From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
Uncut
Ultimate Music Guide
|
—
|
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Robert Downey, Jr.
Less-than-holy thespian marvels at immaculate conception of EC's transitional stunner
|
In my circle, there were two schools of opinion around 1982-83. You were either with The Police's Synchronicity or you were with Imperial Bedroom. I was an Imperial Bedroom man and I still am. I think Costello has done great stuff before and since. Right up to the present, with albums like North, he still has the capacity to astonish. He takes all these forays outside pop music, and they've been interesting too. But, for me, Imperial Bedroom is the one. When it first came out, I was buying nickel bags and doing off-Broadway theatre. My first impression of it was that I could imagine someone spending their entire life thinking an album like this out, having enough life experience, getting the musicianship right. There was just so much on it. So many words, so many ideas. And every song is a triumph. It took me about 10 years to even begin to understand it.
I never understand people who don't rate Costello as a singer. He'd sound good off-roading at 70mph with those guys from Jackass trying to tattoo his ass. You could pull him out of a dead sleep and he'd sing like a bird. On songs like "Beyond Belief" and "Man Out Of Time," his singing is so beautifully effortless. I can see why someone would make a case for Get Happy! or Armed Forces as his finest work. He's made so many great albums, but Imperial Bedroom is the one that says: "This is where the bar has been — now how about this, you fuckers?" It's my favourite album of all time, and I suspect it always will be.
|
|
Cover.
Cover and contents page.
|
|
|
|
External links
