Imperial Bedroom

Costello is such an “eh”. This album is particularly “eh”. 2/5

I've had enough Elvis Costello with just 2 albums. Please make it stop.

The moment when Elvis Costello stopped being a punk icon and rebel and turned into a lounge singer. It's not that it's bad; It's that Costello's voice is not suited to this type of music and it wasn't exactly the music that 20-year-old me wanted to hear. It's more what my grandparents wanted to hear. If not for old critics and 2000s hipsters, this album would be forgotten.

mid album

Goede productie maar het boeide me niet zo

This album was exceptionally tedious. Elvis didn't hit a successful balance between the claimed "experimental musical pallets", and his vocals. He just barrels over everything without taking a pause, and with himself sitting way on top in the mix. The songs all listened the same, and while there were some good moments this was all around nit my thing. 2/5

There's a lot going on here, and I think this is probably one of those albums that requires a lot of work to really pick up what's being put down. Unfortunately for Mr. Costello, his overrepresentation on this list has created knee-jerk disgust, and not many listeners are going to bother putting in the required time (myself included). I did give it a couple of full playthroughs, though, and I'm willing to toss it the benefit of the doubt.

Для меня Элвис Костелло - одно из открытий этого списка, но в данном случае я согласен с большинством. Здесь он раздражает.

Not everything Elvis Costello needs to be here. 2* This is fine, boring, bland.

Elvis Costello is what Frank Zappa would be if he was a massive dweeb. There are admittedly some good moments throughout the album, but then it strays off into psychedelic carnival music with his awful moany voice over it. He's just another dork trying to make something different. Boring album.

His best album so far! And it's definitely not as bad as the others but it's still not great l.One good song at least. I can't believe I still have multiple more albums from him 😐👍

I thought I liked this guy, but actually, he kind of just whinges. And not in a nice way! The massive overproduction was not that great either! I didn't actively hate it, but I didn't enjoy it much either. There was very little of the punky grit hidden amongst the pretentious horns. You're not in the Beatles, pal! 2 stars.

A little boring, I prefer the bounce of the earlier work.

Not entirely unlistenable, but I won't listen again. This album is obscure for a reason and I don't think it belongs on this list. A couple of songs are enjoyable, but not memorable. Most are avant garde pretentious nonsense.

Probably the worst EC we have listened to on this list. Not a fan. 1.5/5

Bueno...no es que m'agradi molt,per tenir de fondo ta bé...un 6.

NO MORE ELVIS COSTELLO ALBUMS PLEASE GOD. 1.5 stars.

Some songs were groovy, some songs made me feel extreme excitement to be finished with this album.

Eh. There are some real questionable choices on this list.

Elvis Costello is one of the great singles artists of all time - so why do I often find his albums lacking? This seems to be the pount at which he goes from spiky punk-rocker to Bacharach infused orchestration, and personally, thats a downgrade for me. I can see how this may have turned heads in the 80s, but for me it was just a bitter man complaining about other people, but this time with strings. That makes it sound bad. It isn't "bad"...but bar a few interesting lyrical turns, there was nothing that grabbed me or made me want to come back. A high 2.

I enjoyed some of the other Elvis Costello material on this list, namely My Aim Is True, but this album does not do anything for me. I could not get through it. There is some weird orchestral instrumentation that does not really fit. The songs are not engaging for me. Would not listen again.

Dang, Elvis Costello was pumping out studio albums back in the day. This one is very ornate in its sound, experimenting with various pop styles with the artiness and baroque-ness of it all. That's all fine and dandy I guess, I've heard enough Elvis Costello via this list to sort of know what to expect. I just felt that things began to drag and become bland at a certain point about halfway through listening.

overproduced mewling, same as the rest of his records

Whimsical album that seemed to constantly straddle being interesting-arty-novel and downright annoying.

Fine, kinda boring

2.1 Okay this is like the third or fourth Elvis Costello album on here. Got to be the highest ratio of appearances for how shite and/or unpopular they are. Usually when someone appears far more times than they should on here - Springsteen, Clapton etc., they at least have a massive following. But I've never actually met anyone who likes Costello. The music is so so pointless. It's not that it's terrible, I think it's just wasting precious oxygen. It feels like a waste of humanities effort not only to listen to this, but to create and produce this in the first place. The guy would have made a bigger impact to society by being a litter picker.

Meh.

Not a fan. His voice is kind of whiny

Although I didn't hate it, nothing fascinating happened.

Ugh 2/5

Det er okay. Troede det var noget helt andet kan jeg godt mærke

I liked maybe four songs. Kinda boring. The instruments used and sound created was boring to me. Not a fan of 80s stuff in general tho. Can’t finish the album

Famous, but covers were better.

Langweilig…

I'm not a very good singer, so I tend to stick with shower tunes and occasionally karaoke. I certainly don't professionally record my voice and force others to listen to it. Not only is Elvis Costello not constrained in this way, he deliberately leans into his mediocrity. Props to him for having the unearned confidence to both create nonsensical melodic progressions and fail to execute them at nearly every opportunity, but it's not fun to listen to this. I hear he's an amazing songwriter, but I couldn't get past this wilfully incompetent delivery to appreciate any of that even after seven times through. 1 star for his performance and another for The Attractions, who are actually a very tight accompaniment section in every song.

Not my fav

GARBO

Nice voice but didn’t really care for much else

Maybe it is listening to this off the back of King Crimson and Mastodon, two records that were extremely my shit, but there was nothing here that really grabbed me. it was inoffensive but that's about as nice as I can be.

This is the 6th(!) Elvis Costello album. I've rated all the others either 2 or 3 stars and that tracks for this one. I admit this album has a couple of well-written tracks, but it's a shame they're sung so badly. Especially so for the soft ballads like Almost Blue. 2.5 rounded down.

2/5 Too much reverb added in post production, probably to give it a live sound. The singer misses a lot of notes which is unfortunate, cuz some songs like The Loved Ones have some vibe to it. Overall sounds a lot like an art album, and since art is very subjective, I can't really give it an objective rating. It's not for me, but I respect the effort.

Good

Überambitioniert und überladen: Costello verliert sich in komplexen Arrangements und prätentiösem Songwriting. Trotz einzelner Highlights bleibt das Album emotional distanziert und schwer zugänglich. Kein leichter Hörgenuss.

Another Elvis Costello on the list. I know, there are six in total — six unimaginable Elvis Costello albums on this list. Just to repeat: there’s no logical explanation… unless he’s fucking with the guy who made it. Eu escutei e acho até legaliznho, mas não é relevante musicalmente para seis albuns e isso só serviu para eu pegar aversão...

OK, that's enough Elvis Costello lads. Wait - he has 6 albums on here and The Hives have NONE. What the..................

Uninspired baroque nonsense

Not a fan of Elvis Costello

I find Elvis Costello to be perfectly middle of the road. I agree with many others that he is massively over represented on this list.

I'm pretty neutral on a lot of artists on this list, and most music that is lower rated, I would be forgiving on, and even my 1's were early on, and probably changed now. All this to say, that I firmly believe Elvis Costello for me is my "worst artist" on this list. I can't get with him, and most if not all of his albums I have not enjoyed, and not a single one has left a memorable mark on me.

i guess this is elvis costello being a crooner? didn't really work for me and it is way too long. dying for it to end on the second half of the album

I honestly dont care for Elvis Costello's music in general. This is the 3rd album I've gotten from him. 2/5 Nothing interesting really, pretty basic

this was bland and kind of a drag to get through

Yet another album from Costello and I still don't like his music. He's boring 2/5

A weird rock album that I wouldn’t fault you for liking, but it’s not for me.

Bored me a lot

Don't like his voice.

There are much better Elvis Costello albums than this one!

Can’t give it higher than a 2

I mean I guess it's not bad, it's just not my thing.

Don't know why Elvis Costello has so many albums on this list. Absolutely nothing interesting about this at all.

Maybe I need to listen to this a few mote times. I like Elvis Costello but this is kinda meh?

Hoped for more here, there are some tracks by EC that I've liked. This was a mediocre album with nothing much to give than background music. Samey and underwhelming.

I haven’t taken to Elvis Costello at all and didn’t enjoy this. I think I only have one more of his albums to go, thank god.

I didn't like this.

Lol, I got this back-to-back with Armed Forces. This is marginally better, but not enough to upgrade the score—like the previous album, I will most likely not revisit any of these songs. All in all I've gotten four Costello albums on this list so far, and I'm not even half way through yet (though one hopes that those are all). You'd think he was the Beatles or something.

Taisi olla hieman parempi. Tykkään jousista ja huumorista. Kivoja biisejä

5/10

This album sounds how the cover looks. Like someone attempting to mimic Picasso but gets nervous that audience won't get it if it's too abstract. Or maybe it's like the adult jokes in Disney movies and I'm just not smart enough to know there are things going over my head. I'm sure there's some real art here because I've read a few extremely nerdy reviews that say so, but I can't find it. I feel like it would be more accurate to call them Elvis Costello and the Distractions. Elvis's voice is passable when he's shouting over a cacophony of noise, but as soon as then slow the tempo down and pare back the instruments, his voice is kinda bad. "Almost Blue" really hurt me. I didn't really love "Little Savage", "Boy With A Problem", or "Town Cryer" either, but otherwise was able to bop my head and go along with the circus.

This is getting silly, I’m starting to think one of the contributors is Elvis Costello’s mum. If this has just been an instrumental by The Attractions I might have liked it, but his goofy voice ruins it

The first song gave me false hope, this was pretty naff

It was just ok, and considering the amount of Elvis Costello on this list, that might not be ok. He is technically competent and has some stories to tell, but always feels like he’s slightly off the mark for landing a hit song. “The Long Honeymoon” was an interesting story with some suspenseful ambiance, I liked that. My favorite was “Human Hands” but only because the vocal refrain of ‘whenever I put my foot in my mouth’ sounded melodically and verbally a lot like Meatloaf’s “You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth”. Instead of my usual plea for this list to erase an unnecessary album with literally anything dance music or 2010’s pop, it would’ve been nice to had an album from somewhere that isn’t predominantly white/English speaking. Not enough of those. Strong 2/5 for this one

Not my thing.

Not great. Not even good

i'd like to personally thank Elvis Costello for re-enforcing my argument that men don't need to be able to sing to be musicians. Below mid, I can't say it's bad but I can't see myself ever replaying this album. I did quite like man out of time but no other real stand outs for me. Wish I could rate this a 1.75

Eh, nothing special

Did not enjoy this

nothing directly hateable about this but id never reach for it. i just dont think 80s is for me best track: man out of time worst track: …and out of time

elvis costello is annoying, so without hooks (THIS YEAR’S MODEL, but here: “beyond belief,” “tears before bedtime”) to properly channel that cornball nasal tone, to give it shape and purpose, he wears out his welcome. some of the playing is good here and the arrangements are meticulous, but those only carry so much water. every time i listen to elvis costello, i’m on the edge of not liking it. even the records i do like. this doesn’t tip the right way. and “town cryer” can go pound salt. (i don’t want to) listen to him whine.

His best album on the listing so far (not a compliment) Best Song: Man Out of Time Rating: 4/10 Stars: 2/5

One Elvis Costello song is all a person needs. After that, he drones on and on

he find die erdte 3 songs etz sehr unspektakulär. ich verstoh nöd ganz was alli a dem guy so spannend finded. ischs de text? so shabby doll isch etz biitz groovy aber nöd würklich, nöd catchy, nöd meega hooks, er singt nöd so geil? aso guet gspielt cooli drums und so aber jooo? almost blue au hueeere whiny. nai. the loved ones findi chli besser, aber s zieht sich mega und find sini stimm eeeecht nöd geil.

Sort of just exists? Not sure I would listen again.

🤦‍♀️

Nothing grabbed me, cool cover art though

2.5

I respect this guy for his unique sounds and song writing, but he's just a little too clean cut to make me cut loose on the dance floor.

As always, Elvis Costello is fine but never hits with me

I'm sure there are some very cheeky lyrics about the realities of middle age buried somewhere in here, but I can't listen long enough to find them. I never felt grown up enough for Elvis Costello, and now that I'm grown up, I still don't.

I just don’t really like Elvis Costello no matter how hard this list tries to convince me otherwise.

It ticks a lot of boxes. Doesn't mean I like it.

Some lovely arrangements, but rather monotonous and ultimately not particularly noteworthy.

New Wave rock pop, hints of Bowie and Rufus. Quirky. Think I like the idea of Elvis Costello more than the actual music.

I didn’t like the Elvis Costello album I got two days ago and I don’t like this one either.

This is my second Elvis Costello album. The first exceeded my expectations, this one was more in line with what I think of when I hear Elvis Costello...

Elvis experiments with mixed results. Enough of the Costello now! Thanks

Trembling love songs from the pianonhat man.

Our 6th Elvis Costello album on the list. Haven't we covered Elvis Costello enough already?! As for the album itself, it started off alright, then got progressively more boring.

S’alright.

It's just boring!

01) Beyond Belief - 6,0 02) Tears Before Bedtime - 6,0 03) Shabby Doll - 6,0 04) The Long Honeymoon - 6,0 05) Man Out of Time - 6,0 06) Almost Blue - 6,0 07) ...And in Every Home - 5,5 08) The Loved Ones - 5,5 09) Human Hands - 5,5 10) Kid About It - 6,0 11) Little Savage - 5,5 12) Boy With a Problem - 5,5 13) Pidgin English - 5,5 14) You Little Fool - 6,0 15) Town Cryer - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,77 (58/100) Current ranking: 418/508

That’s it? that’s Elvis Costello? Huh no thanks

I have zero thoughts or feelings regarding this album. It isn't bad. It's even almost good. But it doesn't hook me in any way.

The algorithm would suggest that I would very much like Elvis Costello. But i don't, not very much. I don't need multiple albums on this list to prove that to myself. Some of the tracks are ok, I even like some of this album, just not the whole album... not very much anyway

Vandaag komt vriend van de show Elvis Costello weer eens aan de poort rammelen. Het goede nieuws is dat dit de vierde keer is dat hij zich komt melden en dat betekent dat ik Col du Costello bijna beklommen heb. Hierna nog twee keer. Verdomme nog twee keer. Maargoed, dit is waarvoor we hebben getekend. We hebben ons vrijwillig in de schoot geworpen van de sekte van Robert Dimery en dan hoort dit er bij. Slikken zullen we. Misschien begin ik wat onverschillig te worden, begin ik te wennen of ben ik simpelweg murw gebeukt, maar ik vind dit niet het vervelendste Elvis Costello album. Toch ben ik wel zo klaar met deze man dat ik me er eigenlijk niet toe kan zetten om een 3 uit te gaan delen hiervoor. En na 50 minuten weet ik dat zeker. Het kon erger, maar het blijft een 2. Wat een overgewaardeerde flapdrol.

Elvis gave up his cool guy roots to become a bit of a normie on this one, I think

I usually enjoy listening to Elvis Costello, but not this one. There were no exceptional songs or standout moments. It's a pretty blah album and quite forgettable.

I have had Beyond Belief on the rotation for a while and legit love that song. The rest of the album Elvis has his head way too far up his ass. The same tonality that works so well when he's doing his punk/cool nerd thing comes across as incredibly self-important and smug when hes doing slow burns and weird vaudeville (?) sounding tunes. I particularly hated the Shabby Doll / The Long Honeymoon duo. There are a few other bright spots on here. Man Out of Time, but to my ear it sounds like this Dion song, Only You Know (great song). You Little Fool was good too.

The rare instance of artistic development actually being a negative for the final product. Elvis’s first few albums are all time classics (I suspect we’ll see them later)- witty, acerbic, mean and fun. My Aim is True is a top 5 album for me. But as he got older he lost his edge and started fucking around w this more mature jazzy sound, but I don’t think he has the voice or chops to pull it off. This album is fine but mediocre and undistinguished. I don’t know who it’s for. At his best, you can almost hear the snarl in his voice, but in this version he’s basically crooning. As a truly great artist, he probably just wanted to not repeat himself, but it would have been better for pop music if Elvis had just cranked out five more my aim is trues instead of evolving himself into a guy who sucks.

Hmm, I guess I dont really get Elvis Costello. Only real connection I had before this album was Whats So Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding - total rocker I know Geoff Emerick engineered this and this work came out well within Costellos prime. This album ranks all over the place as “an all timer” I just never felt the album keep my attention. Like a flatter Elton John Man Out Of Time didnt cut it for me Almost Blue was a gorgeous track, but super slow. 2.5 stars and rounding down. Maybe ill try it out again this weekend.

I love Elvis Costello but really didn't enjoy this album. Sounds like it was some of his later, more pretentious stuff, and it sure feels like it

Shabby Doll was the most fun but otherwise a bit eh

I...do not know why this Elvis album is on the list. There are a couple decent songs on the list, but we all know there are better efforts out there. Just odd.

Not a big fan of the vocal performance by Costello. The musical arrangements are unique and at times interesting. But overall the project is very forgettable.

I have to be in the right mood for elvis Costello and clearly I wasn’t today. It was kind of boring

There were songs I wouldn’t mind hearing again, but not songs I would actively seek out. It was okay.

Not my bag.

I'm not a Costello fan, I find it s quite meh.

I do like some of his other work, but this album left me flat - some good songwriting, but mostly fumbling to find his rhythm without the obvious vocal or musical talent to make up for anything but fantastic songwriting…

His voice got annoying after a few tracks. Not my thing

#509. This is exactly what I've come to expect from Mr. Costello. Which is to say- it isn't very good, and I don't like it very much. 2/5: nah

My main feeling listening to this was annoyance and I’m trying to pinpoint why. I think it’s because there were promising glimmers here and there but then it would descend into something kind of tedious. I guess it’s the promise of something that never materialises. Plus, yes, we all know he is wildly over represented on here

not my cup of tea

I have nothing to say about this except that it's not for me. Maybe Elvis Costello has albums I enjoy but this isn't one of them.

This seems like a reach. It’s fine but not like I’ll ever want to listen to it again. There are other, better Elvis Costello albums. Unless he’s your favorite artist, you can skip this one. 2/5

Don't have a strong take on this one. I listened to this while working on something and tuned out most of the singing, but I thought the instrumentals were good. Agree that Shabby Doll was the best song on the album.

Not as good as the album a week ago.

Third Elvis Costello album so far and this one didn't particularly do anything for me. Singing reminded me a bit of Randy Newman on this, has a similar sort of lack of enunciation. Like the previous album it sounds quite varied and interesting initially and at some point it hits you that it actually sounds samey. Almost blue was a good track, his voice suits the croony ones.

Not good at all

ehhhh, kind of annoying album. 2.5 stars. Not a fan of Elvis Costello's voice.

This was just so boring. I don't get the love for this guy. 2/5

Лучшая песня напоминает мне Артура Рассела, и это всё, что я помню про этот альбом. Это на самом деле не такая уже ужасная музыка, и фоном я в целом воспринимал происходящее неплохо. Но переслушивать желания совсем нет. Лучшая песня - Beyond Belief.

I found this to be slow and a bit boring. Picked up with …And In Every Home but overall not my jam.

5.5/10. Elvis Costello: *breathes* Robert Dimery: "Holy cranberry bagels!!! No greater masterpiece has ever been conceived in the history of music!!! Shiver me timbers!!! Take all my money!!!" Gosh, not every bloody toenail clipping that has ever come out of Elvis Costello's toes needs to make it on this list. My Aim Is True is enough Elvis Costello for a compilation of 1,001 albums. Also, the title of the album as displayed on the album cover of this album belongs on something like r/dontdeadopeninside. What the hell is an IbMePdErRoIoAmL???

Nope. I'm mad now. Good ideas squandered on bad songs.

Nope, still not into it. Ask again in 100 days

Leagues better than any other Costello & The Attractions album so far (not a high bar)

Imperial Bedroom is more of the same from Elvis Costello. Okay, catchy in places but ultimately a bit dull and one-speed and a guy who doesn't really deserve so many albums on this list. Another 2.

Not the strongest work from Costello, definitely prefer his slightly higher energy, hookier content.

I know that I dislike this but I'm having a hard time gauging my level of dislike. It feels like the vocals have the spotlight for every song. I don't especially like or dislike his singing. He definitely has a style and I'm just sorta meh on that. His melodies aren't especially catchy. But he really loses me with the poetry of his lyrics. I just don't know what he's on about and seems kinda corny. Leaves me feeling like a can't really relate. I don't get it. And I don't really want it. I can't decide between a 2 or 3 so let's break it down: Beyond Belief - 2.75 Tears Before Bedtime - 2.5 Shabby Doll - 3 (I like the bass & piano on this one) The Long Honeymoon - 3 (nice guitaring) Man Out of Time - 2 (the last 40 seconds of this song is great. the rest sucks.) Almost Blue - 2 And In Every Home - 2.5 The Loved Ones - 3.5 (pretty great bass playing) Human Hands - 3 Kid About It - 1.75 Little Savage - 3 Boy With A Problem - 1.5 Pidgin English - 1.5 You Little Fool - 2 Town Cryer - 1 Average score per song = 2.333333

This was boring, if I'm totally honest. I've enjoyed some of the six million Costello albums spread across this project, but this wasn't one of them. There's a decent song or two, and nothing he does is particularly bad, but it didn't grip me at all.

I just don’t like Costello that much. His singing throws me off for whatever reason.

There's something indefinable that juts puts me off of Elvis Costello. Whether it is his voice, the trite guitars and songs, or just plain unoriginality... I don't know.

Felt about this the same way I feel about all Elvis Costello, which is basically "why does this guy sing like this and then make the same song 20 times"

Never really been a fan of Elvia Costello and this did little to change my mind.

This was so bland. Elvis Costello’s voice is dull as hell and only captured my attention for like a piece of a song. I got about halfway through and bailed, so excited to move on from this album. Then a friend was there to inform me there are 6 other albums by him on this list and I wanted to cry… Someone please force the author of these books to enforce a 2 or 3 album minimum per artist…. JFC…

My Aim Is True pleasantly surprised me. This did not. Why does every critically acclaimed songwriter have to morph into these clown that make “rich tapestries of kaleidoscopic music?” It sounds like a boring circus no one wants to be at.

This album is an example of my weakness as a music listener. I am sure that if I could pick up on the lyrics, storytelling in each song the first time listening, Elvis Costello would mean much more to me. But, I can't so he doesn't. His strength is in his lyricism and my weakness is in hearing that.

An interesting evolution, but much of this album was not for me.

Second straight day of Elvis (more like L-vis) Costello. I’m sick of this wanker

Raga ma da dove arrivano tutti sti riconoscimenti? È blando, non trasmette niente di niente e non è nemmeno piacevole all’orecchio.

ragazzi miei che fatica. Elvis Costello e Brian Eno mi hanno veramente rotto tutto ciò che poteva rompersi.

another day, another elvis costello album. SMH…

3rd EC&TA album in two weeks. Ugh. This is just so…..so generic to me.

4/10 Didnt enjoy this. Vocals are painful to listen and drown out every other aspect Favourite Song=Almost Blue Least Favourite Song=Shabby Doll

Elvis Costello always sounds to me like a guy nursing his midlife crisis by making music that might have sounded cool in the 50s. His singing style is just a case in point. His shtick is seldom working. Mostly, I find it pretentious. 2/5

Number of Elvis Costello songs I've now heard: 65 (5 entire albums) Number of Elvis Costello songs I remember: 0 This guy's the king of creating the most generic music imaginable. What a whole bunch of nothing.

Nice storyteller... but repetitive and struggles in the vocals

Bit boring

Really well composed songs. His voice sounds just slightly off key to me. 2/5

A few good songs, but mostly mid or weak

Didn't enjoy

I had the same problem with this album as I did Bob Dylan. Great instrumentals ruined by subpar vocal work. 'Man Out of Time' was my favorite. I liked 'The Long Honeymoon' too. Just wish they were covers so I didn't have to be subjected to those vocals.

This was ok, it seemed like it was front loaded with the best songs and then petered out at the end. Probably would never listed to it again. Favorite songs were: 2. Tears Before Bedtime 5. Man Out Of Time 4/10

This was ok but then would be not sure if it was produced bad, or what. But I think I might just not like Elvis.

Never heard the album before. I appreciate the variety of muscial styles and the performances of the musicians. The songs don't resonate with me. Part of the issue is Costello's voice. It's not just the nasally "I'm not going to try to sing" vocals. It's that he is regularly off key and looking for the note. I would probably rate this album 4 stars if the songs were instrumentals and 5 stars if sung by a proper vocalist.

He's generally talented, but I just don't really enjoy listening. Maybe it's his voice, but I was wanting it to be over.

Great instrumental and production performances and a fantastic album cover painting, but at the end of the day it is all ruined, as it always is by the singing of Elvis Costello, with his narrow range and terrible intonation that keeps the songs from soaring. Another waste of space on the list. I've never understood how Elvis Costello managed to pull the wool over so many critics eyes. Way, way overrated. He tries on different genres, but is not often able to authentically live in them.

I must say I don't really understand why Elvis Costello has multiple records on this list. I read online that he was praised for his lyrics and storytelling. If that's the case then it passes me by. I mostly find myself annoyed with his voice, and the music feels quite luck laster. Not anything that raises any eyebrows to me.

I just don't get it. There are loads of Elvis Costello on this list and while he has a good song here and there I find most of it kind of forgettable.

Other than 'Man out of time', this album just washed over me. I don't remember a single note, despite playing it in full, back to back three times.

just meh

Not my thing. Ok but wouldn’t listen again

He sounds so far up his own ass that he can sing from his mouth again

Yet another Elvis Costello album. The best thing about been dealt another one is that I’m a bit closer to the end of his particular additions to the list (according to the book it’s 6 so 3 to go) It’s not that I don’t like him or his music but a truer reflection of his status on the list would have been to restrict it to just My Aim Is True and Armed Forces which you could argue were groundbreaking albums. This is an album I am not familiar with so I hoped I would be proved wrong and found something new in his music. It starts brightly enough but carries on in the same vein leaving me thinking these collection of songs could be on any of his albums. It’s an alright album but it prompted me to research if he has any connection to the compilers of this list. Nothing found so far so wonder if he stumped up the cash to produce it? 2/5 11/8/24

2.4/5 listened 2x

Nothing remarkable.

I think this is better than his other work I've heard but I didn't love this one. It's too long and has some duds for sure. I think the instrumentals with a different singer may have a chance but this almost feels like the music in a musical. Like it's trying to accomplish something else so it ends up not being that great at being music. Maybe I'm missing something.

I rolled my eyes so hard seeing this pop up. Elvis Costello will need to work hard to impress me. I don't get it. It's fine. I don't know. It's plain white bread.

This is the secon time in a week that I get Costello, and it really makes him worse.

This is not my version of Costello. I really liked Blod and Chocolate’s urgency, it’s completely missing from imperial Bedroom. I would say it borders on yacht rock. 5.5/10

Hab die ersten 6 Lieder angehört, Shabby Doll stich raus, sonst klingt alles ziemlich gleich. Nicht schlecht, aber würde ich mir nicht anhören

Not good

Some nice instrumentation, some great chord progressions, it's just not doing it for me. Think it's down to the vox again.

Boring, forgettable, dull. The only thing that stands out is Elvis Costello's voice, and I am not yet sure if that is in a good way.

So boring. Less awful than the other Elvis Costello albums this list subjected me to

Nope

Nem fogott meg. Nem elég érdekes, hogy azért hallgassam és nem elég dallamos, hogy csak úgy random berakjam. Stílus se jött be igazán.

Kinda boring…

The Loved Ones You Little Fool I tried to enjoy this album but it just felt boring af. There’s no spice it’s just bland

No me pareció la gran cosa. Su otro disco me había gustado muchísimo, pero este se me hace insulso.

Yep, still don't like Elvis Costello

This was alright. I know Elvis Costello is very influential (and is going to pop up a lot in this list) but this album felt like it was all over the place and honestly just didn't do a lot for me.

I struggled to get through this

Too mellow for me, he has a great sound that has its place and time but nothing special to me.

More like Imperial Boredom. Yet again another Elvis Costello album that sounds pretty much the same as the others but slightly more 80s. Not a fan, droned on for me.

Pretty boring

Production is a little too muddy for the songs to really shine

I’d never listened to Elvis Costello before but I thought I knew what kind of music he sang. I was wrong. Meh.

Album cover is neat, the actual music is listenable. It's aight. I'm never listening to it again, but I've survived the experience. There were some moments I thought it was gonna do something sick, then it just went back to doing something boring, bland or similar to what it's already been doing. Fav songs: - Man Out of Time

I will admit that I wasn't overwhelmed with excitement to see yet another Elvis Costello album pop up on the list. That's five so far, and I have a nagging feeling there's a sixth lurking out there somewhere. I've never been a big fan, and unfortunately, the record did not win me over. Most of the songs had a meandering sense, setting ol' Declan to spew his word salad all over the place and be generally pleased with his own wit.

Very bland, almost totally unmemorable even as soon as I finished.

The king of the annoying "good guy" nerd music makes an annoying "good guy" mod album that to one extent or another informs the worst of Costello's future (non-)efforts stylistically.

My favorite song from the album was Shabby Doll, I didn't like it enough to add it to any playlists, but there was something catchy enough about it to hit the right spots. I'm definitely in agreement with the people who found his voice unpleasant, I typically found myself interested in where a song might go and then he'd start and I'd be less excited for it.

He definitely has a sound but not for me

I used to think Elvis Costello was a pretentious twat, now I know he is a bit boring too

I got tired of this album very quickly, the vocals especially sound flat to me.

I've never really liked Elvis Costello. I think I could but listening to this album hasn't changed my opinion much. I am slightly suspicious that it has been chosen for the 1001 albums list and has not one of his famous songs on it, nor any of the ones that are less well known but that my other half likes. Is this another "deep cut" or non-obvious not-actually-the-best album by this artist, like a few others that we've had to listen to? Anyway, this features a number of songs that sit somewhere between crooning, punk and pop and don't really feel very satisfying in any of these directions. I just don't get Elvis Costello, really. It sort of reminds me of The Boomtown Rats, in that it's a bit... shit. Sorry, I can't quite find a word for the feeling it gives me. Annoying? Suspicious? Fake? Smug? Something.

Not a fan though appreciate the artistry….

The slower jazz side of Elvis. Not my taste. I bet a different album of his will pop up that I will like more.

Beginning to think his music isn’t as good as I thought it would be when I first started

Blind album and artist. TIL I don't like Elvis Costello....

I don’t think I “get” Elvis Costello.

I don’t get Elvis Costello either and while the singing and playing are proficient nothing on this album did anything. It kind of annoy me.

Elvis Costello is one of those artists I like to grab out of a candy bowl and savor every now and then. I don't want to consume his material all at once because it's so vast and I don't want to get to a point where I have heard everything. I'm strange. I do this especially with artists who have passed and aren't still making music but Elvis is still alive and well and actually made a decent album back in 2020. And now I see he made an album in 2022 that I hadn't even heard of. Anyway, all that to say I have never heard this album but I'm looking forward to it like unwrapping a new piece of candy. So... This candy was not as good as I'd hoped. I could see it being a piece of candy I might try again, but the first try did not wow me. I liked Shabby Doll and The Loved Ones, but the rest just didn't do it for me in one listen. I also like when Elvis Costello sounds a bit more dark and brooding and this album has very little of that sound. Thematically this album can be heavy and somewhat dark, but I didn't feel like the music itself matched the lyrics. It felt a little like Elvis was trying to take some lyrics he wrote and slap them against some music and when I read about how this was recorded... I mean it sounds like there was a lot of experimentation in the studio. For me, it mostly didn't work that well, but maybe it's a grower album.

One interesting track but mostly boring

Oh no. Another Elvis Costello album. Nothing different or standout about this album from any of his other work.

nothing really stood out

I didn't know any of these songs well before, and don't like any of them much now. Feels loke a whole album of filler tracks, missing the killer song(s) that could have elevated it to "decent". I quite enjoyed some of their other stuff, but this one is not immediate, not interesting after a few listens, just outright not very good. It feels like it's on this list because to author likes it, not because it's actually good or important, and that is a waste of a space in my view.

No wonder this is called Imperial Bedroom, Elvis sounds like he's about to fall asleep the entire album.

Muniinpuhalteluks meni tämäkin

There was some intersting songs for me, but personally a bit unforgettable.

Through the years there are a number of tunes I've enjoyed by Elvis. This album does not include any of those. Some times his voice works great with some tunes, other times, it starts to annoy. This album leaned to the annoying side. Thought there was solid music, at times, but for the most part, some pretty bland, non interesting songs that I just wanted the album to end. Nothing offensive to the ears, just wasn't my interest. 2.5

2 I don’t disagree with Elvis Costello being on this list, and I think his debut (which we had some 300 albums ago) is a totally valid inclusion… but why the hell did this make it on? There’s nothing overly interesting going on at any point, and the production is just kind of bad… There's way too much going on and it all feels squished together, like nothing in the mix has room to breathe. I can tell he was going for some grandiose things here, but the end result is that it feels like a clumped ball of sound. How the hell did the producer of this work on Sgt. Pepper’s and Abbey Road? And why the hell was this critically acclaimed? I do feel this album benefitted a bit from re-listening, as I was able to start picking pieces out of the rubble and identifying individual songs, but really the only one that I would say I was able to develop a bit of an appreciation for after four listens is Man Out of Time. So I’ll give credit to Elvis C there, that’s a decent track, but the rest of this is just kind of forgettable. The only other positive thing I have to say about anything here is that I thought he was saying “Shabadoo” at first instead of “Shabby Doll” on said track, and that made me think of that bit from The Simpsons when Homer asks Moe about advice for his friend Joey Jojo Jr. Shabadoo. I’m going to link it here so that if you too disliked this album, hopefully this at least bring a smile to your face like it did me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dbi3--k4SM Man, The Simpsons was great back in the day. This album is not. On a side note, according to Wikipedia, the zipper creature things in the top right of the album cover spell out “Pablo Sí” (as a nod to Pablo Picasso), but I’ve stared at this thing for like ten minutes and still have no idea what it's talking about. Is it just me?

Nothing special and something about the songs felt off to me.

I like some Elvis Costello songs, but not really any on this album.

Så tråkigt... ärlighet saknas

Surprisingly listenable for a Costello album given the lack of his usual vocal hijinx. That being said, it's still a Costello LP musically and just fails to entertain as a result – the songwriting here is about as average as it gets, and there's not much exciting going on instrumentation-wise to jazz things up. Dare I say Elvis needs to do vocal acrobatics to make his music even somewhat interesting?

This album was so boring, even with all of its quirkiness and diversity from track to track. There's too much damn Elvis Costello on this project. There just was nothing inspired about this. It just felt very blah.

There’s too much Costello on this list

I liked some of it at first but idk it got annoying and boring and I didn't want to listen to it anymore

Another Elivs Costello album and this one does not need to be on the list, not a terrible album, but come on the man has enough already, give someone else a chance,

Genuinely don't know whether to review this as optimistically as "Tepid" or as realistically as "ass water", so I'll split the difference and review it as "tepid ass water".

I found it quite boring. Not as exciting as his earlier stuff.

Interesting but not quite my style. Nothing is bad, it just doesent grab me thr way it should

Do I really have to listen to all these Elvis Costello records before I die??? Nonetheless, this one was meh. Some good tracks ( Man Out of Time, Human Hands) but is outweighed by the stinkers. I’m also not a huge fan of his singing voice. Not sure why there are so many of his records on this list.

Previously rated: Armed Forces (3/5) My Aim Is True (4/5) ************************ There is nothing really terrible here. It's all just so dull and boring, especially compared to the last Elvis Costello album I got. His vocals just don't do it for me. Now that I've gotten three from the lesser Elvis out of the way, are there any Elvis *Presley* albums here?

I was hoping for something better than what this album is. It's not Elvis Costello's best effort.

2/5 not of my taste

I started this yesterday and got bored. I started again this morning to rate and am still not really clicking with it. It's not unpleasant but I don't think it's all that good. The album artwork is very interesting, to say the least. Shabby Doll and Pidgen English feel like they could have been good but are somehow boring. The Long Honeymoon has some good sound. It appears to be the second most popular song on the album so that make sense. Gives travel vibes. I don't know what it is about this album. It's not bad musically but I feel SO BORED.

This album is pretty funky and really out of the ordinary with the vocals in my mind. I wish the dude would stop talking all the time. He never shuts up and he's not really adding positive things to this album. I like the keyboard and other jazzy instruments but I really wish this dude would shut up. It's like a karaoke bar singer who is way too full of himself, and way too full of cheap margaritas. Pigeon English is probably my favorite on the album but I would probably not add it to my liked songs. Plus one star because the rest of the band is pretty with it.

Beyond Belief is almost good. Reminds me of Vampire Weekend maybe. Shabby Doll is similar where it's almost good but keeps doing weird stuff. Man Out Of Time picks up the energy for a bit especially with the hootin' and hollerin' at the end. Not necessarily good still... Almost Blue is jazzy and seems to make the vibe make sense. Showcases the singer's voice nicely too. Pidgin English and You Little Fool had something going on but then he gets weird again on Town Cryer. This guy's voice is a little annoying. Like he's always off key kinda? Maybe there's something interesting going on musically but I'm not catching it. The vibe on here is kinda sleepy too. The guy can sing when he feels like it and band is good but it seems like they should be doing a different style where their skills would better apply.

The instrumentation is fine, but to me this just sounds like a goofy version of the Beatles. I can’t take his voice seriously, and I don’t particularly like it.

Nothing really stood out to me

Conflicted on this album, starts out horrifically slow and dull. Picks up about halfway through and some decent tunes in the back half. Curious what his other albums on this list sound like now…

Doesn't feel very urgent?

Eh

Not bad, and an easy listen, but dull and lifeless and he's so much better than this album shows

Shit

Meh

Elvis Costello was the first band I ever saw in concert, around 2003. This is a weird album. I can't say I like it more than the other stuff I've heard from him that i'm familiar with, that's for sure. It's not poppy like the other stuff. he's like doing his typical nerdy-voiced stuff but it's got this beatles-esque slant to it (also likely attributed to the producer). There is no doubt that the musicianship is great and same with the production, but I'm not sure what the impact of it is in the long run looking at this from 2023.. I like mellotron. The back half is better than the front half. Review of Reviews: People are bored by Elvis Costello and so am I. Best Track: The Loved Ones

Didn't enjoy this, which was surprising because I was quite a fan of their earlier stuff.

I don’t mind Costello but I don’t really see why this is on the list. I think it is his attempt at a Sgt Pepper style album. The ballads just make me feel nothing, that style doesn’t appeal to me at all. I think Sgt. pepper had survived the test of time (as has Costellos late 70s stuff) whereas this just sounds dated.

The wrong Elvis

Eh. Just doesn't do it for me. I don't like it, but I don't hate it.

not bad

It was somewhat bland. Nothing really happened.

nah 2*

Some decent bits but didn't really do much for me

For me, no amount of production can help the fact that I really am not a fan of Elvis Costello. I think the singer songwriter thing really requires one to be locked into the way an artist writes, and I just can’t get there with EC. This is another one of those records where people love to write endlessly about the production, but in the broader landscape of music, the production really didn’t feel all that special. Maybe I just didn’t get it, idk.

The saddest part of this is I LIKE Elvis Costello! But this was a rough one. There’s a few genuinely great tracks on here, but they’re sandwiched between such bloated and repetitive songwriting. I should’ve known from the start when this was advertised as his “masterpiece” that it would be overblown and pretentious. I struggled to even get through the whole thing.

I wasn't a big fan of this one. It wasn't bad, but the vocals got to me a few times and I just wanted to shut it off. The music itself just wasn't really my thing either. 2.5/5

This is a mixed bag of an album. Some of it bores me to tears but there are certainly some good songs here, not anything I'd deem to be great though. It feels too long as well. I like Elvis Costello, but this is like the 4th album I've gotten from him so far and I think that there's one or 2 more to go. He has albums that should be on this list, but this ain't one of 'em. I'm giving this one a 2 just for the low points of the album and because I think I've rounded up on a couple of the other ones. Overall this album is really just very okay.

Possibly an Elvis Costello album too far? The opener is strong and there are a couple of other decent tunes on here but I found it a bit arduous to get through the whole thing. I think his older, punkier style suited him better. It does feel like an album that would reward further listens, but I'm not sure it did enough on the first two to earn them from me. A slightly harsh 2.5 stars.

Musically it sounded good, vibe wise it left me feeling lacking, i'm sure it's just me but i'm not a fan of his music.

I've been too generous lately, and this is just not doing it for me.

-i have heard of elvis costello but i have never heard the music -first song was nice but nothing special -this stuff is sorta groovy but a little too relaxed for me -his voice is really nice but idk its a little dull for me -the long honeymoon is nice tho -this three day long listening of this album needs to end -town cryers the best and i don’t even super like that one tbh

Doing this generator has made me realise that i don't enjoy Costellos music. I had heard a couple of songs which were okey. But when you have to listen to more songs his voice becomes whiney really fast and the music becomes very bland, very fast. It's not bad, it's just not that interesting

Ugh, another Elvis Costello album. I think this is the fourth one that's been generated. It's so bland. I think one of his albums would be enough on the 1001 but four? No thanks. The author clearly is a fan but that doesn't mean that you have to listen to the entire Elvis Costello discography before you die.

Other 2-star snoozer from Elvis. I’m convinced this man was an editor of the 1001 albums book and just forced his albums into it. 3/10

Elvis Costello albums are like pizza, even the good ones… no wait that’s not it. This album was fine I guess but it’s Costello and it annoyed me 2.5 stars

1.5/5

First track, Beyond Belief, is not available to play in Sweden.

Oh Elvis Costello I always want to like you

Best Song: Beyond Belief. The busiest and most dynamic song on the album, which isn't saying much. Worst Song: Kid About It. The way he interrupts himself to close-whisper "kid about it" sounds predatory. Overall: He's just a less interesting Randy Newman. I really don't understand the appeal.

How many of these are there?

It's average with smatterings of bad.

It is an entire unnoteworthy album. It was 50 minutes long and no need to revisit it. I didn't hate it but I have no desire to listen to it again or any of its songs again. Better than a 2 but not really a 3.

i gave it a go, but man do i hate elvis costello

First off, if this album is ever remastered, please for the love of God, show some respect to the band and drop the vocals further back into the tracks. The album was mediocre but interesting at points, but completely fell off a cliff around 'The Loved Ones' and never really came back. Clearly there is a broader positive sentiment that I'm not connecting with, but I really can't get into Costello's country-rock-cosmopolitan discography.

From what I read, Costello is a great song writer. I dunno. Too Gen X for me I guess.

He is not bad, I just don't like it

Not my fav Costello, I prefer the attractions first two records to this one. Not sure why it would be on the list

It’s a nice album but nothing really stood out. Don’t really listen to Costello that much either but this just felt like an okay album. Nice sounding for sure but not my favorite and I assume not even his best.

Josh Weinstein of MST3K is a big fan of this album. He and I worked together for a bit and decided to swap our favorite music. Josh gave me this album and I gave him Operation Ivy. That's it, our relationship ended there. It's no wonder MST3K didn't speak to me either.

This is our 3rd Elvis Costello album. There are still 3 more to go. Album sales are not everything by any means, but Elvis Costello's top-selling album (it's not this one) is the 4,372nd best-selling album of all-time. I don't hate all of this. But I do hate "Shabby Doll." And a few others. I am not looking forward to 3 more Elvis Costello albums. Next new edition, instead of dropping another recently added 2000s album, maybe try dropping an Elvis Costello album? Or a Leonard Cohen album?

Elvis Costello voice is very annoying.

Meh

Sigh, again? GTA San Andreas gif. Again, a load of songs that are not bad, sometimes interesting but I'm so done with Costello at this point. Man Out of Time was good. And in every home is daft. We get it man, you worked on Sgt Peppers. I completely zoned out 4 songs before it finished.

Before this list I didn't mind Costello but now I can't stand him.

Just couldn't get into it.

I don't really like this. Not that it's awful, it's just not exactly my thing.

"Spare us the theatrics and the verbal gymnastics," goes one of Elvis Costello's characters on the second song from this album. Oh, the irony. Such wording is a nice way to say "shut up", that's for sure. But it's also I want to tell Costello when I listen to "Imperial Bedroom". Just... stop talking. The music is already meandering too much. We don't need the constant barrage of oblique ditherings on top of it. I've been pretty unfair to other records by Elvis Costello mentioned in this list, I know it now. But here, I think I'll stand by my early *negative* feeling. "Imperial Bedroom" is just too damn chatty and too cute for its own good. Yes, there are lush instrumentations and arrangements in many of those tunes. But as sophisticated as those arrangements are, you won't convince me they don't sound incredibly awkward when paired with Costello's whiny voice. The whole thing makes you think of an odd couple. Which brings another involuntary layer of irony here, given that 'odd couples' is the theme of some of these songs... To put it in a nutshell, this record sounds über-pretentious as a whole. At least, Costello's first three LPs had a few lively rockers to make the whole thing dynamic enough. Here, all that you got is... melodic and verbal gymnastics, with no frigging *end point* in sight. 2/5. Number of albums left to review: 624 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 184 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 85 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 113 (including this one)

Have had some difficulties getting into this album. I’ve given it several listens, but Elvis Costello is currently rolling off of me. The production is interesting, songwriting is intriguing. I am just left with nothing to hold onto. Not counting him out. 2/5

I don't find Elvis Costello very compelling. This is a decent album and not really "bad," just not finding it very impressive.

Of all the "featured artists" in this load of shit list, Elvis Costello is maybe the most puzzling. This is album #6 so far. Everything else has sucked. Zero expectations. And yep it's more shit. 2/5.

This one isn't doing it for me. It's not bad, but nothing really stands out. "This Year's Model" was catchy the first time I listened to it, but either somehting is lost here, or it has more depth that needs more time to absorb. I gave this 2 listens and it didn't stick much more the second time. Unlikely to come back. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding

For some reason latter day Elvis Costello doesn't click with me. I think his earlier albums were da bomb, in fact his debut album, My aim is true is my favourite of his but they gradually go downhill from there for me. I much prefer his post-punk energy and snarling vocals on Welcome to the working week, Miracle Man, Watching the detectives etc and I think they are peak Declan Patrick MacManus. Maybe because he got married to snore-fest jazz crooner Dianne Krall he mellowed out because his mellower songs just don't do it for me and I find his crooning to be downright annoying at times.

Rocker Elvis Costello > baroque Elvis Costello.

Didnt like the beat

The first and the last songs were good on this. The rest was pretty boring and almost unbearable.