bom som
Bien, pero un poco pesado.
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
Costello can be better.
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.
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.
Solid production and guitarwork. Alison is a fantastic song. Could use a bit more to help it stand out though.
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.
This was good. Probably a 3.5. More catchy than I expected.
Did not like it
I don't get this guy
decent album but it doesnt feel outstanding to me
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.
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
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?
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've heard this before, pretty decent. A great opening line
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.
Comes across as a dork but the music is solid
Some really fun songs on this one, would listen to it again.
Some fun songs. I liked the energy. Good vibes
Catchy riffs, somewhat annoying vocals, conventional chords, some nice melodies, "I'm Not Angry" and "Watching the Detectives"
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.
I had high expectations on this one, but I kinda got bored after a while
Not an awful Elvis P impersonation but not so good I need to listen again.
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
Enjoyed this. Not very familiar before
pretty good debut album
Elvis Costello is overrated but there are a few good tracks here
Fun and replayable rock album, feels like the B side is overall stronger than the A side.
Nett, aber nichts Besonderes
Kann man so ganz gut im Hintergrund dudeln lassen aber das Cover geht gar nicht...
A rather underwhelming debut I thought, shows very little sign of the great work to come....
Já conhecia.
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.
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.