Armed Forces is a clever, well-crafted album that shows Elvis Costello refining his sound with more polish and pop sensibility, but it doesn’t always hit as hard as it wants to. The hooks are strong—Oliver’s Army and Accidents Will Happen are undeniably catchy—but the album sometimes feels a bit too slick for its own good, losing some of the rawness and urgency that made his earlier work stand out. There’s plenty to admire here: smart lyrics, tight performances, and a sharp ear for melody. But for all its intelligence and energy, it occasionally slips into sounding a little too controlled, a little too calculated. It’s a solid, enjoyable record—but not quite the knockout it often gets credit for.