Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I was afraid I was going to hate this but I didn’t. I don’t know if this is in any way accurate, since I don’t listen to much Billy Joel, but this reminded me of Billy Joel.
New wave. Ni fu ni fa.
Al final mejora un poco ... menos mal, porque menudo rollazo.
3.75
Not the worst album in the world. Not really much to right home about. I liked Man Out of Time and Almost Blue.
Not my favorite of his. In fact, once he turned 30, it was all down hill.
Charming, varied, tuneful, crisp, interesting. I've never liked Costello's voice more - he avoids the intentionally-obnoxious thing he sometimes does. With more listens it could easily be a 4-star.
I typically like his music but I never love his music. I’d say he’s a solid songwriter
4th album of Elvis Costello from the list. Found one song that's more than average. Not on this album though.
Good album! Enjoyed Beyond Belief, Tears Before Bedtime, Shabby Doll, Man Out of Time, and Human Hands. 3/5!
The first half of the album I really enjoyed. But I hated human hands and pidgin English. So I guess neutral?
My last venture with Elvis Costello was Brutal Youth, which was... bad. So, in comparison, this is pretty nice, but it still suffers from the same issues I have with Costello in general. Too often does it sound like he has no clue where the song goes next, as if he is improvising his sung notes, which could be jazzy in a certain way, but just comes off as amateurish, and an orchestral backing can only take you so far. Lyrically it often comes off as just strange, and while it is refreshing to have Costello gently sing to me rather than yell at me for a whole album, it oddly gets old quick. I could see a lot more of these songs clicking with me on a repeat listen, but for now I only continue to see potential, both in Costello himself, but also my possibly enjoyment of one of his albums. One of them has to click with me to a higher degree, right?
This album has a nostalgic early 80's charm. The music is subtle and layered, and sorta feels like a soft conversation. It’s reminiscent of early Nick Lowe.. Comforting, though it doesn’t push many boundaries.
It's clear where they got their influences & from and that's not necessarily a bad thing but Elvis' voice??? ehhhhh it gets a bit annoying on tracks like Shabby Doll. I did love some of the keys melodies but overall very mid for me.
Not my favorite Elvis Costello album but okay.
Can’t get excited about this.
This seemed more tolerable as background music than other offerings that have cropped up so far on this list…
This album didn't resonate well with me. I had been on sort of an Elvis Costello and the Attractions streak having received three albums prior to this one. They were all better than I expected. This one, however, was a bit of a disappointment. My guess is that if you are a fan of EC&TA you will enjoy this album. If you're still trying to determine your level of fandom or appreciation, this one will take more time for you. I can only give it three stars.
I try so hard to love Costello, but I never quite make it. I know its good, but to my ears the sound becomes annoying.
Fun
New wave. Ni fu ni fa.
I wonder if there’s a trend in people’s ratings of Elvis Costello albums depending on what order they were generated. I’ve gone on the journey from ‘oh cool, Elvis Costello, the guy from Austin Powers. He’s pretty good’ to ‘Elvis Costello again? Ok. He’s good but why’s he here so many times?’ And finally I’m approaching ‘Really? Again?’ And my ratings will probably reflect that. I like the album. It has some great moments, I just don’t get why we need quite so much of his really-fairly-similar body of work. We get it. He’s good. He’s not THAT good though, is he?
I'm not familiar with much of Elvis Costello's work. This wasn't bad. I enjoyed it for what it was worth, and I liked it more than some of his more well known singles, but I don't see myself going back to it anytime soon.
This ok. Boring, but ok.
Good album of which I was previously familiar. He's not the kind of guy I seek out but I usually don't skip him when he comes up in a random playlist.
I have to say I wasn’t very inspired by this one.
Elvis Costello é um nome que me era familiar, contudo não sabia, e após ouvir este álbum não posso dizer que sei alguma coisa sobre ele. Este álbum é bastante, digamos, interessante, costuma flertar com alguns géneros musicais, mas sempre acompanhado por um instrumental robusto. A voz de Elvis é algo agradável, contudo, toda a peculiaridade inerente ao álbum quando estendida numa duração de 50 minutos começa a cansar. No geral é um álbum bem conseguido, contudo não consigo destaca-lo nem recomendar. Sei que o Elvis Costello tem mais álbuns nesta lista para ouvir, após esta experiência fico um tanto curioso pelos próximos álbuns. Destaco a cantiga Man out of Time. Nota: 6/10 Data: 13/06/2024
Sometimes a little funny, sometimes a bit nerdy. Very idiosyncratic either way, and some very cool arrangements at times. Respect, solid 3.5 that was.
Al final mejora un poco ... menos mal, porque menudo rollazo.
Not bad, but pretty unremarkable. There’s likely a huge overlap with Elvis Costello fans and Bruce Springsteen fans.
Another unremarkable entry from Elvis Costello.
I like Costello a lot, but this isn't my favorite album of his. Would much rather listen to Armed Forces or Last Year's Model. That said, it's still pretty good.
This is quite a good effort by the unloved Elvis. No standout songs, but still quality all round.
I like Elvis Costello but Jesus enough with the Elvis Costello albums already.
Okay
Similarly, to other prolific artists, Elvis Costello recorded several classic essential albums, lots of middle-range, non-essential albums and even some forgettable records, that were a miss-step in his otherwise consistent career. I would place Imperial Ballroom in the middle category. A few good songs on it, though nothing that stands out spectacularly, but overall solid and a decent record. Definitely not a "must-hear", but worth the listen.
I like earlier EC way more than later stuff. This was pretty.
Ziemlich gut aber etwas lang
Not a real Elvis Costello fan, but this was alright
Best Elvis Costello album in my opinion, but my opinion of his others that I have heard is pretty bad. I just don't really like his voice and delivery, but on this album it doesn't bother me as much. Other than the vocals, the music is great, which saves the album for me.
5 / 10 Muy buena instrumentación por momentos estilo Sgt. Peppers. Pero la voz de Costello lo hace aburrido y deprimente.
Elvis Costella is another artist that I've been meaning to check out for a while after hearing that he brings out the more artsy elements of New Wave. In a lot of ways, it sounds sort of like an Eno production, with these very colorful flourishes of organ, piano, and bass with a lot of baroque influence, especially on a song like "You Little Fool". The instrumentation paints something sort of abstract, similar to the vocals, it all feels very sporadic and linear in its progression. I love the string and horn combination on the closer track "Town Cryer". Lyrically speaking, Elvis delves into themes of love throughout this album in interesting ways, especially on a song like "Pidgin English". I found the song "Human Hands" to be an almost comedic spin on this album's themes. I can give Elvis a lot of credit on the songwriting front, but his dynamic vocal style doesn't work for me, especially in the middle part of this album. I'm not sure why though, he's not a bad singer, just very derivative to an almost parodical degree. I'm not a fan of the general direction a lot of the vocal melodies go in here either. There are some exceptions like "Human Hands", "Little Fool", "Man Out of Time" and "Shabby Doll", some of my favorite songs here and great new wave songs in general. In the end, while I found this to be a very pleasant listen, I felt like it was held back but relatively uninteresting song structures. All the pieces needed to make this a great album are there, it's just that they don't come together in a way that works for me specifically. For new-wave though, I admire its ambitious nature and cross-genre sensibilities.
Not this guy again...
Being a major My Aim is True, Armed Forces, This Year's Model era fan of Elvis Costello when I picked up Imperial Bedroom for the first time I was disappointed in its overall mellowness. I felt it lacked the same obvious energy. I wasn't yet a fan of the more subtle, pop genius elements of Elvis Costello's songwriting, but as I matured I gained a new appreciation for his craft and the quality of this record. I certainly score it higher now than the punk me would then. And yet, I think there's still an undeniable comparative intuition at play in situating this record overall.
Not my favorite Costello
Liked this one more than armed forces. Rating: 3.3
I have to say that I did not expect to like this album. I have not listened to it before and if I would have heard any of the songs off of it in the past, I didn't remember them. I have never been a fan of Elvis and didn't really like "Armed Forces", which is the only other album I have ever listened to. I was pleasantly surprised with this record, and think it definitely deserves another listen.
4/4/24. Good listen.
Amazing singing, and the songwriting was pretty experimental for the time
Can’t seem to ever get into Elvis Costello. Not a bad album though, just not my cup of tea.
Very theatrical, very different, very emotional, very consistent.
So, unlike some other reviewers who evidently have Elvis Costello fatigue, this was the first of his to pop up for our group, and it came after 4 metal albums in a row. Consequently perhaps I really enjoyed the change. I'm not a huge fan of his, but this reminded me how creative he is and it was gorgeous to hear some piano after all that guitar. (I like guitar! But Slayer has traumatised me for a bit.) By the last two tracks I'd kind of had enough, but I thought some songs were definitely interesting enough to revisit in future.
Glad to finally hear this album. Clever lyrics, lovely voice and a couple of the earlier tracks I’ll definitely listen to again. By the end, however, it had started to lose its allure a bit so 3 rather than 4 star, but I know there’s more EC on the way and I look forward to those.
I remember this coming out so I was a bit surprised that I didn't know any of the tracks. It was OK. A welcome relief from the heavy, hair, thrash and other kinds of metal we've been exploring in recent days.
Bringing the feels with the rock
Little sandwich? At first I was like, sigh, my bajillionth Elvis Costello album but actually was listenable pop
Not my favorite of his
Good, but never really locked into anything special at any point.
It's alright. If you've heard any other Costello album, and if you've been doing this list you almost certainly have, then you've basically heard this album. If you cut all the Costello and Dylan from this list it would be half as long.
Elvis Costello on helposti top3 kamaa uusien artistien puolesta joita tämä haaste on tuonut itselle. Tykkään ukon soundista ja tämä levy saattaisi olla parempikin ilman juutuupin mainoksia jokaisen biisin välissä.
Lossless it was fine
Variety whatever
Some cool songs, I like the weirder more theatrical stuff that doesn't seem to be as popular from him. Overall a fun listen.
Not as catchy as his early stuff, but really good
I appreciated all the different sounds that were brought to this album. It was a fun departure from the usual Costello sound, and I thought I might really like it. But I didn't. Despite the cool sounds and harpsichords I really just didn't engage with the songs much. But points for doing something different from the others.
Within in the first couple minutes of our meeting last night, I was quite intrigued and I thought that despite all that I had heard before that maybe I could let all that go and fall in love. Then a few more tracks in and I lost interest. By the end, EC & The As had really over stayed their welcome.
One thing about listening to FIVE albums from Elvis Costello albums on this project (with and without the Attractions) is I have got to thoroughly consider why it is I don’t really get into Elvis Costello’s music. This album started off with the surprise that I instantly thought Beyond Belief, the opening track, might be a great song - but by the end left me feeling is was a good song. Elvis Costello’s song construction is sort of wandering with subtle wordplay. I might have thought this might appeal to me but instead leaves me anywhere from somewhat unsatisfied to annoyed. The songs I like tend to have great setups, but I never really feel they deliver entirely on the promise. This was sort of in between 3 and 4 to me, but in the end it didn’t quite get there.
Costello, like Dylan, must be famous more his writing and musicality than for his voice - super nasal and thin. I can definitely hear the Beatles’ producer’s influence. This album was really hit-or-miss for me; it was work to get through the first 3 tracks, but then it started picking up. Really enjoyed The Long Honeymoon and Almost Blue.
This album has no pace. This Year’s Model comes in and grabs you but by comparison this album is meandering and bloated. Imperial in the worst ways.
Not awful but not his best. That early stuff is amazing
Some nice punky moments, great musicianship, and has aged well. I liked Shabby Doll. It's just his vocals that makes it a 3* rather than a 4* for me.
I always thought that I would like almost every Elvis Costello record. But this one was not aggressive enough for me. Not bad but also not that interesting.
Al final mejora un poco ... menos mal, porque menudo rollazo.3
Not bad stuff, but a little repetitive and boring to be quite honest. This wouldn't be something I'd throw on. 5/10
I want to like this album and I do if it's limited to passive listening. The song structures are just not approachable for me. I enjoy the tone of his voice but the lyrics, at least as much as I can understand, are forgettable.
I enjoyed it, but not something I’d listen to often.
Good album, loved the incorporation of orchestra instruments, reminded me of pop music from the 1950s. Sometimes Costello's voice felt too "lazy" and didn't fit the vibe of the song but otherwise it was an enjoyable album. Standout tracks: Man Out of Time, ...And In Every Home.
an elvis costello album i enjoyed! he is a frequent artist in this project, and often i find myself questioning why. imperial bedroom, at least, has a unique sound from what i know about costello's music. most of that uniqueness comes from the instruments used, i think. for instance, the horns in "...and in every home" really made this album enjoyable.
Costello is very talented at telling a story, setting a scene. He has stronger albums but this one does well
Fuck, not another Elvis Costello record.... This album is so boring... It's like salted cardboard.... Bland as fuck! It sounds like Costello collaborated with Randy Newman on this record or something... I love the quote (to paraphrase): "this album's singles barely charted" .... So why the fuck is it on this list. If it sold poorly, it's probably for a reason... There is too much of this horse shit on this generator. Favourite songs: Pidgin English, Human Hands, Man Out of Time, ... And In Every Home, Kid About It Least favourite songs: Shabby Doll, Town Cryer, The Long Honeymoon 3/5
not big on this guy
I liked it well enough, but nothing stood out.
Pareceu como um punk pasteurizado, mas funcionou bem, melhor do que o anterior, não chegou a ser chato.
Chill, feels like music that would be on at Xmas
The opening song, "Beyond Belief" is great lyrics combined with music that builds and stretches the tension fabulously and I love the song. However, I have never become a strong fan of Elvis Costello. He is an excellent writer and musician but something about his general style does not attract me. Too much crooning? Perhaps. A lack of a convincing scream for Man out of Time? Yes, that too. And yet he does bring together a punk sensibility, some excellent ironic and stinging lyrics and isn't stuck in a simple musical genre where everything he creates sounds like everything else. Maybe it is the overly strong syncopation of the lyrics and music? I definitely check out his work as he creates some songs that are phenomenal. But I have yet to love an album as whole. And this one is no exception. Is this an excellent album. Yes. But I don't seem to be among those who it really reaches.
Good album
Beyond Belief - 7.5/10 Tears Before Bedtime - 8/10 Shabby Doll - 8/10 The Long Honeymoon - 7/10 Man Out of Time - 7.5/10 Almost blue - 8/10 And in Every Home - 8/10 The Loved Ones - 7.5/10 Human Hands - 8/10 Kid About It - 7.5/10 Little Savage - 7/10 Boy With a Problem - 7/10 Pidgin English - 8/10 You Little Fool - 8/10 Town Cryer - 8/10 TOTAL - 115/150
Fine. Boring. Elvis Costello has great songs, but unfortunately none of them are on this album.
Oddly bland, merely competent songs from a usually way more interesting songwriter. The songs are fine, just not much interesting happening.
I’ve always liked Elvis Costello, but am far from a completist regarding his discography. I think it’s because some of his music bores me. I had never heard this album before. I liked it, and there’s some strong songs here, but a lot of the album sums up my feelings about most of Elvis’ work: I like it, but a little boring. There are exceptions regarding my engagement with his work, and I’m going to assume they’ll pop up on this list at some point.
Tyypillinen elvis costello -juuston levy. Vai onko se juusto castelloa?
siii 7/10
im gonna need to listen to this 2 or 3 more times i think. there were moments that rubbed me wrong and moments i really loved. My snap judgement would be a 3.5. I could see it growing with repeats though. I'd love to hear a Nick Lowe produced version.
3.5, I like it but not as driven to relisten
Baroque pop good lurrcs not my favorite of his tho
It’s Elvis Costello. Nothing groundbreaking and not sure why there’s more than 1 of his albums
best EC album i've heard yet, but i'm still not sold
Sure, I like Elvis Costello.
I am a huge Elvis Costello fan but this album just doesn’t hit like his earlier work. It has some good songs but this album doesn’t reach the heights of his 1970’s albums. Still, mid-grade Elvis Costello is better than top shelf most other artists.
Like the other 500 Elvis Costello albums on this list, it's plenty enjoyable. Just not something you "must hear" at all to me. It's fairly standard, if well-made, pop rock.
Fine
Sorry mr Costello I was busy at work this was kind of just background noise. To be relistened.
this was a very neato album urrm. nothing too special about it, but i enjoyed listening
Although I didn't love this album, I did have a fun time exploring some of Costello's hits afterwards. Some songs just struck a lovely chord - added a few to my rotation. Top song was "The Long Honeymoon"
I respect the heck out of Elvis Costello. I understand this is good, well-written music. I just haven’t found an album of his past This Year’s Model that I have connected with.
Such a pretentious album. I felt like an idiot for not appreciating it more.
A little bit of a front loaded album. Some good songs at the beginning, some pretty rock and roll, but overall kinda just okay
Vond zijn stem op sommige nummers prettiger dan andere.
Ok album. Nothing outstanding to me though.
Album for a rainy day.
Decent.
Reasonable
Costello is becoming an artist I'm conflicted about, as his debut album was brilliant, but each album of his I've heard since has struggled to reach the high of My Aim Is True. Shame.
3.5
2.5 - I mean, it's better than some of his other albums, but still nothing special to me at the moment. Maybe I could see myself liking this more upon relisten, but I say that very hesitantly.
Hyvää musaa, vaikken vieläkään kokenut suurta Costello-valaistumista.
Avausraita (joka ikävästi puuttuu yllättävän monesta paikasta) kiinnostava, muuten aika basic rock-levy. 3/5
I usually don't understand Elvis Costello, but there a few songs of his I adore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIzTXbixEaQ) I would need to listen to this one more to get a vibe and I aint got time. 3 stars.
much more enjoyable than the previous 85 Elvis Costello albums the generator served up
solid, didn't blow me away.
Beautiful voice. The sound and quality seem to be ahead of its time. Every song could go on a different playlist. Definitely worth further digging into their library. High 3
Liked this much much more than previous Costello albums, just seems like deep layered music. still don't like his vocals much. 3.3
Niet overdreven speciaal
Not bad, not amazing, but was a decent listen
It's OK, honestly nothing super special.
Always impressed by Elvis Costello. I don't know why I've not delved deeper in the past.
This is like almost great sometimes
AJ: This was pretty cool. Lots of really cool songs, a couple slow bois but overall pretty cool. I like his voice but found myself getting tired of it at points. But it really hits in a few songs. The band is tight as hell. Hipster rock. 3 Cat: this was cool and cute! Loved how his piano stuff was the focus on parts.
Musicianship is on point, but doesn't really do it for me.
Good, but not my fav of his.
Elvis Costello
a connu pire elvis costello
It was pretty good, just too long in my opinion.
3/5 Best: Man Out of Time Worst: Boy with a Problem
3.5 Solid by the other Elvis.
I love Elvis' voice! He writes unconventional songs, and this album grew on me for the 2nd listen. No big radio hits from this album, but some good songs are: Beyond Belief The Long Honeymoon Man Out of Time The Loved Ones Human Hands Kid About It
Don’t think this is my favourite. But, I am a fan. Another artist where we seem to be overwhelmed by greatest hits and miss a lot of good music.
Ok, but I hadn't heard any songs of this before.
Some really well crafted songs. I find it a bit tedious though, the way everything is crafted so specifically.
Still not a fan, but I think I appreciated the vocal cadence on this album a bit more. It is what it is.
Fine but nothing special
It’s a fine album.
The usual Elvis Costello mix of eclectic pop (lots of orchestral influence)
Not a huge fan of his voice, but the songs were pretty good.
Had no idea what to expect, as I don't think I've ever listened to Elvis Costello. It was average.
some not great songs but also some genuine bangers
The production might be great, but I prefer the energy of their earlier albums.
'Man Out of Time' és un dels millors temes de la seva discografia. I una de les millors mostres d'un exemple perfecte de la maduresa artística de Costello: lletres intel.ligents, arranjaments precisos i melodies addictives. I 'Imperial Bedroom' un dels millors treballs on tot això es dóna duna manera més acurada
Costello takes an artsy turn to his New Wave music, using all sorts of strange instruments and synths and studio effects to produce an immersive experience. The combination of his power pop vocals and chords with the vaudeville instrumentation and wall of sound remind me a lot of Sgt Pepper. This is his most versatile album, hearing an intriguing unique style in every track. I thought the first 5 songs were fantastic and thrilling, but I got really bored by the rest of the album, only really liking "The Loved Ones" and "Town Cryer". Reminds me a bit of the Zombies with the piano and baroque vocals, but frankly I found most of the second half quite boring. At least they're almost all less than 3 minutes, but it got exhausting with its 50 minute length. These weak tracks really weigh it down.
Some of the better songs are good, but most of the songs feel meandering and boring.
This is the first artist we have gotten more than one album for and it had to be Elvis fucking Costello. It's inoffensive, but nothing really jumps out at me. There are a few somewhat catchey sections of songs, but i'm not vibing with any of it super hard. Another 3/5 for the books. Almost blue is the best track on the album solely because it is a ballad
not really my thing but i kind of get it. interesting sounds and good voice.
This is the third Elvis Costello album that I have gotten, and I would consider myself a new fan of his. If I could, I would give this album a 3.5/5. Very easy to listen to and enjoy.
он ничего, я пока его особенно не поняла, но интересный
I don’t love it, but I guess I never really did love Elvis Costello.
Almost Blue is a great song. Sadly most of the rest of the album wasn’t quite as good, I wonder if Elvis Costello has other recordings that lean more into the blues genre; I’ll check and give those a listen. Side note - I used to live next to the Chandlers where EC bought most of his guitars from
It's not quite as bad as most Elvis Costello joints but it's still pretty plastic. I think The Attractions are doing a lot of work here, pulling back Costello's cheesiness and laying down some legit music. All in all, I give it a middling score. I've listened to later albums and this is not as bad as I know it could be.
Cool
Ah. Yes Beyond Belief, Man out of Time and Almost Blue are fine tunes. But elsewhere everything is swamped in complex arrangements and overproduction. I am not one who subscribes to this album as masterpiece. Overthought and overwrought.
God aweful, waste of a great album cover
Generous 3 stars for me. Lots to like here but wasn't a lot to love. Found I enjoyed the songs while they happened but nothing really stood out to me and I quickly forgot the song that came before it completely. Enjoyable listen and maybe needs a revisit but didn't really grab me the way I thought it might
Elvis Costello was way more of a singer-songwriterthan I remember. Not bad.
Nice one
Surprised how bored I got listening to this
Never been an Elvis Costello fan and this album didn't change my mind; kinda can't stand his stuffy nose sounding singing. It's alright, nothing special. 6/10.
Always a great record but better records from Elvis' early career. The hits are undeniable, of course.
Probably the Elvis Costello album I've liked the most of the 3 I've seen so far. Would be a 3.5 if I could do it. Standouts: Beyond Belief, Man Out Of Time, ...And In Every Home, Boy With A Problem, You Little Fool
It's consummate and impressively crafted. But it's not for me
I've tried and tried and tried to "get" Elvis Costello's albums but, besides My Aim is True (and a couple of songs on Armed Forces), it just doesn't stick. The songs mostly live in that almoooost-melodic-but-not-quite-there zone, and are rinsed in a kind of campy corniness that just doesn't take me anywhere.
I had a couple of his albums and saw him in concert when I was in my teens, but, honestly, other than a handful of songs, I don't remember much of his work. I don't think I'd heard this album or any of its tracks before. There are some interesting numbers on it. I like that he's tried different styles and sounds over his career. He is an adventurous and talented composer and writer, and even though I don't always love his music and his voice -- just a matter of personal preference -- I definitely appreciate it.
3.5 - My review for this will echo much of what I said about "Armed Forces." Costello creates these intricate songs constructed like clever mechanical toys, but mostly they make me feel nothing and it's a chore to get through the full album. However, I do like the hushed vocals on "Beyond Belief." And there's some nice Spector-esque glitter on "You Little Fool." I also love the jagged violin fills on "Town Cryer."
Groovy
This album was, in my opinion, the perfect form of idea into execution. I don’t really think Me. Costello would change a thing about the album, so as far as production goes, it’s perfect in that sense. That doesn’t mean that I would change anything, though. There were too many cheesy love lyrics and Elvis’ singing was very corny at times. A perfect cheesy love album, but that’s not what I’m into. 3/5
It's an all right listen, but not my favorite Costello album. It definitely has some interesting sounds and ideas, but overall didn't really ever "wow" me
The early 80's were a productive time for Costello. He broke free of the angry young man image and developed as a great songwriter. Up until around late '83 he was untouchable. Then Mozza came along and added some oddity to the package. Imperial Bedroom sounds like a man transforming in front of you. This couldn't be more true than on Man Out of Time. It all means that the album doesn't quite hold it together. But it does move Costello up to another level.
Standouts include Beyond Belief and Man Out of Time
Not Costello enough
Decent. Liked 2 or 3 songs but that's about it. Costello's voice sounded like lead singer of RHCP to me somewhat.
Hienosti sävellettyä softrockia
When I was young, I thought Elvis Costello (of this & susbequent albums) was "grown up music". Now I'm grown up, and I agree with my younger self. Lots going on, lots of talent and originality and variety. But still, somehow, lacking the "hook me in" factor. Maybe I need to give it another go around (or maybe then, his sometimes over-wrought singing would start to bug me, like it bugs Natalie).
This might provoke some outrage or disbelief from the hard-core EC fans (hi Peter, hi Glenn), but this is not a really standout Elvis album for me. Thinking about it, I tend to prefer his quick-and-dirty albums, a bit more rock and roll, a bit less polished. I can see what he was heading for, but I find that Elvis is less effective when he tries to get fancy. So, some good songs (the singles, plus Shabby Doll and Beyond Belief are stand-outs for me), but not a great Elvis album for me. (Mind you, that's still on the "would listen again" list)
ok pleasant listen but not memorable
Ok
This is the fourth Elvis Costello album I've had to listen to on this list and, as I said in the other 3 reviews, the albums are all the same: 1-2 great songs, 4-5 mediocre songs, and the rest terrible songs. This album is no different. Unfortunately it appears there's at least one more album on the list so I'll have to write this same review one more time.
OK, but well past his best period by this point.
beyond belief actually really hooked me by the end, I started it off thinking it probably wasn't gunna be for me but I ended up actually quite enjoying it though there were some songs that made me just wish they were over like shabby doll overall not a bad listen, probably not something I would come back to though
Music - 3 stars Cover art - 4 stars
Weirdly can't get on the streaming service. Voted 3 bit still to listen.
Imperial Bedroom is the 7th album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. There was a variety of instrument experimentation on this album that employed a variety of genres like new wave pop, baroque pop, and art rock. This album was critically acclaimed for its songwriting, production, & lyrics, and has been considered a masterpiece and one of Costello's best works. Costello may have hit his peak with this album. This was a fun and interesting album to listen to. I don't think I've heard pop like this before, and I enjoyed it. Every song stands on its own as something fresh and unique, but all together they make quite the collection of eclectic tracks. This album may not be for everyone, but everyone should still give it a shot.
Pas vraiment de chansons marquantes, mais c'est toujours sympathique du Elvis Costello.
The first couple of songs were really interesting and there was some other good stuff mixed in, but there were also some really tedious piano ballads that I could have really done without
Not a Costello fan at all, but this album isn’t half bad.
L’album commence très bien, mais plus on avance, moins c’est intéressant et plus c’est quétaine. J’ai l’impression d’écouter la voix française de Rick Moranis chanter.
My mom is a big Elvis Costello fan and she was excited when I got this album today. Unfortunately I will have to be disappointing her, while I do think this is a good album it is really just not my thing. Costello is a wonderfully talented musician and I respect his impact on music and I know he is a particularly creative lyricist. It just doesn't really hit the spot for me.
I enjoyed "almost blue" - his voice is a bit less affected here and has room to breathe. It's almost the oppposite of something like "the loved ones" with the crazy sampled orchestration. The album overall has pretty drastic shifts in tone but flows well overall.
A few high notes but quite a bit of beige padding it out.
This album was good, but it loses points because Elvis does not have an enjoyable singing voice. It is very grating at times. 3/5
Elvis Costello is fine. It does mostly sound like the same song on repeat, but I wojuldn't call it bad music.
I've always struggled with Elvis Costello. I think it's just that I don't like his voice. Makes me think there might be some truth in music critics liking Elvis Costello because music critics look like Elvis Costello. So when the first song sounded like Pulp, I though this was going to be the moment it all clicks. But then it wasn't. Some it does though, enough to have it on for a fair few listens though. Strangely it doesn't feel like a 51 minute album, which is normally a good sign.
I'd take THIS Elvis over that other one any day! Solid album. 3/5
Yeah
A good listen but so similar from song to song that it just coalesced into pleasant background music without anything particularly standing out
I can say with 100% certainty I had no idea what Elvis Costello sounded like or what his general vibe was. He reminded me of more 90s music, like Barenaked Ladies, rather than an early 80s group. This isn’t a bad thing.
This was almost very good. enjoyed a lot of it, but can't put my finger on what wasn't quite there for it. Maybe it was the singing? Somehow got a lot of Hamilton vibes from this.
Not as good as people say. Influenced by the Beatles
YO! I've never heard a whole album by Elvis, I've enjoyed his music forever and have many songs in multiple playlists. I added a couple songs to my liked songs playlist. A little Elvis goes a long way.
A 3, and only just.
Ahggh. I know there is quite a few EC albums on here. Like the guy, lyrically good. Don't love the voice, I find it a bit annoying. Good set of songs that are diverse is style. Its a tad bland but it is solid. Difficult. Gonna be a 3.
I love Elvis Costello but at worst this just feels by the numbers and at best it is a bunch of unfinished ideas for later works. Not that bad, just not that memorable
It's Elvis Costello, so generally OK for me. But not an album that I had listened to before and I didn't hear any hits
ok but not my fave EC
Pop elegante y tranquilo con buena voz
I like Elvis Costello and I don't know a single one of these songs.
vocals remind me of bowie. funky production, great bass. quite moody, noir music. "man out of time" is fantastic. "...and in every home" has some wonderful orchestral arrangement - smooth strings and powerful brass.
Not my favorite Elvis Costello
Haven't heard this album before. There were no songs on it that I knew either. Elvis Costello just isn't as popular in the USA as he is in the UK. Given that. I really loved this album. I need to hear more of it to justifyr a better rating. For now, I'll give it a solid 3/5. I am sure this will go higher in future listens.
Elvis is growing on me.
I like Elvis Costello, though I tire easily of him... yet I found this album to be an easy listen.
Another good Elvis Costello album. No big stand out hits but it's pretty consistently good
This was odd. As the tracks were playing through more and more sounded familiar so maybe the album is in the collection. Definitely possible as a lot of early Elvis was bought. A quick check and it cannot be found - seemingly has been removed from the building. There are plenty of his trademarks, the barbed lyrics, the sometimes snarly vocals. There does appear to be a shift away from the more poppy stuff. The quality is there but maybe not as accessible as earlier work.
Je crois que tout a déjà été dit à propos de ce que l'on appelle communément « L'imposture Costello ». L'argument le plus marquant de cette théorie est sans nul doute la voix dégueulasse de l'artiste à classer parmi les pires de l'industrie. À l'extrême opposée de cet organe défectueux, je dispose moi-même d'une voix chantée absolument sublime, encore saluée hier soir lors d'une soirée karaoké (que j'ai une nouvelle fois remportée haut la main). C'est bien simple, je ne pus pas terminer la moindre chanson sans entendre des « Was für eine geile Stimme... » prononcés dans un allemand parfait à mon endroit. Pour vous donner une idée, la seule personne que je connaisse ayant tenté de relativiser ce fait pourtant établi n'est autre que mon ennemi juré eltrapeze. Celui-ci a en effet un jour affirmé que ma voix était « belle mais pas non plus exceptionnelle ». Ces propos sont aberrants et ont naturellement contribué à nourrir la haine qui nous unit aujourd'hui. Pour en revenir aux soirées karaoké, vous savez que la situation est toujours extrêmement tendue entre Robert et moi, robrebellière. La raison, et vous la connaissez, est que je viole depuis plusieurs semaines le septième commandement de son décalogue en chantant à tue-tête des chansons encore non-générées. C'est la raison pour laquelle, hier, en tentant de sortir du bar organisant l'évènement en question, je fus pris d'effroi lorsque je vis la rue occupée sur toute sa longueur par des véhicules d'intervention appartenant à la milice de Robert. Fort heureusement, le patron du bar me fit évacuer par le fleuve qui longue la terrasse en me prêtant l'une de ses gondoles et je m'échappai ni vu ni connu jusqu'à mon domicile.
L'écoute de cet album a été gâchée par une réflexion m'ayant accompagnée tout au long des 50 minuts proposées par Elvis Costello & The Attractions: mais pourquoi diable les Attractions n'ont-ils pas sorti un album solo.
Beyond belief is my all time favorite Elvis Costello song, closely followed or maybe a co-first with Lipstick Vogue... listening to a couple albums coincidentally in close succession is making me realize though that I’m maybe really more of a “Greatest Hits” variety of fan. I don’t dislike any of it but a lot of it sort of blends together for me.
Genre: Pop Rock 3/5 I have to admit: this is my first LP-length sitdown with Elvis Costello. His work with Paul McCartney in the late 80s did not go unnoticed from me, as I'm a huge Macca-head, but even then I wasn't particular to the cards he was bringing to the table. It seems the man has a great sense of melody, and knows how to arrange his ideas into full-fledged songs, but his voice... I've never been a fan of it. It's nasal, it's piercing (WITHOUT being high-pitched), and it's always so loud in the mix. The gentlemen behind the boards do nothing to hide it. It makes songs like Man Out of Time, a really nice and interesting pop song overall, sound like a parody of what they're trying to be. I've never understood why nobody told him to sing differently. It reminds me of somebody pretending to sound like a bad 80s singer. This man certainly has his fans, and while this album was more enjoyable than I expected, with some decent 80s pop arrangements, but it was impossible to get passed his voice for me.
Not a bad album, it is well produced and his vocals are flawless in their use, but he lost some of the edge of his earlier albums.
Distinctly Elvis Costello. Some tracks particularly enjoyable.
Enjoyed it. Probably didn't get it the attention it deserved. Solid.
Ooooooooooooo
Creative rocking. Often wish it was a different singer. I'll stick with the radio plays
Interesting elements, especially the instrumentation. I could take or leave the lyrics and vocals.
I find his voice quite difficult but I did like a couple of the tracks
2nd Elvis album on the list. Different vibe this time, lost the upbeat indie pop vibe for something more like crooning. Nothing terrible here, but not a repeater
6/10
Rock suave
Good end-to-end listen
I find Elvis Costello a little annoying. This was ok.
Not my favorite Elvis Costello album, but still enjoyable. His guitar tuning and playing remains unmistakable to me.
Elvis C is Elvis C but does not need a million albums on this list. True Elvis C is a 3* fine album, but tempted to dock just for how many albums are on the list
Average voice, bits of interesting music, in all not annoying but not exciting either. One star off for the font used on the album cover -- How AWFUL! Absolutely a stain to the Piccaso work. Then another star off for the scream at the end of Man out of Time.
shabby doo human hands
6/10
Much more mature than the first Costello album I listened to, to the point of being borderline overproduced (did we need strings there?). Great ballads.
ok
Elvis, te tengo por vío. Brutal Youth es del corte. Es cierto como más de alguno dijo, tu voz puede molestar, y aquí molesta por momentos.
OK
I have a fading but still distinct memory of being a little kid and for some reason up LATE on a Saturday night in the 70s - the tv was on in the living room (shag carpet + fireplace - obviously) and the much-whispered-about in 1st grade [but only ever actually seen by "Dennis" who was clearly at that time the class rebel (i.e. degenerate-in-training)] Saturday Night Live was on. I recall a very aggressive and odd looking guy singing emphatically and getting RIGHTUPTHISCLOSE to the camera. Of course this was Elvis Costello and his (in)famous appearance before being banned from SNL for years. This was not the Elton John or Queen I was used to listening to. And certainly not the Muppet Show. Fast forward a few decades when I re-arrived very very late to the Costello game - only within the last 15 or so years? And this was one I'd never heard before; I don't even know if I'd heard any of these in passing back in the early 80s - if any were in the MTV mix between Def Leppard and Rainbow I clearly don't remember. I wouldn't have been ripe for it. Right off the bat "Beyond Belief" brings a great haunting melody and I love the bass riffs into and through the fade out. Another quick standout is "Shabby Doll" which combines EC's crooner feel over a funky beat. My two personal faves. There's a fullness to the sound on this entire album - much bigger than his earlier raw material but defining it on its own merit it does sound fantastic. It's funny though, after liking it a lot over the first few songs I'm not sure my interest stayed at the same level. Historically I love big sounding huge mixes on albums. But I don't know if I love it for Elvis Costello? "...And In Every Home" is unquestionably well-crafted - with horns and strings, it sounds like something 3 levels above something off of Sgt. Pepper - but do I actually like it? It's ... fine. This song could have been better served by another band (early Kinks?) perhaps. I will say that the album closes really well - "Pidgin English" and "You Little Fool" especially really brought it back for me - some "familiar unexpected" EC musical choices within each of these songs. I feel like my rating is possibly premature - even though it didn't hit me overall, this is an ambitious album and absolutely showcases what a talent Costello is. I feel like this is one that might grow on a listener over time. Overall the album sounds really great, but I initially find that I really prefer the early rawness of EC's first few albums. For now it's in the "intriguing enough to give a few more spins" bin with other 3 star ratings... 7/10 3 stars.
3/5
I am digging the sonic landscape of Elvis Costello. Really dig The Long Honeymoon. Lots of the album just feels like it lacks punch.
Pretty cool... but I can't imagine going back too often.
Not his best, had a overly produced 80's quality to a lot of it. Still enjoyable though.
While I am not the biggest fan of Elvis Costello, he does have a certain charm.
was ok
I’m familiar with Elvis Costello, only recognized one song on the track. I appreciated the variety of instruments and genres throughout the album, but his voice is not my favorite.
Dug it. Don't know Elvis Costello too well.
Probably wouldn't listen to again.
Was not a fan of the overall sound.
meh first song was gas tho
A new album for me. Classic Elvis Costello. Its ok but no songs that really stick out for me.
Jonathan Coulton vibes
8th July 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working on the day after the Wembley sesh. I liked it but I have to admit that it passed me by a bit.
Some of the same issues with the last Costello album. He doesn’t vary his voice a lot. I did like the timechange in Man About Time. Can’t go wrong with the horns in ...And In Every Home either
Great to see some Wirral representation. Costello is a legend and a fantastic songwriter. I don’t think this album is anything groundbreaking or crazy but it’s very well crafted and excellently recorded with every song seamlessly blending into the nex. Thoroughly enjoyed it but it needs more bangers.
Pleasantly surprised. Like Pulp but with some actual depth. Would listen again.
Not bad not my favorite
It worries me he keeps specify 'human' hands. Something you want to tell us Mr. Costello? I wasn't blown away by this album, but while listening to it I caught myself bobbing my head several times, so clearly I enjoyed it. Because there were no songs that stood out exceptionally to me, I'll give this a 3, but I'd rather give it a 3.5.
Niet heel veel van kunnen draaien, klinkt wel interessant.
solid album. Not my favorite by Elvis, but worth a relisten.
Decent
Elvis Costello is some of the most inoffensive rock ever written. Your grandma won’t hate it!
Still not a fan of Elvis Costello
It was fine good keys but generally nothing offended or cought my ear
It started kind of slow for me, but it proved to be a grower of sorts. Guess it was because I was waiting for some sort of 80's new wave banger, but turns out it's more of a baroque pop thing. Enjoyable.
eh
I’m having trouble seeing the gushing love for everything Elvis Costello. Good, yes. Mind blowing? Eh?
This was fine but thats about it. I've never been a big fan of Mr Costello except for the hits.
3.3
It’s ok. Not exciting
Quite nice, great vocal melodies
80’er rock, god sangskrivning, god produktion
I went back and forth between thinking of this as average or average-ish and reasonably essential (2 and 3 in my rating scale, respectively) for basically the whole record; It was the "town cryer" pun that finally did it for me. This isn't a standout pop album for me. For what it's worth, I think bringing out the instrumental variety more would do a lot for it: My ear is drawn first to Costello's voice, my least favorite piece of the texture. However, there's quite a bit to be mined here, and no songs are throwaways, never mind skips.
Another good costello album
I think you really have to into Elvis Costello at this point to appreciate this album.
Didn’t do it for me.
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
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.
Sadly not compelling.
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
Meh
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.
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.
Not a bad album, but there really is nothing special or anything to remember. An okay album for background music.
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
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.
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.