Armed Forces

After what I deem to be his best album, or at least in the top three or four, Costello follows up that effort with an almost equally entertaining one here.

What's immediately apparent is how polished this album sounds compared to his previous efforts. This Year's Model had that punk in spirit, which has been replaced by this milder version of forceful and energetic playing. But still, it exudes energy, just a different type. Which I love; the subtle change yielded a sound that is very reminiscent of 90s indie, a la Pavement, on Party Girl.

You could say that he found his style here: a power-pop singer with a knack for writing pervasive lyrics. All the songs bring something to the table, be it on a more sarcastic political level, or a subdued, down to earth, almost love-inspired plane, which makes Armed Forces an album with a few too many aces up Elvis' sleeve. Great thing is that the house never seems to notice them. Or doesn't want to.

Also worth mentioning: I have this album on vinyl. Why is that important here? Ah, on my version, Chemistry Class and Two Little Hitlers are omitted completely. Instead, we get Radio, Radio, one of his famous song, for good reason. The visceral energy, direct lyrics, and the driving synths really makes it one of his best songs, and I'm absolutely glad it's included here, with two weak songs being removed.

not interesting…

Why the fuck does this guy have so many albums on here? At least The Beatles are inescapable, but I hadn't even heard of this guy before this challenge.

BEFORE YOU COME AT ME FOR NOT BEING A MUSIC SNOB LIKE YOU, I'M EASTERN EUROPEAN, SO SHUT UP. NOT THE ENTIRE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOUR MUSIC, MOVIES, AND STUPID TAKES. I'm talking about Americans and English people, in case that wasn't clear enough.

Man, I can't even begin to imagine what "Two Little Hitlers" is about to warrant a name like that. Can't wait to find out. I thought the nword I'd kept hearing about in the reviews was going to be in this song, but it wasn't. Bummer.

It wasn't as wild as I expected. I think I'm too dumb and too modern to understand the deeper meaning behind this song. Kind of like with John Lennon and his song about women.

This is #3 from Elvis Costello for me and I agree with all the 'there are too many Costello albums on this list' comments. Surely 6 albums from him is unnecessary. I like Elvis Costello just fine, parts of this album in particular. I've always loved Peace, Love, and Understanding and today learned that song was a cover. I always thought Costello wrote it. You learn something new every day. That song is clearly the standout on this record, the rest is just kind of listenable. I could really do without it. I mean it's Elvis Costello, that's all that really needs to be said. 3/5

Elvis Costello #4 of 6. The first one that I didn’t really dig. It felt like this one leaned a little more into his pop and new wave side. The rock and roll and punky stylings do appear here and there, but it just didn’t have the same edge as some of the others. Admittedly, I am being extra judgemental on this one because I really don’t think any of these albums are really so special to warrant 6 entries in this list.

Nunca había escuchado a Elvis Costello antes y me ha gustado mucho, es muy de su tiempo pero el disco es divertidisimo y todas las canciones (aunque parecidas) son chulisimas.

The Good: We know we will be able to defend ourselves!
The Bad: There's no defense against Elvis...
The Ugly: Realizing there's nothing attractive to be found...

Jangly pop... oh oh oh...

I don't know... Elvis C rubs me the wrong me.
My buddy is a massive fan and I know that I rated his album "this year's model" with a 4*...
Since then, I don't believe I've reached 3*

So, stop threatening with your armed forces...
2*

I really like Elvis Costello's approach to songwriting. He is instantly recognisable and adds something very different to the mix. The first half of this album is sensational, offering up a series of huge, uplifting, multi-dimensional pop songs. Towards the end it suffers some heat loss with less commanding songs in the same style, rounding out Armed Forces into an enjoyable overall release.

Costello: Chapter 3 (The Elephants Strike Back)

Okay. I liked this more than the last two of his albums I listened to. The slur in Oliver’s Army was quite interesting but the first handful of songs were great. It does droop down a bit closer to the end, but it doesn’t droop enough to make me not like it. I give this 4 stars.

You know how in mathematics, they have, like, $1 million dollar prizes for anybody who can solve these unsolvable equations? They should have one of those for anyone who can explain why Elvis Costello is a thing.

I made it to “all it takes is one itchy trigger, one more widow, one less white nigger.” That’s enough Elvis Costello for me, thanks.

I used to be so paranoid that I was inadvertently plagiarizing, that I’d write complicated, never-ending chord progressions, surprising meter changes, acrobatic vocals. Eventually, I realized that this originality came at the cost of quality. Elvis Costello, simply put, as too many ideas, as if he’s afraid that someone might catch onto his referential writing and accuse him of being derivative. Just exhausting to listen to. “Pick me” energy.

A weak three because I don't like Costello's voice and the songs are largely carried by the occasionally interesting lyrics. All in all very mediocre.

Day 8

If this is meant to be one of his best, I'm not ecstatic for the five more Elvis Costello albums...

Fav track: Accidents Will Happen

Way too many Costello albums on here. He's great, but this one isn't even in the top three of his alone.

I was neutral-to-positive on the first two E.C. albums but this one was terrible.

C’est donc le troisième album d’Elvis Costello que je m’enfile depuis le début de ce marathon musical, et je ne vais pas mentir, je commençais sérieusement à saturer. Après m’être farci les deux premiers volets de sa discographie — le séminal mais un peu raide My Aim Is True et le très nerveux This Year's Model —, je restais désespérément bloqué dans la zone grise de l'estime polie, sans jamais réussir à dépasser le fameux 3 sur 5. Je voyais bien le talent du binoclard, mais ses accès de bile punk-new wave sur des tempos d'asphyxié me laissaient poliment sur le trottoir. Et puis, le miracle est arrivé car pour la première fois, l'Anglais fâché dépasse la moyenne syndicale pour aller chercher un joli 4 sur 5. Autant dire que je ne boude pas mon plaisir.

Alors qu'est-ce qui change cette fois ? Et bien, à peu près tout, le songwriting s’est épaissi, les arrangements ont arrêté de singer bêtement l’urgence punk de base, et l’interprétation a gagné une profondeur qui manquait terriblement. J'ai enfin l'impression d'écouter un mec qui maîtrise son sujet de bout en bout, plutôt qu'un jeune premier qui recrache son fiel sur le monde entier pour épater la galerie ou les critiques du NME. C’est acide, c’est cynique, c’est parfois franchement irrévérencieux, mais c’est diablement mélodique. Les crochets pop sont là, imparables, et la production a enfin le coffre nécessaire pour porter ses ambitions.

Les Attractions balancent un groove d'une efficacité redoutable, prouvant que ce groupe n'est pas juste un faire-valoir, mais une sacrée machine de guerre. Les claviers de Steve Nieve et la basse de Bruce Thomas apportent cette texture riche et aventureuse qui manquait cruellement aux premiers essais plus minimalistes. On sent une maturité nouvelle dans la voix de Costello, qui sait désormais moduler sa hargne pour la rendre presque séduisante. Ce n'est plus seulement du bruit et de la fureur, c'est de l'art pop haut de gamme écrit par un mec qui a digéré l'histoire du rock britannique pour en recracher sa propre version, élégante et venimeuse.

Pour tout vous dire, ce qui me fascine le plus sur ce disque, c'est cette façon presque perverse de camoufler une paranoïa d'époque sous un vernis pop d'une efficacité redoutable. Costello voulait initialement appeler cet album Emotional Fascism, et on comprend vite pourquoi : le mec dresse un parallèle génial et terrifiant entre les névroses amoureuses de canapé et la géopolitique impérialiste de la fin des années 70. Sauf qu'au lieu de nous infliger un sermon chiant de donneur de leçons, il nous balance des mélodies tellement accrocheuses qu'on se surprend à siffloter des refrains qui parlent de flicage, de manipulation mentale et de déchéance morale. C'est l'art de glisser du cyanure dans une coupe de champagne pétillant, un tour de passe-passe cynique et brillant où le faste de la production — merci aux claviers délicieusement cheap mais omniprésents de Steve Nieve — agit comme le parfait complice de ses obsessions textuelles.

Ce grand saut qualitatif valide enfin mon endurance et me réconcilie pour de bon avec le bonhomme après mes deux premières écoutes en demi-teinte. En quittant les rivages un peu trop balisés du punk hargneux pour s'aventurer vers une pop moderne, riche et venimeuse, je sens que j'ai enfin passé un cap dans ce marathon musical. C'est la preuve par neuf qu'on peut garder ses couilles et son intégrité tout en acceptant d'ouvrir la porte des studios à des arrangements plus ambitieux.

L'autre force de ce disque, c'est qu'il ne vieillit pas. Là où pas mal de productions de 1979 sonnent aujourd'hui comme des reliques datées d'une époque coincée entre deux chaises, cet album conserve une fraîcheur insolente. C'est le propre des grands disques : ils créent leur propre espace-temps. En le réécoutant aujourd'hui, je me dis que Costello a réussi l'exploit d'être le chaînon manquant entre la pop millimétrée des Beatles et le cynisme désabusé de la génération post-punk.

Alors ouais, je range mon scepticisme, je savoure ce joli 4 sur 5 bien mérité, et je regarde déjà vers l'horizon. La suite de la discographie s'annonce immense, et je trépigne d'impatience à l'idée de voir si le binoclard va réussir à maintenir ce niveau d'excellence ou s'il va s'échouer lamentablement dans les décennies à venir.

All these elephants, yet you can't address the one that says racial slurs.

Another Costello album in quick succession. And to be honest, I am getting a bit tired of him, after four albums already on the list, I didn't detect anything super special and it's getting old. It's not bad by any means, but at the same time I don't care much to come back to him. So max 3 stars once again

Really annoying voice and music

There are way too many Elvis Costello albums on this list. There should probably be zero.