My Aim Is True

Right off the gate, Elvis established himself as this lanky, sarcastic, snarky and rebellious Englishman that played a raucous brand of new wave that veers ever-so-slightly into the pub-rock and even punk territory.

I won't act like I know what 1977 was like, but this very much feels like your grandparent's idea of what punk should be. Just a bit angry, nothing too scary or enough to corrupt your youngin's minds. With that in mind, I think any punk-minded individual can find enjoyment out of this. The production is solid lo-fi, Elvis' witty delivery is great, and the overall energy is enjoyable and a net positivie.

But the entire album feels as if it's standing weakly on shaky ground. This style of music and playing was never going to be able to sustain a career such as Costello's, so I'm glad he decided to "ditch" the style a bit and rework it, as his best works are yet to come. But this is also great, no doubt about it.

4/5 (A)

Maybe this is one of the Costello albums that could be swapped for another album to show the breadth of his work or allow space for later artists. But … it’s still a 5 star lp.

ANOTHER Costello album? asdsdfaasdfgertgeiprgh
I'm very jaded at this point (1024 albums in) because I don't think he deserves that many entries on this list. Pick 1-2 and move on. This is mid at best.

The last song was alright, the rest of them sounded like they were trying to be older than they were? Maybe it would have been different if he wasn't named Elvis and wasn't trying to sound Elvis-ey. Who knows. 2 stars

Several really good songs (Alison, Red Shoes, Not Angry) and good production but the album tracks are all just decent and don’t draw me to relisten.

The good part about having been tasked to listen to 5 out of 6 Elvis Costello albums in the first 300 is that the rest of the list will be smooth sailing. This is actually one of his best, and I have no objection to it being included in the list, given how influential it was on the New Wave movement.

8/10 [KEEP]

Elvis C is probably the better Elvis, but he doesn't half seem like a nasty little prick. Great tunes though, and the lyrics are dead smart, though maybe overly barbed and cynical. It's a cracking album that I already loved, but he is in this list too many times.

My Aim Is Poo

Elvis Costello just doesn’t disappoint. Alison and Watching the Detention are obviously standouts, but the overall quality is excellent if just lacking that extra little spark to make this album a classic.

I just like Elvis Costello. I like his voice. I like the instrumental. I like the lyrics.

He's losing points for the creeping backing vocals/whisper in I'm Not Angry, but Watching The Detectives and Alison are just classics.

So far I've given every Elvis Costello album a 4 and here comes another.

4/5

Yes, it all sounds kind of the same and I still love the whole album. The reason I don't give it 5 stars is because where is pump it up, where is Veronica? Where is the unforgettable melodies? Not every song has to be like that but I think great albums have to include several songs that you can't forget and the music here seems more like a second to Costello's Lyrics and his singing also seems to be missing a catchy melody.

Not as punk as I thought. It's retro-influenced and quite short. "Alison" feels the least "Costello-y" from what I hear about him as this punk figure.

I whole-heartedly agree that Elvis Costello is over-represented on this list, but this is one of his albums that can stay. It's short, snappy, catchy and raw.

Sockhop for Punks! Like Elvis Costello but it’s nowhere near his best and not one I’d prob go back to.

This is my 4th Elvis Costello album, it's just too much. Although this one was brief, and honestly, probably the best I've heard so far. This also makes a more solid argument than usual as to why Elvis Costello is kind of lumped in with the punks, and now I more or less understand what his music even really is. It's like you've taken punk, power washed away everything except the like '50s rock and roll influence, and then draped what is left back over a punk skeleton. Sometimes it's interesting, a couple songs here are like glimpsing into a universe where punk took shape as like an immediate response to the music of Elvis Presley. And, admittedly, this album is somewhat unique for it, but "unique" doesn't always mean interesting. Although, I do think the first 2 or 3 songs here *are* interesting, before the album kind of wallows in a bunch of sorta similar sounding songs, none of which are bad, mind you. *But* My Aim Is True does manage to stick the landing. The last 4 or so songs here are pretty much all the best on the album. Pay It Back has some *crisp* *sharp* guitar work. I'm Not Angry is my favorite or second favorite song here, it just embraces the punk energy and aesthetic and attitude a little more, and fuses it seamlessly with Elvis Costello's sound and signature wit. Waiting For The End Of The World has a dark sort of fun as it rolls along at a pleasantly rocking mid-tempo. And Watching The Detectives is an improbably tasteful and subtly dark incorporation of dub reggae into the Elvis Costello sound. These songs don't quite get this to a 4, just due to how ambivalent I am towards to this in general. But it's close. Especially because the things that are usually good about Elvis Costello's music are *still* good here. Namely, the lyrics and vocals. His vocals are still kind of sarcastic and subtly intense, and his lyrics ooze with an almost "too smart for his own good" wit, that manifests as some really cool lyrics. But unfortunately the songs can't always hold these elements up. But when they can, this things is really cool. I'd say it still gets the iconic Elvis Costello 3 out of 5, he still may get a 4 out of me, on one of these albums, but I'm not holding my breath.

Enjoyed this album very much, Costello is clearly the guy at making this sort of music and Im looking forward to hearing more

why not

hell ye or smth

It's nice. It's not great.

surprisingly ok, given that i thought blood and chocolate was unbearable. i cant do much more than 30 minutes of his voice though

What I love about this album is the audacity and the ease with which Costello moves between styles and genres without regard or concern to be typed or accepted. Now, in truth, his management was going out of their way to make that happen, but Elvis just kept ripping on his guitar and writing great songs. These aren’t all winners, but there are a hell of a lot of great tunes here, especially for a debut.