chris3
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I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie...
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Post by chris3 on Oct 25, 2019 4:38:10 GMT
So I've been a huge fan of the album This Year's Model for the past decade. And although I'd listened to My Aim is True and Armed Forces to varying degrees throughout the years (both of which I liked but not nearly as much as the ferocious assault that was his sophomore effort), I'd never bothered to get into any of his later work. I knew his first three albums were legendary and that afterwards he evolved away from the punk immediacy that appealed so much to me. My favorite band since I was a teen is The Clash, so songs like "Watching the Detectives", "No Action", and "I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea" were what made me fall in love with his early work from the '70s. And aside from a few stunning songs like "Beyond Belief" I was completely in the dark about his later work, which seemed so vast and impenetrable.
Well recently I've expanded out in chronological order and I'm stunned by the wealth of amazing songs I'm discovering. Get Happy!! is a tremendous effort. It's arguably his catchiest collection of songs, and his voice and lyrics complement and enrich the R&B hooks brilliantly. I personally like it even more than Armed Forces. And within the past few days I've been listening to his fifth album Trust, which I've seen cited as his most underrated and possibly best work. Holy mother of god this album is incredible! From "Clubland" to "Lover's Walk" to "Strict Time" to "Big Sister's Clothes", this collection feels like the Attractions at their tightest since This Year's Model and Costello at his most artistically creative and diverse. I'm shocked this wasn't a hit at the time. "Clubland" should have become a global pop staple.
So in summation I'm committed to taking the plunge and exploring his entire discography chronologically. Where do you all stand on his work? Right now I'd rank his first five as so: This Year's Model>Trust>Get Happy!!>My Aim is True>Armed Forces.
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Post by DeepArcher on Oct 25, 2019 5:06:12 GMT
An artist I need to explore more for sure but I love everything that I've heard from him, This Year's Model and Imperial Bedroom have become two of my favorite albums of their respective decade. Imperial Bedroom especially I adore and consider practically a masterpiece front to back, such a perfect blend of the more high energy punk sound that defines work like This Year's Model with a slightly more sorrowful edge, it's the kind of combo that appeals to my tastes the most ... "Man Out of Time" and "Almost Blue" are probably my favorite tracks off that one, both just phenomenal, but like I said I love the whole thing. But yeah, he definitely needs to be more of a fixture in my regular music rotation.
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Post by pacinoyes on Oct 25, 2019 7:50:06 GMT
He is one of my favorite artists and the greatest songwriter of his generation, I don't always agree on his acknowledged great records though (see below). * This Year's Model and especially Get Happy!! are my faves, My Aim Is True, Armed Forces, King Of America (1986) are also GOAT level - an amazing top 5. * I can never really understand Imperial Bedroom which to me is an overrated and pretentious album - like REM's Automatic For The People - overproduced and curated as to be unrecognizable as "him" to me (I'm in the minority, DeepArcher and his masterpiece POV are far more common - especially when first released), and Trust is sometimes peak level but is a dip to me in the 2nd half (except Big Sister's Clothes which is stupendous). * Blood and Chocolate (1986) is sort of like Trust to me (and not as good imo) - sometimes great but dips as it goes along. * When I Was Cruel (2002) - his most underrated, a left field classic that rivals his best 70s/80s work imo. It might be his 6th best record but that's how deep his catalog goes.  |
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chris3
Badass
I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie...
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Post by chris3 on Oct 25, 2019 15:02:55 GMT
When I Was Cruel (2002) - his most underrated, a left field classic that rivals his best 70s/80s work imo. It might be his 6th best record but that's how deep his catalog goes. I'm very excited to get to this album, since I've heard it's a somewhat return to his earlier rock roots. I just finished Almost Blue, which was honestly pretty awful, but then again I'm not at all a fan of country music so it definitely was not made for my sensibilities. I'm going to listen to Imperial Bedroom tonight after a smoke session. "Beyond Belief" is legitimately one of the best songs I've ever heard in my life (the lyrics are absolutely genius-level: "History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats. Keep your finger on important issues with crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues"), but I remember checking out "Man Out of Time" a few years ago and found it to be kind of boring (which is clearly sacrilege since it's considered one of his best songs; maybe I'll like it more this time). Fingers crossed it'll keep up the momentum. Get Happy!! and Trust were both such incredibly pleasant surprises. |
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Post by countjohn on Oct 26, 2019 17:40:16 GMT
This Year's Model is the best of his first three albums that I kind of link together as his broadly "punk" period. After that he became more eclectic and developed his "pop encyclopedia" reputation.
Imperial Bedroom is also my favorite from him. His take on Beatles/Wilsonesqe baroque pop. I'd put Get Happy second. It's a great group of songs and has a sound I've never heard anywhere else, it's New Wave Soul which sounds like a terrible idea (the key to soul is warmth and the key to New Wave is coldness and detachment) but works when he does it for some reason. I'd also recommend Blood and Chocolate which is probably his heaviest album and has some really good songs. He also has an abundance of great singles sprinkled throughout his career (Veronica, The Other Side of Summer, This Town, exc)
Anyway, obviously a great artist and one of the great songwriters/lyricists of the 20th century.
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chris3
Badass
I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie...
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 1,045
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Post by chris3 on Oct 26, 2019 21:33:39 GMT
I'm going to have to give Imperial Bedroom a few more listens. To me it seemed a tad overproduced and ornate. On first listen there are definitely some good tunes ("Man Out of Time" is quite impressive, and I like "Pidgin English"), and quite a few meandering ones. There is one INCREDIBLE standout though (besides the opener, "Beyond Belief", which I'd already heard many times) and that is the album closer: "Town Cryer." WOW. One of the best songs I've heard in years. Those Phil Spector-esque wall-of-sound strings at the end are overwhelmingly beautiful. So while the album didn't live up to the five incredible ones that preceded it (I'm choosing to ignore Almost Blue) it does boast two of his all-time greatest songs to begin and end it.
Just started Punch the Clock and I'll admit the opening tune is supremely catchy.
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chris3
Badass
I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie...
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 1,045
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Post by chris3 on Oct 27, 2019 4:22:38 GMT
Nope, I was wrong. It's a masterpiece. Imperial Bedroom is a masterpiece. FUCK yes it is. I mean, holy shit. I didn't get Sgt. Pepper the first time. It's amazing.
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Post by countjohn on Oct 27, 2019 6:58:21 GMT
Nope, I was wrong. It's a masterpiece. Imperial Bedroom is a masterpiece. FUCK yes it is. I mean, holy shit. I didn't get Sgt. Pepper the first time. It's amazing. It is definitely an acquired taste but I am glad you like it now. It is overproduced but it is the kind of overproduced I like so I'm fine with it. Town Crier that you mentioned in your other post is a very good song. And in Every Home is probably my favorite from the record. |
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