New Musical Express, October 30, 1993: Difference between revisions
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In the lumbering, corporate '90s it's not unusual for our fave raves to leave an irritating gap of two-and-a-half years or more between releases, but back in the days of | In the lumbering, corporate '90s it's not unusual for our fave raves to leave an irritating gap of two-and-a-half years or more between releases, but back in the days of "new wave" the likes of Costello were churning out albums every 12 months with relative ease. | ||
Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus had a very fruitful first two-and-a-half years, recording a total of 52 original songs — some of which are seeing the light of day for the first time on this impressive collection. Here are El's first three albums (''My Aim Is True'', ''This Year's Model'', ''Armed Forces''), all lovingly remastered with bonus tracks aplenty, plus the near-legendary radio promo album ''Live At El Mocambo'', featuring The Attractions at their fiercest on stage in Canada in 1978. | Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus had a very fruitful first two-and-a-half years, recording a total of 52 original songs — some of which are seeing the light of day for the first time on this impressive collection. Here are El's first three albums (''My Aim Is True'', ''This Year's Model'', ''Armed Forces''), all lovingly remastered with bonus tracks aplenty, plus the near-legendary radio promo album ''Live At El Mocambo'', featuring The Attractions at their fiercest on stage in Canada in 1978. | ||
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''Two And A Half Years'' is, of course, a particular joy to the Costello trainspotter with its little insights into the great man's songwriting: acoustic demo versions of "Mystery Dance" and "Green Shirt" both include verses which never made it onto the official releases, while the previously unheard "Cheap Reward" features lyrics which eventually cropped up in another song ("Lip Service"). Chuff! Chuff! Woo! Woo! | ''Two And A Half Years'' is, of course, a particular joy to the Costello trainspotter with its little insights into the great man's songwriting: acoustic demo versions of "Mystery Dance" and "Green Shirt" both include verses which never made it onto the official releases, while the previously unheard "Cheap Reward" features lyrics which eventually cropped up in another song ("Lip Service"). Chuff! Chuff! Woo! Woo! | ||
It's instructive to compare these early gems with Costello's later work. On ''My Aim Is True'' we are reminded of El's early country rock influences and he apologises in the sleevenotes for his "blatant imitation of certain American singers and songwriters" | It's instructive to compare these early gems with Costello's later work. On ''My Aim Is True'' we are reminded of El's early country rock influences and he apologises in the sleevenotes for his "blatant imitation of certain American singers and songwriters." We forgive you, Dec. The nine bonus tracks unearth two true gems in the aforementioned "Cheap Reward" and the one surviving recording from his days with folk group Flip City, the much bootlegged "Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)." | ||
''This Year's Model'' brings The Attractions on board to add vigour and vinegar to Costello's lyrical venom, particularly on "Lipstick Vogue" and "Big Tears," the latter fattened up by the guest guitar of Mick Jones. ''El Mocambo'' can be taken as a companion piece to the studio work of the time and is irrefutable evidence that The Attractions were one of the best live bands in the world. | ''This Year's Model'' brings The Attractions on board to add vigour and vinegar to Costello's lyrical venom, particularly on "Lipstick Vogue" and "Big Tears," the latter fattened up by the guest guitar of Mick Jones. ''El Mocambo'' can be taken as a companion piece to the studio work of the time and is irrefutable evidence that The Attractions were one of the best live bands in the world. | ||
In retrospect ''Armed Forces'', still Costello's biggest selling album, is a tad disappointing. The anger of its predecessor is diluted and the lyrics too pun-heavy, their writer trying to prove that he's smarter than a sackful of Alecs. Here, though, this LP too is bolstered by its bonus tracks, especially the reading of Nick Lowe's "Peace, Love And Understanding" and the ''Live At Hollywood High'' trio of "Accidents Will Happen," "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives," originally a limited edition EP with early copies of the album. | In retrospect ''Armed Forces'', still Costello's biggest selling album, is a tad disappointing. The anger of its predecessor is diluted and the lyrics too pun-heavy, their writer trying to prove that he's smarter than a sackful of Alecs. Here, though, this LP too is bolstered by its bonus tracks, especially the reading of Nick Lowe's "Peace, Love And Understanding" and the ''Live At Hollywood High'' trio of "Accidents Will Happen," "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives," originally a limited edition EP with early copies of the album. | ||
Demon's repackaging of all things Elvis is off to a cracking start, and when you consider that the next brace of albums in the series — ''Get Happy!'' and ''Trust'' — feature a total of 34 songs, Phase Two should be rich with even more out-takes and unheard goodies. As the man himself said on 1986's "Uncomplicated," this is only the beginning. | Demon's repackaging of all things Elvis is off to a cracking start, and when you consider that the next brace of albums in the series — ''Get Happy!!'' and ''Trust'' — feature a total of 34 songs, Phase Two should be rich with even more out-takes and unheard goodies. As the man himself said on 1986's "Uncomplicated," this is only the beginning. | ||
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{{tags}}[[2½ Years]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[Armed Forces]] {{-}} [[Live At The El Mocambo]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Mystery Dance]] {{-}} [[Green Shirt]] {{-}} [[Cheap Reward]] {{-}} [[Lip Service]] {{-}} [[Flip City]] {{-}} [[Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)]] {{-}} [[Lipstick Vogue]] {{-}} [[Big Tears]] {{-}} [[Mick Jones]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?]] {{-}} [[Live At Hollywood High]] {{-}} [[Accidents Will Happen]] {{-}} [[Alison]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] {{-}} [[Demon]] {{-}} [[Get Happy!!]] {{-}} [[Trust]] {{-}} [[Uncomplicated]] {{-}} [[Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography next | {{Bibliography next | ||
|prev = New Musical Express, March 13, 1993 | |prev = New Musical Express, March 13, 1993 | ||
|next = New Musical Express, | |next = New Musical Express, December 11, 1993 | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''New Musical Express, October 30, 1993 | '''New Musical Express, October 30, 1993 | ||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express page 31 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express page 31 clipping 01.jpg|370px]] | ||
<br><small>Clipping.</small> | <br><small>Clipping.</small> | ||
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<small>1977 photo by [[Barry Plummer]].</small><br> | <small>1977 photo by [[Barry Plummer]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express photo 01 bp.jpg| | [[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express photo 01 bp.jpg|220px]] | ||
<small>Cover and | <small>Cover and page scan.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px | [[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px]] | ||
[[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express page 31 | [[image:1993-10-30 New Musical Express page 31.jpg|x120px]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME Wikipedia: NME] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME Wikipedia: NME] | ||
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/littletriggers/15734046365/ Flickr:] [[Stephen McCathie]] | *[http://www.flickr.com/photos/littletriggers/15734046365/ Flickr:] [[Stephen McCathie]] | ||
*[https://twitter.com/nothingelseon/status/1674137329643016214 Twitter: nothingelseon] | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1993-10-30}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1993-10-30}} |