Sounds, October 21, 1989

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Sounds

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Elvis Costello: This is your life


Sounds

Massive 63-song collection in vinyl, CD, cassette and DAT covering ten glorious years of music

Elvis Costello has a massive. multi-format compilation album released on Demon Records this week.

The album, entitled Girls + £+ Girls = $& Girls, contains material recorded between 1976 and 1986, before he left for the dizzy heights of WEA. Between the various formats it covers a vast 63 songs, putting it up there with Bob Dylan's Biograph and Neil Young's Decade in the realms of sprawling, comprehensive compilations. Demon Records assure us that the album's unpronounceable title can be reduced to the more user friendly Girls! Girls! Girls!

The LP will be available in four formats, three of which you will need to purchase in order to get the complete 63-track picture: double album, double cassette, double CD and, intriguingly, DAT. As it is one of the first records to be released on this format, and as very few people as yet possess a DAT machine, the track-listing on the DAT is identical to that on the double album. Each track listing will vary according to "the characteristics of each format."

Costello, who already has a compilation album (The Man) available on Demon, sees Girls! Girls! Girls! as follows:

"Rather than being placed in chronological order I have arranged the songs in four parts so as to try and tell a number of different stories. I will leave it to the listener to make what they will of each section, but this is an opportunity to include a few actual 'hits' and a few 'lost' songs (while others, both good and bad, seem better left In their original context). The deciding factor in making these choices is contained in the obscure arithmetic of the title. Although I must caution against taking it too seriously unless you are considering a career in the legal profession. The majority of the selections feature Pete Thomas, Bruce Thomas and Steve Nieve, who were shrewd enough to recognise a cryptic advertisement in the music press as an invitation of FUNEXCITEMENTANDTRAVEL as 'Elvis Costello And The Attractions' and without whom this would be a blank record."

And so, pausing only for a massive intake of breath, to the tracks. The double album and DAT line up as follows: "Watching The Detectives," "I Hope You're Happy Now," "Pump It Up," "Lover's Walk," "Temptation," "Lovable," "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea," "High Fidelity," "Lipstick Vogue." "Man Out Of Time," "Brilliant Mistake," "New Lace Sleeves," "Accidents Will Happen." "King Horse," "Green Shirt," "(The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes," "Beyond Belief," "Alison," "Indoor Fireworks," "Party Girl," "Almost Blue," "Riot Act," "Poisoned Rose," "I Want You," "I'll Wear It Proudly," "Oliver's Army," "Pills And Soap," "Stranger In The House," "Clubland," "Tokyo Storm Warning" and "Shipbuilding."

The CD format removes "I'll Wear It Proudly" and "Stranger In The House," adding a further 19 tracks: "This Year's Girl," "Strict Time," "Mystery Dance," "Big Tears." "Uncomplicated," "Black And White World," ‘The Loved Ones," "New Amsterdam," "Big Sister's Clothes," "Man Called Uncle," "Shabby Doll," "Motel Matches," "Tiny Steps," "Love Field," "Possession," "Sunday's Best," "Watch Your Step," "Less Than Zero" and "Clowntime Is Over."

As for the double cassette, it consists of everything on the LPs, a few of the additional songs on the CDs as well as the following tracks: "Honey Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?" , "Poor Napoleon," "Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head," "Turning The Town Red," "Sleep Of The Just," "Our Little Angel," "The Long Honeymoon," "Crimes Of Paris," "Jack Of All Parades," "Little Palaces," "Night Rally" and "Suit Of Lights."

As for the man's current activities, he has just finished a US tour and is now "having a nice rest, possibly in Ireland," according to a WEA spokeswoman.


Tags: Girls Girls GirlsThe AttractionsPete ThomasBruce ThomasSteve NieveDemon RecordsBob DylanNeil Young

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Sounds, October 21, 1989


Sounds previews Girls Girls Girls.


David Cavanagh reviews Girls Girls Girls.

Images

1989-10-21 Sounds page 03 clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.


Girls! Girls! Girls!

Elvis Costello And The Attractions

David Cavanagh

1989-10-21 Sounds clipping 01.jpg

Just a little 63-track best of compilation to while away the hours until Christmas... with the proviso that you'll be required to fork out around 43 quid if you want the whole bunch. Otherwise, dabble in each format (CD, vinyl and cassette) in relation to your wealth: they all come with an excellent track-listing.

Costello's arranged the whole thing in what he calls "sections" and, sure enough, one can pick up a slight thread of a story on, just to give you one example, the "Almost Blue" / "Riot Act" / "Poisoned Rose" / "I Want You" progression from soppy crush to warped hysteria.

Also, the political map of UK decay that starts with a seethe on "Oliver's Army" and winds up gasping for solace on "Shipbuilding" is absolutely spot-on from a story-telling angle. Things going from bad to worse, sort of thing.

In and around these observed plot structures are rootless classics like "Man Out Of Time," "New Amsterdam" and "Motel Matches" and, well, just about everything he's ever recorded really. As someone who once attempted to make an EC best of tape and ended up just taping all the records, I can sympathise with Costello being reluctant to leave anything off. The CD probably gives you the best deal: 49 tracks stretched over two discs.

As a gesture it's in the best traditions of Costello folklore. Utterly useless and totally essential at the same time. Real Costello fans will have the lot, of course. But it's nice to find out exactly which tracks Elvis Costello thinks defines his career in the decade 1976-86 and, of course, it's nice to see him having another pop at that Presley bloke in the title.


Cover.
1989-10-21 Sounds cover.jpg

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