New Musical Express, July 23, 1977: Difference between revisions
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''My Aim Is True'' isn't just the title track of Mr. Costello's auspicious album debut, but is indicative of a quirky line of vision which painfully — often to the point of total humiliation — examines the recurring traumas of love and other related adolescent dilemmas. Keeping a low emotional profile is one thing you can't accuse Costello of feigning. | ''My Aim Is True'' isn't just the title track of Mr. Costello's auspicious album debut, but is indicative of a quirky line of vision which painfully — often to the point of total humiliation — examines the recurring traumas of love and other related adolescent dilemmas. Keeping a low emotional profile is one thing you can't accuse Costello of feigning. | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 28 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 28 clipping 01.jpg|130px|border|right]] | ||
Try this for size. On " | Try this for size. On "Pay It Back," EC delves into the problem of a first-hand personality crisis ''"Auntie Annie told me I could be somebody if I didn't let too much get in my way / And I tried so hard just to be myself but I kept fading away."'' | ||
Though Costello engineers his lyrics through a '70s interpretation of '60s rhythm 'n' rock, he doesn't expound the familiar brand of 60 Minute Man Macho, but instead resigns himself to the unflattering role of cuckold. | Though Costello engineers his lyrics through a '70s interpretation of '60s rhythm 'n' rock, he doesn't expound the familiar brand of 60 Minute Man Macho, but instead resigns himself to the unflattering role of cuckold. | ||
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Costello's ''affaires-du-coeur'' don't dissolve into stereotyped soft focus misty Martini sunsets, but blooded recrimination. Instead of verbally cuffing his lovers like The Stranglers, Costello persistently indulges his masochistic tendencies. | Costello's ''affaires-du-coeur'' don't dissolve into stereotyped soft focus misty Martini sunsets, but blooded recrimination. Instead of verbally cuffing his lovers like The Stranglers, Costello persistently indulges his masochistic tendencies. | ||
These range from a rousing rockabilly tale of flunking his first deflowering on " | These range from a rousing rockabilly tale of flunking his first deflowering on "Mystery Dance," to plundering the Stones and getting D-minus as a stud in "Miracle Man" with such couplets as: ''"Why do you have to say that there's always someone else who can do it better than I can / But don't you think that I know that walking on the water won't make me a Miracle Man."'' | ||
Much has been said about the influence | Much has been said about the influence Van Morrison has exercised over Bruce Springsteen; of both parties' sway over Phil Lynott; that Bob Seger, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker and Southside Johnny have copped some of their best licks from all three and how Elvis Costello fits in somewhere. Sure, there are tinges of all these artists prevalent in his approach, but whereas these performers celebrate either street fantasies or the joy of rock 'n' roll, Costello's songs spill over with emotional torture and melodrama. | ||
His most impassioned showdown comes right as the very beginning of " | His most impassioned showdown comes right as the very beginning of "Alison" — one of the most heart-rending tear-jerkers currently on releases: ''"Oh, it's so funny to be seeing you after so long girl, and with the way you look I can understand you were not impressed / I heard that you let that little friend of mine take off your party dress."'' I mean, you can't get more candid than that, and if that doesn't hit the spot then you're terminally insensitive. | ||
I may have placed a great deal of emphasis on the lyrical content of this album, but only because it snuck-up on me from the midst of the hard-nosed brand of rock that Costello peddles. | I may have placed a great deal of emphasis on the lyrical content of this album, but only because it snuck-up on me from the midst of the hard-nosed brand of rock that Costello peddles. | ||
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An album often of intense brilliance, which also confirms that should he ever give up songwriting, Elvis Costello can always answer reader's letters for ''Forum''. | An album often of intense brilliance, which also confirms that should he ever give up songwriting, Elvis Costello can always answer reader's letters for ''Forum''. | ||
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{{tags}}[[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Concert 1977-07-14 Penzance|Penzance]] {{-}} [[Concert 1977-07-26 London|Dingwalls]] {{-}} [[Concert 1977-07-27 London|Hope And Anchor]] {{-}} [[Pay It Back]] {{-}} [[Mystery Dance]] {{-}} [[The Rolling Stones]] {{-}} [[Miracle Man]] {{-}} [[Van Morrison]] {{-}} [[Bruce Springsteen]] {{-}} [[Phil Lynott]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[Graham Parker]] {{-}} [[Southside Johnny]] {{-}} [[Alison]] {{-}} [[The Damned|Captain Sensible]] {{-}} [[Stiff Records]] {{-}} [[Dave Edmunds]] | |||
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{{Bibliography notes}} | {{Bibliography notes}} | ||
{{Bibliography next | {{Bibliography next | ||
|prev = New Musical Express, | |prev = New Musical Express, April 9, 1977 | ||
|next = New Musical Express, July 30, 1977 | |next = New Musical Express, July 30, 1977 | ||
}} | }} | ||
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[[Roy Carr]] reviews ''[[My Aim Is True]]''. | [[Roy Carr]] reviews ''[[My Aim Is True]]''. | ||
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''Teasers'' reports on | ''Teasers'' reports on Elvis Costello & The Attractions' live debut [[Concert 1977-07-14 Penzance|July 14]] at Penzance. | ||
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Includes | Includes parts 1 and 2 of a six-part, three-publication ad campaign for ''My Aim Is True''. (Parts 3 and 4 ran in ''[[Melody Maker, July 23, 1977|Melody Maker]]''; parts 5 and 6 ran in ''[[Sounds, July 23, 1977|Sounds]]''.) | ||
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Also includes | Also includes ads for gigs [[Concert 1977-07-26 London|July 26]], Dingwalls and [[Concert 1977-07-27 London|July{{nb}}27]], Hope And Anchor. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 16 advertisement.jpg| | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 16 advertisement.jpg|x270px|border]][[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 17 advertisement.jpg|x270px|border]] | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 17 advertisement.jpg| | <br><small>Two-page advertisement for ''My Aim Is True''.</small> | ||
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<small>Ad for [[Concert 1977-07-27 London|Hope And Anchor]].</small><br> | <small>Ad for [[Concert 1977-07-27 London|Hope And Anchor]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 4x advertisement.jpg| | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 4x advertisement.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<small>Ad for [[Concert 1977-07-26 London|Dingwalls]].</small><br> | <small>Ad for [[Concert 1977-07-26 London|Dingwalls]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 42 advertisement.jpg| | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express page 42 advertisement.jpg|380px|border]] | ||
<small>Cover and photo.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
[[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express photo 01.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1977-07-23 New Musical Express photo 01.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/archives/2797 BarneyBubbles.com] | *[http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/archives/2797 BarneyBubbles.com] | ||
*[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/n/nme.770723a.html elviscostello.info] | *[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/n/nme.770723a.html elviscostello.info] | ||
*[http://www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com/2009/11/when-music-advertising%E2%80%99s-aim-was-true/ rocksbackpagesblogs.com] | <!-- *[http://www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com/2009/11/when-music-advertising%E2%80%99s-aim-was-true/ rocksbackpagesblogs.com] --> | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1977-07-23}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1977-07-23}} |
Revision as of 20:15, 9 June 2020
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