Brutal Youth

Pretty good, that guy does know what he's doing, just didn't like it that much. Favorite song probably was 20% amnesia

Сойдёт

Great!

I love me some Elvis!

3,5/5

Continuing to love discovering Costello, but this one didn’t feel essential.

Pretty good album, not his best but decent

Tried to review this fairly by ignoring the roughly 19 'essential' Elvis Costello albums we've received thus far. Not as good as armed forces I'd say but probably second best, though I'm splitting hairs as they all deliver a very similar experience. Still think you wouldn't get the garage rock I like without Costello but he doesn't ever get out of his comfort zone really, which is okay as long as I don't have to listen to a string of albums.

6th Elvis Costello album! This guy really liked him. I thought this one was pretty good. Think he's better when it's Elvis and the attractions which apparently this one was. Nothing immediately stands out as memorable, but thought it was solid 3.5

Mediocre at best. A few songs are ok, others not so much.

Traveling- temporary rating of 3. Will get back & edit if necessary.

Some of the album was good.

Love when artists say the album title in the lyrics of a song that isn’t a title track like on Favourite Hour. Another quality album by Elvis Costello with biting lyrics like you would expect. His vocals and melodies are also still high quality here. Cant really call this revolutionary as it’s mostly a relatively safe “more of the same” album. Favorites were This Is Hell, 20% Amnesia, London’s Brilliant Parade, and Just About Glad.

I really like Elvis Costello but kindly: what the hell is this one? It’s mixed terribly. Like why are his vocals SO forward? Especially with a lot of these songs being kind of vocally demanding, leading to Elvis stretching for notes he shouldn’t be? It got better as it went on but overall, a little too long. Honestly could cut like 4-5 tracks.

my 618th album, and my sixth and final costello record.

Sicuramente un album carino, forse un po’ ripetitivo ma non male

I almost kind of admire how much he stays true to his sound so much that this 90s album sounds exactly like the other stuff. Maybe I’m not getting it tho…sounded the same to me tho.

Almost an hour of listening to quirky lyrics is pushing it. He needed to reel himself in a bit.

3.1 2x in MEX - > MTY

No bangers here but still an impeccable Elvis album.

Didn't know this one well from the EC catalogue since its more 'recent'..."Kinder Murder" sounds like him doing a Pixies song. Its pretty vintage Elvis Costello - tuneful songs, snarling vocals, touches of different genres, Beatle-esque harmonies/backing vocals. The Attractions sound great as always. I loved the first two songs, "You Tripped At Every Step" and a few others, but songs like "20% Amnesia" feel like when EC is trying write a dense, challenging melody and do too much. Its cool but somewhat disorienting (even if he squeezed a "You Belong To Me"/"The Last Time"/"I Feel Fine" riff in there). 3.5 with a little bloat, so I'll round down; but I did enjoy it.

Oh look, another Elvis Costello album! This is one of the six albums by Costello in this book, and I have heard four of them. I can say there are too many Elvis Costello books in this album, and yet, I have enjoyed most of the ones that I listened to. This was a fine album as well. I don't know if I consider it compelling as some of the others I have listened to by Costello, as it did seem a bit long in parts. My favorite songs: Pony St. Kinder Murder This is Hell You Tripped at Every Step 20% Amnesia Just about Glad

It was alright, nothing special or unique about it. Wouldn't come back to any of the songs, but didn't hate them.

Pretty decent but feels like a weird selection for this list

Elvis Costello is always a bit weird. I don't usually think it's fantastic music, but it's always kind of weird and kind of fun in a way. I never really end up tuning out because it's boring at least Standouts This Is Hell 3/5

Some good moments but overall, it has the feel of a stage production soundtrack that is a little all over the place and fussed-over. So great on the early albums, The Attractions sound like a bar band here, and nothing stands out the way his early songs do. It’s like he can't decide between returning to his rock-and-roll roots and cutting one of his forays into jazz, classical or cabaret. This was also firmly within the period when he started releasing bad album covers.

Fine I guess but I lost interest in Elvis by this period and never really got it back .

Musically it’s great, but to me Elvis Costello’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Good memories

I think I’m just not that into Elvis Costello.

Middle of the road Costello.

Had a lot of charm, but ran pretty long

A bit of return to form to his earlier releases. Elvis sounds good, but this is probably 5 songs too long.

I've already had an Elvis Costello album within the last week. "Brutal Youth" is pretty good for what it's worth. My favourite track is "13 Steps Lead Down". If only the other tracks on "Brutal Youth" were as cool. Most of them were uninteresting and not worthy of the 1001 Albums List. 3 stars for "Brutal Youth".

It was okay. I think I've liked other Elvis Costello records more

Liked it. Third Costello album I had to listen here - "Too much albums of him on this list." I wrote after the second one.

I'm realizing how much I love sensitive crooner who writes songs like 'Sulky Girl.' This wasn't groundbreaking or nearly as tight as his first album, but I like the overall genre he's leaning into with this one - singer / songwriter, a little bit of rock and a little bit of roll, 80s pop, etc.

Some things I thought along the way: Was this song in that commercial? Oh this rules He’s pretty whiny and annoying Music in the 90s was was more simple He’s still got it Doesn’t this sound like every other song? Ooo jaunty! 🤷🏻‍♀️

anyone else think the mix on this record is awful? had a hard time getting past that.

The album was good, but I think I prefer 70s Costello to 90s Costello.

A lot of songs that I would probably enjoy more with a different singer

I've never got on with Costello's commitment to genre-hopping: while it showcases his versatility and musicality, it makes albums a confusing listen. But there's some great lyrical work here, bleakly highlighting a myriad of social ills.

Seems like another wannabe Dylan and Springsteen, which is a very high bar to try and meet. Nothing offensive in this but nothing extraordinary either. Pretty solid but far from great.

Ja jemig, de zoveelste plaat van Elvis Costello. Gewoon nog weer meer van hetzelfde en geen enkele hit of überhaupt iets opvallends. Dit is echt bij lange na niet bijzonder genoeg voor deze lijst. Het luistert wel weer aardig weg, maar ik kan niet voor elke recensie iets origineels verzinnen, dat deed Elvis Costello immers ook niet voor elke plaat! Want dat is wel duidelijk onderhand.

Meneer Costello brengt ons ditmaal een definitie van de vergeetbare 3. Het album zakt vrij snel naar de achtergrond. Echt vermaken met of lekker ergeren aan kan ik niet. Het grote aantal andere Costello's in deze lijst is dus niet eens het hoofdargument om dit album niet in de lijst op te nemen.

My review for the 17th Elvis Costello project on this list: it was fine, just like the others

Interesting themes. Elvis is too nasally for my taste. And the music isn't powerful enough, as if it were Bruce Springsteen turned on low. Still, I'd like to give it another chance. 3/5

He has moments of greatness, but the rest is less.

impressive! range!

The album is fine, but none of the songs really jumped out at me. I just don't see myself listening to the album again.

Elvis Costello composes the most complex “simple” songs in existence. I don’t love to listen to all of them, but some of them are infectious.

5/10 Perfectly inoffensive pop songs. Largely forgettable, with a definite missing element of drive and energy.

something about this reminds me of the Ghost of Tom Joad album.

Very Theatrical of an album, it felt like listening to a Musical.

Pidän kyllä Elvis Costellon varhaisesta tuotannosta mutta en ole tutustunut miehen "uudempaan" materiaaliin. Ainakaan tämä kyseinen levy, Brutal Youth, ei mielestäni ole mikään merkkiteos. Levy kuulostaa ikävän "keski-ikäiseltä" , vaikka välillä onkin havaittavissa Costellon piikikästä ivaa. Kyllä tälle voin kuitenkin antaa juuri ja juuri kolme tähteä, koska ei tämä ole oikeasti huono, vaan pikemminkin vaan vähän tylsä ja innoton myöhäisuran julkaisu artistilta, joka oli parhaina päivinään todella nokkela ja energinen biisintekijä. Ei todellakaan kuuluisi tälle listalle.

Another Elvis Costello album that sounds like the rest. I have never met a “fan” of him but only people that will listen in bits and pieces

Creo que tiene muy buenas canciones, aunque se me hizo un poco largo

not as much impressed by it but it was still a nice listen, anyway. favorite track is "Just About Glad" simply because of how I coincidentally relate to it at the time of listening.

Solid album, but not blown away.

ok, but not more

Brutal Youth markiert die erste Rückkehr des englischen Songwriters Elvis Costello zu seiner Stammband The Attractions seit Blood and Chocolate (1986) – und sie gelingt mit bemerkenswerter Selbstverständlichkeit. Der Hauptteil des Albums entstand in den Olympic Studios in London, zwei Stücke in den eher intimen Räumlichkeiten des Pathway Studio in Islington sowie den Church Studios in Crouch End; abgemischt wurde in den Sunset Sound Factory Studios in Hollywood. Produziert von Mitchell Froom und aufgenommen von Tchad Blake, erschien das Werk im März 1994 auf Warner Bros. Records – zu einer Zeit, da Gitarrenmusik ohnehin wieder an Boden gewann, Costello sich davon aber ostentativ unbeeindruckt zeigte. Das Album versammelt 15 Songs, die mit der spröden Energie seiner frühen New-Wave-Jahre spielen, ohne sie zu imitieren. Steve Nieve und Pete Thomas bilden das gewohnte rhythmische und harmonische Rückgrat; auf den Basslinien teilen sich Attractions-Mitglied Bruce Thomas, der Produzent Nick Lowe und Costello selbst die Aufgaben – eine Konstellation, die auf Albumebene kaum hörbar, in der Entstehungsgeschichte aber nicht ohne persönliche Spannungen war. Herausragende Stücke sind das eingängige, leicht zynische „Sulky Girl" (erster ausgekoppelter Single, UK-Platz 22), das treibende „13 Steps Lead Down" sowie das melodisch reifste Stück der Platte, „London's Brilliant Parade". Brutal Youth polarisierte zeitgenössische Kritiker vor allem wegen seiner Länge und einiger schwächerer Albumfüller, die den Fokus von den stärkeren Momenten ablenken. Gleichwohl zeigt das Album einen Künstler, dem es nicht darum geht, sich bei seinem Publikum einzuschmeicheln – Costellos Texte bleiben scharfzüngig, bisweilen schneidend, und das Arrangements verweigern jede Art von Weichzeichnung. Wer die frühen Attractions-Alben liebt, findet hier keine Enttäuschung – nur die Erkenntnis, dass diese Band funktioniert, sobald Costello ihr wieder traut.

some songs were good others pissed me off

This might have been All the Rage awhile ago, but idk now. It’s Still Too Soon to Know.

It sounds like an Elvis Costello album. There are several in this list and nothing about this one is distinct enough from the others to justify its inclusion. It’s not his best, it’s not his first and it’s not a drastic departure. Another artist could have been included to be discovered. This album is interesting- Elvis is talented and never boring- but feels superfluous.

Not his finest, even as an EC fan I am surprised this is on here. Some great tracks but plenty of dodgy ones also. In fact I'll help you out given the sequencing. A whole run of completely skippable songs 2-8, but all the rest classic Costello. Don't mention it, the pleasure is entirely mine.

Errr, this one wasn't for me, bit of a slog in the middle. I get it he's very talented but I don't think EVERY Elvis Costello album needs to be on the list does it....?

Maybe the generator has spaced out the endless Elvis Costello albums sufficiently, because I didn't mind this. In fact, some of it was quite delightful. 3.5!

Liked more than I expected. Some weird ones though.

I love Elvis Costello. I completely understand why he is represented in 1001, particularly with My Aim is True, This Year's Model, and Blood and Chocolate. I'm not sure I get it with Brutal Youth. I enjoy most of it, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure this record does anything different than any of the aforementioned records, and it kind of does what they do but just not quite as well. This is essentially my problem with 1001: some artists get waaaay over-represented with albums that really don't matter all that much. For instance, David Bowie has like 13 records on here when all we really need is one. Neil Young has like half his dumb catalogue on this site, and what he really needs is one greatest hits record. Meanwhile, Archers of Loaf aren’t represented at all, despite the fact that they were one of the quintessential 90’s indie rock bands. Where’s Weezer, whose first two records kind of kickstarted a whole genre? There are piles of other examples of meaningful work that just don’t show up on here cause someone decided that the world just needs to hear the “brilliance” of that one Neil Young record that sounds like he’s farting across his guitar strings for an hour. Is this Elvis Costello record any good? Sure, it’s alright. But it doesn’t need to be his like 6th album featured on this site. 6.5/10

Good fare from Declan. Hope The Juliet Letters is to come.

Diff Elvis than the Costello I expected. Not mind-blowingly my great, but I actually enjoyed it.

It's not a bad album, but at this point I'm just over hearing Elvis Costello albums. He's way over represented on this list, and it isn't doing him any favors.

All his albums are the same for me. Enjoyable, easy to listen to, but nothing overly special.

Rätt bra, som vanligt

Bra, men man har hört det nu.

Costello can write fun, weird, infectious, punk tinged ditties. How do you spell ditty? Is it Diddy? Or with Ts? I don't really care for slower numbers & there's quite a few here. 3

Pretty good.

I've never done the full deep dive thru this guy's work despite having it on my To Do list for years. Just the occasional brief dip thru an album (or less) with no understanding of context or season. I understand him to be "a musician's musician" and liking him shows you have sophisticated taste. Sometimes when I listen to him I understand why he has that reputation & find him brilliant. Other times it kinda falls flat or at least hits my ear funny and I'm tempted to force myself to like it because it's him and so it's supposed to be good. This album fell into the latter category. There are flashes that make my ears perk up & my toe commence to tappin'. But for the most part I was just waiting for it to be over so I could move on to the next one. 3 stars

This album both improved my respect for Elvis Costello, and left me a little bit confused as to how I feel about him. He reminds me of Jeff Rosenstock, who is one of my favorite artists, and I see him as being in a tour somewhere in the vein of Bruce Springsteen, but with a little bit more of a punk edge. However, I didn’t find his lyrics, is ripping, nor the songs as groovy and refine, as, say, born in the USA, which I was. I think I need a little bit more time with this album.

3rd Elvis Costello album, and the weakest so far. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Definitely not as good as the "this years model" album. Honestly couldn't say why, just didn't click for me. 5/10

For whatever reason I'm just not big on Elvis Costello. And it's not that I really hate his music I just find it there and to me this is probably for the most part the most their album of the six but it does have some moments I really liked, mainly "13 Steps Lead Down" that one I really enjoyed.. (6.85) ★★★

Quite nice pop/rock album. 3.5 stars

3.5

If the fountain of youth was a 5, Youth from Killing Joke a 4, Sonic Youth a generous 2 and Hitler Youth a 1 then this Elvis Costello album would be a square 3. It is mostly fine but nowhere near his best work or being anywhere close to essential. What was Robert Dimery thinking?! It does live up to its brutal title in terms of the harsh mixing of the drums and vocals and also the sheer brutal length of the tracklist. London’s Brilliant Parade is probably my pick of the meagre pops on display here. Elvis really did need Burt Bacharach to mellow him out as proved by their smooth ten tonne masterpiece soon afterwards with Painted From Memory. A crucial work for him as it scooped him up from the critical and commercial wilderness and led to his appearances on Austin Powers 2 and the Notting Hill soundtrack.

Le yaourt nature du rock

Not bad. Definitely like his earlier stuff better.

Brutal Youth arrives with genuine reunion energy — the first Attractions record in nearly a decade — and when that energy locks in, the results are exactly what you’d hope for. “Just Like Science Fiction” and “Thirteen Steps Lead Down” are the clearest examples: punchy organ, staccato bass, and a band that sounds like it has something to prove. Those moments deliver the same propulsive, groove-aware quality that made This Year’s Model work. The problem is consistency. Those peaks are surrounded by material that doesn’t quite sustain the same voltage, and the album requires more patience to unlock than a four-star record should need. It grew on a second listen — returning specifically to the two standout tracks proved worthwhile — but needing a guided tour to find the highlights is a different experience from a record that grabs you front to back. The Attractions are clearly still capable of the thing that makes them special. Nieve’s organ sits inside the arrangements rather than floating above them, and the rhythm section drives everything forward with real intention. But a reunion record that contains three or four four-star moments isn’t the same as a four-star album.

The depths of Elvis Costello continue to amaze me. This however is not an essential album in his catalog.

55/100. This is a decent record for me but there is honestly nothing really outstanding about it. It is a perfectly fine listen if you just want some solid craft but it does not really have those big hooks or that bite that would make you want to keep coming back to it.

His voice is kinda annoying sometimes ngl but also some of the songs were fire

Its OK. I am not the biggest EC fan. The hits are OK.

Fine, but forgettable

nice enough

I quite like Elvis Costello, but this is a bit stale for me.

Pretty solid honestly. Enjoyed my listen. But it does insist upon itself a little bit

I am a Costello fan but I find this album to be far from his best effort.

nao é meu estilo musical

Good production/singing/instrumentals, but the lyrics and melodies just don't stick out to me. Faves: You Tripped at Every Step, Sulky Girl

A songwriter that has relatively few peers when it comes to sheer solid output, and his genius for an intricate melody is hard to match, but a lot of this feels a little boring and out of touch.

Not sure how to describe it. Singer focused. Not the best but not horrible.

#54/1001 🇬🇧 I generally like Elvis Costello and Armed Forces holds a special place in my heart - right place and right time. This album never hit my radar at the time, maybe thats why i feel a bit indifferent about it. Its's another one of those records that is well made but doesn't bring anything really fresh to the table. Maybe it needs another listen. Best tracks: All The Rage, London's Brilliant Parade, Kinder Murder.

Nowhere near his best, but not horrible.

I like his slower songs a lot. Don’t need him to be rocky and edgy. Reminds me of Keith harring - tried, true, overdone. The!

Wel leuk

only because I wasn't aware of his genius 'album' with the string quartet. This one was good just didn't click for me personally [his voice]

Good songs, great bass lines. But hardly a fan of Costello's singing style.

I accidentally deleted the review I wrote for this, so I'll just say that this list has far too much Elvis Costello. And, I still can't discern any particular arc for Costello's career, so the fact that this feels so similar to everything else doesn't have me optimistic here. But, honestly this is my favorite from him so far. A lot of these songs are pretty enjoyable, many rock pretty hard too. And I still like his lyrics. But the aesthetic still isn't for me, and the whole album is like a 3. But, that's higher than I expected. Maybe I'm learning to love Elvis Costello. But maybe this is just exceptional. Maybe we'll learn in time.

6 / 10

I'm not a Costello fan. His voice grinds my gears. Musically, this is great through.

Hated the first song but it got better from there and didn’t end up minding it surprisingly

5.5/10

I really wish I liked this more. It sounds good but its like something is slightly missing. Like its not hitting as I know it should be. It might grow on me more after a few more listens.

Eh

3.5- really enjoyed jamming to this one.

I love Elvis Costello, but this is not his best album and probably didn't need to be on this list.

Better than I thought

Again some songs good but I think I would’ve liked it more if I gave more time to listen instead of 5 album in one day

Elvis Costello is the king of the 3.5 to me. I always kinda like his music, but I never fully connect.

Alright, not great, but not terrible either. Pretty mediocre post punk. Some songs were fun, and some were boring

I'm mad I enjoyed an Elvis Costello album, and I'm not glad he is here with me, here at the end of all things, at album #1044. I suppose Costello finally won me over. His voice sometimes does this weird, unappealing thing, like in "Sulky Girl." If I ignore that sort of thing, many songs on Brutal Youth are catchy. I don't think it's a coincidence this is his first album reuniting with his backing band the Attractions. "My Science Fiction Twin" is a fun song, akin to "Pump It Up," but more punk with that funky bass line. Because this is my gazillionth Costello album, I can hear the return to his original new wave sound. And I guess I enjoyed it. 3.5 with the stubborn refusal to round up.

My final Elvis Costello album...another artist who had way too many albums on this project, if you ask me. Funny enough, this seems to be the lowest rated Costello album on the project (as of now), but I liked it more than I have the last several. Maybe I'm just feeling elated that this is finally the end of having to listen to him. But seriously, this album's genre is something akin to what I would label as some kind of "post new-wave post-doo wop post-punk" mashup. The vocals on this album really reminded me of Tom Petty, too. Anyway, this was close enough to a 3 for me that I'll just make it one.

It sounds like an Elvis Costello record. Does what it says on the tin. That sounds like I am being derisive but there is something I find undeniably charming about Costello’s music. On this album I especially like the songs that are … less … erm … spirited? frantic? ska-ish? and feel more cool, calm and collected. Again, I probably won’t listen to the entire album again so it tops out at a 3 ⭐️ but there were some songs I did quite like.

I was up and down with this one, but am feeling generous, so here's three stars.

This is Hell. Fav song. Definitely partial to My Aim Is True. and to Elvis and the Attractions. But this has to be the origins of me enjoying when dudes do weird things with their voice.

It’s an enjoyable record. It’s varied well enough that it keeps it interesting and the musicianship and writing is good.

I’ve been meaning to listen to this since it came out. Some of his most energetic work in a while.

My favorite Elvis Costello song is Allison. It’s not on this album, but these songs were fine.

Say what you want about the amount of Costello albums on this list, but at least they're mostly actually good. This one however, I am not really sure why they picked it. The book says it would have been a classic had it been released in Costello's heyday. Okay. The drums have a great sound, love the rimshots. Some gnarly instrumental parts at times, and Costello's got some good material here. But I can't believe this things runtime. 56 minutes feels double that on this album. It just goes on and on. I just can't believe it's on the list, just such a weird pick. Whatever though, this album ain't bad it's just long and at parts very samey

fine enough, nothing crazy just some decent stuff i guess

Fav tracks: this is hell, you tripped at every step, london’s brilliant people This album was more emotional than I expected. I wish I was able to give an even more in-depth listen but I really liked it. Elvis Costello sounds like what Patrick stump wants to embody me thinks

I can tell it has that 90s radio style, but I enjoyed the slightly nihilistic lyrics, especially on “this is hell “and “you tripped at every step.”

Great rhythm section, ear catching lyrics but it’s too long, and if you’re not a big fan of Elvis Costello’s voice, it does start to drag after 30 mins

Pretty boring IMO

mejor de lo que me esperaba, ahora entiendo que es la inspiración de simple plan

Yeah, I'm starting to get tired of these. Elvis Costello is a talented guy and all, but there is no good reason for him to have 6 albums on this list. Now, I'm well aware that I am far from the first person to say that, but I really want to highlight it on this album in particular because, as it turns out, this is the weakest one I've heard thus far. I'm at the point now where any Elvis Costello albums I get are completely redundant. I already got the ones that people actually care about, myself included, so albums like Brutal Youth are just unnecessary. Why was this specific album even included? Is this just the only album they could think to include for the "mandatory late-period album from a legacy artist" thing that these guys tend to do for their more cherished artists? I guess so. This is the 90s after all, and most of Costello's albums on this list are from the late 70s and early 80s. However, I don't think this era of his career is one that really feels like it has to be appreciated in comparison to his earlier days. For one, I don't think his voice aged all too well. It's pretty similar to the vocals on earlier albums, but there's something going on with it that I don't really like. It sounds more... spitty than usual. The writing is still solid, but there isn't really anything on here that's as striking as a song like "Oliver's Army" or "Alison." This brings me to my biggest complaint with Brutal Youth. You see, one of the things that I appreciate most with Elvis Costello's first three albums is just how tight and focused they are. They get in, they do what they want to, and then they get out. Those albums are lean and they contain neither padding nor filler. Everything they could ever want to do is done in just 33 minutes for My Aim is True, 35 minutes for This Year's Model, and 40 minutes for Armed Forces since that one's a little more ambitious than its predecessors. Brutal Youth? This thing goes on for 55 minutes! That's not absurdly long, but it's noticeably slower-paced than earlier albums, which doesn't really work for Elvis Costello in my opinion. I think part of his appeal is the snappiness of everything, in more ways than one. So, to weaken the pacing in this regard is to weaken the appeal of Elvis Costello as an artist. That's not good. Of course, I wouldn't say that the album is "not good." It's still got things to appreciate, but I can't see myself going back to this nearly as much as any of the albums I've heard of his prior to now. It's a bit of a let-down, I'll be honest. 3/5.

Costello is . . . fine. His voice is on the Tom Petty scale which I can tolerate but it's not my first choice. I'm sure I'd enjoy more if I had gen X nostalgia but I'm not quite that old. :-)

Eh. Not for me, wouldn’t play it again but I can appreciate it. Can definitely see how his work would allow a collab with Paul McCartney

Wow, I did not expect to see such polarizing reviews for this. I listen to a lot of heavy music and love Rush so maybe my bad-voice-o-meter is kind of broken, but I have no issue with Elvis's voice. Overall I'd say this is a pretty rockin little record, very pop but has some fun punk signatures with the clever lyrics, lots of gang vocals for background, chord structure, etc. The mixing is superb and honestly I thought this was pretty decent. 3 is my "meh/okay", 2 is "did not enjoy" and 1 is "terrible" in my system, but I can't quite give this a 4/5... I did find it to be pretty pleasant to listen to and enjoyed the lyrics but I don't see myself remembering to come back to this album. "20% Amnesia" would be great house music between bands at a small club.

i'm a fan of elvis costello but not a huge one. i know a lot of people on here love to complain about him and i don't really get it, but with this one it's hard to argue. i don't even think this album is that bad! i would consider it good! but let's be real here. i HAD to hear this before i died? mid-90s elvis costello? crazy.

A good album, I liked London's Brilliant Parade and My Science Fiction Twin the most.

Some half decent tunes on this album, but I didn't like it as much as "This Years Model" that I heard earlier. Adding "This is Hell" to the playlist. Thought that one was interesting.

When I'm in the mood for music like this, I never think of Elvis Costello.

Tight song writing and good grooves but doesn't do anything to set itself apart or stand out

This album is very middle of the road. Aside from one or two songs I don't think it is all that interesting or memorable. A bit of an odd duck here where I don't get the reason for it's inclusion.

Some good stuff on here, but nothing that really got me excited. That seems to be my median take on Elvis Costello; ranging from ok to good, but rarely great. 3/5

6/10 this is hell 12/27/28

Nochmal Costello? Ganz ok!

Not bad but I’ve had enough of this guy!! This is the king of rock and roll??

Always wanted to check him out. I really could not have temporally placed him and was surprised this was from ‘94. Expected earlier. I have to assume there will be other of his albums on the list…wonder how this will be for intro? Highlights: * 13 steps * This is hell (catchy chorus) * Rocking Horse Road * Just About Glad Enjoyed this. Wikipedia entry said this is his fourteenth album, so my shock at 1994 makes more sense. It also said 6 of his albums were on the 1001 list, so curious to hear his earlier material on the future.

6.75/10- There were a handful of interesting songs that I really liked, but also a handful of very flat songs. The album ended with more of a lull that probably could have been cut. I think this is a 4/5 if we trimmed it down to 40 minutes or so.

I'm a big fan of Elvis Costello's earlier albums and I think that this is one of his better albums towards the back half of his career. There are some misses here and it's not boundary pushing. That being said, there are about 7 or 8 songs that I really like. Light 7/10

Easy listen.

I didn't know this Elvis Costello album existed. I'm not sure why this made the 1001 list. I'm a big fan of EC and his importance in rock history, but is this come back album that important? It's good. Surprisingly good. But nothing here slams brilliant. It's a rehash of his classic sound. Well executed and fun, but what's new here? What's important? Why is this something we all need to hear before we die?

The fourth Costello album I've gotten for this project, and probably the best one I've gotten other than This Years Model. Hookier than Armed Forces and Imperial bedroom, but still with a bit of an issue with writing good choruses (Sometimes even when there is a chorus, it doesn't feel like it, which is weird for pop/rock music to me). I mention this in every review, but Costello still manages to be the coolest artist on this list 20 years into his career. But yeah, while This Years Model is still superior, this is the best I've gotten from him since then. Think I'll still give it the three though, but just barely. There are a couple songs here or there that are just not doing it for me, particularly the more ballady or hookless songs.

Super impressive but kind of exhausting too many times.

Definitely some solid moments musically and lyrically, but not sure if I’d come back to this album. Its inclusion makes me wonder just how many Elvis Costello albums will be on here? because for me I could think of 4 of his albums that feel stronger.

Another artist I listened to a lot as a child, my dad always had Elvis Costello on in the car and in the basement. Can't wait to get around to 'This Year's Model' and 'My Aim Is True.' I have always really loved Elvis Costello's voice, especially on his 70s material, and it has a really mature sound to it on 'Brutal Youth.' I don't think this is as good as anything before it in his discography, but "13 Steps Lead Down" demonstrates that he understands his sound, what makes it good and fun, and is able to keep it interesting, which a lot of other artists can't say two decades into their careers. Maybe two songs too many on this one.

Put more artfully than I ever could, please consider this short piece by Liz Phair, published in Rolling Stone: https://www.lizphair.net/press/2005/elvis-costello/ Getting into Elvis Costello was a long-time item on my to-do list that I worked toward in 2025. I think he's a hell of a lyricist with a pretty unique voice and a sound where he can slide in neatly to playlists with a pretty wide variety of artists. Like, he exists in this intersection of new wave and folk and there's not a lot of people occupying that lane. I don't have a super whole lot to say about this album other than "I like it a lot" and "it sounds like an Elvis Costello album." I need to sit with it longer and revisit.

This one built up to some definitive rock n’ roll moments, where the songwriting shined and guitars/organs powered it along. I’m still acquiring the taste for Elvis Costello’s voice, but I was able to appreciate this as an example of refined rock. That’s not to say smoothed out and devoid of character — it still has the nice, rough edges — but it feels like an artist whose mastered their craft and produced something that represents them well.

Im a fan of Elvis Costello and even Id say 7 albums of his on this list is overrepresentation. This album is fine. There’s some good music here, some clunkers, and it’s too long. Too unremarkable to be on this list.

Occasionally getting They Might Be Giants vibes.

My favorite Costello album so far - better than My Aim Is True or Armed Forces. I like some of the songwriting and it has some strong They Might Be Giants vibes (I know the inspiration really runs the opposite direction but I've got 30+ years of TMBG under me and only a handful of Costello listens; digging around, it looks like Costello nearly produced their 1992 album Apollo 18 and they opened for Elvis for a month in August 1995).

Super-literate and clever. Not as snarky as some of his other material, but that delivery wears on me.

031225 2:11 3

Elvis is at his best with the attractions. I prefer angry young man guitar Elvis to Bacharach Elvis…And we get some of both on this album. Kinder murder, 13 steps lead down, My science fiction twin, and just about glad are the high points. 15 songs was too much: had he cut four or five of them this would probably be a four star album.

I always find Costello a little too clever with the lyrics. What a bounder! Writing intelligent lyrics... I think I'm just a passive listener. The music is always great, as is the case on Brutal Youth. The band sounds tight here. He always benefits when backed by the Attractions. Maybe the last great Costello album before he hit the comfortable years?

A bit whiney for me

Punky 80’s vibe

It's not that Brutal Youth is bad (although it is a bit too long), it's just that if you’ve already got five other Elvis Costello albums on the list, you probably don’t need this one.

Jesus Christ, another one?

I own this one already, so I was singing along from the start. Along with Lennon/McCartney, Costello is one of the finest singer/songwriters that Britain has produced (sidenote: check out his collaborations with McCartney - it is exceptional). And so, yes, the songwriting is killer. It's a tight record: Costello plus the four members of the Attractions. You could argue that it's also a bloated album with 15 tracks (was that really necessary?). I have a lot of time for Elvis Costello and while this is not an essential album to include on this list, it was a great way to kickstart my morning.

Although not a huge Costello fan, I do like his early records "My Aim is True", "This Year's Model" and his '80s album "Spike". His work with the Attractions didn't go unnoticed by me, too. I still play "Armed Forces", "My Aim is True", and "Blood and Chocolate" at times. But for some reason I never heard of this album, nor listened to it. After listening, I must conclude that I didn't miss much either. why this is on this list, together with apparently 5 (!) other albums, is a complete mystery to me. It's Costello, and it's competent but lacks the fire of his late '70s work or the adventurousness of Spike. Overall this is one of his weaker and bland productions, so to me it doesn't seem justified to be on this list, especially regarding all his other albums on this list. 3/5

Was ok

I am surprised by this album. I ended up liking it quite a bit. I particularly liked the song "Clown Strike" which is the first time I've heard it.

Really nice album if you employ some active listening. Not Elvis' best and not the best ever but very enjoyable.

meh

Brutal Youth was Elvis' 14th (!!) studio album that still manages to be fresh but also sound dated as well, and at almost 57 minutes - it was far too long. Best: This Is Hell Worst: My Science Fiction Twin 2.5 Stars

a lot going on, might re-evaluate later on

Definitely unessential Elvis Costello, but it's fine.

I’ve wondered more than once if I’d get into Elvis Costello if I gave his stuff a chance. After my first experience hearing a full album of his, the answer is…maybe.

One song made me think of the Gin Blossoms. It was kind of downhill in either direction from there.

This was ok, but I feel like it both passed me by, and also dragged along a bit. Won’t go back to it, but it was ok.

Good!

När Elvis återvänder till det han gör allra bäst, new wave pop, är han sensationellt bra, det är frågan om nån gör det bättre. Öppningsspåret, "13 steps..." , "Sulky girl" och "Just about glad" är fantastiska, ytterligare några spår är riktigt bra. Men han tappar också riktningen och såsar till sig och då blir det genast mindre kul, men aldrig dåligt. "Still too soon..." är det enda egentliga snedsteget. Likt många cd-album från 90talet är det aningen för långt, även om låtarna är korta. Han hade med fördel kunnat skippa nämnda låt och t.ex. avslutningsballaden. Det blir en vrålstark trea till Elvis

Elvis sounds like he's got serious nasal issues. Deviated septum? Just a voice that's hard to listen to for 56 minutes.

A surprisingly strong late-era Elvis Costello album,delivering sharp, witty lyrics and punchy arrangements. The storytelling is top-notch, and while it’s not quite classic Costello, it’s a solid, engaging listen that earns its spot on the list.

This is like having a family dinner because it is your grandfather's birthday. Your younger cousin is sitting at the foot of the table, and trying to make everything about her. Nobody is really listening, because there is already a conversation going on, but your cousin keeps talking about all her achievements, raising her voice gradually until you have to stop your conversation and listen.

Was ok but a bit same same in parts. For its time, it seems like others were doing it better

Nice return to the old days for Mr. Costello. A good straightforward rocker. Favorite track: A Kinder Murder

Meh. Not sure if I liked or disliked. Pick middle and move on.

He can certainly write a catchy tune and it is well produced with great backing but and its a big but... his vocals do not really work for me. With the right voice this could be a 5 as I think the tunes are great - unfortunately I'm probably a high 3.

It was alright. Not sure why this album is on the list? Neither earth moving, revolutionary nor trend setting. I realize I'm not cool enough to like Costello. Beyond Oliver's Army, Watching the Detectives and Alison, everything else of his sounds alright, but nothing I 'appreciate'.

It's Elvis Costello. It's idiosyncratic and will definitely divide opinion. I like his music, but I get why it wouldn't be for everyone. Saying that, this one feels pretty accessible for the most part. You can hear bits and pieces which have clearly been influential to other artists, too. Decent, but not life changing.

Not as good as I remembered it to be.

Greit nok. Hadde forventa litt høyere nivå fra 90-tallet.

Musique sympa mais sans plus

J'ai jamais regardé friends mais je pense que le générique sonnerait pareil. Rien de bien marquant

I didn't really get much out of the lyrics, and a lot of them were really annoying and repetitive. The audio quality was really nice I guess, at least it was notably interesting when I started listening. Didn't really get much out of this one.

This was the first time I had ever listened to Elvis Costello. I have yet to make up my mind on him. I think he could grow on me, but I am not there yet.

Maybe marginally better than Blood and Chocolate. 2.5.

Just okay I suppose. Easy listening, absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Elvis Costello is largely inoffensive, but also largely unspectacular. It boggles my mind that he's got 6 albums on this list. I don't get it. This album was...fine, like pretty much everything I've ever heard from this particular Elvis. It was not bad by any stretch, but there is a 0.0% chance that I will ever choose to listen to this again. 3.2

I like Elvis Costello, and this album was good and I enjoyed listening to it, but it eventually gets to the point where every song kinda sounds the same and it's like a single hour-long song. So by the end of the album, I was definitely ready to listen to something else. Good, but kinda needs to be in smaller doses, IMO. Three stars.

I mean, it sounds like an Elvis Costello album. Weirdly timeless - I was kind of hoping he was gonna try to make a grunge album or something, you know, to be hip with the times, but nope. It’s an Elvis Costello album. Nothing amazing, nothing particularly interesting either. I didn’t hate it.

No entiendo a este hombre. No se lo que me quiere contar. No le niego el mérito musical, pero no me llega en absoluto. A veces me recuerda a ese cuñado que toca la guitarra y dices "pues lo hace bien, pero es que no es mi rollo". Yo que sé, pero no me interesa.

Volvemos luego de la pausa de ayer con Elvis Costello, artista del que estuve escuchando su discografía durante este año. Suena como un disco de rock alternativo de los 90 pero con las particularidades de Elvis Costello en sus letras, en su forma de componer y cantar. Un tipazo. Hasta mañana, gente.

my main elvis costello opinion is why does he say the n word on like every single album. good music though

Not entirely sure on this one. Low to mid 3? Not as fun as the other costello record I rated but a refined sound

Pretty classic

Brutal Youth may grow on me, but this might be one of the few instances where I'll rate an album based almost solely on both the production and length. Often, the vocals are placed high in the mix while the instruments are shoved in the back. The result gives many songs an almost empty feeling while fighting against itself trying to deliver the punch it needs. Trimming back the 56 min runtime may have been beneficial. Where this album does succeed, however, is in it's softer and quirkier moments.

Oh look, another Elvis Costello album. You want to put 2 of his albums on this list, fine. Three? You're pushing your luck. Six? Well, that's a tad excessive. This was nothing shy of... ordinary.

Perceived rating. Will listen when able

Pony St. 3.6 Kinder Murder 4.1 13 Steps Lead Down 3.8 This Is Hell 3.5 Clown Strike 3.5 You Tripped at Every Step 3.4 Still Too Soon to Know 3.5 20% Amnesia 3.3 Sulky Girl 3.4 London's Brilliant Parade 3.5 My Science Fiction Twin 3.3 Rocking Horse Road 3.4 Just About Glad 3.4 All the Rage 3.2 Favourite Hour 3 Score: 3.46

Of the six albums of Costello on the list this is without doubt the one too many. It's really not a strong album, I don't understand at all why it's in the book. The album kicks off pretty okay and the second song, 'Kinder murder' is by far the strongest song of the album. That's a true classic. But starting with the fourth track, 'This is hell', songs are only mentionable because they are weak. 'You tripped at every step' or 'Still too soon to know"? Pffff. '20% Amnesia' seems like a nice remembrance of Costello's early days, but the production is horrible. It's only drums, a bit of piano and some Swordfishtrombones-like guitar where punky, distorted guitars should have sounded. Six albums on the list is a lot, and this one doesn't belong there. I guess a couple of the early albums that aren't mentioned should have been more in place than this one. It almost seems like Dimmery and his team have a bit of a knack for Costello...

There were three or for songs I liked. The rest was bland. Fine for background music, that’s all. The best tracks were all near the end of the album, but pushed my rating up from 2 to 3.

I liked this one the best as a known Costello hater (2.5/5)

All good enjoyable songs but trouble is they are all a bit the same. Now 5 albums into Elvis’s vast catalog on this list I can say that this is a common theme about his music. Very competent musically but all have his very recognisable trademark which does begin to get weary after a few tracks. Last album I had of Elvis was Armed Forces which is head and shoulders better than this. That was a high watermark so a bit unfair to compare. So this is a middling sort of album. Nice to hear but forgotten about after a while and if you were to hear one of the tracks on this album in isolation you’d be hard pressed to identify which album it was off. 3/5 22/8/25

3/5. Better than I expected.

Good enough, nothing really sprang out at me

This album has that millennial tv show intro music, especially "13 Steps Lead Down". It is overall alright, nothing too exciting and at times a bit meh, but it's alright, as it's pretty chill.

This particular album wasn’t bad it was easy listening but I’m just not a real Costello fan , to me he’s like between Eric Clapton and Buddy Holy but not as good as either with that being said I didn’t hate listening to this album I don’t think I would play it but I won’t walk away if I hear it ..

I think I’ve only heard this once or twice in my life, but really enjoyed it. Felt like a really strait forward rock album, but felt true to Elvis and his vibe. For me it isn’t anything special, and I may not select it to play in mixed company, but would fully enjoy if someone else selected it.. Highlights for me were This Is Hell and Sulky Girl.. both excellent tracks!!

The album leans heavily into a pop-oriented sound, with certain tracks carrying a strong Elton John-like flair. The songwriting foundation is solid, but I found myself wishing for rawer production. It would have aligned more with my tastes and given the music more bite. The drumming stood out as excellent throughout, though in the earlier tracks it sometimes felt a bit disconnected from the rest of the instrumentation. By the time This Is Hell arrived, however, the percussion felt much more cohesive. I especially enjoyed how the drums and bass complemented one another on that song. Overall, I did enjoy this album, and it grew on me with subsequent listens. I understand why it earned its place on the list, but it ultimately doesn’t match my production preferences. While I probably won’t revisit the album, I can appreciate its strengths.

Like the last 17 Elvis Costello albums I’ve gotten here, this was pretty good. That’s all.

Never listened to Elvis Costello but had heard of him. Very middle of the road stuff for me. Nothing offensive but nothing exciting either.

Favorite Track: Kinder Murder

I quite like Elvis Costello, though missed this album. Seemed to reprise sounds from a few of his earlier tracks - pretty good ones though. Not sure I need to add it to Olivers Army, My Aim is True etc

Not my favorite Elvis Costello albums but enjoyable in its own right.

This is fine. Decent variety.

Elvis Costello's 14th album, cheesy power pop/alt rock. Singing is decent but most of the rest is fairly forgettable.

Better than Imperial Bedroom but not as good as This Year’s Model.

There’s 6 albums of his in this. They all sound very similar to me, dont really get it too much

192/1089 - Cool instruments, bad voice. Switched between this is pretty good and this is total shit a lot.

Again, Mr Costello used some sounds that were common (Alt Rock) at the time of this Album. It’s good he did, otherwise the songs would have been too similar. Fav: Kinder Murder

Another competent album from Elvis Costello on this list. Totally unnecessary.

Really good. Was hovering over the 4th star and it maybe just went on a bit too long. Will need to revisit this one for sure

I love Elvis Costello, and yet, this one is not for me. He has done much better imho, and I sold this years ago.

I liked bits of this. I was bored for bits of this too. I think in the right mood I’d really like it, but that’s not today.

Sixth Costello album done, I didn't mind this one as much as the others. Still don't understand the significance of why this one has to be on the list. Was him getting back with the Attractions that big of a deal? Rating: 3.1

The first “new” Elvis record I bought in the 90s. Loved it then. It holds up pretty well. Some great songs, and even a mid Elvis Costello album is pretty good.

Solid chunes. Falls into the category of “do I really need to listen to this aging legend’s 90s output” that afflicts this list. Enjoyed it enough. Won’t revisit.

Frekar klassískur Costello en vantaði hittara. Besta lag This is hell.

Off the cuff remark: I've always quite liked Elvis Costello, but thought I knew a bit more of his songs than I probably do. Particularly as I am not familiar with a single one of these songs and don't know how that has happened. It's not amazing but much of it is great. Standout track: 20% Amnesia Revisit?: Yes.

I felt like this was a solid rock album listen! I believe this was my second Elvis Costello album on here. I enjoyed this listen but vocally there was something off for me with Costello’s voice that kind of turned me off from the album. I’m not sure if I would listen to this again but I encourage others to check it out and see what they think.

usual long winded songs from Elvis. why use 100 words when you can use 500. not a bad song to be honestly

Ah, my fifth Elvis Costello album has arrived. I gave four stars to Armed Forces, My Aim Is True, and Imperial Bedroom, but two stars to This Year’s Model. I like Elvis Costello’s voice, and I really like his approach to the new wave sound. Six albums from him on this list feels like overkill, but whatever. I don’t know what to expect from an Elvis Costello album from 1994, but my curiosity is definitely piqued! Overall, Brutal Youth was okay. Some things worked for me, and other things completely missed the mark, so I found this album to be a pretty muddled experience. There just weren’t a lot of times where everything clicked for me. The songwriting was really strong, and I liked the idea of a more stripped-down sound for Elvis Costello, but there were several moments where I was wanting more out of this album. Having only listened to Elvis Costello albums from the seventies and eighties, it was interesting to hear the evolution in his sound for a new decade. The emphasis on the strong songwriting made this album fit in with singer-songwriters who were prominent at this time, like Sheryl Crow and Jeff Buckley. Despite the strong songwriting, this album didn’t pull me in musically in the way that I’d hoped it would, and I don’t think this album does anything noteworthy for Elvis Costello’s career, nor for music in the nineties. Despite the fact that I found this album to be pretty middle of the road, there were some songs I liked: -“Pony St.” was a great lead-off track, and it did a good job of hooking me in. I loved the guitar, vocals, and organ playing. This is the sort of thing I love from Elvis Costello. -I loved that guitar on “13 Steps Lead Down.” There was a polished grittiness to the sound that I really liked. -“20% Amnesia” was really good. I liked the guitar and piano playing, and I loved the way the guitar built up in tempo and intensity during the chorus. -“Rocking Hourse Road was my favorite song on the album. The stripped-down sound worked the best for me here, and the organ playing was great. This song reminded me of The Wallflowers in the best way possible. I enjoy listening to Elvis Costello, but this was definitely one of the weaker efforts of his albums that I’ve heard so far. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to blast “Pump It Up” and “Radio, Radio.”

I really enjoy Elvis Costello, but I don't think this is his best work (that would be My Aim is True).

Oei, veel slechte reviews en relatief weinig streams op Spotify. Maar al bij al vond ik het nog oké. Ben wel fan van Elvis Costello, misschien ben ik wel biased ofzo, maar dit was wel nog een hidden gemke. 3.2

It's hard for me to decide between three and four stars for this. I appreciate the artist and enjoyed his earlier output. This isn't nearly as interesting as his earlier material.

An okay album but nothing stood out for me. 3 stars or C-.

It is classic Elvis Costello. The album is well paced with some good songs. Unfortunately I don't like Elvis Costello so some of the album is lost on me.

Non proprio di mio gusto

Didn’t listen to the whole thing. Was poppy but didn’t hook me in so much

Charming enough, i found a gem or two here

EC has always crammed songs onto his albums, 14 or more - culminating in the vinyl pressing madness of Get Happy with 20 songs in 45 minutes. Here there are 15 songs but it's 57 minutes and boy would this album have been improved by some compression. Otherwise, it suffers from the 'McCartneys' - however much a return to form it is, it's not really offering anything not previously explored. A good enough listen (which cannot be said of all his output of the past 40 years) but inessential. If one of his first six albums is not on the list, hard to argue for this being better.

Hyvä albumi costelloksi

This was tolerable, yet a bit scattered. Had no clue what each song was about or was trying to tell me.

I consider myself an Elvis Costello fan, and consider his run of early albums as consistently great a run as any artist in popular music has ever produced. Brutal Youth is the first Costello album I’ve been served up from the 1001 list, and it’s not one I’ve heard before. After three listens, I’m confused as to why it’s on the list. It’s fine, but it simply does not approach either the songwriting consistency or fiery impact of his earlier albums despite being in largely the same style. There are a handful of good songs - Kinder Murder, 13 Steps Down, Sulky Girl - that would have fit just fine on earlier albums, but that’s half the record at best. On top of all of that, the production - which shoves Elvis’ voice super high in the mix - is annoying and robs the record of the propulsive energy that the Attractions can bring. There is nothing wrong with this record, but this is the first album I’ve listened to whose inclusion on the list is inexplicable.

Random thoughts: * 1001 loves Elvis Costello. * I don’t love Elvis Costello as much as 1001 does. * I find this album and most of Costello’s stuff pretty good but I’m not inclined to seek it out again. * The first 2 tracks were pretty catchy. * I didn’t listen to the rest too closely but did play it through twice.

Can imagine most of these songs being in an indie movie. Nasally vocals. Some songs sounds quite similar. Not bad though.

Elvis Costello is brilliant. But it's so much output and it runs together. Hard to see myself going to this over a greatest hits collection. Also I feel like so much of his later work makes more sense if you're a fairly well-to-do Brit.

This was better than his first album. Still a pretty flat album. Not my cup of tea

I like that on this album there was a recaptured energy and at times rawness with Elvis’ return to working with The Attractions, but this was a slog to get through. Only to learn that we’ll have six of his albums as part of this exercise. That’s just ridiculous. I will reserve my high marks for the ones who deserve it. This unfortunately is not one of them. And that’s coming from a die hard Costello fan.

Better than coldplay

Ok, but not much new

Elvis... altijd goed voor een paar nummers... maar een album na elkaar is te veel...

Didn't enjoy this as much as My Aim is True. Particularly after Scott 4 over the weekend a lot of the songs feel too busy, with too much going on, and are pretty forgettable. Some likeable stuff in here too, but no great shakes.

Goodish songwriting. Production fine. Just can’t past the singing. And the fact that I have no answer to the question “what’s the point?” I mean I’m not against it…

Not as many songs grabbed my attention as other records of his I have heard .Still ok .

Nice album

There's nothing wrong with this album I just think that Costello is not for me.

it's ok.

Elvis Costello has a pretty unique sound which is on full display on this album. I didn't mind this album, but I wouldn't say it hooked me either. After listening to it, I don't really remember any standout song. I could take it or leave it.

I love Elvis Costello more than anyone except, apparently, the person who wrote 1001 Albums, because Brutal Youth, while fun, is probably his 10th or 11th best album, if we're being totally honest, and I know for a fact that there's only 6 total on here.

Solid Attractions record, a few bangers, overall a fun listen

Chill and rhythmic

Perfectly fine 90s rock music. I had no idea who he was besides that Simpsons episode. I guess he was never really relevant outside the US. I have no idea why he has so many albums on this list. This is just my first one. So we'll see.

3.0 - Ok

I'll check a couple of tracks of this album out. I heard another one of his albums on this list earlier. First time really checking out Elvis. The first track reminds me of Fall Out Boy a bit. Very cool tracks. Rocking a bit.

I prefer his earlier work.

Like a worse Tom Petty

Many of the songs had a repetitiveness to them. But if the song is good, it outweighs the repetition. And for me, some of the songs get there. But not all of them. Songs like "13 Steps Lead Down," "This Is Hell," and "20% Amnesia" got a little tiresome; they just didn't hold up because of the repetition. But other songs, like "Kinder Murder" really shone through. My personal favorite was "My Science Fiction Twin," the lyrics were pretty funny. Costello's vocals worked for the songs, although I can imagine how some may not be a fan. Top tracks: "Kinder Murder," "Clown Strike," "My Science Fiction Twin"

I guess this album shows that after about a decade, Elvis Costello and some of the Attractions could still make decent music. Or, put another way, he/they were still relevant. But relevant is not the same as unique, amazing, or a must listen. I enjoyed listening to it, but if this was the only Costello album on this list I might wonder what the big deal is. Yet, this is his sixth entry, which seems unnecessary. All in all, a slightly higher than average album with some fun, energetic, and cleverly-worded songs Costello is known for - Pony St, Kinder Murder, 13 Steps Lead Down, 20% Amnesia, My Science Fiction Twin, and Just About Glad. I didn't care as much for his slower songs, except for Rocking Horse Road and Favourite Hour.

Ah, the age old question - is Elvis Costello the most ridiculously over-represented artist on the 1001 or Leonard Cohen? At least I don't mind Costello's music, so I'll give the edge to Cohen for most over-represented artist. My formula remains: no artist should have multiple albums unless they evolve significantly between albums (e.g., Bowie, Floyd) or their albums are simply iconic (Led Zep) or both (Beatles). This doesn't sound much different than his other albums on the 1001. It's not bad, but it's not so great to warrant its inclusion with so many other Elvis Costello albums. Favorite tracks: Pony St., Kinder Murder, 20% Amnesia. Next.

One of my favourite Elvis Costello albu.s and o e you find yourself feeling like you know the words, you find yourself singing along unconsciously

I feel like Elvis falls somewhere in between Buddy Holly and Rivers Cuomo in terms of vocalists. Not really as interesting as either of those two, but certainly as distinct. Not really familiar with his discog, and while I felt this was a pretty inoffensive effort, it also didn't blow my socks off. Would be interested to hear more from him, and I could see this one growing on me, but it doesn't feel like the strongest introduction

Kind of boring — nothing really grabbed me. (Tim: “A lot of classic-sounding EC arrangements — heard stuff I want to hear again. 4 stars.)

Album 741 of 1001 Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth (1994) Rating : 3 / 5 I like Elvis Costello and but this doesn't hit like much of his other releases. Nothing jumping out for me here. Kind of meh throughout.

He has better. Love this little man though.

Not my favorite album of his, but not baf

I dig Elvis Costello - but another 15 songs? They all kinda sound the same as the last album....and the one before that....and the other one before that....

3/5. Ah, another Elvis Costello album. I enjoy some of his stuff but I feel like there are too many albums on here to expect something different. This is about mid range what I expect from Elvis, but still fairly good. Much better songwriting and signing from him as well, kind of like a reinvigoration of his earlier work. I know this one isn't going to be a constant revisit but whenever I am craving Elvis, this will be on the rotation. Best Song: Clown Strike, Sulky Girl, Rocking Horse Road

Nope. Don't know what to tell you. This is Elvis Costello at his most competent kind of, sort of without the Attractions. No idea what it was one of the inclusions on this list. Six Costello albums?

Very good but not classic Costello

I'm trying to figure out what I don't like about Elvis Costello. I don't totally dislike it. The elements for good music are there. The instrumentation is great. The song writing is not that bad. His voice is fine. Mostly I think I just don't like his melodies and the poetry of his lyrics don't really grab me. But on the second listen through this, focusing more on the music than the vocals, there's some great music going on in the background. Does Mr. Costello have an instrumental album?

"Just stop playing that bad mood music." Take your own advice, man. I don't really know what he's singing about, sometimes he seems pretty angry at women, but I'm not sure I really care because it has a very sterile feeling to it. It doesn't make me happy, or reflective, or emotional, or angry. It just makes me feel nothing. The only other group I can think to liken that feeling to is Coldplay. It's fine. And that's it.

Distinct sound. Elvis C has a good style of lyrics and music

Hit or miss, but mostly miss. While most songs have their moments, the album is plagued by two issues. First, the production has this really annoying, almost wheezing sound that's constantly there. Second, every song is 90% a repetitive refrain that consists of Elvis repeating the song title over and over until any chance of the song not being irritating is completely pulverized into nothing. 2.5/5.0: Mixed

round 4 thought he was growing on me but this is like his most whatever album. couple great songs but most of it is very forgettable