Originally pressed as a promotional vinyl album for North American radio stations, Costello’s 1978 live show at a small Toronto club has become a legendary artefact among fans. Though briefly available on a box set in the 90s, this represents its first official standalone release.
Despite not warranting a mention on the sleeve, it’s as much The Attractions’ album as it is the singer’s, with keyboard player Steve Nieve dextrously fleshing out the songs from My Aim Is True; "Waiting For The End Of The World" and "Miracle Man" are especially beefier, having sounded sparse and undercooked on the studio versions with country-rockers Clover.
"Less Than Zero" appears in its rewritten "Dallas version", Elvis substituting the original lyrical references to British fascist Oswald Mosley with a pulp noir narrative that touches on Lee Harvey Oswald and the Kennedy assassination. Tracks from This Year’s Model – "Lipstick Vogue" in particular – also get a shot in the arm, heralding the arrival of The Attractions as one of the most thrilling live bands for the decade to come.
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