My Aim Is True

I like Elvis Costello well enough but nothing on here wowwed me.

C’est vraiment pas mauvais, surtout que c’est seulement son premier album. Je voudrais aussi écouter son deuxième : j’ai lu sur Wikipédia qu’il avait un meilleur band avec lui pour celui-là. C’était bon, mais pas exactement pour moi, malgré qu’il y avait du potentiel. Donc, pas l’album pour moi, mais peut-être qu’en explorant sa discographie, je trouverai quelque chose qui me plaira plus. Après une nuit de sommeil, je voudrais donner la note de 3 étoiles et demi, mais c’est pas possible.

Wouldn’t listen again but I respect it

Another classic from beginning to end. I knew a few songs, but even though most were new to me and didn’t stick out, it was still a consistent mood that made it worth listening to.

La producción es horrible. No entiendo cómo puede sonar un disco así de mal siendo del año 77. Parece que quiere resultar desagradable a propósito. Las canciones no están mal, pero tiene discos mejores.

There's a total of 6 Elvis Costello albums on this list and I'd argue at least 3 of them are fluff (either their inclusion on the list or the contents of those albums, your call). That said, I'm good with this one being included as it's probably my second favorite after This Year's Model. Some solid tracks throughout the album and definitely brings that old school rock sound with a little more of a punk attitude

Solid debut album, but nothing here that I overly enjoyed. Pretty samey after a while. Better things to come?

2002/dezembro - disco razoável, mas irregular. Tem umas coisas bem básicas. 2025/junho - Satisfatório. Nota 6,0 = 3,0 *.

I generally like Elvis Costello. I generally like this album. Hence the 3 stars. There never really a day where I'd say no but there's also never really a day where I list him as my go to.

Fun Album, Always love some Costello but never listened to his full discography. Gonna listen more albums for sure

I’ve never listened to him before. I didn’t really connect. Maybe because he’s a copycat. It’s not bad but something is missing.

Would need to listen to this a bit more to get into it.

Few tracks that I love.

Liked it. Heard both Elvis and Beach Boys influences.

3,5

Nice tunes thx

Enjoyed the rockabilly sort of style. Costello combines witty lyricism with fun rock-and-roll riffs. Catchy tunes that evoke that 50s charm. Fave Tracks: Welcome to the Working Week; Miracle Man; Alison; I'm Not Angry; Watching the Detectives Worst Track: Mystery Dance

Better than my previous Elvis Costello album but still not a huge fan.

i like the guitar. voice

His bassist is great. I could do without ever hearing Alison again. Favorite track: Miracle Man

It's alright for 1978. Bit too generic for my tastes.

Good - not great for me. Fine to listen to, but I can't say that I'm going to reach for it. Never surprises me when he pops up on a soundtrack - just catchy enough to set the romcom mood.

It’s a good one

Ah, Elvis Costello, the quintessential 3-star artist. My third Costello record and third 3. He’s pretty good! Honestly, impressively, consistently, pretty good. And impressively, consistently, never great. Who knows, maybe one of these will surprise me, I’m starting to think there will be another one or two of his records down the line. So yeah, I would say this album is worth listening to. Barely.

Algunas canciones lindas, la mayoría olvidables.

This was a fun listen. I liked the second half much more than the first. I would have liked more songs if they were just instrumental versions. I would listen to this again. I don’t need to own this on vinyl.

Cool bass lines, favourite is definitely miracle man. Every song has the same tones & mixing making them sound quite similar at times, but that’s a good thing at the same time making it feel like they’re supposed to be next to each other

Ok very average

Heard of the name, but couldn't link with any songs. Good energy, I enjoyed it, but nothing particularly stood out to me. I don't think I'd relisten, but I wouldn't complain if it came up on a playlist or whatever.

It was okay. It definitely doesn't match the hype

I’ve always felt I should like Elvis Costello more than I do. There’s nothing wrong with it but it leaves no trace.

It’s pretty fun and his guitar playing is nice, actually. I can’t help but feel he’s playing a character but it mostly works. I like the rockabilly influences. Diet Van Morrison. Standout tracks are: “Blame it on Cain” and “The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes”

A coupe of great tunes. Mostly mediocre

Funky, but the album hurts my eyes to look at (more the elvis is king boxes than the yellow)

Sounds pretty much the exact same as the other Costello record I listened to. Not much special to say

для любителей слова Элвис - пойдет.

It's an Elvis Costello album, the one with "Alison." Not bad, but not too exciting to me. I enjoyed "Watching the Detective." Everyone was adding a little reggae flair at some point back then, eh?

Still dont like his voice that much and although I enjoyed listening to it, I don't think I'll come back. Still, strong 3

Best: Sneaky Feelings

um Elvis Presley adolescente

very catchy genius right from the very start

This is #day276 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... just yesterday I was crate-digging through vintage records at a local Craft Beer & Vinyl festival here in Lviv when I came across this very album. No, I didn't buy it; that wasn't my true aim. However, buying music and building a connection with it is something that brings me genuine happiness. The first time I got an Elvis Costello album (or rather Elvis Costello & The Attractions), I was mostly indifferent... Now, this one? It's kind of fine, but nothing outstanding that makes me want to come back to it. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day277.

Alison is a bop but idk Costello doesn't do it for me

Man I can’t stand Elvis’s voice, but some of these songs rock. “Waiting for the end of the world” is a standout. “Alison” is a classic ballad. The rest I could mostly take or leave.

I really thought I'd like this more. I can see how it must have been a great development at the time, and the songs aren't 'bad', it just feels a little underformed. The fact that Watching the Detectives was added to later versions and is far and away the best song is really telling. I love a lit of his later stuff, but with a couple of exceptions nothing really stuck. 2 stars, pushed up to 3 if you include WTD.

Good, but not great. Power pop got better with time.

Eh, not for me.

There's some good songs here and there, Alison is an amazing song though

Great debut

Tiring. A lot of energy but the songs don't hit.

I enjoy Elvis Costello, but don't regularly go back to his albums. This had some hits - Watching the Detectives is a great tune.

Not bad but I don’t know if I would crave listening to this. He’s a classic though.

This is a funny and simple rock'n'roll album. Maybe one of the first 'revival rock'n'roll' album of history? Because it feels like it and reminds me of more recent work by other artists or bands. My problem with this kind of genres is that it generally fails to stay interesting for a whole album. There are interesting songs here and there and the guitars are solid, but overall it's a bit boring. And sorry but because of my kids I can't listen to a song about red shoes without picturing Pete the Cat.

5/10…power pop

It's ok, but I didn't get it tbh. Was that his thing that he sounded like Elvis? Both Elvis and Elvis Costello are far enough in the past for me to not get tne nuances

Alors, me voilà face à ce monument, ce disque fondateur qui, pour beaucoup, a redéfini les règles du jeu pour les songwriters à guitares en pleine déflagration punk. 1977, une année charnière, un grand bordel sonore où les Sex Pistols appelaient à l'anarchie et où The Clash mettait le feu aux poudres. Et au milieu de ce chaos de crêtes et d'épingles à nourrice, débarque ce type, Declan Patrick MacManus, rebaptisé Elvis Costello. Un nom comme une provocation, un look de premier de la classe un peu coincé, des lunettes qui deviendront iconiques, et une plume trempée dans le vitriol. "My Aim Is True", son premier album, est un putain de manifeste. Mais est-ce que ça en fait un chef-d'œuvre intouchable pour autant ? Pour moi, c'est un peu plus compliqué que ça. Avant de se muer en Elvis Costello et de devenir le parrain de la new wave intello, le jeune Declan a bien galéré. On sent dans chaque sillon de cet album l'urgence d'un type qui a longtemps attendu son heure. Après des années à écumer les pubs londoniens avec son groupe Flip City, à tenter de refourguer ses chansons sans succès, il finit par taper dans l'œil de Stiff Records. Ce label, c'était un peu la cour des miracles du rock britannique, un refuge pour les tronches et les talents atypiques que les majors ne savaient pas comment gérer. Et Costello, avec sa gueule d'employé de bureau et sa rage rentrée, était le client parfait. L'enregistrement est à l'image de cette époque : fauché, urgent, quasi-artisanal. On raconte que l'album a été bouclé aux Pathway Studios – un endroit à peine plus grand qu'une cabine téléphonique – en moins de 24 heures de temps de studio cumulé, pour un budget qui ferait aujourd'hui rire n'importe quel stagiaire d'une maison de disques. Et pour couronner le tout, le groupe qui l'accompagne n'est autre que Clover, une bande de musiciens américains de country-rock qui se retrouveront plus tard, pour certains, à former Huey Lewis and The News. On a connu plus punk comme backing band ! Cette anecdote, loin d'être anodine, est la clé de la sonorité si particulière de l'album. Ce n'est pas un disque punk, ni tout à fait un disque new wave. C'est un son bâtard, un pub rock transatlantique, à la fois tendu comme un string et terriblement mélodique, le cul entre la tradition rock'n'roll américaine et la nouvelle vague britannique. Et c'est là toute la force et, peut-être pour moi, la petite faiblesse de "My Aim Is True" qui est un disque de transition, un pont fascinant entre deux mondes. L'énergie est là, brute, palpable sur des titres comme "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" ou le quasi rockabilly "Mystery Dance". La rage est indéniable, mais elle est canalisée, disséquée par une intelligence redoutable. On n'est pas dans le "No Future" beuglé sans réfléchir, non on est dans l'analyse clinique d'un ressentiment profond. Car la vraie claque, le vrai poison de ce disque, ce sont les textes. Costello a lui-même résumé la chose par deux mots qui claquent comme une sentence : "revanche et culpabilité". Et putain, ça s'entend, c'est l'album d'un type frustré, qui en a gros sur la patate. Frustrations amoureuses, sexuelles ("Alison", ce slow qui cache une bile noire), professionnelles... tout y passe. C'est une œuvre d'une maturité d'écriture sidérante pour un premier essai. Chaque chanson est une petite nouvelle, une vignette acerbe sur la trahison, la jalousie, la médiocrité ambiante. "Watching the Detectives", avec son ambiance de film noir et ses accents reggae, est un pur chef-d'œuvre de narration. Costello est un boxeur qui monte sur le ring avec un dictionnaire à la place des gants. Ses mots sont des uppercuts précis, chirurgicaux. Alors, pourquoi seulement 3 sur 5 ? Pour être honnête, et c'est très personnel, si je reconnais l'importance capitale et le génie d'écriture de ce disque, il me laisse un peu sur ma faim musicalement. C'est un disque que je respecte énormément, mais qui ne me touche pas. Il y a quelque chose d'un peu raide, de pas encore totalement abouti dans le son, comme si le groupe et l'artiste se découvraient encore. C'est le son d'un homme seul, accompagné par de très bons musiciens de session, mais pas encore le son d'un GANG, de cette machine de guerre que deviendra Elvis Costello & The Attractions. "My Aim Is True" est un brouillon de génie, une esquisse formidable. C'est la photo d'un artiste en pleine métamorphose, qui ajuste ses lunettes, arme sa guitare et s'apprête à tirer sur tout ce qui bouge. La visée est juste, c'est indéniable. Mais les balles les plus mortelles, pour moi, arriveront juste après. Un album fondamental, à écouter absolument pour comprendre d'où vient une bonne partie du rock intelligent des 40 dernières années.

Growing up my best friend's dad was really into this kind of music. Although, I don't remember if he listened to Elvis Costello specifically. I was fairly indifferent to it then, and I am fairly indifferent to it now. Is it good music? I guess, it's not bad at least. Favourite tracks: Waiting for the End of the World, Watching the Detectives

Dieses Album markiert Elvis Costellos Debüt und präsentiert seinen einzigartigen Stil, der zwischen Punk und New Wave balanciert, aber auch deutliche Anleihen bei Country und Pop zeigt. Hits wie „Alison“ und „Watching the Detectives“ stechen hervor, doch die überlange Struktur des Albums lässt einige Tracks weniger prägnant wirken. Obwohl die Energie und der innovative Ansatz beeindruckend sind, könnten manche Songs etwas besser verdichtet sein. Insgesamt ein spannender Start in Costellos Karriere, aber nicht alle Stücke erreichen das gleiche Level wie die Highlights. Wie klingt das? Oder möchtest du Details zu bestimmten Songs?

Maybe no songs that stick out or that blew my mind but I did enjoy listening to it in general, so 3/5 🏁

This is another Elvis, but not as popular as the other one. The music is alright, nothing too exciting, and I assume that it would've been a bit meh amongst all the other cool music that came out at around this time, when things started going a bit crazy and music wasn't peaceful at all. Overall, not too bad though.

Meh, until watching the detectives. Such a great song

Fine and some fun moments, with my favourite tracks being No Dancing and I’m Not Angry, but overall forgettable.

Honestly, pretty mid, nothing special

My computer darn done crashed on me when I was just about finished reviewing this album oh my fockinggg gorshhhhhh :v I put a curse upon this darn website for not having an auto-save Second album in the bleak and sordid Costellothon. I am now 33% of my way through the mind of this exceptional individual It's pretty good. I don't remember what the vocal performances were like on "This Year's Model", though I quite enjoy how they sound here. They're very confident and are heightened by the cool swagger that Costello has when belting out the verses. The songwriting is also quite clever, which is something I remember from This Year's Model. I like the sardonic, humourous style. The Instrumentals are mixed bag. There isn't much on this album that breaks the mold of music from the time, though it does have it's moments. I like the guitar hooks on "Miracle Man" and the dub influence on "Watching the Detectives" is pretty good as well. This album has "Alison", which is a track that I'm actually familiar with. Me pappy used to play it on the car stereo all the time, though I had no idea the song was by Costello. I enjoy being jumpscared by music that I recognise just as much as I dislike it in the "we're really doing this, are we?" kind of way. It's a great song and embodies the best qualities of this album. Fantastic songwriting, a great vocal performance and a distinct instrumental of high quality. My main criticism is that it's very fatiguing for a 36-minute album. I had pretty much checked out by the time that the second half of the album rolled around. The high-energy sound is fun in short bursts, but I value having a little bit of downtime in albums. The album cover/title is great for a debut work - I dig the confidence. I'm not very familiar with Costello as a person or artist, though I quite enjoy the exuberant, dorky persona that he has.

I wanted this to be better, but it never picked up for me. Alison and watching detectives are lovely songs. Definitely a huge part of the rock world regardless!

Enjoyed this one.

A solid album that falters in the latter half of side 2.

I'm guessing mom's review is gonna say something similar, but the music here isn't as good as his later work, but the lyrics are really incredible.

This has nothing to do with anything, but it occurs to me that Costello is an almost exact contemporary of Springsteen. Perhaps, if this list were America-oriented, I might have been bludgeoned into submission vis a vis Springsteen too.

Some standout songs on here but for the most part songs are very similar to each other. Seems like good background music for a road trip.

I enjoyed this, but mostly just the songs I already knew. No new gems.

This is the sixth Elvis Costello album I’ve had to wait out. Getting real tired of this guy’s ironic rockabilly-bubblegum-hipster shtick by now.

Good background noise but I couldn't tell you much about any particular song

Didn't hate this album but didn't love it either. Nothing particularly memorable for me. First exposure to Elvis Costello.

Great rock'n'roll. Gotta love it!

Not the biggest fan but I see why people like it, and it's well crafted

It’s alright, not really my thing

What a great new-to-me band! 4.5 stars

It was fine. I have a feeling Elvis Costello is slightly over rated.

Fine I guess

Un album honnête, qui ne réinvente pas le rock, mais ne boude pas son plaisir non plus

High 3 All the songs have something to offer Good guitar play This album deserves to be here and gets a bad rep because of all the other Costello on the list

For a debut this is very impressive. I dig the punk influences, it's just pretty samey

I think people are a little overzealous in their reviews of Elvis Costello on both ends of the spectrum. The people that love him, praise every aspect of this album, call it a classic, gold, one of the best debuts of all time. The people that hate it, trash it as unoriginal and uninteresting. I think it's a fine album. I did get the constant feeling that it reminded me of something I'd heard before, and I don't think the spin he put on it was as original as people give it credit for. But, he did take a sort of classic 50s or 60s rock sounds and put a more modern twist on it, even including various genres such as the blues in "Blame It on Cain" and reggae in "Watching the Detectives." Even when I did feel the sound was kind of derivative, I always enjoyed when his guitar solos came in. All in all, I'm very much in the middle ground on Elvis Costello. This was enjoyable, easily digestible music without breaking any barriers. I'd definitely give more of his stuff a listen but I'm not going to hail him as a rock and roll great.

Återigen ett album som jag tycker är lite spretigt. Det mesta är bra men föredrar de mer blues-iga låtarna framför de som är mer rock'n'roll/hårdrock. 3 av 5

Ok x

mjfe

good

Nice

Not bad. The vocal style becomes a little tiresome. And too much of this is just okay. Average.

Is there anyone in popular music now to compare with Elvis Costello or is songwriting like this dead? 'I don't know how much more of this I can take She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake' 'The detectives come to check if you belong to the parents Who are ready to hear the worst about their daughter's disappearance' 'Watching The Detectives' is an absolute classic, one of the best songs of the time. So striking and evocative, very film noir, with a cool reggae backdrop and threatening atmosphere. A big influence on The Specials and more. I got into this fairly young, along with 'Oliver's Army', 'Shipbuilding' and the rest. In a totally different way 'Alison' is just as good. He wrote some of the very best songs of the 70s and 80s. Aside from those two this album is fairly average though. I'm glad I saw him in '89, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Pretty good. Not much more to say

One thing I've found out through this journey is that so many albums have songs that just blend in together, and don't differ much. Again, another three-star album for this reason. Favorite Track: "My Aim Is True".

It's an ok album. Fun enough but not mind blowing. Not sure why this is an album that I have to listen to before I die.

Trochę późnego Elvisa, trochę wczesnego Springsteena. Przejściowy album pomiędzy amerykańskim rock&rollem, a późniejszą piosenką autorską. Fajny album, ale jeden z tych, które przemknęły bez zostawienia po sobie wyrazistego śladu. Dzień po podwójnym przesłuchaniu nie jestem w stanie zbyt dużo sobie przypomnieć poza umiarkowanie przyjemnym wrażeniem ze słuchania spoko muzyki.

decent album, but I grew a little tired of it. Probably won't come back to it.

Elvis Costello is cool. But kind of boring. 3

Love the singles, found the rest a bit yawn.

I definitely see the vision he's going for, and I think he executed on it decently well. It just felt inauthentic, and it got a bit tiresome listening to a full album of Costello playing this miserable character. Still enjoyed some of the songs however. Favorite Track: Waiting for the End of the World

In tackling this list, I have listened to more Elvis Costello than I have before. I knew him as an artist but never really delved into his catalog. I like his music well enough, but it is not really a standout.

never bad but i also will never think about it ever again

Pretty good.

I've always been pretty Elvis agnostic, this was better than I remember it being, but I'm still not sold.

Did Elvis Costello invent the 90th rock in 1977 or did everyone in the 90th just steal from Elvis Costello?

it's ok

It's alright

Reminds me of my mum!

Hetzelfde nummer, maar dan 13 nummers lang, maar toch vibe ik het wel? Het is wel minder goed dan het andere Elvis Costello album. Vind ook nog steeds de zang het grootste minpunt van het album, het leunt echt veel meer op de beat en de instrumentals. Ook voelt het allemaal een beetje als heel erg gericht op nostalgie? Totdat ik er achter kwam dat dit album uit 1977 kwam, nevermind! Het is dus gewoon een redelijk modern klinkend, maar ook tijdsgeest pakkend, album uit 1977. Ik vind het vooral best goed te pruimen, niet elk nummer hit, maar als het hit dan vermaak ik me echt dikke prima hiermee. Had ik dit perse moeten luisteren voor mn dood? Mwah, ik denk dat 1 Elvis Costello album zat zou zijn, maar volgens mij zitten er nog een aantal in... FAVO: Alison, Sneaky Feelings, i'm not angry, Watching the detectives

6/10. Some good songs. 2 added to the playlist, but a little surprised this made the list.

Favourite song - Welcome to the working week

Pleasant enough, but didn't do a lot for me

Inte så bra som jag mindes den. Tre plus

A nice debut record. His voice does tend to drag on a tad

2 hours is a lot to listen, but it was helpful to listen as I worked on some reports. Mello/chill vibes.

Was kinda forgettable the first go around but liked it more on 2nd listen. "Alison" probably being the highlight. Can clearly hear the influence he gave musicians that came after him. Also can hear the influence from Buddy Holly which was made obvious due to our recent listen of his.

Muy buen rock'n'roll. No había escuchado nada de Elvis Costello y me ha sorprendido gratamente. Es una modernización de sonidos rockeros clásicos con un toque de agresividad, cercano al Garage que surgiría más adelante. Un álbum divertido e influyente, lo volveré a escuchar seguro.

I know there are 600 more Elvis Costello albums on this list, and so far this is only my second. I am betting that after I’m done this will remain my pick for the best of the lot.

Ok rock

ja didnt know what to expect maar was eigenlijk best wel vrolijke vibe, ging er wel goed op. 3,5e, paar nummers opgeslagen

I enjoyed this album. Nothing fancy, just fun rock/pop kinda vibes. Some good guitaring too.

It was ok. Was expecting a bit more but some really good songs on this one, Alison being the favorite.

Surprisingly solid.

Welcome To The Working Week - Still struggling with this man's voice arghhhh but the song's alright. Miracle Man – alright, pretty boring. No Dancing – pretty good. Old school. Love the end-of-chorus key change. Blame It On Cain – not bad but bit B A S I C. Alison – quite sweet. Sneaky Feelings – not bad. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – I like the call and response. Less Than Zero – the best so far. Mystery Dance – very Time Warp. Not bad but pretty formulaic/tune-less. Pay It Back – alright – I like the key changes. I’m Not Angry – I like the opening – reminds me of the Beatles I’m Happy Just to Dance With You. “I got you talking with your hands, got you smiling with your legs” is great. Waiting For The End Of The World – banal enough. Watching The Detectives – very cool and love the harmonies and reggae style but if ONLY HE DIDN’T SING THAT STYLISED WAY.

bem distante de ser ruim, mas achei que ficou faltando um tempero

Fun stuff but didn't blow be away

The music was fine, but the album art is an atrocity against eyeballs everywhere.

This is better than the last Elvis Costello album we got and actually kind of ok. I think this could come out today and people would accept it; it might be niche but the production value is high and the songs are catchy and happy enough to be popular. I wasn't super impressed by it or anything but I got through the whole thing and it stood out to me for it's ease of listen if that's a thing? Decent background music for a party or something. Not bad.

This list isn’t as varied as I thought or hoped. I like Elvis C, have a couple of his albums but I mean wiki says he has 6 spots, fucking 6, Elvis middling Costello 6 -( give him a couple of spots and use the other 4 for greater variety, don’t think these guys have actually listened to everything to make this list just their own record collections). Just was hoping for a wider range and variation of artists to increase my listening scope, rather than that, Oh well that kinda sucks. Rant over. So to the album, it’s ok, it’s pleasant enough. He writes a good hook. He for this, like most of his career kind of took the American sounds of earlier times, writes his take on it and brings it to what at the time is contemporary, in this case the new wave movement. I had already heard it, it is an example of the new wave movement after punk, so ok I guess 3 stars - it’s ok.

3.5

It had some phenomenal songs but also some duds. Less than zero and watching the detectives were the stand out tracks

Theres some very clear Elvis Prestly influence here and just in general the whole album is full of a bunch of different genre influences so it's kinda hard to describe as one thing or another. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't mesmerized Standouts Welcome To The Working Week Mystery Dance 3/5

Late 70’s. I’ve heard this called pop-punk which i disagree with. It’s catchy but not pop music. It’s angst filled sardonic vocals but enough to want to pick you up and let you go dancing. Not disco dancing but a nerdy guy letting loose and doing what feels right 3/5

Pretty plain I thought. Nothing particularly good or bad. Probably hit harder in '77 when it came out.

I think this is the third Elvis C album. That's too many, for sure. But this one might actually be my favourite. Fave Tracks: Welcome to the Working Week, Alison 3.4/5

Lots of storytelling - sorta like a country song

Quirky early rock and roll aesthetic

3.5

If I have to listen to a Costello album, at least make it short!

Fun album

Never have been a big fan, but this album was okay.

I liked this album a lot more than the other Costello I listened to. It feels like the guy I had come to know as a great musician and storyteller

this is very billy joel... but just a bit more dull still quite good i reckon but just not my type of music very produced

Never heard the album before. Another mid effort from Elvis Costello, another album that shouldn't be on this list. Alison and Watching The Detectives are the standouts and the rest of the album are not. And is it just me who thinks all of his lyrics are creepy? Soft 3 stars

Good stuff. Lots of great tunes and crams and many words in as is humanly possibly. Love his voice.

some good and some bad, most instrumentals are the same and singing is quite annoying. Guitar riffs are cool though. Favorite songs: blame it on cain, alison, I'm not angry. Overall around 5/10

Not to find off 70s punk but okay

Elvis pop punk? Feels swangy in a good way. Doesn't take itself seriously just gets to the music.. Nice... Would relisten I appreciate this album

Ehh it was alright

Not my jam but not terrible

Yeah yummy music in my noise mouths

Some fun little tunes, but nothing that blew me away. Apparently he’s got some really good stuff

Bit of an odd duck, but not bad

I like Elvis Costello, but something holds me back from loving him. Is the that his sound is dated and locked in time? Is it his affectation and attitude? Is it the fact that he talks a lot and seems to say very little? I don’t know. But it’s something. Once I shirk those critiques, I find myself enjoying myself when listening to him. I especially enjoyed “watching the detectives”.

rock, 1978 -> 3

No my thing, won’t be re-listening.

I thought a lot of this was classy and catchy. Just not good enough to warrant the full 4 stars

elvis costello.

i did not really like this. but because of that one new years eve party film elvis costello has a special place in my coolness heart?

That was fine. My favourite was probably I'm Not Angry.

A cool, early take on punk music

this album kind of sounds like something your captors would play on repeat as psychological torture because it gets stuck in your head - which means, on first listen, it's pretty catchy!

Another that's okay for background music while working but not something I'd opt to listen to otherwise.

Good one that I own.

Nothing especially groovy, but there's still a fun energy to this one.

Same as the Cocteau Twins album i just listened to, I feel like this guy's music should be right up my alley, but it always comes across to me as just "good". Nothing more. Catchy tunes on here though.

So I I think I like the music, but not his voice. The longer this album goes the more I like it. The album finished strong. I really like what can on auto play player “every day I write the book”.

Ca

I bopped along with this. Watching The Detectives was the standout, due to familiarity, but I quite enjoyed the rest of the album especially considering it was his debut. Not enough to put it into 4 star status, but it’s a high 3.

Okay, so this is a shock, to receive two Elvis Costello albums back to back (One was an attractions album so i guess there is kinda a difference but i still see it as the same) Now with My Aim Is True. And to be honest, it is probably my favorite album that Elvis Costello worked on. It has all the elements from all the attractions albums that i liked but here the guitars are far more prevalent and do sound really good. The melodies here were also great and that Elvis Costello cheesiness is still there but a bit toned back. This album actually turned out to be a really solid one and definitely my favorite Elvis Costello album. Best Song: Waiting For The End Of The World Worst Song: Mystery Dance

not the biggest costello fan. it’s listenable, but nothing special

5/10 - It was an album from the 70s

solid

An OK album. I quite like the upbeat melodies and the guitar riffs but quite dislike the singer's voice. In my opinion, the album feels its age, meaning it has this overall dated feel and tone to it that just doesn't last well over the years. Overall, most songs were quite forgettable and I don't know if it merits a place on a "must listen before you die" list. I probably wouldn't listen to it again.

Hey I was named after this guy. I’ve already listened to This Year’s Model, which I liked. I think this albulm has higher high points, but is sometimes grating and sometimes boring. Overall good. Best song: No Dancing Worst song: Sneaky Feelings

I managed to avoid the inevitable obstacle that is Elvis Costello’s presence for as long as possible. Well over a year is a pretty solid record too. I have a feeling I am going to be seeing his name pop up a lot more soon. I don’t have anything in particular against the guy. His music has just never appealed to me, and taking up six spaces on the list with his records is maybe too much. But again, this is where that bias comes into play. Costello is another English musician. And a well respected one at that. He is credited as bringing back the lyrical wizardry of Bob Dylan and putting it through the various punk concepts that were evolving at the time. I can admire some of his writing here. But I don’t think it’s anything on the level of Dylan or Van Morrison, who he is also often attached to. I’ve just never really understood the hype behind him. Every once in a while I’ll see a really positive review pop up for This Year's Model, and I still wonder why people like it so much. I also wonder if maybe I missed the point, and owe myself a reassessment of that album. Either way, this is about his debut. Which is one of the only records he ever put out that wouldn’t feature the group which would be known as The Attractions. Much like what I’ve heard from him in the past, this album is bringing together a varied selection of sounds from different time periods. The basis of this is rooted in that classic rock & roll sound that artists like Little Richard and Elvis Presley popularized. But, since this is still the late 70s, Costello brings in the layered punk-esque new wave sounds that were also growing in popularity at the time to spice things up. And it’s actually not a terrible combination. I won’t disagree that he is a competent musician. I just have yet to be shown something that really impresses me. Now, it’s been a long time while since I heard This Year’s Model, but I think I enjoyed this one slightly more. Rating: 6/10

Alison is probably my favorite Costello song and damn its always good to hear. The rest is pretty okay. If you like his particular style then great, its a little too disjointed for me (I'm Not Angry for example) but overall its fine.

Alison and Less Than Zero are great! The rest is just typical Costello Buddy Holly cosplay

Quite liked the sound though it’s very samey. Alison got stuck in my head. I can see why they added Watching the Detectives, that felt like it had a more distinctive sound.

I found this a strange mixture of genres. I quite liked some of it. The Deluxe Edition is crazy with 48 tracks most of them repeats. Too much!

Another great opening track and another artist whose singles I know well but I've never heard an album. This was a bit up and down in terms of quality I thought. The man can write a fantastic single but I found some tracks to be a bit middle of the road. Another 'Best Of' artist for me.

I think this album suffered being given to us on a Monday. I listened to a bit of it again this morning (Tuesday) and it sounded a lot better. So it was originally a 2 for me but it just snagged a 3 as i was quite enjoying it upon a 2nd listen.

ok

OK British rock

The author of this book must have an Elvis Costello kink, there's no reason to explain how many times ol' Declan has appeared... Anyway, another bland album that has 2 hot songs, in this case "Alison" and "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", but is that enough?? Maybe the 1001 author should just have included an Elvis Costello greatest hits album and spare us the misery of 6 of his albums? Oh well, 4 down, the only way is up, right?

Pretty cool, old fashioned sound.

Back-to-back Elvis at 404

Inside 3 but almost 4

I think I like it. I really don't know. It's hard to listen to his voice, it grates, and the chords he chooses, the way they unfold, also grates. But when I follow the lyrics, and see how the whole of the album has it's unified story it's impressive. I've struggled with listening to it several times and I keep thinking it's worth the effort. I could see it being a 4 stars, but let's go three for today (or three for this week, it has been quite the struggle)

This was a fun album at a point in time. Doesn’t have the stamina for greatness.

First time listening to an Elvis Costello album. It’s a bit cheesy, but it’s engaging enough. He has a very distinct voice and the music is playful enough to get along with. Probably won’t revisit this one, but I won’t turn it off if I hear it again.

i'm tired of this guy

Comfy music, not too daring. Apparently this guy was something of a chameleon, but I at least recognized this album as fairly normal. Maybe the more eclectic stuff wasn't as popular.

This started off as a 2 but is now a light 3. There are some good songs but something about “Elvis Costello” seems kinda lame to me.

as much as i dislike elvis costello, this album actually wasn’t too bad.

This is my 4th Elvis Costello album in a month it feels like. They’ve all just been noises that sound the same to me. Nothing stood out. I get it that the guy that wrote this book loves Elvis Costello but I now actively dislike the fucking guy because it shirts just so bland. Love sone of the albums he produced, though, But this album is different. It wasn’t as boring as the others. So, yay, I guess.

It was good, and i Enjoyed it but nothing particularly special and nothing really stood out for me, not sure i’d go back to it.

cover gave me a headache 3 stars

I generally enjoyed this album, but it’s the third Elvis Costello album. I’ve listened to on this list and I’ve been listening to these for less than a month now. I’m not not sure. I understand why he needs so much representation. I didn’t find this one terribly different than the other two I listened to, but I may give it another listen at some point in time.

Perhaps starting to ‘get’ Costello after listening to two albums. I can see his appeal to the adolescent who was too cool for ABBA and too sensitive for punk back in 1977. But the appeal is not there for me. Favourite songs were the bluesy Blame It On Cain and Waiting For The End Of The World.

Many of these tracks are etched into my brain from hearing them a lot as a kid, so I don’t know how much is enjoyment on their own merit vs familiarly. Blame it on Cain / Watching the detectives highlights for me

Growing on me with more listens. It's neat songwriting overall. There are tunes which are much better than others, Blame It On Cain being an example, but it doesn't have the same urgency as This Year's Model. There is an argument that it's a better vocal performance however!

I liked this overall as a sound. I always find it interesting to listen to Elvis Costello because I never think the music makes sense for when it is coming out (1977).

Would rate 3.5 if I could. Fun album, some weaker tracks

liked the vibes

hated the last album i heard from him. this is definitely more enjoyable i hate to say it but this is kind of good

I still don’t like him, but this is better than other albums.

Like a few songs and performed Alison 100s of times

The singles/known songs are good, but the rest is eh

6.5/10. Oh, nice! This album generated only a couple of hours after I listened to it. :) Elvis Costello's music isn't my cup of tea. It gives me R.E.M. vibes, but with some added blandness, and less memorability.

This album was average, nothing terrible but nothing jumped out at me. I thought throughout that I wanted to be enjoying it more but something kept me holding out.

A good album overall. The big hit Allison was my favorite song.

Pleasantly surprised! I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Some songs remind me of Dylan, others Springsteen.

I’m with hellyeah on this one - the most enjoyable Elvis Costello album. I’m still not sold on his voice, but it worked well enough on “My Aim is True.” It’s a small thing, but I also dig using a line from a song rather than a song title for the album title. “Alison” was a deserved hit, but “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” was the more grating side of Costello I’m not a fan of. “Less Than Zero” might have been my favorite on the album though.

Best Elvis Costello album on the list. Guess he should have stopped at one album, just like this list should have stopped after including one EC album (six EC albums on this list is obscene).

Decent, but not much stood out

I liked this album, great listen.

All songs were quite similar but it wasn’t a bad listen overall

My Aim Is True is fine, but forgettable. I'm not sure why it's on this list, though I feel the same about a lot of albums. Elvis Costello clearly has some musical ability, but it's not the best or most interesting. He's not bad, but also not great either.

Great song writing, but Costello's rockabilly laced new wavey rock is a sometimes food for me.

Welcome to the Working Week - 6/10 sounds like an intro to a Disney show or something lol Miracle Man - 6/10 no comment No Dancing - 6.5/10 This one is a little catchy! I love the groovy guitars. Blame it on Cain - 7/10 is this one of those albums where it gets better the more you listen to it? because this one is so good Alison - 7/10 I'm a sucker for slow songs with good vocals Sneaky Feelings - 6.5/10 This song sounds like a kids song...can't put my finger on it. Remember when the song slowly fading out was a thing? (The Angels wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - 7.5/10 This entire album sounds like they belong on a kid's show like Curious George. I mean this in a good way because curious George is so good fr. OOH, harmonization! This guy likes to repeat the last thing for the last few seconds of the song LOL Less than Zero - 5.5/10 no comment Mystery Dance - 6.5/10 Okay intro eating. Lyrics are questionable...because do tell me about this mystery dance, sir! Pay it Back - 5/10 Okay pay it back, sir I'm not Angry - 7/10 ooh the part where it got quieter kind of tickled my ears. He ate with that. Waiting for the End of the World - 6.5/10 okay this one is groovy. Beginning lyrics threw me off a little because wdym stick it in? minus .5 for that Watching the Detectives - 4/10 No Comment Overall: 6.2/10

It's not bad; it's just Elvis Costello. So altogether it's kinda average.

Like all Elvis costello

On first listen sounds like the bridge between poodle skirts and punk rock

front-heavy but a fun one

A solid record with a couple of really good songs

like yes but also yeah

it was bad and then really good and then really really bad on the last track 2.5-3/5

Okay, some great songs but overall didn't hold my attention

Catchy power pop. Definite 50s/early 60s influence with its short, spunky songs and old-school production. Highlights: "Miracle Man", "No Dancing" (nice backing harmonies), "Sneaky Feelings" (Randy Newman-esque in piano and vocals)

Mid

I just can't get excited about Elvis Costello.

🎶 Oh Alison, I know this album is killing you 🎶

Pretty good listen 🤠🤠🤠

Ok

Fun style. A couple of standout tracks like Allison and Less Than Zero.

This album cover is offensive to the eyes

I liked it while I was listening but I could not name or remember a song from this album.

didn’t give an in depth listen but a good vibe!

Fine

Not my style but not a bad listen.

I can't disrespect Elvis Costello but it's just not working for me.

Probably wouldn't listen again, why does he want to be American so bad?

hjv

Not my favorite of Elvis Costello. It's still fine, and not a bad debut, but in my opinion, he gets better in the 80's.

i think that his music would work best in the context of a movie soundtrack because the songs are fun but i don't have any desire to listen to a full album of them, nor do i want to concentrate on them individually as works of art. i could see them providing fun dynamic background music for a good shopping mall montage. fav tracks: miracle man; no dancing

I really wasn't into this album and about half way through I was actually going to call it quits because I just couldn't foresee the remainder being good enough to redeem it for me. I didn't really like the reggae/ska (?) elements and it felt hokie. This is already the second Elvis Costello album we've gotten despite only being on our ninth album in this challenge and while I enjoyed the other one we listened to, I wasn't sure if I was really getting why he was considered such a big deal. I was researching on his Wikipedia and saw this: "Costello's debut album, My Aim Is True, is widely considered one of the best debut albums in the history of rock music." I read on about how it influenced so much of punk rock and new wave, and read excerpts from a variety of artists across genres (and other professions within entertainment) who have been influenced by him. Suzanne Vega has said that he's one of the "melodic geniuses" whose music she listens to in order to "stretch [her] sense of melody". This shifted how I listened to the rest of the album; I appreciated the melodies and compositions a lot more, and I could see why this is technically a good, well-made album. I still don't think it's for me and I far prefer "This Year's Model", but I can see now why this has been influential and can recognize when something is good but not my taste.

honestly freaking funnn lol baby’s first costello

i think i liked it idk

Bueno

6.5/10

Cool, has some classics - normal rock

Cool little record - took the “corniness” out of 50s music style. I like it. Certainly better than a lot of other crap on this list. Gave it a three.

Some great moments!

3.6

Probably not an artist I would seek out but the album was good to hear. An easy 3*

Sucks

It was alright. Wasn't terrible, songs were ok but didn't really like his voice to be honest Probably would have scored higher with a different singer 3 ⭐️

not my cup of tea

While this was ahead of its time, in my infants opinion this album doesn’t hold up in the current era. That said you can definitely hear Costello’s influence in modern day pop rock. 3/5

You cannot deny this this is a cool rock and roll record, although it didn't set me alight. Favourite tracks: Welcome To The Working Week, Miracle Man, Watching The Detectives (banger).

I was familiar with "Watching the Detectives". Good song. I gave the album a couple of listens and none of the other songs really stood out. the album has a retro sound that reminds me of earlier rock days. It also seems like Billy Joel, but doesn't have the awesome melodies.

I've long struggled with appreciating Elvis Costello. That said, listening to this album and Armed Forces makes me think that I like his earlier stuff better, and (maybe oddly) the songs work together as an album.

3/5

HA! Just yesterday I got the 5th Elvis Costello album. Not 24 hours later I get the 6th and final one. My views haven't changed in 24 hours. This album wasn't needed. At least it was short.

Not bad but nothing too exciting.

I understand what they were trying to do. A lot of rythm switches and experimental time signatures, but it also has to sound good. 3/5

Enjoyable but I’m unlikely to return. 3.5/5

My first of many Elvis Costello albums! I liked this, it was fun to listen to. But I'm not sure I'd ever go out of my way to listen to it.

Easiest to listen to. I like this album.

I either love his songs or can't stand them, usually. Most of these I couldn't stand. About 2.5 rounded up.

I don’t get how Elvis Costello ends up on every top albums list, with half of his catalog making it onto these lists. He’s not THAT good to deserve such recognition multiple times. The first album I heard from him was awful, and the second one was just as bad. Strangely enough, after giving that second album another try, it sounded much better. The same thing happened with this album. I played it and hated it, even drafted a review about how bad it was, but decided to give it a second chance. On the second listen, it improved a lot. To be clear, I’m not saying it’s good, just average. The constant praise for his albums being on top albums lists everywhere is baffling to me.

Eh

Recognizable songs. Has a honkytonk feel on some songs.

Cool style, but an extremely okay album?

Enjoyable listen, but probably wouldn't put the album on out of my own volition.

Solid debut album

This is the third Elvis Costello album I've had (of six I think...oy vey). I think I like this one better than the other two, but it's just kind of meh. It's not bad, but a lot of the songs sound the same and it gets boring after a while. Not something I'd consider an essential listen. 3/5

Love watching the detectives but the rest didn't really do anything for me.

This album is better than the other one on the list. Hoping there's not a third by him on here. 2.7.

This is less offensive than the rest of his catalog. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

pretty good but not memorable 3/5

kind of similar to how i feel about Bruce Springsteen.

6 / 10 Pop Rock facilón pero bien hecho. Segundo disco de Elvis Costello, no creo que merezca tanto este tío.

Whilst it’s enjoyable there’s nothing that makes me want to relisten to it at a later date

My first of apparently 7 (!?) Costello albums on here. Nothing special, I quite liked Alison.

This was so incredibly harmless that I don't know what to rate it. I guess someone needs to do background music for garden centers

A good sound typical of his era, reminds me of Tom Petty! Lacks the oomph or emotion that I want, maybe I’m just wanting to hear Petty?

The Elvis Costello track I’ve listened to the most overall is definitely the Kidney Now song from 30 Rock, so this was a fun change of pace from that.

Very Elvis Costello.

Super easy to listen. It's this kind of happy rock you can easily dance to, which infects you with your good vibes. I already knew a couple songs in the album E.M.R.: 4/5

Mira que Elvis Costello té música bona, però aquest àlbum és la definició de mid. ELR: 3/5

Sounds weirdly modern in terms of the music and themes.

Never been a big Costello fan - his style just always seemed.. cultivated to me. But this album has some good songs on it - I'm Not Angry was fun. It's crazy how this was so short compared to the other one, clocking in at only 36 min. And one song less than 2 minutes... just goes to show, as long as the melody and the story are put through, length is just not that important.

Elvis Costello is someone whose music I enjoy at times. I really like some of his songs, but I’ve liked a full album. That remains true with this album. There are a few really good songs and the rest are just filler to me. I think Detectives is probably my favorite song of his.

Overall solid if un-remarkable pop-rock album. Probably not gonna re-listen but I didn't dislike it. Best Song: Allison

Elvis Costello’s debut is raw and contains the elements that would make punk music so interesting in the following years, but if pushed just slightly further, this thing could’ve been great.

Собственно говоря, снова неожиданно неплохо. Я никогда не слушал этого парня, и в целом это звучит гораздо менее натянуто, чем я представлял себе. Это всё еще не совсем моя музыка, но слушать это даже интересно. Лучшая песня - Alison.

I prefer Gram Parker…

Upbeat and enjoyable

Not bad.