Reviews (page 2 of 8)
It's okay for background noise but not something I would listen to again. Didn't care for him in the 80s and still, I don't understand the appeal.
5/1
Still my favorite EC album. Always listen the whole through.
I know it's a meme at this point - Costello having so many albums on the list - but it IS ridiculous. It's putting him on the same level as The Beatles, Dylan, Bowie. He may have some measure of talent approaching what thise guys have, but sales? Cultural impact? Awareness of his existence outside of England? Two albums is pushing it. Back to the album. It's fine. Nothing more, nothing less. It's a lyrics album, not a music album. I am a lyrics guy, but without interesting music it feels pretentious, aimless, and should be poetry instead. Adding music is a lie. When you add music which veers awfully close to white boy reggae and twee Amstrad beats, your seriously trying my patience. At its worst, this is dreary, cheesy bollocks with identikit rhythms from song to song and at its best it's just plain dull. I held on to giving this a 3 for as long as I could, but that outdated rhythm which was old fashioned long before 1982 playing over and over again in every fucking song just pulled me down long before the end. Only the lyrics save it from being a 1.
This album is a ride in the best possible way. I did not even noticed it was on repeat. At some point, I was just there, floating in the space of the disc. It became part of the background as I worked, creating a great space for me to focus and be productive while also making me happy.
Listened before? No Familiar with the artist? I know of him but I don't think I could name a song 😅 Thoughts: On first listen it's... Ok, I guess? The second time a few songs stood out that I'd like to hear again, but the rest is a bit boring. Favorite track(s): Man Out of Time, ... And In Every Home
Just did nothing for me. I have a funny feeling if there was another singer on this the lyrics and production would stand up better. Critics seemed to love it but I didn't. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
My favorite Elvis Costello album so far, but not quite a 4
Sadly not compelling.
I can see why people roll their eyes at this one, but I just find Elvis (Costello) too charming and intelligent to write off. Not my fave of his, but a worthwhile listen
did not hate as much as other EC but still hate
I like Elvis, but this is one of his less memorable albums. It all sounds a bit forced, a bit studied. It is very well-crafted, of course, but a lot of the songs sound like Costello-by-numbers, stylised. Only "Man Out Of Time" and "Almost Blue" have the twists and turns I expect from him. A great Barney Bubbles cover, nonetheless
Number: 232 Familiarity: Extremely (5) Rating: 5 Before: ======= Finally, my first Elvis Costello album! And this is one of the best ones. Looking at the 6 albums from him on The List, I see 3 likely 5's, including this one, a couple of 4's, and not sure about Brutal Youth, released in 1994. I had pretty much lost interest in his music by then, so not familiar with that one at all, though I'm sure I must have at least skimmed through it once before. After : ======= So on a song by song basis it comes out at 4.6. And, more importantly, after 44 years I still enjoy listening to pretty much the entire album. I probably listened to it 4 times yesterday + this morning.
Imperial Boredom. I’m whelmed.
Meh
Just another solid, middle of the road, easy-to-listen to and enjoy album by Elvis Costello.
This is... an album. I don't know man, I don't understand why Elvis Costello has five separate albums on this list, this is the third one I've pulled, and I can barely tell them apart and this is easily the most generic-sounding of the three.
It's all too much Elvis Costello
Maybe no single artist from my early days of music fandom has aged as poorly as him. While many songs still smoke, so many I find unlistenable now. Still love him, but have to pick my shit carefully.
It's completely fine, not really more or less than that. There's a bunch of different sounds on this album which makes the 15 song tracklist not feel all that long. I found Elvis Costello's voice to sound a bit like the Zombies at times. Not really much more to add to my 5th Elvis Costello album I've listened to so far.
Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: ️👨🎨🎨👀 Production: 🌀🤔🆗 Music: 🎤😮💨📉 Rating: 🛏️🛏️/5
There are definitely people for whom this is a 5/5 record and I don't necessarily think they're wrong but this is incredibly not for me
This one's rough. His voice is weak, and not in that way that expresses a lot of emotion or character despite its quality. (Think Johnny Cash, especially in his late career, or Neil Young, or even less extreme examples like Tom Petty. I'm even barely willing to concede this to Dylan here, who is so fucking annoying but he's at least a specific kind of annoying.) Costello is real difficult to listen to on the slower, ballad-y songs on the album and half the time he even sounds off key. I don't even think his voice is bad necessarily, he's fine in a faster number or one where the instruments are the driving force, but it is weak. Lyrics are ok, instrumentals are pretty great, but nothing here comes together for me. Not a bad album necessarily but not one I'll be going back to. I'd probably be less charitable if this was my fourth or fifth Elvis Costello but thankfully, in nearly 300 albums, the list has only sent me this one so far.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Imperial Bedroom (1982) On Day 237, despite cutting Costello some slack on past records, this one was complete buns. At several points throughout the runtime, the overly theatrical and dense production felt genuinely cringey to sit through, making for a brutal 50-minute slog. However, in a complete sea of shit, I did manage to salvage "Tears Before Bedtime," which ironically described my exact emotional state after finishing the album. A frustrating, tedious listen that completely missed the mark.
Downtempo crooning Costello is not my scene.
S'alright
Ihan jänniä juttuja välillä mutta muuten liian teatterimaista omalle kohalle
Kuulosti ihan Elvis Costellolta. Aivan viihdyttävää, muttei ehkä täysiä kolahda.
Average
i believe that this album, more so than any of his previous ones, showcases his music making ability. there are some really nice tracks on here, but i still don't think that i am a huge Costello fan. of all 6 albums featured by the man, i will say i think this is the strongest. seems kinda wild that there were 6 of his albums to begin with... but all in all i would say this would be the one to listen to if you're trying to understand Costello
Lord I’m so happy to be done with Elvis Costello. Didn’t seem as grating as some of the others, but he’s still just a one song artist for me.
A solid Elvis Costello album. It sounds like Elvis Costello songs sung by Elvis Costello.
The long Honeymoon funciona como tango. Ya se de donde se la choreo toda Damon para Blur, rubio hijo de puta, HJAJAJAJJAJAJaj
I never really listened to Elvis Costello, but I really liked this album. It sounded almost like The Beatles and David Bowie mixed together with some 50s rock.
cool und abwechslungsreich :)
Today brings up one of my favourite artists, Elvis Costello. That said, I haven't really listened to him since seeing him at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year. Unfortunately, the set that night was awful and, frankly, really boring. It actually put me off listening to him for a while, so I was interested to see how I'd feel coming back to Imperial Bedroom. Thankfully, Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello & The Attractions is anything but boring. This is a brilliant album musically. There's so much variation from track to track, with great arrangements, melodies and instrumentation throughout. It doesn't rely on a massive hit like "Oliver's Army" to carry it either. Instead, it's the quality of the songwriting and storytelling that makes the whole album so compelling. Costello is such a clever lyricist, and this album is a great reminder of that. The songs have depth and personality, and there's always something interesting happening musically behind them. "Man Out of Time" is fantastic, while "Almost Blue" shows a completely different, softer side to the album and is absolutely beautiful. This was exactly the reminder I needed of why I love Elvis Costello in the first place. Maybe he was just having an off day when I saw him earlier this year! Favourite tracks: "Man Out of Time" is the standout for me, and "Almost Blue" is beautiful. Least favourite tracks: Nothing. Everything on the album is worth a listen and there isn't really a weak moment. Album artwork: Cool album cover. There's loads going on, plenty of colour, and it suits the variety and personality of the music inside.
Yarp
Первая половина 3, вторая половина 4, итого 3.5, но я добрый
Нормик, но не супер
Норм, к концу становится поинтереснее, но его главный альбом прикольнее звучит
нам с тобой не было супер, скорее средненько - 3
moeilijk geval, die Elvis... ik hoor hem graag voor enkele nummers, maar dan ben ik hem beu
Yeahhhh it was aight! I liked it better than the other Elvis Costello album.
He’s another one of those musicians I’ve heard of but never sat down and listened to. First impression is that his voice sounds just like Tom Petty and Lenny Kravitz. Maybe I HAVE heard him and mistook him for them. The compositions themselves are quite different, however. More downtempo and varied.
Interesting structurally but his voice does my head in
This album is exactly why you shouldn't give artists everything they want. Elvis is still Elvis, but this album seems lavishly overproduced. It sounds great, but I can't help but feel that all of the musical layers here are hiding what EC fans appreciate about him. I am sure that if I listened enough, I could learn to value what is here, but I'd rather just return to his better works.
Neat, one of Costello’s best!
Not a bad album, but there really is nothing special or anything to remember. An okay album for background music.
Really, really good album.
Pretty average in all, not a bad album just a bit bland. I did really like some of the jazzier ones though, notably almost blue. 3 stars 6.5/10
Celkom fajn počúvanie, ale iba za 3.
𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 has moments that remind me of a Paul McCartney solo record: carefully shaped melodies, ornate arrangements, and the occasional orchestral flourish. The craftsmanship is obvious, but that does not automatically make the album engaging. For me, everything feels a little too polished and self-conscious. The songs are clever and the arrangements are ambitious, yet very little actually sticks with me. Instead of being drawn into all the detail, I mostly find myself admiring it from a distance. There is clearly a lot of work and imagination in 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, but surprisingly little of it makes me want to hear the album again.
Out of all the Elvis Costello I have listened to this far, this has been the best. Favourite Track(s): Man Out of Time Least Favourite Track(s): Kid About It
Costello #2, I still don't think I'm a fan. Many of my thoughts from the first album of his I've had remain the same. I think he's probably a good songwriter, but the way they're presented is just quite dull. His voice is also pretty boring. This is just devoid of any excitement and I wanted it to be over Highlights: Tears before Bedtime 2.5
I wish these interesting songs had more memorable melodies.
I really tried to like this album. I really did. But I just cant
chill and enjoyable
There are other Elvis Costello albums that I like better than this, but this is still a good record. It just didn’t strike me in a way that made me have any particular strong opinions. It’s just kind of there. It’s good, but it’s not his best stuff.
I discovered my love for Elvis Costello through this project and I am SO grateful that this album was not my introduction to him. I think he's a wonderful songwriter but this album was so boring in comparison to the others. It's... stodgy and listless. Felt like movie background music. I still really enjoy his music, but this is a flop.
I like the music on this. Not crazy about there vocals, but they're not bad enough to ruin it
From my own research, I now know that there are two good albums by Elvis Costello - but “Imperial Bedroom” isn't one of them. I find it astonishing that he really manages to mess up every single one in a different way. This time, he experiments with various styles that don’t mesh, so there’s absolutely no flow to speak of. Oh, and of course, the production on this recording could have been salvaged a bit - that’s probably the recurring theme of all Elvis Costello’s work. If he’d just let the producer do his job, he could have become a legend.
Elvis Costello sucks eggs.
Heard Elvis died on the toilet. Hope it was this guy
Elvis has left the building
It’s clear what he’s trying. He’s not quite got it here.
Interesting rather than great album for me. Upbeat tracks better than the slower ones. Lyrics interesting and probably bear deeper scrutiny, but this enterprise is about albums, not John Cooper Clarke set to music. The 'Did I enjoy it?' test says 2, but bump it up because of the overall professionalism.
I recognise that this album has received a large amount of critical acclaim, whether that be for the producing, musical technique, lyrics or instrumental composition, I am unsure. What I am sure of is that this really didn’t do it for me. A little monotonous and unremarkable for my taste.
Unfortunately a lean back listen for me. It was very clearly an early 80's album that had influence on the subsequent genre of yacht rock and soft rock from the late 80's and 90's. It was groovy, but I don't know that anything really spoke to me. Maybe I need to start listening to these more actively, but if Beck can grab my attention, then so should these people. EDIT: Revising to a 2, because I just cannot jive with mid being a 3. Going to try and go by my Letterboxd rules for rating.
This album didn’t really give me much to work with. Man Out Of Time was the stand out for me that really gave something emotional from the album. It’s sort of a weird mix of prog rock and old school rock and some rockabilly stuff and it feels like the album wasn’t sure what it wanted to be and maybe there’s too many ideas going on at once.
I liked the first song
I swear, I audibly groaned when Declan popped up on the list again, well, it was more of an expletive laden exclamation.. It feels like every time I turn around, there’s another Elvis Costello album to slog through, and honestly, my patience is totally over. Imperial Bedroom is supposed to be his big, sophisticated masterpiece, the one where he swaps his raw, new-wave energy for fancy, baroque-pop arrangements. Yeah? Fuck off Declan, get when you get there, fuck off some more.
Costello isn’t usually my cup of tea. He’s a soulful as you get in England before the prince asks about the baby’s hue. But this was fun; each track felt different and distinct, the experimentation was good. I love the accordion and his voice is excellent.
Worst Costello album yet I want to kill him
I like a few of his earlier’new wave’ singles (especially ‘Watching the Detectives’, ‘Accidents Will Happen’ and ‘Oliver’s Army’ but not fussed about this album particularly.
this was better than expected, it's a 3.5 but I'll add it to the list to give it a second try
Conceived as a baroque pop, new wave, art rock album, critics loved it a lot, but the lack of commercial success of Imperial Bedroom was enough to make Costello re-think the way he was creating music and there are plenty of reasons for that. First of all, Both Singles "You Little Fool" and "Man Out of Time" failed to break into the top 50 in the UK making the band to take a new direction when it comes to make music. Punch The Clock, the following album saw a return to the new wave/pop rock sound that made him famous almost 6 years earlier on. But, returning to this particular selection, the main problem its of course, the direction of the record. What we have here in front of us, feels like it's Costello's own Sgt. Pepper since the songs were rewritten over and over again until he felt they were ready, adding overdubs, layers of sounds, instruments, to the point many people and mostly the critics compared back in the day some of these techniques to what The Beatles used to do, or The Wall of Sound by Phil Spector. Elvis might not have regained fame with these tunes, but you can be aware (and you should pay attention to this) that he actually tried to use the studio as an instrument. It's actually even stranger and mystical when you realize Geoff Emerick who was the producer for this piece of art also worked with The Beatles themselves in the earlier mentioned Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road and Revolver therefore you shouldn't be surprised then about why a record like this one sounds so beatlesque: Mellotron, Harpischord, Accordion, a Twelve-String Guitar, Marimba, Strings arrangements, Trumpets, Elvis himself coming to the stage in a gorilla suit on tour... This should tell you everything you need to know and what you should expect. Imperial Bedroom might not be an exceptional work from front to back, at least not for the casual music listener. But for the sound chasers that are constantly surfing waves this is the way to go. An exceptional album that it's a manifestation of art, ambition and sacrifice reaching almost perfection. After all, a record that was placed at number 166 in the 500 greatest albums of all time shouldn't be ignored just like that. ¿Would you ignore it?
Not as good as This Year's Model
Good but not that good. I've heard better
One of the best ever. Love me some Elvis Almost Blue, Town Cryer, The Long Honeymoon, Human Hands. All excellent.
idk
not my favorite Elvis Costello album, but still quite good. 4/5.
3 out of 5. Some good songs here and songwriting.
me gusto muhco, me lo esperaba distinto. Pense que iba a ser mas jazzero. Me gusto mucho, se disfruto
Someone has decided Elvis Costello is a major influence. He's not
ok
good but not my favrit EC rekkid
First real listen to anything Elvis Costello…I was expecting more. It’s not bad but honestly there’s nothing really sticking out here and I don’t fully get the hype. Likes: Tears Before Bedtime; Almost Blue; You Little Fool
This Elvis is still in the building.
Thoughts before listening: I am a big fan of Elvis Costello's early punky power pop sound. This Year's Model, Armed forces, and My Aim is True are all classics. However, thats where my knowledge stops. I believe that this one was released around the same time as those other albums so perhaps the sound is similar? Review: I'm not really digging this one to be honest. I means its still catchy pop rock, but the songs are a little weirder to me and not nearly as fun as the earlier albums. These are some dark lyrics here as well that are not resonating with me. All in all this seems like a past his prime (though not old), more adult approach from Elvis Costello, one in which he is trying to add in more complex orchestration and non-traditional instruments, and I am missing some of the youthful energy that I enjoyed so much in those earlier albums. I'll give this 3-stars although it's quite a bit below his big 3 albums for me.
this has to be the biggest surprise i've had for an album on this project yet. i expected to hate this and procrastinated listening to it much longer than i have for much worse albums, but honestly i quite enjoyed this! elvis costello is a name i've heard but never paid much attention to until now, so i was pretty reluctant going into this, but this was some really nice artsy new wave kind of thing! my only complaint is that it was a little long, but i can definitely see myself coming back to this! high 4/5
This was a case of just too much. I think IO might have enjoyed some more of this album if there were less flourishes and background instrumentation going on. There's probably a reason I had never heard of this album, despite being a fan of Elvis Costello from around this era.
"Елвіс Костелло це загадка для мене. Багато разів я намагався слухати, але так і не зміг зрозуміти прикол цієї музики. Звісно ж це не є поганий альбом або щось таке, але і зрозуміти в чому суть я не можу." [2]
Elvis is always hit or miss eith me snd this one is mostly a miss.
It was fun, kinda blended and didn’t stick out much Highlights Town cryer Pidgin English (favorite)
not my favorite. eternal. couldn’t wait for it to be over. the music wasn’t bad bad but just not for me
pretty good but his voice just doesn't really get me. The instrumentation seems pretty lush but it's just kinda fine to me.
[3/5] just not for me. too many relationship crises, plus all those in the album. feels a bit bloated. wavey and fun instruments help it along. 2.5. track notes: 1. black eyed peas but depressed 2. swank city, fighting sleep paralysis demons 3. me after a day down pit 4. dancing with john french (from the meme) 5. combo of political story and personal sadness, the latter much more relatable 6. slow and meandering sadness of relationships going wrong 7. triumphantly unemployed 8. the butcher the baker and the baseline maker! 9. could be a manager with this love of diagrams 10. grief processing 11. intriguing intro. primary school phrases, another relationship gone wrong 12. another one! maybe he needs different circles? 13. where are my pidgin words 14. liverpool 15. manifestation of strength
For not having listened to much Elvis Costello previously, this was a fine album. No songs really piqued my interest, but I also wouldn't say that I found the music unenjoyable. Easy listening. The following stood out some: "Shabby Doll", "The Long Honeymoon", "Man Out of Time", "The Loved Ones", and "You Little Fool"
Good record, but not his best.
Treći njegov album. To je već tri previše. Ne sjećam se nijedne pjesme s prva dva ali osjetim da je ovaj barem jednu trunčicu drugačiji. To ne znači nužno bolji. Čovjek je jednostavno vrlo netalentovan. Danas sam saznala da je nepotizam vjerovatno razlog što ga stalno slušam ovdje. Ima smisla.
As an Elvis Costello stan this is supposed to be like my favorite album ever. I do love it! So many incredible songs and basically no bad ones. I think it has to be on the second tier of Costello for me though since it doesn't have that crazy 100% on pop energy. He is being the Beatles and he's great at it but I want him to be Elvis Costello.
It feels like Elvis Costello only has to breathe to end up on this list. Unfortunately, I found this album rather boring.
Maybe it's Elvia Costello fatigue at this point (six EC albums in so far) but this felt boring and shite and went on for far too long.
Elvis is generally a great time, and this album is no exception. This one didn't really pop for me, though. Would happily listen again, but on a first listen it didn't get its hooks into me. 3.5, rounding down.
Listening to Elvis Costello before you die? Essential. Four Elvis Costello albums on a list of 1001 albums I must hear before I die? Excessive. If you can't decide whether you want to listen to more Elvis Costello after any two of his albums chosen at random, there's something wrong with you. This one's as good as any place to start, but I'm rounding my rating down from maybe a 3.4 due to Costello overload.
OKeyish 3
Not for me—boring, like Taylor Swift.
12/07/2026 I just don't get Elvis Costello, I think his music is boring and my soul does a little every time another one of his albums pops up. Spotify listeners: 837k
Its fine, not great, not terrible. A bit bland and repetitive. His voice is more annoying the longer the album goes. Why does he keep singing about toys? Why are so many of the themes around children?
I went through a very strong Elvis Costello phase about a decade ago. This record has one song I like a lot, which is not a good ratio. And yet look what a little bias can get you - a good rating!
A different side of Elvis Costello that shows he's got more than one version of himself to offer, which should probably be the case for anyone with six mandatory albums Varied in sound and fun, maybe at its most dynamic and entertaining on the first half
I like it. Nothing stood out to me specifically, but good music.
So was this list made by Costello because this is the fourth album of his I’ve gotten and they’ve deteriorated in quality or I’m just bored of him, didn’t realise it when the album looped which was disappointing and can’t remember a single track.
I thought Elvis Costello was a crooner from the 60s. Feels: This is some tasteful pop music with depth in sound and inspiration. It's definitely got Beatles (Sgt Pepper) vibes which makes sense because it's produced by the same person. Rich orchestration, some lovely piano/organ, an absolutely sick bassist (Shabby Doll being the highlight). The drums are fantastic in places too. Elvis certainly has his own take on singing, it's got charm for me but I can see others recoil at it. It's a busy-patterned patchwork blanket of a record. Weird, whimsical -one I'll definitely return to.
Rate: 8/10.
Instrumentally it’s alright, vocally it’s shite sorry Elvis. Apparently the song writing is decent though can’t say that does much when all I’m thinking is ‘wish this guy would be quiet’ 1 star feels too harsh as that puts it in the same category as Eminem but that Eminem album was 0 stars really
This is perfectly fine stuff except that the lyrics are so annoyingly, self consciously clever, that they just become annoyingly artificial. There's an element of style over substance.
Gefällt mir besser als die anderen zwei Alben, die wir hier von ihm halten. Aber immer noch kein Knaller.
First impression: Not a singular memorable track on this album. Out of everything I've heard thus far Costello did not hit the mark with this album. Musically everything sounds nice, but predictable; and the lyrics are so corny. Not a fan of Elvis Costello but I know he's capable of releasing bangers like The Beat. Overall this album was a dud for me. Favourite Track: everything was so forgettable it just melted into one big track. Literally nothing stood out to me except for Boy With a Problem due to a smidge of shock value in his lyrics. To clarify I would never pin Boy With a Problem as a fav (fuck domestic violence). I like Costello's voice but sometimes how he decides to deliver certain lines sound really unpleasant to me in terms of annunciation. One Sentence: subpar and unremarkable. Will I revisit? No
Elvis Costello on back-to-back days and for the third time on this list. That is four too many. 1.0
Overall: 8/10 I can always rely on Elvis Costello to write an absolute banger of an album. After experimenting with a few different styles for a couple albums, Elvis and the Attractions went right back to the style that they mastered on This Year's Model and Armed Forces. While the songs aren't as good here as those two albums, there's a lot of stuff to love here and the band is on top form. Elvis is a masterful lyricist and there's a lot of fun wordplay on this album. Fav Song: Tears Before Bedtime
Surprisingly, this is probably the best album from Mr Costello to appear on this list. At least the first half of it is. But this one with no major hits to its credit is for the most part quite good. But it does taper off quite badly towards the end. Still feeling generous, so its a 3.
For the love of God. That’s now 6 albums from this dullard. Is he the most featured artist on this list? If so, why? I don’t want to research it to see if he is, in case I don’t like the answer. What if there’s a 7th one lurking? Or what if I’ve got an avalanche of Shakin Stevens albums still to come. Enough already.
Overly verbose and yet again lacking in anything I find engaging in music.
Pretty boring really, I’ve had 3 or 4 Elvis Costello albums at this point (130 ish albums in) and don’t understand why there are so many, once you’ve heard one, none of the others do anything wildly different, this is ok to listen to but nothing more than that
Not bad.
Never listened before, very nice
Not really
Elvis Costello is the mayonnaise of music.
I love Elvis Costello, but I can get the criticism of having too much of him on the list. I could have done without this one.
This is a very strong and ambitious album. While listening I felt like Costello was showing off everything he could do as a songwriter and arranger. It’s much more ornate and baroque than his earlier records — rich production, layered instrumentation, and clever, almost literary lyrics. The album moves between different moods and styles really well: there’s bitterness, longing, sarcasm, and tenderness all wrapped together. Elvis sounds confident and in complete control, and The Attractions play with real fire and precision behind him. Some tracks feel like mini rock operas, others are more intimate and vulnerable. Imperial Bedroom is often called one of his masterpieces, and I can understand why. It’s dense, sophisticated, and rewarding if you give it multiple listens. Not the easiest or catchiest record he’s made, but definitely one of the most impressive from a songwriting and arranging point of view.
I can't figure out what these kinds of albums are for - like, if you're a fan, when do you listen to this? what does it do for you? what mood does it set? what experience are you after? He's a style chameloeon, hoping around sounds from light new wave, to adult sophistipop, to jazzy Parisian bossa nova - but it's always the same scaly big eyed chameloeon - the distinctive voice and melodic phrasing.
Uniquely punky and groovy and funky.
Felt like some lounge music for a Monday afternoon.
I didn't know this album, I've found it challenging to assess. I looked at reviews here, and saw strongly divided reactions. Some carefully written reviews, celebrating complexity, encouraged me to give the album serious attention rather than make any early judgement. When I started listening, the extravagance of production was off-putting, right from track 1, Beyond Belief - I couldn't pick a reason for the variety of presentations of the vocals, shifting from phrase to phrase - this put me off what was otherwise a very engaging track. In the next two tracks, I found the rococo richness of composition, arrangement and production quite over-stimulating - too much to attend to! The tumbling changes and flourishes in the music distracted from the poetry in the words. Happily this settled down with The Long Honeymoon, Man Out Of Time, Almost Blue, a run of songs I liked (after a listen or two). But the feeling of excess complexity was a problem through the following tracks. (I was particularly irked by instances where I'd read a rhyming couplet but then the music would hugely draw out the second line - making the melody inaccessible to memory.) After lots of lyric readings and multiple listens, I'm left with 5 songs I like, but 10 I didn't like that much: I can tell heaps of work went into producing them, but I have no desire to hear them again now, can't think when I'd want to hear them again. (This is quite different from my engagement with Costello's first two albums - where I find the music very entertaining and never "too much".) I don't think any of the songs I don't like are actually bad, so taking the album as a whole I'll say it's Okay, 6/10. (I'm mildly surprised not to rate it more highly - it's possible I'll become more positive about it with further listening - if and when I prioritise such further listening.)
it's not remotely close to ranking in the worst exports of the british and irish isles in the 1980s, but his voice just is genuinely unpleasant to listen to.
I made it to track 7. It's an Elvis Costello album, alright. I can't fucking believe there are six albums of his on the list. This, realistically, was inoffensive but mediocre. It's just that he has a way of making pretty much every song sound the same, even when they're totally different. In my feeble past attempts at creating art and in my four decades of appreciation of art, I have always thought that perhaps the most difficult part of an artist's job is knowing how much is enough; knowing when to stop adding to the piece. Elvis Costello does not understand this, and is ABSOLUTELY UNDESERVING OF SIX ALBUMS YOU "MUST" LISTEN TO. This is the 3rd I have listened to, and I don't look forward to the others. ⭐⭐
Didn't hate it
I always feel I should like Elvis Costello more than I do, but the music is a bit too AOR for me, and the lyrics a bit too intellectual. It doesn't engage me emotionally.
Didn't love it, didn't hate it, didn't like it enough to come back and find the tracks I enjoyed
Eh this was just ok. Just like again. A lot
Generally well arranged if not occasionally sporadic
Feels like ABBA without synths. Or Simon and Garfunkel with extra sauce. I dig. The dude abides. Four flat.
Just not an Elvis Costello fan.
This feels very middle of the pack, taking into consideration what I’ve listened to already. I’m kinda torn on his voice, sometimes it’s buttery smooth and other times it’s so grating, can’t make up my mind about it. But it doesn’t get better the longer you listen to it so this album kinda drags. Overall mostly solid tracks but doesn’t take me anywhere all that exciting.
Hmmmm. I've stated previously that Costello has 3 more albums than he should on the list. I feel like anything I say at this point is going to be negative and beating a dead horse.
Great album
It’s not bad but I maybe expected more from an Elvis Costello album
I really like Elvis Costello but I don't consider this his best album. Human Hands, Man Out of Time and Beyond Belief were the standouts for me.
Jazz like. Background noise. Good vocals at times. Leah - 6/7 Leprechauns - Favourite - The Long Honeymoon Austin - 5/7 Leprechauns- Favourite - The Long Honeymoon
I think Elvis Costello's first 3 records are all basic genius. His wits, sarcasm and propensity for great hooks make for very enjoyable. Listens, this record. I think represents the beginning of his turn into general mediocrity. I like this record. Because the instrumentation is interesting, the songs do vary, and there's a little bit more life on this album, possibly than on some previous work that being said his vocal delivery, it turns me off on this record much more than anything he'd done previously.I feel like he changes his voice, which I don't care for as much.
nah dude. was gonna be nice with a 2 bc it’s better than the first one i got from him but nah can’t do this.
Who is Elvis Costello making music for? It's surely not me. I'm not even sure he knows who he's making music for.
“beyond belief” is such a unique, cool song. i usually have to listen to it a few times because i wish it were longer. this is definitely one of declan’s best albums (“blood and chocolate”, “this year’s model”, “the delivery man”, “my aim is true”, and “king of america” are all strong contenders). “tears before bedtime”, “man out of time”, “almost blue”, these are great tunes.
so bored of elvis costello
6 Alben von Elvis Costello. Ich verstehe es nicht. Auch wenn dieses das Erste ist, welches mir gefällt.
I'm realizing the British version of Elvis(and his Attractions) are the epitome of mediocrity. It's never truly bad music, but it is consistently the most mid that music can be. Favorite Track: "Human Hands".
7/10 Enjoyable, with varied pop songs and always interesting. Nothing stellar, but decent
At least it's the last one that I have to listen to.
Never really listened to Elvis Costello before, not particularly sure why, but I enjoyed this. I think I’d learn to love it on further listenings and I think this warrants a deeper dive into EC’s catalogue too.
No doubt that Elvis is a legend, but this album is for his ardent fans; not the casual listener… like me.
Wouldn’t mind a Jelvis Costello era
I've been enjoying the Costello albums on here
Ahhh
The first record you buy for an artist that becomes a favorite always holds a special place in your heart, and this Elvis Costello album has held up well; it remains one of my all-time favorite LPs. The accompanying show for this tour was my fifth rock concert (the previous four were all Rush) and Talk Talk opened. (If only I could remember the name of the long-gone venue.) “All the bedroom lights go out As the neighborhood gets quiet Everything in heaven and earth Is almost right There’s a wife who’s wondering Where her husband could be tonight And when the phone rang only once She took a dreadful fright Little things just seem to Undermine her confidence in him He was late this time last week Who can she turn to When the chance of coincidence is slim ’Cause the baby isn’t old enough to speak”
solidan album koji mi je ipak malo kvalitetom prevrludav. dvije su mi se stvari u biti dosta dopale: »the long honeymoon« i »almost blue«. ostatak je isto načelno dobar, ali ne toliko, neke su stvari sasvim zaboravljive i zanemarive, što ne čudi s obzirom na kostelovu hiperprodukciju, a i činjenicu da album ima čak 15 pjesama koje se rastežu (uf, lazo) na 50 minuta. nisam hejter ko većina na ovoj stranici, pa ne hetjam kostela, premda stvarno ima previše albuma na popisu (imaju šugavi bitlsi više, ali to je zbog nekog razloga u redu...) no ja sam evo s ovim albumom završio svoje službeno druženje s kostelom! i dalje ću, vjerujem, kao i dosad, tu-i-tamo pustit »oliver's army« i »tokyo storm warning«. te su mi stvarno dobre, no nisu na ovom albumu
Is there a chance that I'll enjoy this? Not feeling optimistic as I'm not a fan of Elvis'. Costello or Presley.
I like Elvis Costello, but only really know the first few albums and ‘Painted from Memory’. So, I enjoyed this, hearing some EC songs that I didn’t know. Great songwriter, but I have to admit, I do get tired of his singing after a while.
Stylish lyrics. Original Britpop
While a very listenable album, it doesn't have the raw emotion and energy of his earlier albums.
I like Elvis Costello, he was the first dance at our wedding but this wasn’t his best.
My God he's clever is Elvis. Those unusual chord changes. That unexpected direction the music takes just as you were getting comfortable. Thing is, as much as I wish this wasn't the case, it's just a bit too clever for me. A regrettable 3*
Tried twice, couldn't finish.
Yawn.
"[The songs] exhibit a malaise of the spirit and a sinking feeling about happy endings. The souring and spoiling of England was just under way. Passing from town to town on the tours of the early '80s, I came to know some people who seemed just as disenchanted and discouraged. Their stories found their way into these songs." Elvis Costello (2002) from the CD linear notes of Imperial Bedroom reissue. Highlights: Shabby Doll, Man Out of Time, The Loved Ones. A more baroque pop turn on this album. Does flirt with jazz pop on Almost Blue. Still keeps the easily identifiable new wave meets art rock style. What gets to me is the lyrics. The lyrics are gold. Line like: "Do you have to be so cruel to be callous?" and "he has a mind like a sewer and a heart like a fridge/he stands to be insulted and pays for the privilege." The only criticism I have is the song length. Some outros were unnecessarily long (like the screamo part on Man Out of Time). Not the band's best but better than Blood and Chocolate. Overall: 5/10
I wonder if the accolades it received at the time was the about face move going from “new wave punk guy” to classicist? It has Beyond Belief and also a lot of other songs, some of them very long even when they’re 3 minutes.
VbEaRdY
Another damn Elvis Costello album?
Fuck you guys I might pick an Elvis Costello album for the user list. 7/10
Yet another Elvis Costello record. This one has a more 80's New Wave sound. Not surprising because it is from the 80's, after all. Doesn't really do anything better than all the other Costello album on the list. And like those albums, it's not bad but nothing groundbreaking either. Key tracks: Beyond Belief The Long Honeymoon Pidgin English
part two of the Costellothon: it was alright. nothing really stood out to me as uniquely worthy of praise. i liked "My Aim Is True" better because it had a little bit more bite to it, but this one was just kinda normal.
Like it definitely wasn't that bad but at some point i was like wtf am I listening to
I hate this guy
Great voice. Went on a bit.
Probably my favourite of the three Costello albums I've had so far.
Not for me.
Liked this one better than the first one
why are there so may Elvis Costello albums in this list :\
Sad and grey.
The only person I’ve ever known with an Imperial Bedroom was Len Houmous. 3.0 14/15 You Little Fool
There's probably a lot more Elvis Costello to come in this. Didn't love Imperial Bedroom but it was fine for me. I'm thinking there will be bigger/better albums of his to come.
Definitely not the best Elvis Costello album I've ever heard. This one felt especially British
Listened to this many years ago and thought it was too busy compared to his earliest stuff which I really liked. Gave it a few listens over the years and never could get it to click with me but I could tell that there was something there so I kept revisiting it, scraping away at it in the hopes that something about it would jump out at me. And I think it finally did.
This list really makes you wanna hate Elvis Costello I swear can we just remove all of his boring albums
Another Elvis Costello album, I just can’t understand him and why Robert Dimery is absolutely in love with him. I’m beginning to realise the worst part of his albums are is his awful vocals. Like, couldn’t he get another singer and it would be like so much better? Two more albums by him, and it’s his best solo and group album by score, so I hope it’s better. 4/6
2 stars I got into E.C. 22 years ago. I was a freshman in high school and really liked the idea of a cool geeky rock star. I got really into his first 3 albums. But I heard that Imperial Bedroom was a beloved album. I gave it a shot then and did not get it. Over the years I tried it out again. I never get it. “Man Out of Time” and “Beyond Belief” were pretty good songs. But so much other stuff that did not stick with me. I really wanted to like it this time around. I think I finally heard some subtlety that I didn’t appreciate years ago. But the complex melodies and not- so-straight forward approach to song structure didn’t lead to an album I cared much to listen to more of.
I always feel 50/50 on Elvis Costello. Sometimes it’s fun and then it isn’t. His voice is one of a kind, which I enjoy, sometimes. This album took some chances.
I prefer this Elvis
Glad Shabby Doll was Track 2 so I could give up on this really early To quote a genius: "It really has been a lot of Elvis Costello/ And he’s not even the best Elvis"
I liked this more with each listen.
my last Elvis Costello album on this list, finally. feel like I finished a lingering side-quest. I think the author left Diana Krall albums off the list out of jealousy.
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/elvis-costello-and-the-attractions/imperial-bedroom/ Nice! Very Pulp-coded, before Pulp was a thing. Would be surprised if Jarvis Cocker was not inspired by Costello's way of singing. Would have benefited from cutting a few songs, but generally, I dig!
Some of his best songwriting yet the realisation always underwhelms 3.5
It feels like every song on Imperial Bedroom is a different genre. Throughout this album I hear new wave, jazz, bossa nova, indie, rock, and countless other genres that I can't describe properly. I hear bands old and new too. Bands that pre-date and post-date Elvis Costello. I hear The Beatles’ Penny Lane, and I hear the band OK Go. In fact, I hear them both in the same song, “... And In Every Home”. I didn't cop until today just how similar Damien Kulash's voice is to Costello's. It's not just the vocals though, there's something about the bright choruses of these songs that reminds me so much of OK Go. It took me a couple of listens to get into this properly. Every time I think this to be an average record, it corrects me. Songs take interesting turns. Often I find myself underwhelmed by a song’s verse, only to be completely won over by the chorus. Or they change course completely. “Shabby Doll” is a song I could take or leave, until it starts rocking out at the end, with some of the most amazing bass fills I've ever heard. “Man Out of Time” is enjoyable enough, but it catches me completely off-guard when it takes off at the end, moving into a completely different song. I mean, he gave me a clue at the start of the song, but I still didn't see it coming. Those screams and the whole energy of this section is incredible. “Beyond Belief” is the other standout track, one of many, sounding so far ahead of its time that I'd be sure it was a new release if I heard it playing on 6 Music today. I went to an Elvis Costello gig in my hometown years ago after nabbing some free tickets. I didn't really know his stuff and tried to cram beforehand, which was impossible with the amount of material he has produced over the years. I was struck by two things at the gig: the hardcore fanbase, and the wide range of styles he played. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. And that's what “Imperial Bedroom” is. Some seriously catchy and great tunes in a wide range of styles. And if you make the same mistake that I did and think this to be an average record, it's quick to correct you.
Favourite Songs: Tears Before Bedtime
There isn't a lot to enjoy on "Imperial Bedroom". It's not my cup of tea, and there are better albums out there. I did like "Man Out of Time", the nice single that happens to be the best on "Imperial Bedroom". None of the other tracks comes close, tragically. On the bright side, there wasn't a single real stinker on the album. 3 stars for "Imperial Bedroom".
No es mi estilo, se ve claramente la influencia de los beatles pero na que ver, aburrido de cojones
Not my favorite Elvis album. I thought I would like it more.
Unbelievably terrible
Favorite songs: Beyond Belief, Tears Before Bedtime, Man Out of Time, Almost Blue, You Little Fool, Town Cryer
204 / 1089. 70s Elvis Costello > 80s Elvis Costello. And no, you cannot convince me otherwise. A few really good tracks, but nothing transcending good into classic territory for my ears. 5/10.
Wanted to like it but it got reallll boring
I find this man boring. Yet again.
Can I just give this a zero now or do I have to listen to it?
Got through half of it. I like tears before bedtime a lot.
Another one I just couldn’t engage with. Not unpleasant, just not grabbing my attention
Did Costello pay someone to be on this list 6 times? This album is fine with some memorable songs like "Beyond Belief," "Man Out of Time," and "The Loved Ones." It's well produces with some nice orchestral flourishes here and there. The Attractions always add something good. But, man, it wears thin after a while and Costello begins to come off as twee and annoying. I much prefer his earlier, puncher stuff up through "Armed Forces."
I must confess I have bad Costello fatigue, and this is only 4th out of the 6 total on the list. This is fine - it doesn't have the snappiness or hooks that I really enjoy with Costello's 70s stuff. Apparently he went to Geoff Emerick over Nick Lowe for production because he thought it would be 'too much' for Lowe, as if Lowe couldn't handle a few horns, a harpsichord and an accordion - talk about pretentious. Anyway, I like Man Out of Time and The Loved Ones.
The beatings will continue until I agree to enjoy elvis costello. But I persevere and refuse to give in
Bastante Meh, no hubo nada que odiara pero tampoco nada que me encantara.
sounds like music, nothing special
Better than the last Elvis Costello album I listened to from this list. Decent instruments but do not like the songwriting or style. More power to those that enjoy this
Αναγνωρίζω την raggea και τα ωραία στοιχεία του αλμουμ, αλλά μου πέρασε εντελώς στο υπόβαθρο (όπως με το 70% αυτών των άλμπουμ...). ...
Not the kind of thing I wanted to listen to during a headache, immediately after a bad date. It went almost perfectly. But she kept calling me "boy" after getting a little too drunk. I wonder, when I read these reviews back far in the future, I will remember who this is, or if she'll still be in my life. Hey future Rylee, her name begins with A. Remember? Anyway, 50 minutes of mediocre Elvis Costello didn't help. I really liked the first album I heard from him, This Year's Model, but this is far less exciting. More bloated. More varied, sure, but that means there's a higher chance for things here to sound like something I don't like. And most of the time, I don't. Sorry.
Dull
I don't like Elvis Costello's voice. The rest of the music isn't nearly good enough to make up for it. After four songs, I had to turn it off. It was just too annoying. 2/5
Oh, the fake Elvis again. I like Costello's voice because it perfectly defines what a "young voice" is. His voice sounds rebellious, and his songs always sound fresh, as if they were released yesterday. Can you say that every Elvis has a unique voice? I don't know... 4 stars
Greeat
Elvis Costello has such a great way of writing and playing. It's hard to pick one of the best albums in their many styles. "Imperial Bedroom" is clearly one of the best and I rate it highly.
so far i have found Elvis Costello's music hit or miss, but he takes up quite a bit of this album list so i guess i'd better get used to it and hope i eventually like something he's released Beyond Belief - 4/5 Tears Before Bedtime - 2/5 Shabby Doll - 3/5 The Long Honeymoon - 3/5 Man Out of Time - 4/5 Almost Blue - 3/5 .....And in Every Home - 3/5 The Loved Ones - 4/5 Human Hands - 3/5 Kid About It - 4/5 Little Savage - 3/5 Boy With a Problem - 2/5 Pidgin English - 4/5 You Little Fool - 4/5 Town Cryer - 3/5 Average score: 3.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Definitely Elvis Costello, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Three stars...
Anytime there is an artist on this list with multiple albums, I have to wonder if they were all hits, or all influential, or have some reason to tip the scales. This album just feels like an okay affair. I guess the big hook was the use of a different producer, but it sounded like Elvis Costello. I just don’t see a reason to have multiple albums by the guy when there are other bands (including some clearly inspired by him) who don’t make the cut.
A more mature Elvis Costello? Yes, for sure, but a more entertaining EC? That's entirely up to the individual. Personally, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't as entertaining to me as EC's earlier records.
Listening to this, I realized that I basically have the same reaction to every Elvis Costello album/song: Starts like this: "Oh I like Elvis Costello, why don't I listen to him more" to "Oh, that was fine but I probably wouldn't choose to put it on myself". I always enjoy listening but I never choose it.
Not awful, quite enjoyed Elvis' voice
You know what? This isn't even that bad! Definitely the best Elvis Costello I've heard so far. I was pleasantly surprised. I like how he expands a bit on his usual new wave-y style and incorporates some other elements as well, and his voice is a lot less annoying than on other albums I've heard from him. I just think the album is a bit too long/too bloated.
Iconic voice, you can tell what he looks like without seeing him
Never really listened to Elvis Costello. Decent backing music and story telling. A bit monotone in singing, but enjoyed parts of it.
This one started strong by gaining my interest, and just kind of pentered out from there.
kinda funny, maar echt zo nikszeggend. beetje doodoo
What a great surprise! Great album and great cover too
Niet mijn smaak
There's too much Costello on this list, but that doesn't mean it's not good. I enjoyed this album. Particularly Man Out of Time, HUman Hands and Beyond Belief. It's a solid four for me.
First contact with Elvis Costello's music, I'm not very convinced, it has good, interesting things but the voice doesn't convince me, interesting use of several instruments, sometimes I feel saturated with sounds the songs. Not for me.
I really like this album but I don’t think it’s his best . Elvis is amazing and this is probably 4-5th best for me so 3 stars
Han har en dålig röst och gör inte särskilt bra låtar. Det är musik, men är det bra musik? Inte en enda "hit" (i mina öron) , inte en enda låt som man känner "wow". Och då har grabben en miljard album på denna lista. Jag förstår genuint inte vad grejen är. Tror nästan jag hatar mannen, om jag känner nåt.
Det är Elvis Costello igen, det är samma som vanligt, det är en trea, det är lika obegripligt att han har så många plattor på den här listan.
Can you think of something more literate? The music is fairly literate too (production values off the charts). A lot of these could easily be on best-of. While I can skip the strings, I enjoy the expanding new wave palette. Man Out of Time could be on a best of best-of. Speaking of palettes, that's a Barney Bubbles cover--listen to The Paranoid Style song about him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWutGaLHqzc.
There are better Elvis C albums - this is clever and musically interesting but I could do without it.
I'm a fan of Elvis Costello, though I guess I tend to enjoy his sharp pop to what I might call his Great English Songbook style. He's an inventive songwriter, but that doesn't always translate to me loving the work. So it is here. Started out with promise, then got stuck in neutral. Enjoyed it, but never captivated.
It's a fine record, if not as great as his first four, but there is simply too much EC on this list. This seems like an easy one to remove. Side note: A Man Out of Time is my favorite EC song.
He has this ethereal sense of familiarity
just ok
Nice
My least favorite of the three albums I've had from him so far, but still pretty good. 3.5 rounded down
Elvis Costello is fine, but there is entirely too much Elvis Costello on this list
I'm pretty hit or miss on Costello. I think I enjoy more of his hits than what was presented on this album. I'll need to come back and relisten some time soon to really have a formed opinion of this one. It wasn't what I expected.
In response to a commentator who said: "Is it me or is it the case that anything ever farted by Elvis Costello has made it into this list?" anything ever farted by Elvis Costello DEERVES to be on this list?
Have listened to this before and it didn't leave much of an impression this time either, all very well put together but does nothing for me 🤷♂️
Ei parasta Costelloa mielestäni, mutta aika hyvä levy kuitenkin. Ehkä useammalla kuuntelulla pisteet voisivat nousta.
Beyond Belief - 3.5/5 Tears Before Bedtime - 4/5 Shabby Doll - 3/5 The Long Honeymoon - 3/5 Man Out of Time - 4/5 Almost Blue - 3.5/5 …And in Every Home - 3.5/5 The Loved Ones - 3.5/5 Human Hands - 3/5 Kid About It - 3/5 Little Savage - 3/5 Boy With a Problem - 3/5 Pidgin English - 3/5 You Little Fool - 3.5/5 Town Cryer - 3/5 This album is supposed to be Elvis Costello "growing out" of his spunky punk days and become more of a mature artist. What we get instead is some fairly bland art rock that doesn't really have any character to it. It's like you took punk and put suits on it and told it to not do anything out of line. And somehow it complied. It's not bad, it's just lacking any sort of character. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: Tears Before Bedtime, Man Out of Time
I never seek out Elvis Costello, but I'm never disappointed when he turns up
5/10
160 albums in and my fourth Elvis Costello album. He was an artist i meant to explore for years, and this has confirmed that its not really for me.
Don't know a ton about Elvis Costello, but he has some delightfully weird tracks that don't neatly fit into a genre. Pretty pleasant album overall.
Very fun listen. Was surprised by the range, some of the music had a really decent base presence.
The first of many Elvis Costello albums to come. Fine, nothing much to write (home) about. 3 stars
I really like Elvis Costello's voice throughout, but he definitely has better albums than this. I was never truly wowed by a song, but I also didn't hate any of them. 6/10
By 1982 the decade was starting to take shape musically and Costello was unlikely to be in the mainstream with efforts as arty, experimental and varied as this critically acclaimed effort. Produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, it has a range of instruments not heard in the Attractions before and 'Beyond belief' and 'Man out of time' were unlikely to trouble the singles charts. It needs multiple listenings to fully appreciate but it is a true work of art and seems to be channeling Sgt Pepper rather than the new wave.
Easily the worst Elvis Costello outing on this list.
Not bad. A couple of songs caught my attention, the rest is just nice enough to listen.
I was just listening to it the other day. Cool artwork, but the song material doesn't speak to me.
Wasn’t bad. But there’s better in Elvis’ discography. 2.75
Every time he had a riff or groove that I thought was good or was going somewhere he would only do it for like 30 seconds and then move on.
Really good album maybe a little repetitive at the end. Always great albums this dude pretty solid
This record feels exactly like wandering through a massive, dusty mansion where every square inch is decorated with way too many matching velvet pillows. It is certainly very expensive and fancy to look at, but you will quickly find yourself suffocating and desperately begging for a fresh breeze.
Once again, I find myself thinking that should really listen to more Elvis Costello. Love his voice. Love his songwriting. High 4. Check back in a few months. Might be a 5.
I listened to the whole thing! And I ever liked a few songs. But then he suddenly started channeling Steely Dan and I couldn't regain my mogo. Pretty standard disappointing album from EC.
It was fine but I'm not going back.
Man Out of Time is a pretty good song, but I didn't like the rest of this at all. I mostly like only his uptempo songs, not whatever this stuff is.
3/5 - The author of this list clearly celebrates the whole catalog of Elvis Costello. I liked the arrangements here, and Beyond Belief and Man Out of Time are pretty good. This isn't gonna change anyone's world, but it was alright.
Not for me. I hate accordions. Bro also got weird melodic flow. Kinda feels like those guys who play acoustic sets with a guitar and their ipad at the mexican restaurant in key west. actually thats exactly what it feels like.
why anybody would listen to that boring cliche trash is beyond me...
Not usually a fan of him, but this album was pleasant and catchy.
This isn’t good
Been a long time… So I am implementing a new rating system in addition to the 5 stars. The Boolean system. Did I need to hear this album before I died? Yes or No. Um, so it’s weird how this reminded me of Zappa’s Hot Rats. Not in sound, exactly, but in the feeling it gave me. Costello’s talent is evident. His piano playing is quite good. Man I wanted him to stop. It wasn’t as bad as Zappa, but… I mean I have to give him 3 stars for talent. But the Boolean rating for this album? No! I could have died never having heard this. It would have been just fine.
Meh, de la musique d'ambiance quoi
J'ai toujours apprécié cet album en fond quand je fais autre chose, et quelques chansons sont vraiment appréciables - mais c'est quand même un poil répétitif, et trop long d'une quinzaine de minutes... On notera la pochette qui est géniale, une de mes préférées
Weirder and more ambitious than his past albums. I don’t know if his voice or vibe suits this sound all that well. Some good stuff here for sure, but it’s all a little off and none of the songs wow me.
Yeah okay. Still surprised I don't hate this guy or his band. Wish he picked a different name, I DO hate Elvis. Anyway, decent album with some standouts in Man Out of Time and Almost Blue. Solid grooves for the most part otherwise, and thoughtful enough writing. More consistent than the last album I got on this list from this group.
It's not that there's too much Elvis Costello on this list, it's that whoever made the list must be obsessed with him. This isn't a "bad" album. It's just really quite dull.
Æ tror ikke æ har nokka i mot Elvis Costello, det her va hyggelig å høre på.
The Good: We get a massive bed to play in! The Bad: We find out that our empress isn’t who we’d hoped she'd be… The Ugly: Finding out that “& The Attractions” has nothing to do with looks… What an utter disappointment. Here are a couple of words which describe best this album: * Beige * Fluff * SHIT I could go on, but I’ve already wasted too much energy rating an album which has NOTHING admirable meriting it’s presence on a 1001 Album’s You Must Hear Before You Die… *1
This album just doesn’t do it for me. I’m a fan of Elvis Costello, but this lacks the edge of his better work.
Another Elvis Costello album. It’s all very listenable & Costello writes interesting songs. But i don’t see anything exceptional here. It sounds a lot like his other albums. A 3.
Interesting album. Didnt like as much as some of his other albums Standouts songs: Tears before bedtime Man out of time
It was alright I guess
*Imperial Bedroom* de Elvis Costello no logró conectar conmigo en absoluto. La primera canción me pareció interesante y prometedora, pero el resto del álbum se me hizo recargado, difícil de seguir y poco memorable. Intenté darle una oportunidad, pero nunca enganché ni emocional ni musicalmente. Más que disfrutable, se sintió distante. 1/5
Heard Before? No. For whatever reasons (too popular? too prolific? too consistent?) I've never boarded the Costello hype train. Notes: - careful, smart songwriting with lots of structural variation. arrangements shift slightly and in interesting ways from song to song. - decent production, although a bit muddy in spots. - performances work well, although in general the guitar is perfunctory while the keyboards are exciting. - vocals sound smarmy even when I think they aren't supposed to. Verdict: Easy to admire, hard to truly enjoy, if for reasons I find difficult to enumerate. Listen Again? Not likely. I'm not against Costello, I'd just rather hear R Stevie Moore - same sorts of ideas, but rawer, riskier, more hooky and just bigger thrills.
Plenty of Costello on here already, this is not one that should be.