Elvis Costello was as much a pub rocker as he was a punk rocker and nowhere is that more evident than on his debut, My Aim Is True. It's not just that Clover, a San Franciscan ock outfit led by Huey Lewis (absent here), back him here, not the Attractions; it's that his sensibility is borrowed from the pile-driving ock & roll and folksy introspection of pub rockers like Brinsley Schwarz, adding touches of cult singer/songwriters like Randy Newman and David Ackles. Then, there's the infusion of pure nastiness and cynical humor, which is pure Costello. That blend of classicist sensibilities and cleverness make this collection of shiny oots rock a punk record -- it informs his nervy performances and his prickly songs. Of all classic punk debuts, this remains perhaps the most idiosyncratic because it's not cathartic in sound, only in spirit. Which, of course, meant that it could play to a broader audience, and Linda Ronstadt did indeed cover the standout allad "Alison." Still, there's no mistaking this for anything other than a punk record, and it's a terrific one at that, since even if he buries his singer/songwriter inclinations, they shine through as brightly as his cheerfully mean humor and immense musical skill; he sounds as comfortable with a '50s knockoff like "No Dancing" as he does on the eggae-inflected "Less Than Zero." Costello went on to more ambitious territory fairly quickly, but My Aim Is True is a phenomenal debut, capturing a songwriter and musician whose words were as rich and clever as his music. [Ryko/Demon's 1993 reissue contained several bonus tracks, including the country B-sides "Radio Sweetheart" and "Stranger in the House," plus demos of his first group, Flip City.]
This is the one song I feel like listening to at the moment, and my CDs are buried in a cardboard box somewhere. No, I do not have this on vinyl. No, I do not feel inferior because of that. I don't own a record player and I move a lot--hence the lack of tangible recorded material. The ultimate anthem to a very specific, tender bitterness that only a few of us ever actually experience. It is for...
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....The Sex Pistols were scheduled to play SNL.But,Before their appearance,they imploded.Elvis Costello was booked as a last minute replacement.For a brief moment,a spotty english kid took over the airwaves.............and made the most of it.
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Elvis Costello released his breakthrough and debut album My Aim Is True in 1977. It reached Number Fourteen in the U.K. and quick hype made it a hot import before its official U.S. release and Top 40 chart position. The world had been officially introduced to the thick-framed rocker.For the new expanded reissue of My Aim Is True, the original thirteen track recording has been morphed into a two...
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I'm not angry...well actually I kinda am, dammit! Universal Music's reissue arm has acquired 11 albums from Elvis Costello's early catalog, with plans to re-release the British musician's material via deluxe editions, compilations and box sets. Originally released by Columbia Records in the U.S., the albums acquired begin with Costello's 1977 debut, "My Aim Is True," and continue through "This ...
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This is the one song I feel like listening to at the moment, and my CDs are buried in a cardboard box somewhere. No, I do not have this on vinyl. No, I do not feel inferior because of that. I don't own a record player and I move a lot--hence the lack of tangible recorded material. The ultimate anthem to a very specific, tender bitterness that only a few of us ever actually experience. It is for...
More >
....The Sex Pistols were scheduled to play SNL.But,Before their appearance,they imploded.Elvis Costello was booked as a last minute replacement.For a brief moment,a spotty english kid took over the airwaves.............and made the most of it.
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Welcome to the Working Week |
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| 2 Miracle Man |
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| 3 No Dancing |
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| 4 Blame It on Cain |
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| 5 Alison |
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| 6 Sneaky Feelings |
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| 7 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes |
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| 8 Less Than Zero |
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| 9 Mystery Dance |
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| 10 Pay It Back |
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| 11 I'm Not Angry |
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| 12 Waiting for the End of the World |
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| 13 Watching the Detectives |
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 "My Aim Is True")
