[elrod-tom]

Man oh man, this is a toughie!!

I've probably got to go with This Year's Model as the favorite. It's really a remarkable first album...raw but refined, and with masterful production on the most recent 2-disk re-release.

I also like Get Happy, which is like a roller-coaster ride from fast and furious to slow and contemplative, all in one CD.

Imperial Bedroom is one of my reference CD's for testing. The songs "Long Honeymoon" and "Man Out of Time" are two of my favorites, with incredible soundstage...gives you the feel of being there in the room. From the same period, Punch the Clock is also a big favorite...brings back so many memories from my college days in Ann Arbor. Love the songs "Everyday I Write the Book" and "Shipbuilding" (with an assist from a near-death Chet Baker).

I also like a lesser-known entry - Spike - for it's change of direction. Very cynical, think "Let Him Dangle".

If I had to pick one for the #2 spot, it would be Punch the Clock, but not by much.

 

[DarkAngel]

Lets see..........I am not a big EC fan but do prefer the early "angry young man" period stuff best:
aim is true --> get happy

Got to hand it to Rhino they really emptied the vaults for these releases giving massive amounts of bonus tracks...... doesn't "get happy" have like 50 tracks on two CDs?

 

[markl]

Quote:

man, i haven't even bought a CD since i got a hold of a turntable. vinyl rules, markl. why haven't you bought a TT?

My whole music collection is on CD, I went from buying cassette tapes in the early 80s to CDs in the mid-80s. I skipped vinyl altogether. I like the convenience of CD, the ability to jump tracks, fast forward, use a 5-disc changer, remote control, the whole 9. I would get frustrated having to flip records over every 30 minutes or so. Also, as an audio weirdo it would always be eating at me that every time I listened to an album it will sound slightly worse than the last time I got to hear it because of degradation, wearing of grooves.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Once again, head-fi grabbed me by the wallet and applied it's squeeze! I spent about an hour late last night on eBay filling in some of the holes in my EC collection.

Nice recommendations here, like:

EC / Bacharach disc suggested by blessingx

For the Stars with EC / Anne Sofie Von Otter suggested by Twalerman

The Juliet Letters with the Brodsky Quartet. Many thanks to sno1man for the load off my wallet for this one.

There are now 12 Rhino 2-disc releases, and I've been so impressed with the 3 or 4 that I already have that I'll probably grab the rest of them when they come up on eBay. The new price for these sets is not too bad either considering the sound quality and the new material on the bonus discs which is quite varied and interesting. Here is a link (there are some interesting articles on this site as well):

http://www.rhino.com/artists/costello/

I'm also thinking about the 5 disc Live box set with EC / Steve Nieve but have already been outbid. I figured $70 would get it, but my hopes were dashed quickly. Now I see on amazon.com that this OOP box set is a hot item and new ones are listed for up to $250!!!

 

[Daffy6964]

Armed Forces is bar none MY favorite Elvis album. Particularily the newer two-disc version with live stuff and outtakes.

 

[Thump]

I'm also not a big Elvis Costello fan, but the one I keep turning back to is King of America. Its opener, Brillant Mistake, is one of my favorite Costello tracks.

 

[hciman77]

Good Costello

1) My Aim is True
2) Brutal Youth
3) Spike
4) This Years Model
5) Get Happy

Bad Costello

1) North
2) Goodbye Crual World
3) Imperial Bedroom

Seen EC 7 times great singer/songwriter terrible TV pundit (have I got news for you) and embarassing on celluloid (No Surrender, Straight to Hell)

 

[FCJ]

Easy--"My Aim Is True." I bought it as a Stiff Records import in a Times Square Store (remember that?) well before it was released in the USA. I also remember seeing him at one of his first shows in the USA, at the Bottom Line in NYC, the week he played on "Saturday Night Live" in 1977. I waited in the freezing cold for two hours to get in for standing room, but it was well, well worth it.

 

[elrod-tom]

I once saw him at Michigan State University sometime in the late 80's. A buddy had an extra ticket, and I thought I'd go. We were dead center, about 6 rows back...nice seats in a tiny little arena.

Turns out that Nick Lowe was opening for him, and it was just him and his guitar. Nice opening act.

Then EC comes out....but wait...where are the Attractions?? I was grumpy at what I thought would be a so-so accoustic show.

Boy, was I wrong!! It might be the best concert I've ever attended. That guy is a VERY talented musician, and not just one of these "production-makes-the-music" kind of studio guys.

I know...not exactly on topic, but a nice story regardless...