Brutal Youth Reviews
All-Music Guide (Stephen Thomas Erlewine)
Costello's first album with The Attractions since Blood & Chocolate,
Brutal Youth suffers from soft, mushy production and the inclusion of
too many songs. Apart from these two flaws, the record is highly enjoyable,
recalling the stripped-down eclecticism of Trust and the force of
This Year's Model. Costello's songs are strong and lean; it's his least
affected and pretentious writing since Blood & Chocolate.