Here’s
      the
      productofmycabin
      .
     
     
      fever
      (trapped
      inside
      during
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      mutant
      storm):
      clandestine
     
     
      exposure
      to
      the
      potent
      catalogue
     
     
      of
      Elvis
      Costello,
      number
      one
     
     
      songwriter
      of
      all
      time
      (roll
      over
     
     
      McCartney,
      tell
      Lennon
      the
     
     
      news)
      and
      number
      two
      artist
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (behind
      Van
      Morrison
      and
      ahead
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      the
      Band).
      Artistically
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Costello
      covers
      all
      the
      bases:
      an
     
    
   
   
    
     
      underrated
      vocalist,
      combining
     
     
      the
      rhythm
      of
      Bob
      Dylan,
      the
     
     
      soul
      of
      Van
      Morrison
      and
      the
     
     
      pop
      sense
      of
      Buddy
      Holly,
      a
     
     
      nonpareil
      songwriter
      and
      pun
     
     
      slinger
      extrodinaire;
      a
      true
     
     
      original.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Unlike
      contemporary
      angry
     
     
      young
      men,
      Joe
      Jackson
      and
     
     
      Graham
      Parker,
      Costello
      has
     
     
      shown
      distinct
      development
     
     
      through
      his
      amazing
      career,
      a
     
     
      career
      that
      started
      with...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      My
      Aim
      Is
      True
      -
      One
      of
      the
     
     
      best
      debut
      albums
      of
      all
      time
     
     
      (ranks
      with
      Are
      You
      Experi-
     
     
      enced,
      Music
      From
      Big
      Pink
     
     
      and
      The
      Velvet
      Underground
     
     
      and
      Nico).
      Sporting
      loads
      of
     
     
      stolen
      hooks,
      a
      nasal,
      punchy
     
    

    
     
      _
      Singing
      style
      and
      a
      jukebox
      of
     
     
      tunes
      ranging
      from
      the
      decep-
     
     
      tively
      tender
      ‘‘Alison’’
      to
      the
     
     
      new
      wave
      intensity
      of
      ‘‘
      Watch-
     
     
      ing
      the
      Detectives’’
      to
      the
     
     
      songcraft
      mastery
      of
      ‘‘(The
     
     
      Angels
      Wanna
      Wear
      My)
      Red
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shoes,
      a
      Elvis
      proves
      that
      he’s
      the
      new
      King.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      Year’s
      Model
      -
      Frequently
      cited
      as
      his
      best
     
     
      album.
      Marks
      the
      debut
      of
      the
      Attractions,
      a
      fie)
     
     
      three
      piece
      unit
      who
      provide
      a
      far
      more
      muscula
     
     
      sound.
      The
      dense,
      animated
      playing
      results
      in
      th
     
     
      band
      virtually
      beating
      up
      pop
      tunes.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Armed
      Forces
      -
      Evenmore
      frequently
      cited
      as
     
     
      his
      best.
      Presents
      a
      new
      emphasis
      on
      production
     
     
      straying
      from
      the
      tightly
      packed
      sound
      of
      Mode
     
     
      The
      two
      big
      highlights
      are
      the
      infectious
     
     
      ‘*Oliver’s
      Army’’
      and
      the
      fierce,
      anthemic
     
     
      **(What’s
      So
      Funny
      ‘Bout)
      Peace,
      Love
      and
     
     
      Understanding.’’
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Get
      Happy!!
      -
      Costello’s
      version
      of
      Motown/Sta
     
     
      hits
      pretty
      hard,
      and
      contains
      some
      great
      songs,
     
     
      notably
      his
      cover
      of
      Sam
      &
      Dave’s
      ‘‘I
      Can’t
     
     
      Stand
      Up
      For
      Falling
      Down,’’
      ‘‘Love
      For
      Ten-
     
     
      der,’’
      ‘‘High
      Fidelity,’’
      ‘‘I
      Stand
      Accused’’
      and
     
     
      **Motel
      Matches.’’
      However,
      this
      twenty
      pack
      o
     
     
      tiny
      tunes
      contains
      quite
      a
      few
      duds.
      Loads
      of
     
     
      fun
      despite
      the
      odd
      blank.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Taking
      Liberties
      -
      A
      collection
      of
      previously
     
     
      unreleased
      material.
      This
      mongrel
      doesn’t
      flow
     
     
      real
      well,
      but
      it
      contains
      some
      great
      songs:
      ‘‘(I
     
     
      Don’t
      Want
      To
      Go
      To)
      Chelsea,’’
      ‘*Clean
     
     
      Money,’’
      ‘*Getting
      Mighty
      Crowded’’
      and
      yes,
     
     
      **My
      Funny
      Valentine’’
      among
      them.
      Definitely
     
     
      essential
      for
      fans.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Trust
      -
      Quite
      underrated,
      I
      think.
      Here
      Elvis
      C.
     
    

    
     
      moves
      away
      from
      power
      pop
      to
      power
      through
      ©
     
     
      pop
      (okay?),
      a
      move
      perhaps
      influenced
      by
     
     
      Squeeze.
      Costello’s
      voice
      dominates,
      no
      longer.
     
     
      adenoidal,
      he’s
      become
      arough
      throated
      soul
      ma
     
     
      (kinda).
      The
      songs
      certainly
      don’t
      stand
      up
      as
     
    

    
     
      memorable,
      but
      Costello
      pulls
      out
      all
      his
      tricks
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      wis