Reviews (page 5 of 7)
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Easy to listen to. Some words are unintelligible. Gets boring toward the end.
3/5 some interesting tracks in there, but not so much.
ehh.
Weird to hear a mid nineties Elvis C album. w a voice like his it's hard for the sound to change too much. Not sure why the pause but it's solid EC
.
I like the diversity of sound Elvis packs into his albums, all remaining in the sort of pop rock world but having a good number of feels throughout. This album was alright, but not enough songs to really bring me back again
It was alright. 0RS
I always want to enjoy Elvis Costello albums more than I think I will. And then I always do in spite of my own overthinking it.
Still not a huge elvis costello fan. It was okay. 6
So, Sue & I used to watch the show "Spectacle Elvis Costello with:" He had great (aging) guests who would sing a song or two, they’d do a duet, then the part that we’d have to brace ourselves for was Elvis’ two solo songs of the night. In one of them we knew he’d use his “rock n’ roll voice”, which was well past it’s prime. He seems past his prime here too. For comparison purposes, I went back to his sixth album, Imperial Bedroom (1982), which had a similar vibe & I remember liking. The overall sound on this release is comparatively raw, notalways bad but not a good thing here since the song-writing isn’t as strong and his voice is stretched in places. The 1982 production was lush and creative. Compared to Imperial Bedroom, this sounds like a demo tape. He’s still a great lyricist though and after 3 listens there's a few songs I'll playlist.
Buena sucesión de canciones para un estilo bastante definido. Voz característica. Estilo cercano al pop. Nivel medio por lo que aporta y por las novedades que da
I didn't like it too much, but it is an ok album.
Beim ersten Hören solala, hat aber Potential #listenagain
Elvis Costello is one of those artists that I have a hard time getting into or understanding what the big deal is. I will say that this album had a few songs I could see myself liking after a few listens but I'm still not really sure what the big deal is.
It was ok. Some fine songs, but overall just… ok. Favorite tracks: “13 Steps Lead Down,” “You Tripped At Every Step,” and “Favorite Hour”
Elvis Costello sure is cool. But this alb is just middling. Nothing too great here, there's a lot of fun. It's jaunty, but there's too many weird ballads. I wish the attractions were here.
Yeah. Ok. Yeah.
liked a lot of it, but some if the slower songs just were snooze fest.
Today I listened to an Elvis Costello album from 1994, called Brutal Youth. I've been tangentially aware of Elvis Costello since I was a young kid. The more I learned about music, the more I heard about his large influence on new wave and punk. I've not really spent much time with older albums that cemented his status, they were never very accessible to me when I would jump in. Maybe something with his voice? OR I can't understand anything he is saying. I do enjoy this album, it has lots of hooks and melodies that have grabbed me. It makes me want to do more and give all his albums a listen.
At first listen, if youre not familiar with the sound of Elvis Costello like I was, you may get hung up on his almost abrassive voice. If given a chance, you'll quickly find something to love in his simple yet at times complex music. The lyrics to most songs are just about as literal as you can get. Many songs paint an exact picture of events or stories, yet Costello always has a way to make even something like a Clown Strike seem universal.
Estoy seguro de que nunca había escuchado nada de este disco (y probablemente nada de Elvis Costello), sin embargo su música suena inusualmente familiar. Aunque el disco es agradable, se me hizo como muy genérico. Sólo me llamaron Kinder Murder y 13 Steps Down, que suena a intro de Sitcom.
3.5| Verga con éste disco, siempre pensé que Elvis Costello era para tías viejitas pero la verdad es que es brutal o por lo menos para mí así lo fue ya que tenía una idea diferente, tal vez me sorprenda más con discos anteriores.
Popcito mono, bien hecho, agradable de oír y con letras ingeniosas pero con todo y todo un poco olvidable. Es muy obvia la influencia que tiene Costello en el britpop que vino unos años después y que hoy todavía suena en muchas bandas que me gustan. Quizá me animaría a darle más puntos si conociera más discos de él.
6
Ei ihan yhtä räväkkää menoa kuin listalla aiemmin vastaan tullut herran varhaisempi levytys. Kuitenkin silti ihan toimivaa setämiesrokkailua. Erityisesti This Is Hell jäi mieleen.
Slightly too long, but some nice parts certainly
Enjoyable. Vocals on the first track were way too loud
Connor: - really cool mix of groovy rock with unusual rhythms playing against each other - I really liked the choice of instruments in each song, which seems like a weird thing to point out, but they add piano/keyboard and different types of drums in various songs and it always works well, the instrumentals are great - but Costello's voice is quite limited and he tries to do too much with it
A bit weird
This was not bad, but didn't live up to my previous expectations of Elvis.
7/10
Elvis Costello! man he is the better Elvis. That being said, this is not one of my fav alums of his, like his new wave stuff better
I read that "great songwriters" such as Elvis Costello get specially attention in the 1001 list, which means I've got another 5 albums to wade through. By all means add one or two for Elvis' cultural impact... Bux six. C'mon. There are at least four slots here that should be given to something more deserving.
I saw other reviewers complaining about his voice. I think the bigger issue is that the melodies he writes don’t suit his voice. I didn’t like this. This album is not unique or interesting. It’s a style that’s been done to death and this was not a fresh take even in the 90s.
2.4
Nope. This is a Costello to far. I believe only This Years Model and Armed Forces should be on this list. About a week ago, the generator tried to sneak Blood And Chocolate by me. Didn’t happen. And it sure as shit is not going to happen with Brutal Youth. At best, Brutal youth is a transitional record on the road to mediocrity. I’m a Costello fan, but Elvis has made some crappy records. Brutal Youth is half crappy. Probably because Elvis’ creative muse whatever that is leads him to actually believe that everything he writes is genius. That is the confidence one needs I guess to be a rock star, but as a listener becomes tiresome and a bit off putting. It also leads to this disconnect with the average fan because there are always new artists and more pleasant listening experiences. Brutal Youth doesn’t expand the Costello musical vocabulary - it uses the wonderful Attractions to masquerade fairly weak material. Truly, if you are a fan can you name any of the songs on this record? Any classics you can sing? Of course not. Because none are present on this record. The last truly interesting Costello record for me was Get Happy and probably for the majority of fans perhaps King of America. After that Elvis has spent much of his time lost in the artistic wilderness. Unfortunately, he will never be found. 2/5
I don’t think that even legendary bands, like the Beatles, need to have 6 albums on this list. So, Costello definitely doesn’t. This album would be easy to omit.
Bit of a one trick pony isn’t he? Nothing original going on here compared to his previous work and puzzled why this is on the list. 2
Never listened to Elvis Costello before. Unsure if this was the best candidate for a first timer
I was served two Elvis Costello albums 10 slots apart--and I hated the second even more than the first.
i absolutely hated the first elvis costello album i got (my aim is true), this album i hated a little less. didn’t love it though
Decent 2,5
Couple of decent songs but …
*insert generic complaint about the amount of Elvis Costello albums on this list* But for real, this one is the most baffling addition yet. Almost an hour of the blandest, snoozer songs of all time. And I've never noticed how bad of a singer he is until this album. The song writing on this album is just bad, everything is so generic and repetitive. This Is Hell is more repetitive than Around the World by Daft Punk (I do like this song though). For some reason I also thought I heard him say the n word on multiple songs, but I was in the car and had no way to check. I doubt he said it, but it is weird I thought I heard it in 3 separate songs. This album is sooooooo boring. Low 2.
People love this guy. But I actually don’t know anybody who does. So maybe nobody actually does. I don’t get it. The lyrics aren’t earth shattering. Nothing is catchy. Maybe you have to be from a different, self-important part of the country to like this.
I feel like anyone that doesn't already know the albums on this list would be seriously surprised to find out that this guy has six. As much as I disagree, I feel like someone can look at the seven Bob Dylan albums, nine Bowie albums, or twelve Beatles albums (7 Beatles, 2 Lennon, 2 McCartney, 1 Harrison) and say "I mean, they are Dylan/Bowie/The Beatles, after all. I'd put all of those on my list of albums to listen to before I die." I feel like the usual response upon finding out this guy has six is something to the tune of "What do you mean this guy has six albums on the list? I didn't even know he had that many!" I genuinely think that you could get rid of everything but This Year's Model or My Aim is True and be fine, although I'd be fine with dropping the number of Elvis Costello albums down to zero. That being said, the album's about as mediocre as This Year's Model. My ears just can't tune into this guy for more than like fifteen seconds without his voice starting to go in one and out the other.
It's fine, but i'm docking it a star because it doesn't belong on the list.
Meh
Dudelt angenehm im Hintergrund vorbei. Das Album letzte Woche von ihm hat mir besser gefallen.
4/10
doesn't do much for me
Idk if I don’t like this because I’m out of school but I don’t think I would have enjoyed listening to this regardless.
Wow, this sucks. The music is not very interesting, while the vocals are grating.
i just don't care.
Jube. Plaadil on üks hea lugu ("This Is Hell"), mõned on talutavad ja ülejäänud tundub nagu julm lahmimine. Vokaal on vahepeal ikka nii haigelt ebameeldiv. 2.2/5
Just don't like Elvis Costello very much unfortunately, there are worse Costello albums and this one I dislike mostly, a couple of better tracks in the latter half (20% Amnesia, Sulky Girl)⭐⭐
Pretty dull but a welcome enough break from 'The Birthday Party'
Why is his voice so annoying Why is he a Buddy Holly impersonator Why is this an hour long
No idea why we have so many Elvis Costello albums on this list.
Tired of Elvis Costello now -1 star just because there’s no need for more than 1 of his albums on this list
Way too much Costello on this list - he just isn't that good
I mean yeah it's alright
Later Costello is ok but not as good as early Costello.
ngl me costó DEMASIADO escuchar esto
This album was not really what I was expecting. I figured 'Elvis Costello isn't one of my favorites but at least it'll be fun to listen to.' I was wrong about that. It was a chore. This is an odd choice for the list for sure. I mean most Elvis Costello is not fantastic but is at least tolerable. This is not that. Would not listen to this again, and it kind of put me off him a little. 2/5
Rock that’s just a little off the beaten path. Elvis Costello reminds me of Talking Heads in a way, but unfortunately I don’t really care for either of them.
Brutal listening
I think I want to like Elvis Costello more than I actually do. I'm drawn to his lyricism, tone, occasionally his sound-- and yet. Some songs here are genuinely good. I liked Kinder Murder, . Really like the title. I think I just need to listen more, not less. An acquired taste that I think a younger woman from southern California needs to have a lot of exposure to to connect with. I want to like him.
2 because some of these songs might be good with a different singer, but wow I hate Elvis costellos voice and it is pushed up so high in the mix, nowhere to hide. Excruciating
Brutal listen
Every song feels like it goes on too long
Like listening to a shit, punk Dylan.
Didn't really care for this one as much as the previous one I listened to .
About 30 mins into this I was thinking this was a classic 3 star. I was enjoying it fine. Even if like many albums on this list it certainly wouldn’t qualify as a “must listen” but then realised I was only half way through the album. No reason for this to be an hour long. No reason for this to be on the list, but i like to reserve the 1 stars for the real irredeemable stuff.
This Is Hell indeed, Elvis
Every song felt uniquely sabotaged. If it had a good hook, he overextended his range. If it had a good riff, it had an obnoxious hook. I didn't enjoy this.
3/10 I’ve had a middling opinion of Elvis Costello up to this point, and Brutal Youth is my fourth deep dive into his work. Sometimes he puts together some engaging and compelling pop/punk/new-wave/rock blends that have good melodic sensibilities and enough groove and zip to keep the ear engaged. Other times, he tends to lean far more into a lyrical focus that results in music that feels like it’s there as an accompaniment rather than the main event. Sadly, this record falls the furthest into that latter category of any of his records I’ve heard up to this point. For some people, it might be a perfect approach, but as someone for whom lyrics are secondary, and who still doesn’t know all of the words to some of his favourite songs, that relentless focus on storytelling, narrative and lyrical density just doesn’t sit well with me when it detracts from the music. Don’t get me wrong, there’s actually some decent stuff on here, but it all feels so stretched out and sporadically placed between sections in which Costello rambles on and on with little musical focus. Every now and then my ears would perk up before things began to drift or repeat and inertia set in. What doesn’t help is that, despite some attempts to add a bit of stylistic variety to the song selection, it all feels very one-dimensional. And the biggest complaint on that front is with the lead vocal, as Costello seems to sing in more or less the same way regardless of whether he’s singing an up-tempo punk leaning song, or a quiet piano based ballad. And the production only exacerbates things, with the lead vocal typically way too prominent and the rest of the band sitting way too far in the background to command any real attention. Frankly, this album is way too long and doesn’t have nearly enough variety or quality to justify its length. By the end, I couldn’t even tell whether a track was bad or if I was just bored of the album droning on and on. It’s not bad enough to give it the dreaded 1-star treatment, but he was probably only a track or two away from dragging it down that far just by the seemingly unending nature of the work. Pony St. - This sounds very reminiscent of earlier Elvis Costello work. The mix is very odd as the vocal is too prominent and the arrangement feels quite thin in places. Melodically, it’s pretty rambling and his vocal is a bit too punchy to suit the more rounded sound of the rest of the track. It feels a lot like he’s trying to cram as many lyrics as he can, rather than leaving space and allowing the vocal to breathe. Kinder Murder - This feels a little bit more coherent, but it’s very repetitive and doesn’t flow very well rhythmically in quite a few places. He makes some slightly awkward melodic choices now and again on his repetition of the song title that just jar against the fairly straightforward power-pop composition of the rest of the track. It’s ok, but feels quite bland really. 13 Steps Lead Down - This a fairly pop-punkesque track that drifts into a more new wave sound in places. It’s definitely the strongest effort up to this point and the variation in arrangement between verse and chorus is pretty effective. It still feels like he’s trying to cram too many words into a space that they don’t quite fit into, but at least we get a bit of instrumental soloing, with that section being driven, noisy and rambunctious in all the right ways. This Is Hell - The chorus to this isn’t bad, despite the cheesy backing vocals that sound like someone doing a bad Ringo Starr impression. The verses are too long and rambling though and manage to be both repetitive and unfocused at the same time. I kind of feel like this is almost a musical stream of consciousness that wanders along with no destination in mind. Clown Strike - This is much better. It’s got a nice bit of swagger and groove to it and feels like it’s building to a fun pop-soul chorus that… just never arrives. Great verses with cool layered grooves between guitar, bass and drums, but then it sort of peters out into a weird, sparse and drifting chorus. The vocals are too loud and their force doesn’t suit the more subtle delivery of the rest of the track either. What a weird and incoherent track. You Tripped At Every Step - The chorus here feels very familiar like it’s incredibly similar to some earlier Costello work, but I don’t know it well enough recall which song. It’s a good chorus though. The verses here are decent, if a touch meandering here and there, but the overall vibe and consistency is far better than some of the earlier tracks. It does become relentlessly repetitive towards the end though, which is a shame. Still Too Soon To Know - A fairly bland, meandering ballad. His vocal intensity really struggles to withdraw enough to match the vibe of the rest of the song and it’s rhythmically quite stilted. Pretty boring too. 20% Amnesia - A cool punky rock ’n roll effort now, but again, the grit of Costello’s vocal doesn’t fully connect with the rest of the track for me in a few places. It’s very wordy and meandering again, and some of the breakdowns and bridges are just awkwardly written and distracting. It’s a really odd instrumental blend too, but not in a cool way, more of a confusing way. There’s a decent core to this, and the chorus is pretty cool, but the execution just feels a bit inconsistent. Sulky Girl - This leans towards a more slow-groove soulful number and I think the lead vocal would work better if it was a touch lower in the mix. As with quite a few tracks on the record, it feels like he’s trying to cram too many lyrics in, which makes it feel a bit rambly and not precise enough. The tone of the rest of the track is pretty decent, and it has some nice dynamic range and builds. But some of the parts just drag on for too long and it’s not musically interesting enough to justify it, despite some really nice moments. It’s not bad though. London's Brilliant Parade - Another meandering little number. Musically, there’s not a lot wrong with it and it feels like he’s trying to maintain interest, but he just rambles on and on, so everything loses focus. I guess music that’s overly focused on lyrics isn’t for me. This is entirely tolerable, but there’s nothing in there that jumps out or grabs hold of me, so I have no real emotional connection to it at all. My Science Fiction Twin - Good lord, he takes forever to get to the point, doesn’t he? Everything just feels musically unfocused, despite having some really great moments, but they’re either dragged out to the point that they’re no longer great, or interspersed with stuff that’s a bit wooly or uninteresting. And this album is too long by this point. Rocking Horse Road - The word of this album is meandering. It all just feels like it’s been unnecessarily stretched out and bangs on for far too long so that, even when I actually like some of it, it just repeats or stretches things to the point where I lose interest. This track is the same, some great playing, some quality bits of writing, but it’s too long, too rambly and way too unfocused. Just About Glad - By this point, we’re over three quarters of an hour in, and I’m not sure I can tell what’s good and what’s not any more and it’s all just blending into a formless mass of Elvis Costello. It’s decent enough, I guess, but there’s nothing that makes it stand out from the seemingly endless pile of Elvis Costello songs that exist without any real purpose. All The Rage - So often, he fails to leave space in his relentless string of lyrical diarrhoea, when the music could really do with breathing room. This is a plodding one that does nothing to excite or invigorate and just chugs along, and every extra song by this point is dragging down the overall score of this record. Favourite Hour - And to close us out, we have an aimless, drifting ballad where he sings about “a tragic waste of brutal youth” in a way that is somehow both uninspiring and melodramatic at the same time. Turns out this album is pretty much a tragic waste of 57 minutes.
Idk I wanted to like it more
Since this is my fourth, count em fourth, Elvis Costello album, I’ve invented a little game. It’s called catch the time he very unnecessarily and racistly drops the n word. Seriously this guy is worse than Tarantino. Even if it weren’t for that, this is still his weakest project on this list by far and honestly just isn’t necessary to be on this list.
This is probably one of those forgettable, mediocre, 3* albums but because it's ANOTHER Costello album it's a 2. 2/5
Brutal indeed
Costello drops a hard R for no reason whilst doing nothing else of note
Hopefully this is the last Elvis Costello record.
Look I've found myself being an Elvis Costello defender but even I'll admit this one dragged a bit. I already know all the top reviews will make a "This Is Hell" joke. 4/10
ehhh. some interesting lyrics.
I'm not sure why there needs to be SIX Elvis Costello albums on this list. SIX! There is definitely artistic merit here, but not enough for me to forgive SIX albums. SIX! I really liked You Tripped at Every Step Still Too Soon to Know physically made my teeth hurt somehow. I guess that's a new feeling music has evoked in me. Obviously, not a very desirable one. 20% Amnesia sounds like a collaboration with Danny Elfman for a Tim Burton stop motion movie about a skateboarder who hates his father. Also 3/4 of these tracks have different names but are the same song. That's such a boring quality for an album ⭐⭐.49
Same old from Elvis Costello. Nothing even close to original here. Meh.
What did I do to deserve two Elvis Costello albums in a row?
Couldn’t get into it
At least, I know what I don't like
Too much EC on this list. He’s good but not that great.
Niet voor mij
i'm not fuckin w/ this one and i feel like i can't even properly explain why, but i guess im gonna try anyway. given the name u would think this album would have a harder sound than it does but instead its costello seemingly attempting pop punk vocals? except he's doing it over a collection of comparatively tame rock/soft rock instrumentals. at best it feels goofy, at worst it feels hollow, and consistently it feels... mid. there's plenty of variety at least, but it mostly comes off as unfocused, especially when the album is nearly an hour long. i can't think of a single track i'd go back to this album for, so it's hard for me to believe that he really thought not a single track could've been cut. it also kinda sounds like it's mixed wrong....? like, his vocals stand so proud in the mix on some tracks that i thought my speakers might've been broken or somethin. it almost feels unfinished, which adds to the half-baked feeling of the album as a whole. i really don't understand what happened here. putting it all together.... it's kinda lame. i'm not really sure why this is on the list other than one of the list's contributors apparently being very into elvis costello. i don't think bro needed 6 albums on here, and i definitely don't feel like i needed to listen to this one in particular before i die.
its like they sucked all the fun out of the barenaked ladies
This did not work for me at all. The music was fine, but I can’t say much else. 2/5
This was fine, but didn’t do much to actually interest me…torn between a “high” 2 and “low” 3.
I don't like this. I get why people do, but this isn't my jam. At all. Boring/whiny. Hard to put my finger on it, just... no.
Just not very good. Don't particularly like this voice here.
Brutal listen.
Not working for me. 2 stars
Haven’t I heard all these before on earlier records?
This is the fifth album Costello album I’ve gotten on this project. The best thing I can say about tablet it is that I only have one more to slog through before I’m done with this fraud forever.
Elvis Costello’s songs always sound like he put five too many musical ideas into each chorus and verse. It’s complex without any real reason and sounds computed instead of expressive. And this album, released in 1994, sounds exactly like his earlier work with the Attractions.
If I have learned anything from doing this exercise it’s that Elvis Costello sucks
Thoughts before listening: There sure are a lot of Elvis Costello albums on this project. I really enjoy his late 70s, early 80s hit filled albums, but I am less interested in these later releases which seem to be pretty hit or miss. I am pretty sure this falls in the latter category, so chances are this will just be okay. Review: Oh wow, so this is a mid-90s release. Definitely way outside of Elvis' classic album run. This first song "Pony St" has a bit of the early sound, but certainly a little rougher around the edges. That is probably a pretty good description of the whole album. I can tell its Elvis Costello and the Attractions, but its just kind of scuzzy sounding. Maybe thats an attempt to stay relevant with the 90s grunge and punk bands or something, but its kind of not working for me. Doesn't seem essential. 2-stars
I grunden ett trevligt sound, men låtarna här kändes väldigt repetitiva och billiga på något sätt.
tell this to your gods... when they punish you... when they stretch you on the neutron rack... i'm still here.
Pony St. - 2/5 Kinder Murder - 4/5 13 Steps Lead Down - 2/5 This Is Hell - 3/5 Clown Strike - 1/5 You Tripped at Every Step - 3/5 Still Too Soon to Know - 2/5 20% Amnesia - 3/5 Sulky Girl - 4/5 London's Brilliant Parade - 3/5 My Science Fiction Twin - 4/5 Rocking Horse Road - 3/5 Just About Glad - 1/5 All the Rage - 3/5 Favourite Hour - 1/5 Average score: 2.6/5 ⭐️⭐️ this sounds like a They Might Be Giants album but worse. i've only listened to this and Blood And Chocolate so far, but i'm starting to think i'm not much of an Elvis Costello fan
Not terrible but nothing special and his voice is a bit annoying imo
Another snooze-fest from Elvis Costello.
Brutally dull 4/10
East coast hipster poop
Just kinda bland. And way too long for how bland it is.
Not as bad as I feared.
Finally, powerless pop.
I’m good with no more Elvis Costello
Clown Strike
I don't like it. it sounds like show tune. find his voice very angsty
Das ist jetzt das 5te Album von Elvis Costello auf dieser Liste. Das sind 4 zuviel. Aber ich bin sicher, dass noch eins kommt.
Bro sounds angelic for 2.5 seconds just before beat changing to literal garbage. 4/10 rage bait
Phoe, had niet gedacht dat we nog een album van Elvis Costello zouden moeten beoordelen. Net als de top 2000 kan je wel eens ergeren aan de keuzes van de mensen en in dit geval de curator. Over smaak valt zeker te twisten en dat maakt lijsten zoals dit en de top 2000 ook wel leuk maar soms gaat het te ver, helemaal als het twee keer gebeurt. Het is vrij eenvoudig om 500 albums te selecteren (los van smaak) die het meer verdienen om in deze lijst te staan dan deze. Mijn ergernis zit niet eens zozeer in de muziek want die is niet boeiend waardoor je het ook niet extreem kan haten maar vooral in het gegeven dat dit geselecteerd is. Net als vorige keer, te oninteressant om te beoordelen. Het triggered zelfs niet genoeg om het een 1 te geven. Geef me dan iets wat ik kan haten. Het is wel een mooie cover
Im shocked i didn’t get that much from this im afraid, i feel like i should like it more than i do, but Costello’s vocals weren’t doing it for me today, maybe i’m off my game today idk. Standouts were Clown Strike and London’s Brilliant Parade.
It's Elvis Costello again. It's fine, again, I guess. Good on Mr. Costello to being able to keep up with the changing of the decades. Key tracks: Pony St. London's Brilliant Parade
Clown Strike almost unlistenable. Glad when it was finished .
It's insane that he's managed to stretch one song not just across an hour long album but a whole career.
This guy STINKS!!
OK Elvis. Do not recall anything about this album when it came out in '94, and see why now
Elvis Costello’s voice grates on me. I’ve never really cared for it. The songs on this are not very good and the lyrics are pretty terrible. Not the worst album I’ve heard so far but I had to keep checking how many more songs until it was done.
Costello just isn't my jam, man. I can't stand his voice
Really not necessary. It’s perfectly ok - it sounds like his older stuff but just not as lively, interesting, or good. He just seems older. Across 56 min there’s a few solid songs, some good bass playing and quirky vocal melodies, but pretty much forgettable.
Didn’t think much of this.
if johnny bravo got a wish granted to be a real boy
The 6th (SIXTH) time I've sat and listened to an Elvis Costello LP on Robert Dimery's say-so. I understand that he's an important singer-songwriter and worthy of knowing about but this is ridiculous. And Brutal Youth is the least enjoyable listen of the six. Vocally it's really hard work; it seems his voice had gone by the mid-90s, sadly. The production and instrumentation is sparse and raw, but not in an especially nuanced or interesting way; it just sounds flat and ragged. Time and time again, Costello takes a melody in an unexpected direction but it seldom works, and just makes for a jarring experience more often than not. I didn't mind most of his albums and I really quite liked Armed Forces but I've had enough of the lesser Elvis now. That's at least two and probably four too many entries from his catalogue now.
Nogle ok sange, men ikke noget fantastisk
I just can’t get into him and I don’t know why
Kinder Murder is the best track on this album. Otherwise I wasn't really sure about it.
This album was ok. I could listen to it but wouldn’t choose it 2.5 stars
help, what is this. it got better but i feel like i witnessed something i shouldn't have
Well, here’s another Elvis Costello album being praised as something better than what it really is. This came out in 94, but it’s basically no different than the music he was making in the late 70s, except maybe not even as good. I want to say it falls short, but honestly, even his late 70s and early 80s work was pretty middle of the road, with maybe a handful of tracks rising slightly above average. By 1994, grunge itself was already starting to wear thin culturally, and here comes Costello still doing the same thing he did 15 to 20 years earlier. I’ve never understood the craze critics and music publications have for this guy, but clearly, he did a great job convincing all the right people in the industry that his music is the best thing since sliced bread. Anyway, the album isn’t horrible, it’s listenable, but it absolutely doesn’t belong on any kind of “top albums” list.
Just something about him that doesn’t work for me
one of the albums ever
2/5. My second Elvis Costello album within 3 days and outside of a few highlights I just didn’t jive with this one very much. I especially disliked the vocals on this record which is odd because I didn’t mind the vocals on the previous Costello album I got. I’ll also give it credit that there’s a decent amount of variety across the track-list. But it just doesn’t amount to an album I’d ever revisit.
This is my ... fourth (however that could've happened!?) Elvis Costello on this list, and this makes even less sense than the previous one. There's literally so many other albums that could have been part of this list apart from this mid collection of nicely composed, yet utterly irritating rock'n'roll songs. I'm not sure ... this music seems so anachronistic that it's ridiculous -- but then again, Costello seems to take himself and his music very serious. That's a contrast I don't really enjoy a lot ...
Kinda all sounds the same.
This is just a big standard churned out Costello record - why is it in the 1001 list, surely put in This Year’s Model and My Aim is True and be done with it. Does the list need this album? But it has 2 bangers on it so 2/5
Interesting stories with a strange cadence.
Not the best but not the worst idk
Good album but need to listen again to get the full experience, and be in the right head space
Not a fan of this one whatsoever. Costello's My Aim Is True was a LOT more tolerable than this. I believe my main issue with My Aim Is True is the same with Brutal Youth, it's the voice! I can't stand it, it's way worse than My Aim is True. The lyrics seem completely meaningless to me, I just don't understand what points he's trying to get across. Definitely felt way too long and I'm definitely not happy with this one. Highlight Song/s: "Kinder Murder" and "You Tripped at Every Step"
This is now the fifth album by this musician, who I think is totally overrated. If I'm not mistaken, I still have two more to go. Actually, it didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would. However, I lost patience with him, so I didn't listen to the whole thing. 2/5
Brutally boring, and the vocals are just not for me. This is the third Elvis Costello album I've had so far, and absolutely nothing about any of them appeals to me in the slightest. I might just default to giving the other 74 albums he has in the 1001 two stars each, as I really cannot be arsed to put myself through any more of his music.
Mid level costello.
Apparently the theme of the week is Ponies. Two days ago I got that quintessential one-trick pony The White Stripes. Then today I get Brutal Youth with the new-to-me opener Pony St. It is amazing that my generation of Brits have grown up as mentally stable as they have, with a steady diet of Elvis Costello, Morrissey and David Bowie during their formative years. What was that?
I'm generally pro-Costello, but this was an hour of harsh vocal performances mixed super and high and dry for maximum unpleasantness
Ah oui, parlant d’Elvis Costello, le revoilà le smat, avec un énièmes compilations de balbutiements nasillards. On avait VRAIMENT BESOIN de 88 albums en plus pour pouvoir rentrer l’intégralité de sa discographie dans cette liste qui déborde déjà d’albums les plus oubliables de tout les temps. Désolé la liste, je me suis emporté, je ne le pensais pas pour vrai! Attend REVIENS! ET QUI VA S’OCCUPER DES ENFANTS??!
eh, just not very interesting
So much sameness
For the love of all that is holy... please not another Elvis Costello album. Immediately, I want to shoot myself in the face because of his vocals. If there were a way for me to mute the vocals, I could get through this with just the music. I wish this list would've stopped the Costello on the last album, because that was the best one, in my opinion. Now, we ride it back to the bottom. 2
I found this album to be okay, but not really one of the best for me. Some of the songs sound like they could be from old sitcom theme songs. I noticed the contrast between the happy-sounding music and the darker stories in the lyrics. However, overall, the album didn’t really click with me. The vocals didn’t feel like the right fit for the style, and many of the songs felt hit-or-miss. I enjoyed a few tracks, but most didn’t stand out. I listened to the whole album and appreciated it, but it wasn’t the best listening experience for me.
Challenged myself and ended up not minding it
There were two songs I found okay; Kinder Murder and London’s Brilliant Parade. Other than that I just can’t stand the guy
Meh, it’s fine, not best of all time or anything for me personally. I think this album is mostly for major fans of Costello, not me. 2 stars
Man, I really hate his voice. Songs were fine I guess, but his voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I'm an Elvis Costello fan, but I think this was one of his weaker albums. None of the songs had the toned back brilliance of Allison and none of the lyrics seemed especially great.
Not a Costello hyper
nope
Errr. Don't care?
unfortunately i do not care for his voice
OK, but not their best. Though a fan I don't think this belongs on the 1001 list.
I mostly hated this but I have to admit it is original and unpredictable. I just want EC to be the nerdy punk guy, I fear this later years EC will never be for me.
It's fine but I don't see why it's here because it's not anything new for him. I'm questioning why it would be considered influential.
would have happily died without listening to this fuckass album
bored of Elvis Costello albums on this list
It was fine but nothing really stood out in a 15 track album and that's tough.
Favorite Songs: You Tripped at Every Step, London’s Brilliant Parade Least Favorite Song: Favourite Hour Brutal Youth more like Brutal Listen.
There’s just things a white guy shouldn’t be saying… I think I can leave it at that. Also just painful to get through.
Sounds like music my dad would listen to while I was growing up, so I like the nostalgic feel, but other than that this album didn't really stand out to me at all. I didn't like any songs enough to add to my playlist, so this gets a low rating for me.
I wanted to like this album more than I did. Unfortunately, I found it very over stimulating and I had to turn it off multiple times throughout the day so I could think.
It doesn’t grip me enough to listen through :(
meh
Gave up after track 5, I don't like his voice
Not really my thing. Sounds all quite the same
This was such a roller coaster for me, and not in a good way. I was stuck in Lexington traffic when I listened to the majority of this, and some of the songs were so frustrating that I considered aiming for the trees. Here and there one would get my feet tapping, but I found a few songs here to be shockingly bad. Best I can do is a 1.5.
another day, another dull british record
normally i don't review albums i don't make it all the way through and mark them as just "did not listen" to seem fair. but recently my mindset on this has changed and i don't think i'm going to act like that anymore. so for this one i'll just say i tried listening to this album 3-4 times yesterday and nothing about it grabbed me enough to even finish it. it just reminded me of other music that i'd rather be listening to. i didn't hate it though!
This was such a roller coaster for me, and not in a good way. I was stuck in Lexington traffic when I listened to the majority of this, and some of the songs were so frustrating that I considered aiming for the trees. Here and there a song would get my feet tapping, but I found some of the others to be shockingly bad. Best I can do is a 1.5.
My least favourite EC album so far. He almost has as many in this bloody list as Bowie does.
cool... not my vibe
It's another Elvis Costello album. I can't believe there are 6 on this list. I guess if you like him, you'll like this. I just find it all a bit self-indulgently dark for my taste.
Please make him stop appearing
This album has a couple good tunes but overall just an okay album, nothing terrible and nothing great. This is a long album at 56 minutes and his vocals do get a bit grating by the end. I am not sure why this is included in albums I must hear.
I thought that I was really liking this album, then a third of the way through most of the songs sounded too similar. He has a cool voice though.
Boring
Boring, didn't vibe with this at all. 2/5
Couldn't get into this. Similar to some of the earlier work but lacking hooks and humour. With the style of delivery this comes overs as shouty and often repetitive.
I'm not sure how much the annoying voice of him affected my perspective of this record, but I feel that this album is very stale and bland pop rock without nothing interesting going on. Well, some people mention that the lyrics are good, but I have read them and they don't do anything to me (maybe because I was already annoyed by the singing), but at least they don't come as generic, which is always a plus in my book. Besides the super forced singing, there's also one thing that was particularly annoying to me and I couldn't see anybody else brought up. Why the snare sounds like a can? Is irritating. Is not St. Anger's level, but it can get very jarring in some of the songs. Having said all of that, I don't think it deserves a 1 star. Although boring, the instruments are good enough to not make this a miserable experience, despite of them not doing anything truly remarkable.
selv som fan er det svært at retfærdiggøre alle de her albums. meget uessentiel, lyder fint men ikke særlig anderledes fra blood & chocolate, som allerede udkom efter hans storhedstid
Elvis Costello laver jo aldrig decideret dårlige plader, men det her er satme et bizart valg til den her bog!
Another Costello album. Still find his voice to be grating and the songs to be boring. I guess I just don't like his music. 2/5 Won't listen again
An album that I wanted it to be finished on like the 2nd track and then it dragged on for another 50. Not my vibe at all but not abysmally bad
One of those albums that was chosen for its brilliance in songwriting. I can't deny Costello's ability to write a song. However, the rest of the album was quite dull, even if he tries a variation of instrumentation. Honestly, listening to the album made me realise that his voice sounds distinctly familiar to a certain Glen Quagmire...
Not sure this album needs to exist. It brings absolutely nothing new to the table except what sounds like Elvis' voice straining to hit notes within an octave. The tunes are unremarkable but bounce along at consistent finger-tapping pace if you're stuck waiting for your oil to be changed or something. That might be it: every song here feels like it might invade your day in pieces, walking into the coffee shop, playing out of a storefront you're going past, someone listening to this at home (why, though?) with the window open. Anonymous and transient, the kind of noise that fills up a negative space in your life that you never notice, like the hum of electronics or rumbling from the street. And a fuckin' hour of it. Bleh.
We have already established that I don't really like Elvis Costello and this album has done nothing to change my mind on that point.
22/1001 First listen. Last listen. Not for me. The music is okay. The singing is not.
Mostly boring album for me, it had a couple of interesting ideas i guess, but at times truly unlistenable. Why does his voice get so annoying on choruses? How did nobody in the studio tell him to stop yelling so much? I don’t get it. Not a great start to this listening journey..
Eh
nei vil ikke
Screeech
It's not offensive or anything but it does nothing for me. His voice is a little annoying at times. Just very samey throughout, not particularly interesting. All the most mid albums on here are so long too, it seems. 15 of what feels like the same song in a row.
Blergh. I think the last album I listened to had a bit more about it, this one I mostly endured my way through. It’s such a distinctive voice but it has the result of all sounding quite same-y and I found it hard to remain interested. The shoutiness seemed manufactured. Maybe just not in the right mood to appreciate it but a miss.
I think I dislike the feeling generated rather than the music specifically. It seems to be a un-happy common theme with Elvis Costello and me. I find an energy and happiness that lifts the album and lets it buzz along on its cool little journey... I guess the problem some may appreciate this heightened buzzy persona as part of his signature appeal I find the result some form of annoying posturing or fakeness. Some people like fake smiles and high fives and some dont. Not sure I am being fair here but I simply cannot explain it in any other way. The slow parts are dull and the fast annoying and repetitive (like a high five drum). Not a winner for me.
The lines about "Flogging a dead horse" in 'Pony St.' seem surprisingly apt for what I see is the 14th studio album from Elvis Costello. This is a perfectly legitimate musical endeavour but my overriding feeling listening to this is that its just less-good music from a slightly over-the-hill artist. Another phenomenon that I have noticed, which happens when music is overly lyrically lead, is that it sounds as though the lyrics were written in isolation and the music was added in as an afterthought. This album was like trying to munch through a word salad. It's overly long, didn't do much for me overall, and I expect that ECs reputation is doing some heavy lifting regarding its inclusion on this list.
Elvis Costello är en artist man så gärna vill tycka om. Trots många försök klickar det aldrig riktigt. Det är ofta nästan bra - men når sällan hela vägen för mig. Den slängiga new wave-/powerpopen kastar sig hit och dit och trasslar allt för ofta in sig i sig själv på något sätt. Och jag förmodar att det är precis så Costellos vill ha det, det ska inte låta för enkelt och rakt. Med det sagt, om jag ska bedöma just den här skivan tycker jag att hans tidiga verk är bättre.
Inte Costellos bästa album. Jag gillar Costellos sång men tycker det saknas starka låtar. Några lågvattenmärken som This is hell och 20% Amnesia. Faktiskt inga låtar som är i närheten av att nocka mig. Bäst är nog All the Rage. Det blir godkänt, men inte mer än så.
..
This is my least favorite Elvis Costello iteration: the crooner. Get angry, Declan!
Does this guy have a fucking album for every year of the Earth’s existence?! 4/10
The more I listen to Elvis Costello the more annoying he gets.
No standout tracks
2/5
?? really gotta wonder who came up with this list. 2
Genuinely, why did we need another Elvis Costello album? We already had five of them, and this one isn't even one of the good ones. I'm sensing an agenda here.
First off I’m a huge Costello fan. I consider his first five albums to be masterpieces, but that might be because I was in my early 20s when these albums came out, they were a strong rebuke to disco, which was popular at the time. However, this album is really bad. His classic sound is buried beneath questionable production decisions and haphazard melodies. I recommend listening to This Years Model which was both groundbreaking and better suited to his voice.
Meh
Musikalsk metervare af en ringe kvalitet. Det bedste ved albummet er at det får andre skod albums til shine.
Jeg har aldrig følt en sangtekst har ramt min situation så præcist som da Elvis C. sang “This is hell, this is hell I am sorry to tell you It never gets better or worse”. Men jeg har sgu ikke lyst til at vende mig til det. Det må være nogle særligt kedelige mennesker der påskønner Elvis Costello. Musikken er så intetsigende og uinteressant at det irriterer mig. Det er ikke engang dårligt nok til at være en 1er. Toppen af kedsomhed.
When the whole album summary is just listing who played on what tracks you know you’re in trouble. Same when this list is mentioned in the summary. This album had both.
after 6 of his albums on the list, my main elvis Costello takeaway is simply surprise at how consistent his music is. this is not a compliment
Long album that got boring pretty quickly.
The gall of the least original artist since the other Elvis taking a sassy swipe at Julie Andrews. At least she can sing, brother.
It's not for me. This album would have been better if it were 15 tracks shorter.
The problem with Elvis Costello is that he spent what 20 years writing the same songs over and over and over again, the fact of the matter is he's never written a pet song. But unfortunately, he has so few standouts among the hundreds and hundreds of little diddies. He's composed over the years that they all just meshed together sound the same. Don't stand out. He's never really broken style. I mean, this record has a little bit of crunch in it because it's 1994. But that's about it.
About what I expected it to be
Although "Brutal Youth" was published in1994 when I was consistently looking out for the latest music, I did only recognize the cover but remembered none of the songs. I instantly liked Elvis' voice, but a few seconds later wondered why he didn't book a pro guitar player for recording (or elaborated more at least on the electric guitar tracks himself). Hence, the upbeat tracks (e.g. "Kinder Murder", "20% Amnesia ) sound much like a 90s school band to me. As a consequence, I can recommend the tracks without much electric guitar like "You Tripped at Every Step".
meh.
It's fine. Nothing really stands out for me, either negative or positive.
Not really my vibe
4/10
Could not get through what I assume is the insinuation of Kinder Murder (Rape and abortion?). Music is OK, some of the lyrics are painful, his voice is not my fave. this is just so damn dark. (hence I guess BRUTAL) Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite track? This Is Hell (If I had to pick one), Just About Glad ⭐️ ⭐️ Didn't like it very much
Lots of interesting lyrics. Not the album I found the most exciting.
I've not really listened to Elvis Costello, though I do know This Is Hell from an episode of Gilmore Girls. I like the instrument parts and some of the lyrics, but his voice is so off-putting. And there are 5 more of these on the list? Why? Just About Glad this one is almost over. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): This Is Hell ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
This is my second Costello album. I thought I preferred this one to the other at first, but then it didn't seem to end. His vocal is annoying. Why doesn't it fit with any tune? And that's every single song. The more I hear, the more it gets on my nerves. After so many songs it just sounds like "uh uh-uh UHH uhH UH-uh-uh uHHhhh." I don't even know what the guy looks like, but I get the impression that he looks like a tosser and moves annoyingly when performing. He'd be good if he was somebody else, because the music isn't bad - I dare say it's even good in places - I can hear the influence on skater punk rock which I love, and that's the only reason this isn't getting a 1 star review. Two of his albums down and I'm really not convinced. Four to go (sigh)...
At its best, this is boring, bland, and inoffensive. At its worst, this is derivative, annoying, and trying way too hard. One or two Elvis Costello songs are fine, but 15 songs all together makes for a monotonous listen.
Ok
Uhhh. Frankly the amount of Elvis Costello on this list alone should be enough to invalidate the whole concept. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't mind the inclusion of one or two of his albums; he is talented and made *some* good music. But in the grander scheme, I have not found any of his albums to move the needle that significantly to justify all of their inclusion. The only silver lining here is that I think this is his last entry on the list. Here's to hoping we can enjoy the remaining hundred or so albums in peace... Instant is my hate for Pony St. If the instrumental was isolated it would still be a bad song. But with the vocals this is fucking intolerable. First song I've skipped in a while. The fact that they chose this as a leadoff does not bode well... At least Kinder Murder is less awful. But to my earlier point, this sounds like 20 other Costello songs on this list. Actually enjoyed You Tripped at Every Step, but any good will earned is completely thrown out by 20% Amnesia. Outside of the opener and 20% Amnesia this wasn't terrible. It also wasn't something that I feel like I benefited from in any way. I feel like his music exists in polarizing extremes, where the poles are "this is actually kind of fun" and "dear God make the bad man stop." I for one am glad this one is over; the softest of 2 stars.
Hopefully this is finally our last Elvis Costello album. Six albums is far too many. Thought he would skate by with all 3s, but I couldn't find a 3 anywhere in this album.
This is Hell is a pretty good representation of how I feel listening to more Elvis Costello. Vocals are just so bad immediately. Make it stop. I wish I had 100% amnesia. Actually enjoying All The Rage. Worst of 2's. That was not my favorite hour.
Just don't get this one at all. There must be at least six other Elvis Costello albums in the book because this one doesn't have anything noteworthy at all about it. It's a paradigmatic "this guy used to be good" album.
I do not like Elvis Costello
De 5e keer dat ik de verkeerde Elvis mag luisteren. Ik heb nog geen enkele keer de grap kunnen maken dat ik me met z'n album Costellijk vermaakt heb, wat ook een beetje schuurt. Ik geef het gewoon weer een kans. Ik zet het gewoon weer aan. Na 10 seconden: Ohja, zo klinkt die lul altijd. Ik weet alweer genoeg. De liedjes zijn helemaal niet onaardig, maar wat trek ik die man slecht zeg. Ontzettend vervelende maniertjes heeft 'ie. En dan is het ook zo gemixt dat die stem er helemaal los bovenop ligt in plaats van een beetje verweven is met de muziek. Ik kan hier weinig over typen wat ik niet al eens eerder getypt heb. Behalve dan dat ik deze liedjes serieus best wel aardig vind. Wat ik bij nader inzien ook al bij twee andere albums van hem getypt heb. Zie je wel.
Strong no thanks on this.
i always had suspicions that elvis costello was a little twerp and thanks to this exercise they have been confirmed. this was almost entirely sleepy (derogatory). the couple standout moments were such a relief.
The editor of this list said, I believe, that he wanted to highlight excellent singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Elvis Costello. Which makes it feel like an extra double kick in the pants to find things like "Costello wrote "Sulky Girl" shortly after a one-day writing spree by Costello where he composed six of the songs that would appear on the Brutal Youth album." about this record, one of six - SIX!!!! - by Costello on this list. I think I find my annoyance with Costello so frustrating because he should slot in well to the music that I like but I just can't get over it. He feels like the exact type of dude who would show up kinda late to a party and he'd be nice and all but he'd also be like "you know fun fact! ☝️ these corn chips are blue because the corn is blue, corn comes in all sorts of colors" and you're like riveting contribution Elvis, yes, we're all adults here who know about corn.
I'm pretty lukewarm on Elvis Costello as a whole, I like his singles, but did not like this, it felt really uninspired. I'd rather listen to something a lot rougher around the edges but interesting than something this technically sound and boring. Virtually nothing grabbed me in 51 minutes of music, rough going. And I read that theres six total Costello albums on this list..what the hell. Was the deciding panel literally just a bunch of middle aged white english blokes? My Aim is True is a great one but even big fans cant think hes THAT important
I hope his other albums do it for me more than this one. His voice is grating. Two stars for one or two nice songs and a few good lyrics.
Elvis Costello is one of those guys I've always heard a lot about, but have never heard much of his work. Listening to this album kind of makes me feel like I didn't miss much. I suppose he's on the cusp of this whole folk-punk-rock spectrum, and perhaps that was important at some point. By the time this album came out in 1994, I'm not sure it was saying much. Music had moved on by then. I'm sure some of his earlier albums will be on this list, and maybe they are better. A couple songs are alright, like 20% Amnesia, but mostly this just sounds like nerd rock or something. I just don't get it. 2/5
The other three albums I already listened to on this list were way better and were recorded before this one. Bland, uninteresting, uninspired.
Oh fuck off. Three more of his nonsense left on this list.
Meh
Prior to listening to this album I couldn't have named a single Elvis Costello track. I still can't. This is mildly better than the dross from the past few days but really am starting to wonder who came up with the 1001 albums. Reading through other reviews, there are 8 more EC albums to go :-( On a list of 1001 they made space for nine albums by the same artist? NINE?!
It was just so boring. And, once again, he apparently felt it was artistically important to use the n-word.
I’ll admit it, I’ve had 3 Elvis Costello albums come up so far on this list and I’m getting tired. I enjoyed the first one but I had a few reservations, then the second album came on and I appreciated the old school rock n roll sound, but his voice started to get alittle grating, and now at the 3rd album I’m just to tired of his voice. He’s not a bad singer but I don’t find his voice endearing like other “not a singer” type singers. I will say that this album once again had great instrumentals with the super vintage rock n roll sound. But that’s all I get out of this album. I only ended up saving 2 songs out of the whole album.
At some point this album almost started to sound like gibberish to me. His voice and the pacing of the songs all started ro sound too similar, mushing together. I dont hate his music, nor am I fan but this didn't land quite as well as I hoped it would.
Was not my jam at all. I like Mr. McManus' early output (My Aim Is True, This Year's Model) and a few later albums here and there, but this was way too sterile for my taste. Also, his singing always reminds me of Quagmire from Family Guy, so it's really difficult to take him seriously when he tackles serious subjects in his lyrics. It's nuts for me that anybody thought this album has a place among the 1001 I should listen to before I die.
This is extraordinarily boring and vanilla punk. This seems like the type of music someone like my sister would listen to and proudly announce that they are still cool.
EC is liked by ppl who feel they are cool. I've never been cool. EC cannot be liked by me.
this sounds like a movie adaptation of a rock musical (with an actor who is not as good at singing). or perhaps the kind of music that a fictional band in a movie would play
nešto slabiji kostelo nego inače :/
It's just fine. Not worth 2 listens though
I almost liked Rocking Horse Road, which saves this from being a 1, but the rest of this album was just so annoying to listen to.
No standouts
In theory, I could tell this song was really well made, good songs, good production. But I just couldn't get into it. Maybe I'm more nostalgic to Elvis C's older songs and don't have the same memories attached to his newer stuff
Scoring this album reflects that (a) I am reviewing the album as a whole, and (b) that Elvis has 6 albums in the 1001. I really like Elvis Costello, but when there are 6 of his albums and none from other artists I love, the premium I might unintentionally give to a favored artist rather than the album, is gone. Expectations are the price of mass adulation. This album is a good, but not great, example of Mr Costello’s work. He’s a great songwriter and a talented musician. The songs sound … like Elvis Costello songs, and that sound is well represented on the 1001 list. There’s nothing remarkable on this album and I wouldn’t play it by choice. Maybe I’d come to like it if i listened to it a few more times. I don’t know why it’s on the 1001 list. Judging it as I would any other album here, it’s a 2.
picks: this is hell, sulky girl
This is fucking shit. Very annoying. Laughed at some bits 😅 bumps it up to a 2
Billy joel but worse imo
Even though I’m not a big fan, I had hopes his songwriting craft would win the day. Sadly I just didn’t find much here to really pull me through that.
1994. I'm starting to question the selection process of the curator. Seriously, is Elvis Costello really deserving of six entries in this process, yet nothing from say Cardiacs, who are arguably far more influential? Anyway, this was bang average at best, and perhaps a little dull and lacked interest. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Average ★★☆☆☆(4/10)
Maybe it's because I was startled to learn there are SIX (!!) Elvis Costello albums on this list, and maybe it's because I (unfairly) associate his '90s output with his crooner phase, and maybe it's because this album just isn't that great, but Brutal Youth did next to nothing for me. I was eager for it to end.
There are interesting ideas here I guess, but the singing is abrasive, the melodies are all over the place and it just doesn't ever seem to go anywhere. I honest don't get it at all. Really did not care for it. I'm 3/4 of the way through it and I can't wait for it to end.
Not my favorite Costello work, and "My Science Fiction Twin" was irredeemable.
Not this guy again
Á svo erfitt með röddina hans Costello. Finnst hann bara pirrandi. Fín lög þarna fyrir miðja plötu og hljóðfæraleikurinn er solid. Hann er ekki með sjarmann hans Springsteen til að komast upp með þetta act.
this is the second elvis costello i have gotten from 1001 but i didn't enjoy it as much as the first one, at all. this is pretty cheesy; pony st as the first song is almost nauseatingly so. kinder murder and 13 steps lead down are an improvement but we're right back to it by clown strike. i like costello's good vibes, groovy style, and still enjoyed this as an easy listen, but it didn't land as anything meaningful
My feeling about Elvis was that he should have packed it in after the first album. His first was brilliant and it was downhill from there.
Don't get Elvis Costello at all. I feel dread that there are SIX albums in this list that I will force myself to listen to exactly one time. Maybe I'll finally get it at some point but certainly not this album.
Oh hey. How quaint. Another Costello album. I started off this project not knowing anything about hia music. Then I enjoyed it, or at least appreciate it. And now I'm at the point where, after 4 albums or so, I feel like I'm getting sick of him. Every album sounds the same, stop it. One entry wouldve been enough.
I'm at work Costello, give me something to actually listen to so I can stay awake. This album damn near put me to sleep so many times, my boss almost banned me from listening to this record.
Well, here’s another Elvis Costello album being praised as something better than what it really is. This came out in 94, but it’s basically no different than the music he was making in the late 70s, except maybe not even as good. I want to say it falls short, but honestly, even his late 70s and early 80s work was pretty middle of the road, with maybe a handful of tracks rising slightly above average. By 1994, grunge itself was already starting to wear thin culturally, and here comes Costello still doing the same thing he did 15 to 20 years earlier. I’ve never understood the craze critics and music publications have for this guy, but clearly, he did a great job convincing all the right people in the industry that his music is the best thing since sliced bread. Anyway, the album isn’t horrible, it’s listenable, but it absolutely doesn’t belong on any kind of “top albums” list.
ни о чем
Didn’t love this. Was kinda boring. I saw that there are 6 albums on this list so maybe another will resonate more with me.
4.9/10
Isn't there like much Elvis Costello? Like, too much? ...
It was alright. Liked a couple of the songs. Probably wouldn't listen to the whole thing again on purpose. Best song: This Is Hell Notable(s): Kinder Murder
How much Elvis Costello can one man endure? That’s the question that the authors of this project set out to answer. The answer is like, one and a half MAX
Meh
It's decent, but nothing really noteworthy. A few songs are legit bad, but most of the album is just fine.
I love Elvis so much and I also think he’s a little past his peak on this one. That being said the attractions coming back for this one gave the arrangements some of the old charm. Didn’t adore the tunes tho
He says the n word and it shocked me for sure! We saw this at the CD store and it started strong but ultimately fell off. Not super consistent album, Mr!