So, I put this on as 1. a sort of punishment to myself and 2. an ironic gag. - I went into this thinking it would be a fun joke just for the hell of it. I figured it may be a bad album, but if you think about it, you have to be bad to be good.
I' love to hear what Rocky thinks of this album. I could never get into Poison myself.
Yeah I consider them to be pretty heinous. But they have their moments.
Once I got started on going forward with my review of their album, I realized it was a mistake and I realize I can't turn back now.
lol. I even like/love hair metal but I could NEVER get into this. And I tried dammit. lol
RockyRaccoonIs it solipsistic in here or is it just me?ModeratorProfile Maryland
So, I put this on as 1. a sort of punishment to myself and 2. an ironic gag. - I went into this thinking it would be a fun joke just for the hell of it. I figured it may be a bad album, but if you think about it, you have to be bad to be good.
I'd love to hear what Rocky thinks of this album. I could never get into Poison myself.
Ahhhh Poison. So this album is my second-favorite Poison album behind Look What The Cat Dragged In.
It's got some great tracks on it, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and "Nothin' But a Good Time" are hair metal classics. Their cover of "Your Mama Don't Dance" is solid, and "Fallen Angel" is a good track too. It's got some filler, without a doubt, but it's got some hair metal staples on it too.
That being said, I have a love/hate relationship with Poison. They write some good hair metal songs, but damnit C.C. Deville is the best-worst guitarist ever. _________________ Progressive Rock
I've had a strange relationship with this album and Costello in general for my music listening Life. Some of you may recall just a few years ago how unimpressed I was by all of his work. As a matter of fact outside of a few songs here and there I thought he was an irritating snooze!
Then I fell head over heels in love with his debut. I listened to it relentlessly for months. Something about that album just clicked with me. I also started liking his next couple albums in the late seventies quite a bit more. Still, even after that sudden upsurge of respect for that era, I tried giving Imperial Bedroom a fair shake a couple times and the listens always left me cold.
So it's with great anticipation that I listened to this again for the first time in a year or so for it's anniversary. I felt like my mind was in the right place to give this album it's due, and I didn't have any fresh, breathless adoration for My Aim Is True or This Years Model or Armed Forces or Get Happy! ruling my thoughts as I listened.
All this to long-windedly lead up to my limited, short-shrift, cursory thoughts on this listen to Imperial Bedroom.
Basically, I quite love it now! Yay! While I do miss the more ragged quality of his debut and the aggressive anger of his sophomore album or the off the cuff blasts of pop of Get Happy! etc, this album I now see has its own beautiful identity. The production is so lush and worked over and gorgeous. The instruments are mostly crystal clear. The lyrics are the usual clever (and perhaps a bit too cute, as is Costello's style). And finally this time I was hearing the songs AS INDIVIDUAL SONGS. Meaning, I was paying more attention to the unique dynamics and aspects of each track. They are all baroque-pop gems, but they all have great distinctive qualities or hooks or musical flourishes which set them squarely apart from all the rest.
Costello's vocals are easily the one aspect of the album that I don't generally like. It often sounds like a second rate, to my ears, rendition of his fave crooners. It doesn't sound cool or emotional or interesting at all. To be fair that is not a complaint I have only with this album or era of his music. His vocals even on his earlier albums were always a few cuts below particularly good.
Okay, now enough about that. Cuz what makes this a little gem of an album is the brilliant songs. First and foremost "Man Out Of Time" is one of The Great Songs of all times! It's such a beautiful, passionate, cascading blast of pop perfection. The way it is bookended with the extreme noisy guitar and screaming is excellent! Then the song proper is just incredible. I'm no good at explaining what makes this song so absolutely stunning. The propulsive element of the rhythm, the stunningly placed tinkling piano notes, the emotional chorus, the way it shifts and shimmers, all these are contributors to its greatness. I just think every aspiring songwriter should not just listen to, but STUDY, this song.
Other standout songs are the quiet and beautiful "Almost Blue", the ear worm excellence of "Shabby Doll", and "Little Savage", the mournful "The Long Honeymoon", and the explosive and energetic and emotional opener "Beyond belief".
Overall I just love how worked over, uncharacteristically optimistic, and fluid this album is. I never get bored listening to all the detailed build ups all over this album. All the grooves and melodies and harmonies unfurl in breathtaking and brilliant ways.
So, basically. I was wrong about this album just as I was once very wrong about the works of Costello. He's a genius. This album is genius. Hail hail Elvis Costello! (As a songwriter, musician, musical mastermind. NOT as a vocalist.)
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Today is also the 38th anniversary of Rust Never Sleeps. But I'm not gonna review that, cuz anyone who knows me knows I adore it. And I've written so much about it in the past and am just not inspired to write more. It's genius. Neil Young's 2nd or 3rd greatest album. "Thrasher" is awe-inspiring. That is all.
Okay, good night! Give me your thoughts on things! 😄 _________________ -Ryan
That's so interesting, Mercury! While I've always loved punky & surly Costello of those first three albums A LOT, I've never been able to get further than that in his discog despite multiple tries. Which I always thought was weird since I LOVE those first three albums and think they're easily three of the best albums of the 70s and absolutely essential, 5 star sort of stuff.
May have to give his latter years another shot.
And can I say - IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK!!! 🕺🥳🕺🥳
You've been missed brother!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
That's so interesting, Mercury! While I've always loved punky & surly Costello of those first three albums A LOT, I've never been able to get further than that in his discog despite multiple tries. Which I always thought was weird since I LOVE those first three albums and think they're easily three of the best albums of the 70s and absolutely essential, 5 star sort of stuff.
May have to give his latter years another shot.
And can I say - IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK!!! 🕺🥳🕺🥳
You've been missed brother!
Yeah. I agree his 70s stuff is so great. But starting from Armed Forces, his style changed and became so much more ornamented. I love Armed Forces, and now Imperial Bedroom. Completely different but really beautiful.
And thanks for the kind words, Tilly! I'm happy to be able to do this again. _________________ -Ryan
That's so interesting, Mercury! While I've always loved punky & surly Costello of those first three albums A LOT, I've never been able to get further than that in his discog despite multiple tries. Which I always thought was weird since I LOVE those first three albums and think they're easily three of the best albums of the 70s and absolutely essential, 5 star sort of stuff.
May have to give his latter years another shot.
And can I say - IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK!!! 🕺🥳🕺🥳
You've been missed brother!
Yeah. I agree his 70s stuff is so great. But starting from Armed Forces, his style changed and became so much more ornamented. I love Armed Forces, and now Imperial Bedroom. Completely different but really beautiful.
And thanks for the kind words, Tilly! I'm happy to be able to do this again.
But I've always LOVED Armed Forces! 🤔
I think it has way more in common with his first two records than Imperial Bedroom. You're screwing with my worldview, Mercury! 🤣
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Today, the 3rd of July, represents one one of the more barren major anniversary days I've seen. I am sure if I did a deep dive I may be able to find some real gems and classics in subgenres that people just aren't remembering. But I don't have the time or inclination at this time to do such a dive. Maybe later. But for now....
Today is the 47th anniversary of Sweet Inspiration by Cilla Black !!!! Woohoo!!!
Great. It hasn't even been added to our system. I'm listening now and I like it but I don't know if I wanna add it at this time. Anyway, the album is one youtube and apple music and probably Spotify. If you're so inclined after my lukewarm comments. (and to think of all the amazing anniversaries I was MIA for these last 40 days... *glum*)
EDIT: I did decide to add the album. You're welcome. 😄
Anyway, honestly I enjoy this album a good bit. Cilla's child-like innocence and message is refreshing. This album retains the not yet dead air of 60s lovey dovey optimism. It's got a softness and hopefulness that hangs around like soft fluffy clouds on a warm july day like today.
The songs that caught my attention are the one I shared above. It's sweet. The line about maybe we are just April fool's unaware of the dangers around us, is beautiful and effective. And actually a nice encapsulation of the internal logic of the album. The Beatles cover (which was on this album just a couple months after its release) of "Across The Universe" is beautiful. And now the song that is keeping my heart aflutter at the moment is "Black Paper Roses" with its beautiful strings and the interplay of the strings with the drum and bass, its a stand out.
The album started with 2 tracks that didn't particularly impress me. But as it went on I became more and more engulfed and engaged by the general feeling of fluffy love and sweetness. Its actually a very solid soft rock/pop rock album.
And with that, I leave you.
Edit: Actually, scratch that. Cuz I forgot how truly solid the last half of this album is! This just gets better as it gets deeper into its run time! "Oh Pleasure Man" is a sexy gem! that's followed up by "Little Pleasure Acre" and "For Once In My Life" which are both excellent. As The album goes on, Cilla and her band get less and less soft and a bit more lively. It's truly an impressive end to this album. Y'all may like it. Jus' sayin'.
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I think I will give "Armed Forces" a listen now (not its anniversary today, but considering how slow today is). In my mind its the beginning of Costello's moving pretty drastically away from his pop punky gruffness into the arena of studio playfulness. I always thought of it as the album that was like a less drastic version of Imperial Bedroom. I think of My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Get Happy! as his trilogy of pop punk excellence. But now seeing that Armed Forces was actually earlier in release date than Get Happy! my mind is blown! I thought Get Happy was his 3rd album and I thought it came out in 79 and AF in '80. Weird. Okay, I may have been mistaken in my recollection. To be fair the breakdown of listens to each of his first classic run of albums is something like
My Aim Is True = 50 or so listens
This Year's Model = about 25 listens
Armed Forces = 10ish listens
Get Happy = about the same 10 or so listens
Imperial Bedroom = About 6 complete listens (15 or more attempts).
And now I am listening to "Accidents Will Happen" and I hear that it is more energetic than I recalled. But its definitelyt more deatiled in its arrangements and sound than his first 2 (or Get Happy!). But whatever. I'll continue listening. ( P.S. Accidents Will Happen is an insanely great opening track! Adore it.
Apologies if I'm destabilizing your worldview, Mr. Tilly! 😄 _________________ -Ryan
I think I will give "Armed Forces" a listen now (not its anniversary today, but considering how slow today is). In my mind its the beginning of Costello's moving pretty drastically away from his pop punky gruffness into the arena of studio playfulness. I always thought of it as the album that was like a less drastic version of Imperial Bedroom. I think of My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Get Happy! as his trilogy of pop punk excellence.
Apologies if I'm destabilizing your worldview, Mr. Tilly! :)
That's really funny! I totally think his GODHEAD pop punk trilogy is My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Armed Forces. lol.
So my homework for today is to listen to Get Happy! 🤣
ps. He also has a live album from this period that was included as some bonus cd in a box set that a friend ripped for me that absolutely rules and make actually be my favorite Costello LP of them all. Will try & track it down but haven't seen it since The Dreaded Basement Flood of 2014. lol
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