Reviews (page 12 of 12)
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.
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 😆
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.
"Music journalists like Elvis Costello because music journalists look like Elvis Costello" - David Lee Roth. 2/5.
Not for me.
it was alright but again. just not my thing sigh
Helt OK, vill hellre lyssna på Bruce?
inte så bra... väldigt rasistiskt. och lät som boobs in california??
1977. Alison, Waiting For The End Of The World
Alter Elvis ähnlicher Rock. Ganz nette Lieder dabei, aber würde ich mir so wohl nicht anhören.
Kinda repetative...
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'.
Meh
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
2/5 - Not my bag
he's just not for me
Maybe need another go at it, but I've never liked Costello
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.
Really old-school, could see nostalgia making this a liked album.
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!
Meh, except for the last song. Also, what's with the awful sound?
It was alright
Few catchy numbers. Good energy. Annoying voice
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!
Heard worse Costello
Its alright
Ok album. Not a huge fan.
a soft meh for me
Pasó muy desapercibido
Not bad. Not my thing so much.
meh, nie podobało mi się
Monotono
Ordinary
I listened to 10seconds of this.
I dont like this man
Eres un pesado, señor Costello
First album I skipped.
48 titres, > 2h… ça commence bien. 2e son : j’en ai déjà marre Confession : j’ai arrêté au bout de 20mn
only thing memorable about this album is the oversized spectacles the dude on the cover photo is wearing.
Didn’t finish
Not for me
Meh
Here are the top 5 Elvis Costello albums you need to hear before you die. Smh. Is there more Costello on here than Presley? This was tough. This whole thing, really most all of Elvis Costello’s work, is just so bleh. So milquetoast. So middle of the road. His slightly nasaly delivery has tested my patience after so many records. I think by the time I hit “Alison” in the track listing, I knew I was at the point of no return. There’s just nothing this record does that makes it stand out from a field of its contemporaries, and ESPECIALLY not in a field of those who came after. “Mystery Dance” had another retro-futuristic fusion of 50’s rock and 70’s rock that had my mind going to other, better artists. Want some rockabilly with actual teeth? Go listen to Reverend Horton Heat. Want a nostalgic kick of doo-wop brought into the context of classic rock? Go listen to Bowie. There’s just nothing worth your time here, it’s true for most of the Elvis Costello records on this list. Just pick one, maaaaaybe two of them. 1/5 (Update upon researching this list) THERE’S STILL ANOTHER ELVIS COSTELLO RECORD I HAVENT HEARD?
This is my fifth album from Elvis Costello. I can't stand Elvis Costello. Why does the author love Elvis Costello so much? Fuck Elvis Costello.
I really don’t like Elvis Costello. Now I like him even less.
non mi piace. notevole she sua.
Not for me.
Qué vaina es esta chamo
I have a friend who is IN LOVE with this album. I don’t get it AT ALL.
meh. not memorable
Ни о чём. Не слушал раньше и не буду дальше
Just an okay album. not for me
OK
Not good. Incidentally, this once again proves to me that, despite the critics adamantly claiming otherwise, Duran Duran's 'Thank You' album offers an improved version of every track it covers (many of the originals are on this list). This album, however, is truly more annoying than enjoyable (which, by itself, would be a capital offence). Add to that EC's unjustifiably taking up 6 of these 1,001 seats, and there really is no other sensible score but a 1 here.
The more I am forced to listen through what it appears to be all of Costello’s discography, the clearer it becomes. He sucks.
Great! No death metal, but a second Elvis Costello album, where he sounds like an American Loverboy. Well, I assume Loverboy copied him. Whatever. IT's the J. Geils band. It's radio slop. Bruce Springsteen for people who are slightly smarter. Only slightly. We have reggae chords, highly affected vocal delivery, and ooh ooh ooohs in the background. This is the music playing on a zero alcohol pedal pub that is en route to a vintage camera convention. Just give me 3000 fedoras, a few "EC" records and 20 minutes with that crowd and I'll triple your money. While we're asking for impossible things, can you give me my 36 minutes back? This sucked. I give it a one, because there were lyrics in here that were kind of alright. SOME. ..and Waiting for the End of the World was pretty good. Don't run away with that. I can see the tabloids now. "EXTREMELY NEGATIVE REVIEWER *LOVES* COSTELLO LYRICS - CREDIBILITY DISINTEGRATES." I do it to myself. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: HuhhWHoa whoa Huhhh Darling Hwoah Red Shoes Uno is a reference to wrestling
Another Costello album down, and I remain mystified as to the appeal
Door zijn stem heb ik het niet goed kunnen horen. Hij zong de hele tijd alsof hij bijna klaarkwam of pijn had in zijn linker kleine teen of allebei. Als een nummer zoals Alison wel een goed intro heeft dan word het snel weer verpest door een stem die klinkt alsof die moet poepen en halverwege de drol er achterkomt dat het eten van gisteravond te pittig was
I imagine it was good for its time but im really not a fan.
Already heard a bunch of albums from this list that sound like this, all of them from earlier - so I don't really get how this sound, already dated in 1977, is a "must-listen"?? Elvis Costelno. 2 / 10
His aim my be true, but I fail to see the point.
This one didn’t do it for me.
maybe im a hater and i didnt give it enough time.... but i have 0 desires to listen past the first song
Did not enjoy. Barely finished the first disc.
O primeiro disco do cara. Juro que me esforço, mas não agrada.
Elvis Costello songs always sound like the fake band playing a garage concert or high school dance in movies to me. Like his delivery and the shitty rockabilly sound is meant to add to the comedy of whatever I'm experiencing. The difference is those scenes last 40 seconds, and this album runs for 40 minutes.
I cannot stand his vocal delivery or the fact that half the time it sounds like he's singing into a box or intentionally distorted to try and cover up the awful noise. Also, 50s do-wap rock revival? Just what we needed! /s
The Neil young of England but without the talent of Neil. Ed Sheeran for all his faults can spin a tune. James Blunt’s you’re beautiful has a memorable melody. Even Agadoo might get you dancing. The inexplicable popularity of the wrong Elvis. Over rated. 2 or 3 good to great songs does not a genius make. And his one great song isn’t till his seventh album. Not even excellence till then. That he flukes a couple of great songs is no excuse. I really don’t know what Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe were thinking. It’s not even good cliche. And many of the rest of the reviews here make the observation that it’s all the same. And they’re right. You get one good song per album (this one is Alison) and the rest are variants on the theme. We all know what we throw against the wall to see what sticks. Not much of this does. No more Costello on this list. Seriously. He’s A racist pos on top. In vino veritas, Declan. You say you can’t apologise enough. No, you can’t. And that’s just for this travesty. Ray Charles deserved better too. Shout out to a band who is far better than the material they are given. What a waste of the Attractions. Steve Nieve could have done so much better.
I made it to about 3 songs in and did not like it at all. Very one dimensional voice. Bland production, and overall not exciting.
There are simply too many Elvis Costello albums on this list.
No puedo entender la fascinación por Elvis Costello, especialmente de parte del autor de esta lista. Ya es el tercer álbum que aperece de Costello y cada uno es menos interesante que el otro. La voz de Costello no me parece destacable en ningún sentido y las composiciones en este álbum son mediocres, con alguna que otra excepción más o menos aceptable. Tampoco me parece horrible, pero considerar un álbum como este para esta lista en la que además hay múltiples trabajos de Costello ya me resulta ofensivo, habiendo tanta música en el mundo objetivamente mejor y más relevante. Además este álbum es de 1977... Si hubiese sido publicado en 1950 podría tener más valor por ser un poco innovador, pero hacer esto en el 77 es aburrido y anticuado. Por supuesto mi juicio viene dado por el marco de la relevancia de este álbum como para estar en la lista de "1001..." Estoy seguro que a muchas personas les gusta Elvis Costello y tuvo su relevancia histórica, pero no lo considero tan bueno ni tan importante como para colocar varios álbumes en la lista y que encima este sea uno de ellos.
I nearly skipped listening to this album, given that I didn't like previous Costello albums on this list, and there are apparently still several to go. I should have skipped it. He doesn't seem to have any control over his voice, it's like listening to Bobcat Goldthwaite.
Honestly, not terrible, just terribly boring. It might just be bad luck that this came up after three boring albums in a row. Did not finish.
1 might be harsh but i have no patience for this boring shit today
This album sounds like an SNL skit, but is this fella's serious tunes. Like a well produced band that played the prom on the Saved By The Bell Graduation show that Zach Attack lip synced to. Glad it wasn't a long listen
Definitely not for me. I’m glad I explored the kind of music I would otherwise never intentionally listen to, but I didn’t enjoy it. Maybe it’s because I was looking to find what I like instead of examining it on its own. Maybe I should not be judgemental and put labels onto things. Be more open minded. Good exercise to be more open minded.
For someone as popular as him, I don't meet many who mention him. Fine album, just not what I'm looking for really.
Nah
My least favorite album I've listened to so far. Although the sound isn't terrible it doesn't feel very special to me. A lot of forgettable tracks and gives the vibe of those one moment kids movie songs you hear once, but never again. My top 3 songs from this album are Alison, Welcome To The Working Week, and Sneaky Feelings.
Meh
Had to look at other reviews to make sure I wasn't hearing wrong...im sure it was groundbreaking and genre defining at the time, but it's just mid now and all the songs sound the same. Not sure I needed to hear this before I die, plus he called Ray Charles the n word lol
I really enjoyed Elvis Costello and the Attractions (pump it up etc). I don’t know what about it is better than this seeing as he has the same voice which is my fundamental issue with this album. It sounds like someone doing an impression of Randy Newman. Really didn’t like this album
One of the worst album covers I've ever seen. Who thought it was a good decision to make all of the typography illegible by placing it on a checkerboard pattern? It is shameful that this artist compares himself to Elvis Presley. He has none of Elvis Presley's qualities: He can't sing, can't dance, and doesn't have any charisma. If you want rockabilly, particularly in the seventies, just direct yourself to Cheap Trick and Bruce Springsteen and save yourself the irritation. If you want punk get real punk. The only thing going for this album is the band Clover. Everything that Declan McManus brings to this pretty much sucks. His lyrics aren't great at all. I personally think Sting, Peter Gabriel, and countless others writes lyrical circles around this guy. I don't understand how people got hoodwinked into this nonsense.
Every song sounds exactly the same. Not a fan.
Langweilig
1001 Elvis Costello Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
Shoulder Shrug
hold up. This is THE Elvis Costello? gah. kinda boring.
ok but really generic 2/5
Yeah this should not be on the 1001 albums list
I cannot stand his voice unfortunately
no
Yet again another Elvis Costello record. Why? No really, why?
Didn't quite like it. Feels repetitive. I think I'd use it for doing chores if anything. Maybe I'll give it another go in the future.
Yikes
Kinda lame lol Like a bad version of Billy Joel?
I wish someone’s aim was true. They could put a bullet in my brain so I didn’t have to listen to his adenoid-addled voice
I did not like this album. Singing was very irritating and difficult to listen past
I hate it. I hate him. I sometimes also hate this list.
In keeping with the theme where I listen to the same 10 artists or songs over and over like a continuous stim, I once again have never heard an Elvis Costello album in full. In fact, I'd go so far to say the only EC song I know is Alison thanks to it's continuous playing on Smooth Radio. Notwithstanding, I have heard of Elvis Costello. And normally with praise. So I was quite excited to get an EC album, maybe add an 11th artist to my rotation. What in god's green earth was this? The second Welcome to the Working Week kicked in, I knew we were not in for a good time. It felt the same but weirdly inconsistent at the same time. The lyrics were poor. Was he meant to be an Elvis Presley tribute act? I didn't get it. I was going to give it 2 stars on the basis that I could listen to Alison again (again thanks to Smooth Radio) but, after flicking back through to write the review, I got annoyed by it all over again so downgraded. This was not a good album.
This woulda been just ok if it came out like 10 years earlier. I'm simply not impressed. Bland, bland, bland.
1. uueek - 1 2. miracle - 1 3. dancing - 1 4. cain - 1 5. alizon - 1.5 6. feelingz - 1 7. red zhouez - 1 8. zero - 1.5 9. myztery - 1.5 10. pay - 1.5 11. angry - 1.5 12. uuorld - 1.5 13. detectivez - 1
Not my favourite genre by any stretch but quite liked the short opener and the bass driven second track ‘Miracle Man’. But it’s the more pop/rock n roll/doo-wap-crap tracks that are bile inducing. And there are plenty of those.
I've always had a problem with Elvis Costello with both his music and his image. Not as bad as Shakin' Stevens with the old late 50's early 60's styling, but more of a 'secret lemonade drinker' sort of thing. He would have been more at home on Jimmy Saville's old record club on a Sunday afternoon. Musically, the first half fit my description above to a tee, even down to the wierd fake American accent. But the last 4 or so songs it got better and more contemporary (for 1977). One of his best songs the last, wasn't even included on the original release so if that isn't counted then it's a 1 star.
Not for me. 1/5
Geee, why am I still here? Just to suffer? Best song: No Dancing Worst song: (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
The Elvis Costello curse continues. 6% of my albums generated thus far have been Costello albums, help me. I have nothing new to say, just that I appreciated the reggae infused closing track. Best song: Watching the Detectives Worst song: Mystery Dance
No why are they all so bad The only song that didn’t make me want to bleach my ears was blame it on Cain
Very blah, I didn’t care much for it
Not good
Oddly felt like this was a parody album. Didn't feel genuine or moving at all. Gonna give this a 1.2.
Ew
70’s
I keep wanting to give this guy a chance, but man I find this so boring and inconsequential, almost grating. I just can't. Too many of his records on this list, I hope this is the last one.
I'm not listening to another Elvis Costello album.
MID
This is the epitome of “butt rock” to me. The songs do nothing for me and the tinny production makes it unlistenable.
No
So this is where Jonathan richman got it. Not really my thing. The white guy blues-rock doesn't speak to me, I've heard so much of It. I don't love his voice either.
I don't get the appeal. Guessing I'm wrong here but I don't see the quality difference between this album and many of the opening bands on a mid-level popular band's tour. It's fine, certainly not my vibe at all though. Also, not every song needs to fade out, like, songs can just end, and that's better.
I found this to be a pretty boring album! The only track I loved was the last track (watching the Detectives), which didn't even appear on the original album, so it probably doesn't count! 1 star for the bonus detective track.
Did I actually need to hear this before I die? No.
Ich kenne den Knaben nicht und trotzdem kommt mir jeder Titel irgendwie bekannt vor. So als hätte ich alles schon Mal früher gehört - nur von anderen. Schon als ich das Cover sah dachte ich: Huh, hat Buddy Holly ne neue Platte gemacht?
Not my cup of tea
Nicht meine Musik
Endloser, grottiger Punk Rock.
Yeah no.
I don’t understand the appeal at all. It’s so boring and so bad. His voice is like Billy Joel’s to me. So bland and unpleasant so they just pronounce words weirdly and make a really unpleasant back of the throat drawn out vowel sound. It’s miserable to try to listen to. Hated it
Ебанный рот как же однообразно и не драйвово
God fucking damn it. Elvis Costello sounds like he is passing kidney stones every time he opens his mouth. The background music is fine if that is your cup of tea, it’s basically diner music to drink a milkshake and eat a burger to with a goofy ass motherfucker yelling over it. His voice really is extremely annoying and has no redeeming qualities. Now I want a milkshake but instead I just have this aggravating fucker making a fuss. 1/10
Confusing.
Eh. I just don't care that much. And they all sound the same to me tbh.
Not good. Grating vocals on boring rock and roll songs.
This one might be influential, but that didn’t make me like it. Felt like plain pop music. „Watching the detectives“ was the only song that I sort of liked.
nörtti, katso laseja..neljä silmä paskiainen.. mee pelaa nörttipelejä saatana... pois täältä tollaset...haluta täällä tollasia... mee takas nörttilään vittu... rillipää paskiainen. mee nörttimaailmaan, suu aukena takas. pysy kaukana vaan. tollane täällä...mee pelaa niit tietsikkapelejä...nörttivuoren maailmanmestari... mystery dance
Har grua meg til detta
Almost unlistenable. Like someone taking the mick out of 50s rocknroll, but badly. Thought it was one of those random mistakes you see on the 1001 list, maybe the inclusion of a genre pushing album that really doesn't deserve to be here. But looking at the album on wiki now, "wide critical acclaim", "one of the best rock debuts of all time", "frequently appeared on lists of the greatest albums of all time". Shame on you, human race.
not a fan at all
"My Aim is True" is what I always say to myself when I manage to hit the toilet bowl dead center despite being drunk out of my mind. And wouldn't you believe it, listening to this album feels like an inebriated Elvis Costello is wizzing into my ear from a meter away, with impeccable aim. Impressive as it may be, watersports aren't really my cup of tea, so Elvis, go make yourself useful and urinate on some forest fires or something, leave people's ears be. One toilet bowl out of five 🚽
This list is a bit Elvis Costello heavy surely he should have been bit more selective on number of Elvis Costello Albums. Original album has no hits on it. No stand out tracks for me
Robert Dimery probably dreams about this at night sometimes. He wants to write a new book. His editor and him agreed on a project, Robert has received a nice sum as an advance, so he turns his computer on and starts writing the title of his new project: *1001 ELVIS COSTELLO Albums You Need To Listen To Before You Die*. A nagging feeling of suspicion suddenly grabs Robert. He checks his notes again and again. Something's terribly wrong. He checks again, a horrified expression on his face. It seems like Elvis Costello has recorded a respectable number of records, it's true, but they're still far less that 1001! That's when Robert jumps and sits up in his bed, his breath cut short. What a horrible nightmare. --------- Changed my mind on *This Year's Model* and *Armed Forces* and will now include them in my own list (one of the very, very rare cases where I don't stand by a review I wrote since I've started to use this app). But it's as far as I'll go to follow Dimery and co.'s literal *obsession* with Elvis Costello (a running gag that has been noticed by a lot of reviewers in here, eliciting quite a few smirks in reponse). *Blood And Chocolate* has some very good moments (example: "I Want You"), but it's too patchy to be included in my own list. "Imperial Bedroom" is too damn chatty. I don't remember the name of that later album from the nineties, but I do remember it was a borefest. And this debut album here sounds very much like an early rock'n'roll pastiche, making it very hard to take it seriously. "Watching The Detectives" is a nice single, though, a reggae track with punky overtones pretty close to what The Police was playing around those years--even if Costello brings his own spin in that formula. But that good song is not enough to mitigate the overall feeling of boredom the rest of this LP inspired me. It's certainly not the worst record ever selected in Dimery's book, so maybe my grade is a bit harsh here--keep in mind that it translates to a 6/10 grade for an assessment that's not related to the purposes of selecting "essential" album (5+1). Let's just say that my 1/5 grading is also a way for me to protest about the fact that at least three slots in the original list could have been given to other artists. Have I forgotten an Elvis Costello album mentioned in the 1001 albums book, by the way? I probably have. Maybe it's my turn to have nightmares about the man with glasses... In the meantime... next please. Number of albums left to review: 532 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 224 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 108 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 137 (including this one)
Hard no. This turbo sucks. There is nothing new Costello every brought to the table. It's just bad.
meh
The aim is not true.
Just a not very good version of Springsteen’s first couple of records.
This record reminds me of the 13th time I had to clean the bathtub after shitting so ferociously that I tore my anus wide open. A remarkable way to come out to my parents.
Pretty Boring, seems like generic rock from the time, nothing to special the opening song was fun though.
Annoying
This was not it y'all. I would describe this album as if you went to see a 70s cover band and they played 0 songs you actually know. Not like the music was bad, there just wasnt anything going on that made me wanna listen again. Generic af 2/10
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.
Mi sta sul cazzo qualsiasi cosa.
Mystery dance était l’fun.
Sorry, I just don't see the attractions.
... 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.
Alright this settles it! I am not an Elvis Costello fan, give me the regular Elvis over this guy any day.
Not my bag
Hmm, ziemlich mittelmäßig okaye Songs. Hätte für mich hier nicht wirklich einen Listenplatz verdient. Duh-hull 1.3
Niet geluisterd
Less Than Zero Mystery Dance I'm Not Angry Waiting for the End of the World
I don't really get Elvis Costello. Not for me.