Inside the JayJamJah Introspective Auditorium
 

This week in the debut episode my "guest" is Elvis Costello. Focusing on his debut album "My Aim is True"

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One of my favorite artists of all time and in my opinion the best musician in the world from 1977-1980. Costello is the definition of a star who understand where and who came from, where he wants to be and those who made it possible for the man from the former to arrive at the later. His name, his look and his music were a tribute to the icons in the life personal and professional and the fans who made him. Born Declan MacManus the change was inspired by, of course, the King of Rock and Roll's first name and his maternal great grandmothers surname.

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His debut effort, 1977's "My Aim is True" is nearly perfect as he demonstrates versatility, an understanding and respect of the music while pouring raw emotion in the music with the lyrics and delivery to fittingly match. From the 90 second introduction "Welcome to the working week" to the peppy yet fatalistic finale "Waiting for the end of the World" Costello is on the nose without drawing attention to it. Each full length track has hit single written all over it; "Miracle Man" opens the meat of the album and ups the ante with a ambiguous yet viscous gait. This trait is present throughout the album as the artist uses dichotomy to keep you off balance and interested throughout the album in which, as all great artists seem to do, Costello finds a very unified yet unique feel without fail from track to track. In pure serendipity the albums potential title track is instead titled "Allison" and one of the titles most popular efforts. Personal highlights from the album include "Blame it on Cain", "Red Shoes" and "Less then Zero". Also my favorite Costello track ever "Watching the Detectives" was released just prior to the album and eventually found a home as the 13th track on the initially 12 song release.

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Following his debut album's success Costello recruited his first band to share the marquee "The Attractions" and released two more albums before the end of the decade the solid but not spectacular "This year's Model" and the famously fantastic "Armed Forces". Still, while many fans will disagree, to me, he never recaptured the magic and pure raw perfection of "My Aim is True"

Costello has continued to make great music even to today. Now 53, he continues to create, releasing 7 albums this decade and 24 in total. Ten times he has peaked in the top ten, four times at #2 but has never had a number 1 album. Mariah Carey has had 5. The album is done playing and so is this episode.

Thanks, see you next time.

Here is a look at video from the first Costello show I ever attended. Not sure who shot it but thanks very much for sharing. I hope you all enjoy it!

YouTube - Elvis Costello - "Radio Radio" Live in Detroit, 1978

Bump

Cool write up on Elvis Costello. My favorite song on that particular album is "Miracle Man" which seems to go unnoticed when people talk about My Aim Is True...

This album is on my list to hear, i'll have to give it a go soon 'cos it sounds pretty good. Nice thread!

My Aim Is True has some of Costello's best songs, but I have to confess, I'm more of a Get Happy!/Trust/Imperial Bedroom person. I love his voice on MAIT, but I can't get past the band. To each his own. :)

I wish I could just let my kids starve and jack in work. I could then listen to everything I have missed including this man. Another well written post. MB has been looking up recently.

@ ALL

Please feel encouraged to suggest other artists or albums you'd like me to discuss in this thread

I think your extensive knowledge should point me in the direction of those lesser known artists that we in Blighty may have missed.

Most people here know this album, but a lot of day-to-day types don’t. I have very little of consequence to say about it, but am compelled nonetheless to let you in for tonight as I revisit an old and cathartic friend.

I don’t like to talk much about Nick Drake. What can you really say? I don’t listen to Nick Drake all that much anymore. What’s to hear? The music is carnal; it’s always exactly what it’s meant to be. There is no better example of this then Pink Moon. Pink Moon is one man with one guitar and (this is pure speculation) the knowledge of just how frail and fickle life really can be.


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When you listen to Nick Drake you see rolling hills and endless seas with suns setting over them. You feel love, lose, pain, sadness, remorse, happiness, relief. You hear guitar, sometimes bass, drums and the like, but you always hear more then sounds, more then instruments, more then music. Pink Moon is so effortless and enchanting; every song is an expression of faith, hope and forgiving. This is the greatest man and guitar album I’ve ever heard.

“Pink Moon” sells Volkswagen’s, it also set tones. Specifically the one for this album. It’s not a commercial song; it’s a song you heard in a commercial. “Place to Be” is poignant and patterned. To call this music simple would be both accurate and completely off base. There is much more there then six stings and vocal chords. “Road” is smooth, it transports the listener to “Which Will” as it rains down it’s dulcet country tones. The questions is honest enough and laid out well, “Horn” allows us time to ponder while gripping to soul of the music. “Things behind the Sun” is a more ominous delivery drawing the envy of any modern singer\songwriter with it’s complex perfection of simplification. “Know” lets the Blues into the room through a cleansing interlude into “Parasite” and it’s wrenching rhythm. The blighting melancholy throughout deluges you. Overcome with anguish Drake perseveres, and the “Free Ride” sweeps all away, “Harvest Breed” is subtle but the most urgent moments of the album and the penultimate track propels the narrative on. “From the Morning” is a perfect ending. How better to say good-bye then by saying hello. Promenading down the avenue of dreams sweet departure is rebirth among the shroud of reality that prevails. Fade out…


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Music is an opiate, it soothes it quells anxiety, fear, sorrow, shame. Nick Drake is Morphine; it’s legal, it’s there, but you need someone to make you take it. Snatch your 3x5 Rx and find a copy of Pink Moon or any of the three for that matter and discover the music you missed.

On Costello: This Year's Model is pretty spectacular imo.

agreed. My Aim Is True is great but in a completely different place sonically to Trust and Imperial Bedroom. I like Get Happy! but always found it a bit diluted

Diluted as in too many songs (played too fast)? That's the most common criticism of the album, and it makes sense, but that's why I love it. :)

I love the general insanity and on-the-brink tensions of Get Happy!, Trust, and Imperial Bedroom. They're dark, paranoid, creepy, and completely appropriate. No one writes songs about adultery as well as Costello.

I would love to hear your thoughts on John Martyn JJJ.

Cool, I'll put something together sometime soon, and await your response and opinion as well.

Previously on this thread...

45 Days Later...


Our hero sits in his favorite chair finishes his third glass of Jameson's Irish Whiskey and puffs away on the Macanudo Maduro that has captivated his palette for weeks on end. When Suddenly Inspiration hits him via shuffle mode on the Itunes player.


And indeed it was, It was a better James Taylor album then any Baby James ever released. Solid Air was the best John Martyn album end to end and the one he would put in the hoper for this introspective foray. And now...

John Martyn: Solid Air

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John Martyn is older then me, nearly a decade older. Solid Air, released in 1973, was his fourth solo studio effort and the first to fully encorporate his love for jazz music into the acoustic heavy sound that had become hsi trade mark especially following the critically hailed "Bless the Weather" in 1971. This album is a very appropriate choice to follow the Nick Drake selection. In fact Martyn and Drake were close friends and this album was dedicated to the recently passed singer\songwriter. The long suffering depression that characterized Nick Drake's tragic existence is given a direct nod in the very ethereal title track.

This album runs "Over the Hill" with a stunning little country rock number and brings you back down with the hypnotic and rhythmic "Don't Want to Know". If John Martyn is going to be criticized it's like for his inconsistency and lack of a seminal album that casual, hard core fans and critics can agree on. Solid Air is not that album, nor is it supposed to be, but it could easily serve that purpose given the chance. This is enthusiastic music done tactfully without sacrificing passion in the least. So many songs on this album are such epic and creative compositions, and they move back and forth stylistically within the realm of Folk Jazz Martyn has taken the time to create. Nearly two years after his last album it's 33 minutes of overlooked excellence. "Dreams by the Sea" is an absurdly good song. The fact the it is sandwiched by the competitively good but completely contrasting "Go Down Easy" and "May You Never" so smoothly is an example of what good song writing does.

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Find time to find this album and give it a spin, then give it a few more and you'll see what I mean.

Fade to Black...

Still sitting in his chair, laptop on lap he awakes realizing he has slept in the chair again, he is old, but John Martyn is still older.

Nice review but I am starting to think that 'Bless The Weather' is even better than this album.

You would not be alone, it's the posh pick among everyone I know who considers them self a fan. I was originally going to do that one, but it just never felt good, then I heard the solid air album one night and really connected with it.

What other Martyn do you own?

Serendipity
Solid Air
Bless The Weather
Glasgow Walker
London Conversation
On The Cobbles
One World
Stormbringer
Sweet Little Mysteries

As you quite rightly say. He has never made one completely outstanding album but EVERY album has at least 3 or 4 absolute beauties on there. I'm a big big fan.

I bought On the Cobbles shortly after you mentioned reviewing an album. Pin pointing the right one as I said was very tough. A lot of times I get bored with an entire side of the music that makes it tough to do a review you enjoy and that covers the music for those who know it and those who don't.