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After the epic masterpiece of 1982's Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello wasted no time in taking the poppier elements of that album and taking them even further. Punch the Clock is undoubtably Costello's pop record, even more so than Armed Forces. The sound is brighter and definitely seeking a much different audience than might have been expected. Add to that the fact that the TKO Horns make an appearance on a number of songs and you have an album full of energetic, if somewhat dated, pop anthems that still sound unlike anything else he's done before or since.
"Let Them All Talk" opens the album with a blast of horns and the always-flawless Attractions. Most of Costello's album openers give you a good idea of what you can expect the rest of the album to sound like and this song is no red herring; the confident horns and upbeat melody take you by surprise and both move along at a blistering pace. The TKO Horns lend their talents to numerous tracks here, including "The World and His Wife", "TKO (Boxing Day)", and "The Greatest Thing". Their inclusion is an interesting choice but it does grow a bit tiresome in places and as a result some of the songs have a tendency to sound the same, especially upon first listen. Over time it's less noticeable and while I give EC credit for adding something new to the mix it also feels like a bit too much too soon after several songs. Steve Nieve once again deserves a huge amount of credit for his piano playing here: it's truly remarkable and carries nearly every song exactly where it needs to go.
There are certainly some choice cuts here. "Everyday I Write the Book" was a huge hit and it probably best captures the pop sound that Costello was aiming for. It's still a great song and certainly worth hearing if you've never had the chance. "Shipbuilding" is another beautiful piano ballad in the style that only Elvis can do while "Pills and Soap" rides a wave of dark piano and snaps to create a somber and introspective mood that's eerily brilliant. "The Element Within Her" is another uptempo pop number that features the brilliant line, "Back in the bedroom with her electric heater/He says, 'Are you cold?'/She says, "No but you are'". "Love Went Mad" follows a similar pop style with a few biting lines, including my favorite: "I wish you luck with a capital F." Perhaps my favorite comes in the form of "The Invisible Man". It works so well because it makes great use of the horns, allowing them to accentuate a catchy and upbeat melody that's reminiscent of Costello's earlier and more forceful work. It's a fun ride and an underrated gem.
Punch the Clock seems to be an album that divides fans and critics: you either love it or you don't. However, I happen to fall somewhere in the middle. It's by no means a weak effort but it's also one of the few Costello albums that sounds dated. It's clearly a product of the early 80's and it's even more obvious by today's standards. That's not necessarily bad but it represents a dying breed of pop that, for better or worse, we'll probably never see again. The music and even the lyrics are a bit more upbeat and optimistic, another rarity in the Costello catalogue, especially in his earlier work. It may not be EC's finest hour but after a few listens it begins to sink in and you can see what he was going for. It's not perfect but if you can get around the dated production and at times repetitive horns you'll find a different side of Elvis that we haven't seen much of since.
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