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Given that Costello's debut LP was famously recorded in dribs and drabs over little more than 24 hours of studio downtime, it ain't half aged well. And on the 30th anniversary of its initial release, it's still a pleasure to hear the classics come thick and fast, from "Welcome To The Working Week" all the way through to "Watching The Detectives."
That said, the real reason to get hold of this particular issue is the numerous extras on this double-disc set. Not only are there four outtakes from said recording sessions themselves, but eight Costello solo demos for the album, recorded at Pathway, showcase matters in nascent form.
Not only that, but the second CD, featuring The Attractions live at the Nashville Rooms, captures the band at the height of their excitement, on 7 August 1977. Rarely has a live recording managed to nail the sound of a performer on the ascent in quite such a fizzing manner as this, and its inclusion serves to improve on one of the greatest debuts in rock history, which is no mean feat.
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