My Top Elvis Costello Albums

If you are a completist, few things are as frustrating as when an artist is wildly inconsistent, peppering their discography with releases you have no desire to ever listen to again. Lucky for me, I don't have that particular affliction. I fully embrace being a rather fickle fan, and I have no problem having only my favorite records from an artist, and not the whole spectrum of their career. I don't feel like I'm missing out by only having the highlights.

How many highlights do you need to be a favorite artist? That's an interesting question. If I look at Elvis Costello's history (which I have done before), I probably only care at all about half of all the records he's ever been a part of, and the ones I love would be even fewer. And yet, I consider him one of my favorite artists, and one of the handful who have had profound influence on my musical personality as I express it.

Therefore, today I felt we should take a look at that massive stack of records once more, and this time I will try to rank them as I see things. I am quite sure this will not line up with the conventional wisdom.

1. King Of America

Elvis' genre experiments are a mixed bag. Most of them go off in directions I don't care for, but this one makes up for all the others. Primarily a sparse, acoustic record, it was Elvis stripping things back to challenge anyone who dared him as a songwriter. The attitude and image were gone, replaced with a laser focus on the barest bones of songwriting. I have taken much inspiration from that, and it's because of the masterclass this record teaches. When you can make compelling music with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and some humor, you've done something special. Sure, he was being an asshole when he wrote about "She said that she was working for the ABC News/It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use", but he was our asshole.

2. My Aim Is True

The Attractions would become synonymous with Elvis, but there was something about the laid-back playing of Clover that makes Elvis' debut album so charming. I think it's because they play against his snarky, bitter lyrics. It would be too on the nose to hear The Attractions rip it up as Elvis sings to Alison, "my aim is true". The subversion of the record sounding older than it was, when it was ushering in a new wave (sorry for the pun), it part of the appeal. And for someone with a flair for a lyric, opening his very first album with the line, "Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired", is quite the statement.

3. Blood & Chocolate

1986 was a great year for Elvis, as this record came out within months of "King Of America". We can look at this record as a breakup album about the band, as Elvis bounces from the sweet pop of the good times, to the angry noise of their fights. "I Want You" remains one of his most enthralling long-form stories, while "Crimes Of Paris" is one of the stickiest things he's ever written. It's a rough-around-the-edges record that rides the knife's blade of being too much but also no

4. This Year's Model

This remains the most quintessential Elvis Costello record. With both "Pump It Up" and "Radio, Radio" on it, the angry young man was personified on this one. The Attractions coming to the fore helped matters, giving him a slashing power that made every cutting barb that much sharper. "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" rips, and the record remains focused on the task at hand, deviating less than before or after. This record defined that time and place, and for good reason. It's one of the best sophomore records ever, and remains special even if there are a few albums I personally prefer.t enough. Hearing how much they needed each other, but still wanted to break apart, is captivating.

5. Armed Forces

For a long time, this was my favorite of Elvis' records. It does have his best pop songs ("Accidents Will Happen" and "Oliver's Army"), and songs like "Party Girl" have always been favorites as well, but I find it's an album that hasn't aged as well as others. That is largely my growing dislike for "Good Squad" and "Green Shirt", but it may also speak to the vacuity of pop music. What started as a sugar rush has turned into a sugar crash. The highs are still soaring, but it now reveals how far the fall really is. Still, I wouldn't trade the best songs here for anything.


Runners Up:

When I Was Cruel

This dirty, self-produced record was actually the first Elvis album I heard. It's messy, and problematic, but also bristling with the best ideas he had put to tape in at least fifteen years. Nostalgia does a number on me here, but I realize that, and it isn't the reason "Tart" remains one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs in Elvis' catalog. If a favorite can be something deeply flawed, and not always the most enjoyable of experiences, it's this record. I love it, even if I also secretly hate it.

Momofuku

I didn't expect Elvis to return to form so late in his career, but banging out a quick album without having a grand idea was just what he (and I) needed. It isn't young Elvis by any means, but stripping back his ambition has always been the best thing for him. It lets us focus on his melody and lyric writing, which has always been what sets him apart from all the imitators. Even when he was finding his way back to himself, getting close was enough to make a surprisingly essential record.

Trust

I've had my mind change back and forth on this record and "Imperial Bedroom" many times over the years. Sometimes, they strike me as masterful records of pop decadence, genre-hopping just to prove Elvis was capable of anything. Other times, the lack of focus and unifying sound drives me nuts. I'm still cold on the other record, but lately "Trust" has turned back to the former possibility. Maybe what it shows is that experiments are fun, so long as they don't overstay their welcome. We didn't need full records that sound like "Shot With Your Own Gun", but as a kaleidoscope of Elvis' influences, it's the sort of record that I always find something new getting stuck in my head.