Armed Forces Reviews
All-Music Guide (Stephen Thomas Erlewine)
After releasing and touring the intense This Year's Model, Elvis
Costello quickly returned to the studio with The Attractions to record his
third album, Armed Forces. In contrast to the stripped-down pop and
rock of his first two albums, Armed Forces boasted a detailed and
textured pop production, but it was hardly lavish. However, the more spacious
arrangements -- complete with ringing pianos, echoing reverb, layered guitars
and harmonies -- accent Costello's melodies, making the record more accessible
than his first two albums. Perversely, while the sound of Costello's music was
becoming more open and welcoming, his songs became more insular and paranoid,
even though he cloaked his emotions well. Many of the songs on Armed
Forces use politics as a metaphor for personal relationships, particularly
fascism, which explains its working title, Emotional Fascism.
Occasionally, the lyrics are forced, but the music never is -- the album
demonstrates the depth of Costello's compositional talents and how he can move
from the hook-laden pop of Accidents Will Happen to the paranoid
Goon Squad with ease. Some of the songs, like the light reggae of
Two Little Hitlers and the impassioned Party Girl, build on his
strengths, while others like the layered Oliver's Army take Costello
into new territories. It's a dense but accessible pop record and ranks as his
third masterpiece in a row.
(The Rykodisc/Demon 1993 CD reissue of Armed Forces restored the
album to its original British running order, adding the B-side cover of Nick
Lowe's (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding -- which
had been subsituted for Sunday's Best on the American version of
Armed Forces -- as one of the disc's bonus tracks. The CD also includes
the B-sides My Funny Valentine, Tiny Steps, Clean Money,
the free single Talking In The Dark / Wednesday Week which was
included with the intial Radar pressings of Armed Forces, and the
Live At Hollywood High EP, which also included on the first Radar
edition.)