Music Banter - View Single Post - Bulldog's Armchair Guide To Elvis Costello

Bulldog · 11-02-2008, 11:07 AM

My Aim Is True
1977, Stiff Records, Pathway Studios

So, let's get this done chronologically then!

Elvis Costello's debut came after a few years of knocking about the country in his pub-rock band Flip City and failing auditions for a solo recording contract under the pseudonym D.P. Costello. On the basis of a demo tape he was signed to the fledgling Stiff label in 1976, after which he entered the studio with label-mate Nick Lowe in the producer's chair and Clover (Huey Lewis' pre-the News outfit) as his backing band.

The result of the Pathway Studios sessions which followed is basically what one would expect of anyone's debut album, i.e one which makes no effort to disguise the influences behind it (good ol' Buddy Holly and the Beatles being the most obvious on show here, certainly to these ears) and is basically the inauguration of a just-turned-professional musician finding his feet in the industry. What results is a very decent, non-too-challenging rock 'n' roll album which is delivered with the energy of the punk scene and the general sway of the times. Also, given the tightly limited budget for the album sessions, we're presented with a very garage rock-sounding album.

Anyway, let's have a look at the tracklisting;

1. Welcome To the Working Week
And it all starts with proper bang and all. Following the vocally harmonized opening lines the song's kicked into life by a wonderfully simplistic chord sequence and is complimented by a fittingly tight performance from Clover. A mere 80 seconds of song, it's over almost quickly as it began. The perfect choice for a curtain-raiser then. 8/10

2. Miracle Man
And from the furious opening the tempo of the album is taken down a few notches here. A very Heartbreakers-esque (the Johnny Thunders ones) band performance underpins a fittingly disenchanted and angsty lyric. The chorus alone...

Why do you have to say that there's always someone
who can do it better than I can?
But don't you think that I know that walking on the water
won't make me a miracle man?

...makes this easily one of my favourite woman trouble songs

Sheer class. 9/10

3. No Dancing
To follow up is probably the weakest moment on the album for me. That's not to say it's bad at all, it's just probably the least intriguing part of the record. It's a well-worked piece of up-tempo, Beatles-influenced rock (the chorus owes a lot to the Lennon/McCartney original 'I'll Get You') with some great lyrics (I've always been very fond of the 'he's such a drag, he's not insane, it's just that everybody has to feel his pain' line), but for me the finished product doesn't work as well as the slower version Costello played live back in the day, which can be heard here. 6/10

4. Blame It On Cain
With it's somewhat skewiff guitar motif and the rackety performance of the rhythm section we're presented with something of a companion piece to 'Miracle Man' and another bloody fine song at that! The sentiment of the lyrics ('once upon a time I had little money, government burglars took it long before I could mail it to you') are certainly ones I can relate to! 8/10

5. Alison
And here we get Elvis Costello's first true classic of a song. An absolutely gorgeous, guitar-led slow-burner about lost love helped in no small way by some sublime lyrical wordplay, it's definitely a high point of the album. 10/10

6. Sneaky Feelings
Which leads us onto an almost jovial, toe-tapping piece of rock 'n' roll (at least musically anyhow). The word-penning behind it is a triumph as well (the 'I get you in my dreams, you should hear the things you say' line makes me smile everytime

). 8/10

7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
And the mood and style of 'Sneaky Feelings' is carried over to the following track, and a great choice for a single at that. Another terrific and stylistically simple song which is itself another disillusioned musing on male desire ('I said "I'm so happy I could die", she said "drop dead" and left with another guy' is one of the many delights therein) and another personal highlight. 9/10

8. Less Than Zero
'Less Than Zero' (which some years later gave its title to Brett Easton Ellis' novel) is another song driven both by an infectious guitar riff and some very well-written lyrics (which, as may have by my constantly mentioning them, are both strong-points of this album), with Costello interestingly using that Oswald Mosley fella as a metaphor for his own message. It's another catchy and non-too-demanding number, and another truly fine song. 10/10

9. Mystery Dance
A song which is the most clearly swayed by late 50s/early 60s rock 'n' roll, at around 90 seconds of length it simply speeds in and out with such aplomb. Not exactly one of the greatest tunes I've ever heard, definitely works well for what it is though. 7/10

10. Pay It Back
A very similar piece to 'Sneaky Feelings' this, and therefore a similarly punchy and easy-on-the-ear number. 8/10

11. I'm Not Angry
Despite the misleading title, this is easily the most angry tune on show here, populated as it is with the only guitar solos on the record, boasting one of the faster tempos on show and sounding as it does like a lyric about catching your girlfriend two-timing (I could hear you whispering as I crept by your door, so you found some other joker who could please you more). Put simply, you've gotta love it! 9/10

12. Waiting For the End Of the World
And as the album nears its end the song-structures all of a sudden get a lot more complex and ambitious. Certainly the pedal steel guitar lines from John McFee is the result of an unusual amount of studio overdubbing for a record which was recorded if not live then certainly in two or three takes per song. It takes the pace and the mood down from 'I'm Not Angry' nicely in time for the album-closer... 8/10

13. Watching the Detectives
...which is itself definitely the most musically ambitious composition that 'My Aim Is True' yields. Apparently written after Costello stayed up all night drinking coffee and listening to the Clash's debut album, it's a wonderful piece of white reggae and without doubt one of the man's all-time best. 10/10

Now, let's drag this on a bit more shall we

Outtakes

Living In Paradise: An early version of the song which would turn up on Costello's follow-up to this album, 'This Year's Model', needless to say it's not really a patch on its final rendition.

Stranger In the House: One of a couple of country-influenced songs recorded during the Pathway sessions, this slow-burning, sorrowful ballad, while actually a very good song, just doesn't fit on the album it was to be on.

Radio Sweetheart: Originally highlighted as a potential single during the early stages of making 'My Aim Is True', it is indeed a great, upbeat piece of country rock but, for that reason, wouldn't have sat comfortably alongside its would-be bedfellows on the album.

So, summing up then...

A great album although not quite a classic to me (and definitely not an indication of what was to come over the next decades). For anyone new to Costello though it's easily your best bet as a starting point.

8/10

11-02-2008, 11:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	My Aim Is True 1977, Stiff Records, Pathway Studios So, let's get this done chronologically then! Elvis Costello's debut came after a few years of knocking about the country in his pub-rock band Flip City and failing auditions for a solo recording contract under the pseudonym D.P. Costello. On the basis of a demo tape he was signed to the fledgling Stiff label in 1976, after which he entered the studio with label-mate Nick Lowe in the producer's chair and Clover (Huey Lewis' pre-the News outfit) as his backing band. The result of the Pathway Studios sessions which followed is basically what one would expect of anyone's debut album, i.e one which makes no effort to disguise the influences behind it (good ol' Buddy Holly and the Beatles being the most obvious on show here, certainly to these ears) and is basically the inauguration of a just-turned-professional musician finding his feet in the industry. What results is a very decent, non-too-challenging rock 'n' roll album which is delivered with the energy of the punk scene and the general sway of the times. Also, given the tightly limited budget for the album sessions, we're presented with a very garage rock-sounding album. Anyway, let's have a look at the tracklisting; 1. Welcome To the Working Week And it all starts with proper bang and all. Following the vocally harmonized opening lines the song's kicked into life by a wonderfully simplistic chord sequence and is complimented by a fittingly tight performance from Clover. A mere 80 seconds of song, it's over almost quickly as it began. The perfect choice for a curtain-raiser then. 8/10 2. Miracle Man And from the furious opening the tempo of the album is taken down a few notches here. A very Heartbreakers-esque (the Johnny Thunders ones) band performance underpins a fittingly disenchanted and angsty lyric. The chorus alone... Why do you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can? But don't you think that I know that walking on the water won't make me a miracle man? ...makes this easily one of my favourite woman trouble songs Sheer class. 9/10 3. No Dancing To follow up is probably the weakest moment on the album for me. That's not to say it's bad at all, it's just probably the least intriguing part of the record. It's a well-worked piece of up-tempo, Beatles-influenced rock (the chorus owes a lot to the Lennon/McCartney original 'I'll Get You') with some great lyrics (I've always been very fond of the 'he's such a drag, he's not insane, it's just that everybody has to feel his pain' line), but for me the finished product doesn't work as well as the slower version Costello played live back in the day, which can be heard here. 6/10 4. Blame It On Cain With it's somewhat skewiff guitar motif and the rackety performance of the rhythm section we're presented with something of a companion piece to 'Miracle Man' and another bloody fine song at that! The sentiment of the lyrics ('once upon a time I had little money, government burglars took it long before I could mail it to you') are certainly ones I can relate to! 8/10 5. Alison And here we get Elvis Costello's first true classic of a song. An absolutely gorgeous, guitar-led slow-burner about lost love helped in no small way by some sublime lyrical wordplay, it's definitely a high point of the album. 10/10 6. Sneaky Feelings Which leads us onto an almost jovial, toe-tapping piece of rock 'n' roll (at least musically anyhow). The word-penning behind it is a triumph as well (the 'I get you in my dreams, you should hear the things you say' line makes me smile everytime ). 8/10 7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes And the mood and style of 'Sneaky Feelings' is carried over to the following track, and a great choice for a single at that. Another terrific and stylistically simple song which is itself another disillusioned musing on male desire ('I said "I'm so happy I could die", she said "drop dead" and left with another guy' is one of the many delights therein) and another personal highlight. 9/10 8. Less Than Zero 'Less Than Zero' (which some years later gave its title to Brett Easton Ellis' novel) is another song driven both by an infectious guitar riff and some very well-written lyrics (which, as may have by my constantly mentioning them, are both strong-points of this album), with Costello interestingly using that Oswald Mosley fella as a metaphor for his own message. It's another catchy and non-too-demanding number, and another truly fine song. 10/10 9. Mystery Dance A song which is the most clearly swayed by late 50s/early 60s rock 'n' roll, at around 90 seconds of length it simply speeds in and out with such aplomb. Not exactly one of the greatest tunes I've ever heard, definitely works well for what it is though. 7/10 10. Pay It Back A very similar piece to 'Sneaky Feelings' this, and therefore a similarly punchy and easy-on-the-ear number. 8/10 11. I'm Not Angry Despite the misleading title, this is easily the most angry tune on show here, populated as it is with the only guitar solos on the record, boasting one of the faster tempos on show and sounding as it does like a lyric about catching your girlfriend two-timing (I could hear you whispering as I crept by your door, so you found some other joker who could please you more). Put simply, you've gotta love it! 9/10 12. Waiting For the End Of the World And as the album nears its end the song-structures all of a sudden get a lot more complex and ambitious. Certainly the pedal steel guitar lines from John McFee is the result of an unusual amount of studio overdubbing for a record which was recorded if not live then certainly in two or three takes per song. It takes the pace and the mood down from 'I'm Not Angry' nicely in time for the album-closer... 8/10 13. Watching the Detectives ...which is itself definitely the most musically ambitious composition that 'My Aim Is True' yields. Apparently written after Costello stayed up all night drinking coffee and listening to the Clash's debut album, it's a wonderful piece of white reggae and without doubt one of the man's all-time best. 10/10 Now, let's drag this on a bit more shall we Outtakes Living In Paradise: An early version of the song which would turn up on Costello's follow-up to this album, 'This Year's Model', needless to say it's not really a patch on its final rendition. Stranger In the House: One of a couple of country-influenced songs recorded during the Pathway sessions, this slow-burning, sorrowful ballad, while actually a very good song, just doesn't fit on the album it was to be on. Radio Sweetheart: Originally highlighted as a potential single during the early stages of making 'My Aim Is True', it is indeed a great, upbeat piece of country rock but, for that reason, wouldn't have sat comfortably alongside its would-be bedfellows on the album. So, summing up then... A great album although not quite a classic to me (and definitely not an indication of what was to come over the next decades). For anyone new to Costello though it's easily your best bet as a starting point. 8/10