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Elvis Costello, meanwhile, gets more intense. Armed Forces (Columbia) features 12 spine-tingling rock 'n' roll tunes worthy of the all-time greats. Costello's band, the Attractions, make the best use of organ and drums since the Doors and early Who respectively.
In the framework of enormous syncopation and the element of surprise, Costello's mock singing can either be snotty or near-jovial. On one level, he's a guy with a cold trying to sound nasty, on the other, emotes straight from the heart. Such is the case with "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?", a tearing, incredible track with producer Nick Lowe helping out. Over a distorted barrage of folk-rock guitars (imagine the backing to Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence"), Elvis throws out a desperate tone:
Each time I feel it slipping away
Just makes me want to cry
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?
For the rest of Armed Forces, Costello belies those lyrics with aggressive thunder. He continues to be delightfully immature; in "Chemistry Class," Costello snarls "people pleasin', people pleasin' people like you / you've been around so long / but you still don't know what to do."
The creativity of these short songs can be astounding, recalling the Beatles' Rubber Soul period, though little of it can be called lovely. "Accidents Will Happen" utilizes a major and minor chord alternation (especially on the ending) most effectively, while drummer Pete Thomas' violent rim shots on "Green Shirt" are one of the many reasons why Costello's slow songs are as manic as the fast ones.
"Moods For Moderns" stands as a classic definition of what rock should be: obsessive, simple yet dynamic and never serious. Armed Forces barely begins to reveal the numerous emotional sides of a guy who walks on barbed wire. If Elvis Costello's music ever sounds secure, it will be a great loss for everyone.
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