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After the release of his first album, Elvis Costello declared in a magazine interview "I don't want to be around to witness my artistic decline. I'd rather kill myself first."
With the release of his third album, Armed Forces, Costello should keep his lease on life, for a few more months at least. The British-based rocker is far from an artistic decline; instead he's shown a remarkable degree of growth as a musician in the fifteen months since he burst onto the musical scene.
Armed Forces is easily Costello's most accessible record, and will undoubtedly become his strongest seller. The songs fit more cleanly into the mainstream rock market, yet sacrifice nothing in urgency and cleverness of lyrics. Far from a "punk sensation," Costello will probably be recognized as one of the best songwriters around today.
As on his first two albums Costello's favorite target remains the opposite sex; you don't hear any dreamy love songs front this guy. But the bitterness is more subtle here, not the straightforward hatred of This Year's Model.
In "Chemistry Class," Costello reduces a love affair to a chemical reaction. "Are you ready for the final solution?" he asks an aggressive classmate.
"Green Shirt" is the most haunting song on the album. The bitterness in the lyrics is contrasted with baroque-like keyboards, synthesizer and one of Costello's finest vocal performances.
Costello doesn't direct all of his bitterness towards women, however, as there's always plenty to spread around. "Senior Service" attacks the lack of proper conditions for senior citizens and "Goon Squad" ridicules the working class system Costello was born into.
With the aid of his backup band, the Attractions, and producer Nick Lowe, Costello has taken a step forward musically. The guitar dominated My Aim is True was supplemented with a murky sounding organ on This Year's Model. Keyboards dominate Armed Forces. The only straight guitar-oriented cut is a Lowe composition, "What's so Funny 'Boat Peace, Love and Understanding," The introduction of new instruments does a great deal for the depth of his music. Those who knew Costello only from his first album will be surprised by the change.
Though the idea might disgust him, it appears Costello may have a few potential hit singles. "Party Girl," a slow number which sounds very much like a Beatles song, has commercial possibilities. "Oliver's Array" also sounds remarkably similar to a Beatles composition, and has a great hook in the chorus.
Therein lies one of Costello's strengths as a composer. Most of his songs contain appealing hooks, which give them a tendency to stick in your mind. The same formula spelled goldmine for such artists as the Beatles and Bee Gees. The jury is still out on whether Costello can come close to their success.
"Peace, Love and Understanding" has been selected as the first single from this package. It features some searing guitar work and an unrestrained vocal, but may rock too hard for the mass market.
Even with the obvious nod to mass consumption, Armed Forces (Costello originally wanted to title the record Emotional Fascism but Columbia Record executives talked him out of it) contains enough of the idiosyncrasies which endear him to his fans. The front cover looks like a finger painting by a colorful first grader, and the back depicts a herd of stampeding elephants. Unfortunately, Costello steadfastly refuses to include a lyric sheet, even though his songs are more clever than about 95% of the artists who do.
An extra bonus in the package is a three-song EP featuring Costello and the Attractions Live at Hollywood High (of all places). A mellow Costello, accompanied by only a piano, sings "Accidents Will Happen" and a stunning version of "Alison," which supposedly convinced Linda Ronstadt, out in the audience, to record the song for her latest album. The flip side is a reggae-flavored "Watching the Detectives."
Elvis Costello has been drawing hosannas from the critics ever since the release of My Aim is True. Armed Forces should continue that streak. Though it remains to be seen if Costello can match his immense critical success with commercial acceptability, it is clear he has established himself as one of the best rock songwriters to emerge in the past few years.
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