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| Univ. of Wisconsin Pointer
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Ten albums that shook the music worlds
Mark Hoff and Mark Wurl
Extract:
1. Combat Rock, The Clash
2. It's Hard, The Who
3. The Nightfly, Donald Fagen
4. Wild Things Run Fast, Joni Mitchell
5. Imperial Bedroom, Elvis Costello
6. The Blue Mask, Lou Reed
7. Love Over Gold, Dire Straits
8. The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads, Talking Heads
9. Beautiful Vision, Van Morrison
10. Lone Rhino, Adrian Belew
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Imperial Bedroom, Elvis Costello
The bespectacled and wan qualities inherent of Elvis Costello's image belies his enormous talent as a recording artist. His range varies between punk psychodramas and country and western ballads. Costello is an expert story teller. He kriows accusations can go either way in the love relationships that he sings about.
Imperial Bedroom is the most committed and varied music that Costello has ever written. Its fifteen songs portray a whimsical picture of love, tainted by the procession of temptation and time. The album achieves depth and resonance by presenting a wide array of musical styles, strengthened by clever arrangements and forceful melodies. The potent, articulate kick of the album is comparable to that found on the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. The intensity of the album is cumulative, rather than belted out in song after song. He teases, cajoles, pleads, and remands in songs such as "Shabby Doll," "Man Out Of Time," "Tears Before Bedtime," "Little Savage," and "Town Cryer."
On record, Elvis Costello has once again found his voice. Imperial Bedroom is really a mansion with each room completely different than the next. This is without doubt his most adventurous and successful recording since Armed Forces or This Year's Model.
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Pointer, January 20, 1983
Imperial Bedroom is included in the 10 best albums of 1982.
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Page scans.
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