Reviews (page 6 of 12)
Brilliant throughout
Great album
Hits the target 🎯
Allison - really good love song, heartfelt, calm, classic Sneaky feelings - continues the theme of this longing for love Mystery dance - very catchy, rhythmic song Red shoes - catchy melody, classic The album is chill, but heartfelt. A lover's whisper, although he portrays moments of happiness and passion. The instrumentation really emphasizes how he is feeling.
Good album. Better than This Year's Model. More melodic and flows better
I don't know too much about Elvis Costello before this and I was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed this album. Excited to listen to more of his discography.
Classic.
Great album
Songs are all pretty similar but it's easy to listen to with some catchy songs.
You can hear the burgeoning talent in this album, and it really comes to the fore in his next two albums.
I liked it a lot, I can't believe it was his first studio album. It was upbeat with solid tracks.
Fun.
Punk, 1977. A record with a great energy and a lot of fantastic songs. It is also one of the best debut albums of the 70s and a really good one for the lovers of punk music. In the end this project is very interesting and enjoyable.
Not sure about best rock debut ever, but pretty rockin' stuff.
like the album a lot - seems influential, hear remnants of this elsewhere
happily impressed, very good listen
I honestly enjoyed the blues infused rock that Costello puts forth here. It’s great storytelling by a great storyteller. Decent guitar here too.
7/28/2022 - ALBUM #182 Today's Album: "My Aim Is True" by Elvis Costello - The last Elvis Costello album I listened to from this generator was with his band, The Attractions, so it was interesting to hear what his music sounded like solo. On this album, in comparison to the other one, there is far more emphasis on Elvis’s songwriting and less on the sound of the record. That isn’t to say the sound of this is bad by any means, but I think it sounds pretty simple and stripped back in comparison. This tracklist is pretty full of good tunes, with every song holding a pretty decent chorus and a classic rock and roll vibe. There isn’t a ton to say with any of the specific tracks, really, aside from some standout funky vibes on tracks like Blame It On Cain, Sneaky Feelings, and Watching The Detectives. If I told you to imagine classic rock distilled into a scrawny white man with the voice of Frank Zappa, I’m sure you would be able to imagine something pretty similar to what’s on display on this record. It’s really just Elvis’s unbeatable melody writing paired with a chunky rock and roll groove on every track and there isn’t much more than that. I guess that’s what is really standout about this record: for how little it’s doing something new for it’s time. It’s such an enjoyable listen from front to back and it’s such a testament to how strong his songwriting abilities are. Overall, this is a solid rock and roll record with great song-writing and a bunch of banger choruses. Give this one a listen if you want to know more about the 2nd most famous person named Elvis. Highlights: Welcome To The Working Week, Miracle Man, Blame It On Cain, Alison, Sneaky Feelings, Watching The Detectives, Red Shoes, Less Than Zero, Mystery Dance, Pay It Back, I’m Not Angry Score: 8/10 A classic rock and roll record with quite the songwriting punch
Not a week goes by where I don't hear something from this album I'm sure. This album gets off to a great start with Welcome To The Working Week. And who doesn't love Alison? Top to bottom a great album.
It's an album of cool and collected bops
yeh thought that was right fun. good lark.
Rock.
At his beginning
Overall enjoyable record. Loved that there was some humour in the lyrics and vocal delivery. Some guitar parts were pretty slick too. Good listen
Nice clean style but with its own spin on everything. Minus a star because only about half of the album is good.
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.
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.
Really nice indeed!!!
Another good Costello album. He seems like a fun guy and I wish I could party with his younger self.
A great debut album: such a range of styles & mature subject matter.
LP
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 🌟
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.
I guess it's a throwback to 50s but also a way forward?
catchy but not really my thing
This album sounds like it could've come out yesterday, what a timeless classic.
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 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.
Raw, eclectic mix of styles with Elvis not quite into his stride as he is on Armed Forces say. Still proper music though.
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
Very fun listen all the way through. Really enjoyed No Dancing and Alison.
Not bad. Not music I listen to normally but upbeat and fun.
I really dig it
Delightful, and most of what I know him for.
Don't like most of it, but Alison and Red shoes are 2 of my favourite songs ever.
It's quirky, fun, uniquely written rock n roll album that's standout among other classic rock album in 1977~
“A phenomenal debut, capturing a songwriter and musician whose words were as rich and clever as his music.”
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.
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.
Fav songs: - Welcome To The Working Week - Alison - Waiting For The End Of The World
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!
Still sounds so fresh! Huge classic from the Costellinator!
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.
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.
Have always love Elvis Costello. Great album
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.
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
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.
A quick, fun, pop, punky album. Liked "I'm Not Angry" and "Alison" the most. No song that I disliked either.
Top 3 Tracks: Welcome to the Working Week (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes Less Than Zero
Brilliant power pop. I loved it.
Dug the sound
Pretty excellent, I'd go with a 4
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.
Un des meilleurs album de costellp que j’ai entendu. Ca secoute super bien 4.20
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.
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.
Would listen to again
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
Very pub music indeed. Sort of like it.
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.
Allison was the only song I think I knew beforehand. Pretty smooth album but not that memorable.
Sounds to me like early rock and roll mixed with elements of very early punk music and I dug it. 4/5
This one's pretty fun. I like it and may actually look into his music more.
A Billy Joel / Bob Dylan vibe. It was pretty good
Great stuff, never listened before and thought it was excellent, Alison a stand out track but would listen again without hesitation
Rock setentero. Está bastante bien.
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
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”
Fun
Banger!!! Ja sku vinna honom i en skkjuttävling dock på gud!😤
Solid, spunky songs with a clear personality
Great time, need to listen again.
Not my favorite Elvis Costello album, but it is pretty damn good
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
Love his songwriting.
its pretty good start to finish. classic rock
Very pleasant. I’ve listened to Elvis Costello before, but not an entire album. Nice songwriting and solid melodies.
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.
Actually kinda liked this one
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.
Feels way ahead of its time.
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.
Good album. I like Elvis Costello. 3.8 = 4
Fantastic, I love Elvis & need to listen to him more. This has a lot of recognizable songs on it.
This is fun
6.5
Smooth and easy to listen to. Listened to it 3-4 times back to back.
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.
Fun oldie rock stuff He's a charismatic vocalist
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.
Terrible recording, remasters make things even worse.
Catchy songs, and an overall great listen.
I've never listened to an Elvis Costello song before. I'm not sure why...
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
-I'm not angry -Watching the detectives!!! (nice bass)
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).
4/5
Lots of classics, really liked the first song on the album.
Real 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.
I like Costello. Good album, particularly for a first album. Pop punk.
Elvis is cool 😎
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😀
Did Elvis Costello invent pop-punk?
Great album
Pretty fun. Like a 7 or an 8. I'll go with a 7 though
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.
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
I love his voice and his authentic use of rock music’s best aspects!
Me latió la ondita que trae
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.
Always love the voice and style - and Alison is a solid gold classic. Nice.
this was a great album! I've only ever listened to a couple of his songs, but this album was amazingly done!
Excellent debut album. 4 stars.
Dope
Verrassend goed rock / rock&roll album. Zeker van genoten
Pretty sick. Feels super modern for 1977
Big Billy Joel styles. Really liked it - wasn't expecting to but not sure why.
7
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.
Pretty dope album, had no expectations at all, apart from the album cover. Very pleasantly surprised.
Actually really enjoyed this. Some really good songs in here and found some getting stuck in my head.
Enjoyable, fast paced rock n roll album
I liked it
Great, of course
Great new age album
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).
I’m not sure I’ve ever consciously listened to Elvis Costello until today lol. Jk I do remember Watching The Detectives but it’s not something that I associated with Mr. Costello
British rock that sounds the same as most of the other British rock on this list
I was excited when I saw this was my album of the day because I recognized Elvis Costello's name from Pump It Up, which was in my song rotation a couple years ago for some reason even though I'd never heard of the guy. Reminding myself of it by listening now and it's so good. But while listening to My Aim is True, I had a vague feeling that something was missing. Probably because I was measuring it up to my memory of Pump It Up. I still think it's better than all the songs on this album... Also I've discovered that Pump It Up is by Elvis Costello AND The Attractions. Thank you The Attractions for your contributions. I had planned on saying that I got excited a few times during some songs like Less Than Zero but it ultimately didn't deliver for me. Listening to it again now though...it is a bop. So I change my mind on that one. I still can't stand how many times I had to listen to him say "Pay It Back" WE GET IT. I think there was too much repetition overall. Alison annoyed me, but his delivery of "this world is KILL-ING yoooou" and "I THink someBODY BETter put out the big light" makes up for it. Also would like to mention the irony of me listening to " Welcome to the Working Week" on my Monday morning commute. In summary: I couldn't/can't stand some parts of this album, but I enjoyed other parts and it's growing on me a lot more than I thought it would upon further listening. Favorites: Less Than Zero, I'm Not Angry, Miracle Man, Blame it on Cain Nos: Pay It Back, Watching the Detectives
i did not enjoy it much but i know it's not a bad album, so i will give a 3/5 and not listen to it again.
Ani ziębi ani grzeje
I’ve been vaguely aware of Elvis Costello for years but this is really the first time I’ve listened. I honestly liked it quite a bit. The songwriting felt intentional and soulful, while the music was energetic. Not going to add him into the rotation or anything but wouldn’t mind another go-round
Some nice easy listening! I thought Elvis Costello was more like Tom Jones, and I was pleasantly surprised I was way wrong!
A fun little album, nothing too crazy. The two songs I liked the most were Alison and Watching the Detectives.
This was OK, but nothing memorable. I think this guy inspired a lot of modern music, but I'm rating just on the sound. A 3.
Maybe his best album....which isn't saying much
I recognize a few of these tracks by name, but have never listened to this entire album start-to-finish. This was good, but not great.
520/1089 - Probably the artist I've cared the least about discovering in this project. Nothing is particulalry good or bad. Brutal Youth had some interesting piano parts I think? This sounded like standard pub rock and his voice is kinda weird but expressive enough. The reggae-ish Detective song was kinda cool.
I enjoyed the album but it won’t be a part of my regular rotation.
boring
Buenoo, sigue la buena racha. No sé qué tanto lo escucharía. Alison muy buena, el resto bien, lo pondría en algún viaje o algo así
Feel good mais oubliable
Welcome to the working week, indeed. Walks the line between punk attitude and pop structure better than most, but this debut feels like Elvis is still tying his shoes while trying to run. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Alison - Less Than Zero - Watching the Detectives
I did kind of enjoy this one!
Well, that's two of 6. And probably the most listenable two of the six.
Buen rocksito, super de chill. Me gusto. No es nada wow, pero cumple. 7/10
omg la guitarra en Alison me hizo levitar. Elvis quien sos y porque te descubri recien!! Buen album para sentirte en los 70' a pesar de que ni siquiera estuve ahí
Every time I see an Elvis Costello album on this list I die a bit inside. When I listened to this it was a rainy Monday as well, so not the best of circumstances. I think we're up to at least 4 now. When will the madness end?! That aside, I think this might have been the most tolerable record we've had from Elvis on this list. Never thought I'd say this, but I actually think this was decent. 'Welcome To The Working Week' is groovy and fun. 'Blame It On Cain' is also good. Not really any song that really sinks the ship in here, all are decent. The whole record has a light and hearty tone to it. It makes you feel happy listening to it. One "critique" I have - which might be unfair - is that the arrangements sounds a bit old for its time. Feels like it belongs 10-20 years earlier.
I would say it’s groovy, overall the tracks are good, but at the end of the day I am not fully convinced.
Decent rockabilly jawn with good vibes
really conflicted about this album. on one hand it kinda bored me here and there because it sounds at times a lot like modern/2000s pop rock but at the same time this is kinda where that sound originated so the fact it bored me kinda proves how important it is, and the lyrics are great but again just the sound is kinda boring me. some songs had more jazz or reggaeton vibes to them and i rly enjoyed those ones but the rest were just kinda. meh. idk im prob gonna put it at a 3 just bc ive grown out of the genre heavily yk at 14 id be obsessed with this but right now. eh.
I enjoy it but it isn’t uber impressive
I can't remember if I ever got same artist 2nd day in a row and that's where we are with another record from Elvis Costello. And tbh, similar to others this is quite alright but nothing amazing, probably another 3 stars
Wel een van de betere
I already like watching the detectives, but this album is a little same-y. It's not too bad if you like elvis costello. I liked I'm not angry, Alison and No Dancing. 3.5 stars if I could
Quite a fun one ! It was nice to listen to an album I appreciated after a long pause. I absolutely loved the instrumental arangements of most of the songs ! Too bad I didn't like his voice much, which was deceiving. I liked Alison enough to add it to my favorite songs but the rest wasn't really for me. Yet listening to this encouraged me to listen to other of his musics. Veronica was a great discovery. Liked the cover too eventhough it gives me headaches
Yeh pretty good, a cool side of elvis costello I hadn't seen before
Pourquoi un artiste aussi mid que Costello est autant de fois dans cette foutue liste.
This is the Elvis Costello I kinda like, I went into this with low expectations tho, after that other album of his on the list. It was nice to be reminded that the man did know how to write some good songs.
I don’t mind Elvis Costello but this album sounds like a lot of different stuff from the era.
Good enough for a solid three stars. ★★★
4/10
I guess I'd sum up this album in one word: Forgettable. All of his songs sound the same I guess? I honestly couldn't tell one when ended and another began. The whole album just finished so abruptly. So at least it was short. Nothing offensive though.
Not my favorite sound but this album is better than the other Elvis Costello albums I've listened to on this list. His voice is a little toned down which helps. I do like Alison!
I don't know yet. Alison was cool.
Elvis’s first - not as gods as second or quite a lot more…its alright 1. Welcome To The Working Week 2. Alison 3. Good year for the roses* *i know
De novo esse cara... É, tá um pouco melhor esse álbum, mais divertido de ouvir. Ainda sim tá ok, nada de mais pra mim, só animadinho. Nenhum destaque.
3.5
Klarer ikke helt å catche albumet. Mye bra, noe rart, noe fint. Må høre mer på det før jeg vet om treeren står.
Rockabillyopplegg med bluestouch. Funker vel på sitt vis, men i bunn og grunn uinteressant.
Панк рок и ронкнролл Прикольно Где-то я его раньше слышал Звучит плотно и хорошо Не думаю что захочу переслушать 3.1
A couple great songs but I feel it doesn't sound great today and a little uncool
Classic Costello. However, I don’t care for Costello. This isn’t a bad album though, but I probably won’t revisit.
Favorite Elvis Costello album on the list so far (and here's to hoping it will be the last)
iconic, distinct sound / vox. jammy, dancy. though, im confused what he's about.. what's your deal, elvis costello! im not sure im into the vowels? though that's what makes his voice iconic. hahaha maybe this one needs a second listen from me. cool though that it was 1977, i couldnt really tell what year, or even decade this is from. innovative, or nostalgic? who is this album for? and are we leaning even a little bit into parody?
There’s only so much quirky droll Costello I can take, but this is manageable
I loved Allison in a few songs, but it got kind of repetitive after a while. I am a fan of Elvis Costello‘s later work and I could see where he evolved as an artist from this.
I continue to be bewildered by how many Elvis Costello albums are on this list. Just utterly bewildered. I have been thoroughly wildered by his popularity. I keep trying to simply accept the fact that the process of compiling this list was subjective and imperfect and move on...but it sure is hard. I don't want to pick on Elvis Costello as he makes perfectly adequate music, but every single album is largely forgettable and there are six of them on here! None of them are bad, but I've never once in my life had the thought "This Costello chap is great; I should listen to more of his music." Maybe this is it: 1. This book is a compilation of influential albums. 2. Every Costello album is fine but not great. 3. Most music ever created is fine but not great. 4. All the mediocre music of the past 40 years owes a debt of gratitude to the trailblazing mediocrity of Elvis Costello. Did I just solve the puzzle?
A little over the top in the vocal department but otherwise decent album
This is Elvis Costello doing Elvis Costello things. It's fine, it didn't really land quite as well as This Year's Model and despite this only being my 2nd albuk of his, I know there's about 5 more to come and that's already annoying me!
2.9 2x didn't like it as much as i expected
Catchy and poppy. Easy listen.
had no idea who Elvis Costello was or what he did before this and yeah its pretty cool. its very much Rock And Roll which is oddly refreshing to be honest. as i understand he has a lot of stuff on this list so i'm looking forward to that.
My mom used to listen to Elvis Costello before she got hit by a truck. So I guess you could say I have an affinity for him
boringgg
This was fine. If his albums weren’t on this list, I probably wouldn’t listen to him all that much. I don’t think he’s bad, but when you’re talking about the late 70s and early 80s, there’s a lot of other stuff I prefer.
I liked this album. I don't need 7 more Elvis Costello album though thanks
I wish I liked Elvis Costello as much as Elvis Costello likes Elvis Costello
Growing up some of my "Punk" friends were into Elvis Costello. I can hear it now. It's not great but musically not terrible. I wish I could give half stars because 3 seems too low but 4 is too high. Favorite song is Less than Zero because WTF was up with Oswald?
un tres pero de mediocre no esta mal pero no lo volveria a agregar
3 estrelas e meio
será que precisamos ouvir tanto albuns de elvis costello assim antes de morrer? eu acho que não
Solid album, lots of hits. Wish it had “Pump It Up” on it, would take it up a notch.
Elvis Costello is like if you took 50s rock and gave it a slight punk quality. I like it. Buddy Holly with a hint of Ramones. Cool! But I kinda wish it did anything more than that, because it felt kinda samey throughout.
I have never been able to really get into Elvis Costello. I don't hate or even dislike his stuff, but it has just never grabbed me beyond some of the "hits" he had (like "Radio, Radio" and "Veronica.") I also really liked "Shipbuilding" on the High Fidelity OST. Some of this reminds me a little bit of Van Morrison, who I have also never been able to really get into. I wonder if there's a common reason for that. And like Morrison, Costello is held in really high regard by a lot of musicians who I love (and whose tastes are usually in line with mine.) I guess we can't all like the same things all the time. "I'm Not Angry" sounds a lot like an Alice Cooper song to me. This gets 3 from me, but just barely. It was OK. (P.S. - I did not know until reading on Wikipedia today that he is married to Diana Krall. Huh.)
I'm sad to say this was the first one I didn't finish, not because I didn't enjoy it, but life was just busy this day!
It was fun not my style
Elvis Costello, he appears to be a songwriter heavily influenced by rockabilly and 50s rock and roll. I don’t really care for the voice but the instrumentation is nifty. I enjoyed that song about blaming Cain and Allison was cool too. Not overly thrilled, I’ll listen to it again but I doubt it’ll get much higher than this score I gave.
Yeah that was alright
It's a fine listening
Either he’s growing on me or I have Stockholm syndrome. Either way, help!
Sorry not a fan of Elvis Costello. I have listened to all his albums and it's not for me.
It’s a pretty average rock and roll album. It’s fun, it makes you walk faster, but everything sounds the same. It’s got some pretty fun lyrics.
============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ----------------ELVIS COSTELLO---------------- ---------------------------------------------- ----------------MY AIM IS TRUE---------------- ---------------------------------------------- --------------------(1977)-------------------- ============================================== ============================================== -----------------CALIFICACIÓN----------------- --------------------★★★☆☆------------------ --------------------(3,166)--------------------- ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENIDO ORIGINAL Lado A 1. Welcome to the Working Week (★★★★☆) 2. Miracle Man (★★★☆☆) 3. No Dancing (★★★☆☆) 4. Blame It on Cain (★★★☆☆) 5. Alison (★☆☆☆☆) 6. Sneaky Feelings (★★⯨☆☆) Lado B 7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (★★⯨☆☆) 8. Less Than Zero (★★★☆☆) 9. Mystery Dance (★★★⯨☆) 10. Pay It Back (★★★⯨☆) 11. I'm Not Angry (★★★★☆) 12. Waiting for the End of the World (★★★★★) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Aim_Is_True#Track_listing) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE TOTAL 4+3+3+3+1+2,5+2,5+3+3,5+3,5+4+5 = 38 ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE PROMEDIO 38 / 12 = 3,166 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CALIFICACIÓN FINAL ★★★☆☆ (3,166) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ==============================================
Pretty decent album, but nothing really stuck with me. Wasn’t too bad.
6/10
i wish we were stuck in the 70s music wise
Elvis Costello's music has never really clicked for me, but I enjoyed listening to this album lot more than I thought I would.
Pretty sharp lyrics in a soundscape that is unfortunately basic to my modern ears, but I still find it strong for a debut. Much prefer it over Brutal Youth.
again, songs are very similar to each other 3 songs stand out but its a very enjoyable LP
There are a few classics on here that I enjoy from time to time ('Alison,' 'Less Than Zero,' 'Watching the Detectives'), but the 50s rock and roll and rockabilly style grates on me after a while.
Another Elvis Costello album that seems fine, but just doesn't do it for me
Elvis Costello always sounds like something I should like and ought to have gotten into ages ago, but for whatever reason is just not captivating to me. Almost feels like, what if Randy Newman sang Bruce Springsteen? Hard to explain but that’s what comes to mind.
This album was fine but didnt stand out to me and gave my brain neither dopamine nor WOW THIS IS SO COOL. Didnt dislike it per se but probs wont listen again
6/10
Wish I liked this more. Liked better than the other album, brutal youth
Al creador de esta app le mola Elvis Costello
Ikke møkk, ikke spesielt bra.
3.5
Elvis Costello is aggressively adequate music.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I firmly believe that Elvis Costello is a bit overrated. I mean, this album (which is widely considered his signature record) has great individual songs, but it does not feel as a cohesive album. I may be printing my personal opinion all over this, but I think he is a three-star kind of artist at best.
I never understood why Costello was so famous. This album is okay.
rock. roll. rhythm.
More of a 2-star album, but "Alison" is still terrific and bumps it up a rank. I just don't get Elvis Costello. 99% of it doesn't hit at all.
i have no grudge toward quirky new wave men but yeah like thats somehow actually too much. and yes, it's (of course) not as good as this years man, but since it is his debut, it's alright. but its still a 3 for me cause this year's man impressed me too much and this album didn't impress me much apart from welcome to the working week and alison, although i know debut albums are always weaker than later works.
not great, but the best thing i've heard by him thus far.
Pretty good, kinda generic for me
Out of the Elvis Costello albums I’ve heard on this project, this one is the best.
its very roadtrip worthy. that's the first thing that coems to mind. or cooking. or like a hangout with friends and making pizza. for some reason it gives me james potter vibes. i liked it a bunch, but I'm not sure if I'd listen to it again. I mean that in like. It didn't stand out, you know? maybe it's just not my style, or I'd have to give it another listen. But i liked it!! it's pretty good.
This list really likes Elvis Costello. But this strong 1977 debut paved the road traveled by the great Joe Jackson in 1979. My Aim Is True is the only Elvis album that I can listen to in the same sitting. How much better would this album be if it had Lipstick Vogue? Alas, that’s on his follow up album.
Early works by this rock expert.
idk, jst didnt seem my type
twas alright all of the songs kinda sounded the same, but I enjoyed nonetheless
okay and calming but not something id classify as a must listen unless people somehow reference it a lot
not sure what i was expecting but it wasn't this! pretty fun
Not for me
reminds me of Saved by the Bell for some reason
There is more Elvis Costello on this list than Elvis
This was my first approach to Elvis Costello, I only knew a pair of his songs. I really liked this album, short songs with good rhythms, even reggae with "Watching the Detectives" The songs that I like the most are: - Miracle Man - Less than zero - Mistery Dance - I'm not angry Take it eeeasy 🤟🏽
I gave this album three tries. At best, it is unmemorable--unoffensive, but unmemorable. There are songs on here that I would be willing to revisit in the future, but overall this is not an album that I was impressed by. (Can we also talk about the album cover? Red text on a checkerboard background is way too much.)
Idk
Nice album, higher than 3 but not enough for a 4 so… Really liked “I’m not angry.”
some bangers, cool funky vibe
Didn’t really incite strong feelings for me either way on the whole. There were some things I liked however. I thought the instrumentals were pretty good throughout, the drums are played quite energetically and generally keep quite busy. The bass is pretty good throughout, especially in “Less than Zero”, “Alison”, and “Sneaky Feelings”. The vocals are serviceable to good, although Elvis occasionally has a strange twang, particularly in the first half of the album. Highlights for me were the very catchy “Blame it on Cain”, and then the last 3 tracks. Starting with “I’m Not Angry”, we go into a cool harder, heavier groove. This had Elvis’s best vocals for me, complemented by some cool, weird harmonica thing. And the guitar in this song is absolutely sick. “Waiting for the End of the World” keeps a bit of the harder sound, with the guitar wailing between the lines of the chorus. The last track, “Watching the Detectives”, has a sort of moody noir detective sound, over a reggae beat, which works surprisingly well.
It was fun. Sounded modern somehow.
Alison is a tune. Watching the detectives is a tune. The rest are fine. Simpsons: Yes
I liked Living in Paradise
Kinda whines when he sings.
Okay-ish
it's ok, but still cannot fully enjoy Costello's music
Hard to say the extent to which I was actually enjoying this vs. just me being surprised by how modern it sounded! Big influence from this one, and not what I expected, but I don't know if I'll listen to it again.
good guitar, some parts have too much of an american country sound for me, gets better mid way through stand out songs- blame it on cain, the angels want to wear my red shoes, mystery dance watching the detectives sounds like a chilli peppers song
I don't really like Elvis Costello. He's fine, but that's it. But this list makes me listen to his albums. And every listen confirms that he's fine and I don't like him
Enjoyable enough?
My first exposure to EC, so glad it was his debut album. Good music, clever lyrics, fun album. Looking forward to hearing more of his stuff.
The list doesn’t need this many Elvis Costello albums and for that I’m almost going in with prejudice. I’ve had a few already, only about 47 more to go. It’s perfectly fine but it doesn’t really do much for me.
not bad it bad
Almost good, not quite, close but no cigar. I prefered the one before.
3/5, pretty good album! I don't think Costello is as deserving of his reputation of being in the same lyrical world as Bob Dylan, but he's certainly a cut above your average musician in that regard. There's some great rhythms and melodies here and there. Small complaint is how often Costello will rely on the same vocal rhythms over and over again, so the album does start sounding samey after five songs in. His distinctive delivery doesn't help in that respect either.
Elvis Costello, a name I kept seeing referenced during this journey, but can’t say I knew much about otherwise. Upon further exploration of his hits I realized why his sound was so familiar. I enjoyed the listen and the style of this album overall. May explore further at a later time.
Don’t love the vocals but pretty solid
Ah been wanting to listen to more of this guy so glad to get my first of his albums. And nice to start with his debut. Let’s see… To be honest, I thought I might be more blown away. It’s pleasant and clearly a good songwriting. But so far not 🤯 Not much more to say and a 3.5 for me
Ytterligare en artist som är en blind fläck för mig. Gillar det här! ”Welcome to the working week” och ”I’m not angry” är toppen. Samtidigt finns lite trök här också. Men rätt stark 3a ändå!
Það kom að því, Elvis Costello plata sem mér finnst bara fín en ekki stórgóð. Hann er greinilega einn af þeim sem batnar með árunum.
This feels very similar to Men at Work. Honestly I like his solo work a lot better than his work in "Elvis Costello and the Attractions". I like "Welcome to the working week" and "miracle man". Apparently there could have been harmonica on this album, which always makes an album better. God I love the harmonica. I wonder if the movie watching the detectives is based on this song. I didn't really like the movie because it talks about a man who is desperately in love with this girl who keeps treating him badly and he keeps telling her he doesn't like it but she keeps doing it. I keep seeing videos of the one scene where he's trying to flirt with her and it's like "Oh is that my cut? Is that my cut, baby?" and the captions are like "OMGGG GIVE ME A MAN LIKE THIS" or "If he isn't like this, I don't want him". It just annoys me because it's an unhealthy relationship to me? He's obsessed with her and it brings him a lot of pain (albeit the pain is kind of funny sometimes, i.e. him running around the baseball track crying). Anyways at the end of the movie he gives in and I HATE THAT HE DOES. I found something on reddit that said the title is likely from the Elvis Costello song. They thought it was because they kind of have the same story.
Vooral een leuke listen, maar niet per se erg interessant verder. Klinkt als: Jeff Rosenstock
Ruime 3 sterren. Klinkt inderdaad een beetje als moderne Indië/pop/punk als Jeff rosenstock
This was a fun one! Listened to it all over campus.
Chill, easy listening rock. One great love ballad if your name is Alison. I liked it but I didn't love it. Top tracks: "Alison," "Less than Zero," "Welcome to the Working Week" NOTE: I did not include "Watching the Detectives" as it wasn't on the original release. If that was on the OG album, it might give 'My Aim is True' four stars.
No me lo acuerdo pero creo q estuvo bueno
Some songs good, at least one song weird...
3.5/5 Pleasantly surprised! I can hear inspiration from this album from the 70's in a lot of more recent music that I enjoy which is always nice! The first song was a charming 1:23 long and his songs know when they've said what they need to (shown in the typically sub-3-minute length of songs on this album) a pleasant relief from some of the Britpop on this list. I'm looking at you, Parklife by Blur. It was refreshing and groovy with high and low points that kept me engaged. Solid album! Probably not going on any playlists.
Medio aburrido aunque obvio para la época era innovador, interesante
Would have been awesome to listen to if I just came back from Vietnam. Otherwise, unremarkable.
Suffering from Elvis Costello fatigue from this project but just when I thought I absolutely hated him, his debut album shows up and is not only listenable but enjoyable.
I’ve heard of elvis before I thought the album was ok an easy listen but not something I would search for but overall it was alright no stand out songs
eh not my thing but good music still
inoffensive Caucasian slop. Only realized it was over because new band started playing something good. Really tries to appeal to a suburban america that I am just indifferent to. Listened to it a second time (something I wouldnt do if it wasnt so short) to try and see if it could change my mind, but its just... bland.
3/5
Chillomillo rocky music
Not bad, I prefer Armed Forces.
Just bang average honestly. 3 stars