Blood & Chocolate

There's absolutely no need for anything beyond the first 3 Costello albums to be included on this list. It's not like he's Bowie with several different eras. This is just the same style as the early albums, but worse.

I quite like Elvis Costello but this isn't my favorite album by him. Man still can turn a phrase and knows how to build a song. I just feel like it may be shows a little through the music here in places? These songs feel built?

The Good: We get chocolate!
The Bad: It is laced with blood…
The Ugly: Realizing that the attractions aren’t that attractive…

I think this is my third album from Elvis C, either with or without that backing band, and the main thought that was going through my mind listening to this album was “been there, done that”

While I am writing this review, I am listening the album Main Course by the Bee Gees, which is having me scratch my head as I don’t understand why Elvis Costello has 6 albums listed, fucking Morrissey/the Smiths roughly 7, yet these three brothers, who wrote nearly as many NUMBER ONE hits, only have 2 albums on this 1001 journey?

I am dreading having to listen to the other 3 albums by Costello… will dish out 3* as it was still listenable stuff, but it kind of deserves a 2 1/2*… Back to listening to an album that is giving me more enjoyment… go Bee Gees go!!!

My second Costello album after Imperial Bedroom, 4 stars, and it was grand I suppose but nothing overly memorable.

Top Track - I Hope You’re Happy Now

I swear the cover is trying to spell out 'Napoleon Dynamite'

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3, though I'd rather leave it at a 3.5.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s really not a bad album. It just feels like a less polished version of his mid-to-late ‘70s style, and while it doesn’t fall as far as Brutal Youth does in terms of feeling out of touch for the time period (given the slight lean towards a garage rock tone here), it’s a style that does show its age a little bit here. The Attractions do generally sound great, with a few tracks muzzling them to give way to Elvis’ vision for some moodier atmospheres at times. More than that though, Elvis Costello’s songwriting is mainly what’s starting to show its age here; the imagery & concise hooks he had on his poppier ‘70s stuff isn’t as prevalent, with a broader overview of things that paint muddled pictures. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten Brutal Youth, but this feels like the most… not “bland”, but disjointed / unfocused writing I’ve heard from Elvis since then. His vocals can still get them out well (if a little nasally), but in terms of capturing a precise meaning, I found myself baffled & not very compelled by a lot of the album, especially on the stretch between “Blue Chair” & “Next Time Round”.

Granted, I’m not opposed to being baffled if the tracks sound good enough; “Tokyo Storm Warning” sounded like a Bob Dylan-esque masterclass of just yapping into the wind with a broad outline of something, but it sounded really good, so I liked it. I am a little baffled by a lot of the tracks, actually, including a lot of the first half too. I have no idea what the fuck “Uncomplicated” is doing here as an opening track, and it set a really awkward tone. A few tracks felt a little long, a few tracks felt unclear (I dunno if there was murder or not on “I Want You”), there’s a weirdly mild homophobic air around “Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?” (though I think that’s just the ‘80s stigma talking), and ultimately, the whole album feels weirdly disconnected despite feeling so familiar to his usual fare. I don’t think it’s a bad album, because I am at a 3.5, and I’d rather leave it there, but this never finds a consistently strong set of tracks to warrant going up to a 4, hence the bump down to a 3.

No more Elvis Costello on the list for us – doing the math (a 3, a 4.5, a 4, a 5, a 4 & this 3.5) adds up to a solid 24/30 in terms of personal rating, or what averages out to a 4. That feels about right, honestly. I do think 6 albums is overkill; at the very least, I don’t think this album or “Brutal Youth” need to be here, because his best 4 albums paint a pretty complete & compelling picture of his musical stylings. It’s a good showcase of ‘70s new wave with a pop/rock lean, and I do genuinely like the guy a lot. I don’t blame people for getting tired of constantly seeing him on the list, but I think it’s worth giving him a fair shake. I enjoyed his stuff, at least. Still a good slice of pizza & all that.

I'm almost at the end of this list and this feels like the 10th Elvis Costello album in here. My conclusion? I don't get it.

This is my first album by Elvis Costello. I liked it, kinda. I can see why more than 1 album from this guy is annoying. I can't wait until I am on the Elvis Costello hate train as well.

About the actual album, it's just kinda boring but also similar to what I would usually listen to. The difference is the pretty bad singing at times. Also, some songs just go on and on. Nothing bad, but nothing really great.

1001 albums dads must listen to feel validated about their music tastes. 1.5

Artists I like fall into two categories, the "greatest hits" category where I like the songs if I hear them on the radio and would be happy with a greatest hits album and those artists that I adore where I want to have every album. Elvis is in the former and this was really lovely but apart from the song I Want You, one of my favorite songs ever, the rest was energetic but didn't stick with me.

On paper, Elvis Costello should check all the right boxes for me… but here I am, once again, writing a think piece about his voice. It’s kinda bad, right? I can tell he tries and he clearly writes songs for someone who can sing, but he always sounds just a little bit flat when he’s chasing notes. Sometimes it’s only a half step, but other times it feels like half an octave. I think maybe I’d like him more if he embraced his range and just did less. Maybe not. But his voice is literally all I can think about when I listen to his records, and that’s a shame. There’s a line in “Blue Chair” where he says “it’s your turn to cry and my turn to sing” and that feels like the most relatable lyric on the record.
I think I liked this more than Imperial Bedroom, but I’m still pretty apathetic about it. He’s got 33 studio albums, I’m sure there’s one out there for me.

Fucking Elvis Costello. Not the worst Elvis Costello, but the fact I have a reference point to that comment just makes me very upset with this list

Please no more Elvis Costello albums

i'm giving all Costello albums a 2 and hardly skimming through them as a protest of the list creator's obsession with this meaningless artist.

Can't give it a 1 because then I'll have to see this clown's albums on my summary page for the next two years.

Still not an Elvis Costello guy

I feel like I’m supposed to like this more than I do. There are some clever turns of phrase and a few moments where the Hammond sneaks through nicely, but overall it didn’t grab me. It’s fine, solid even, but not something I’d find myself seeking out again. More of a respect listen than a love listen.

First Elvis Costello album on this and first time listening to one completely. Other reviewers seem to be sick of him. 6 albums does seem excessive.

I like how raw this is. It's like pre-grunge. Vocal was off putting at the start but I warmed up to it. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

Does this album need to be on the list? Not really. Still, I had my fun with this one. The first few tracks, especially the opener, have some great percussion on them. I want you is also a nice track that I keep confusing with the Beatles song of the same name. I liked this more than his other 2 albums I've had so far, every vocal performance Elvis Costello seems to give it his all.

This was my first Elvis Costello album on this list … but reading the reviews I can see I should expect a few more 😂

Luckily I”m a fan, but I wasn’t familiar with this one. It was fine … I’m looking forward to Spike 👍

The guitar on Next Time Round sounds a lot like Stand by REM. This is enjoyable, but I don’t think it’s quite as good as his first three albums. Favorites were Tokyo Storm Warning, I Want You, and Battered Old Bird.