Punch The Clock
by Elvis Costello And The Attractions

From Jboy56 04/14/2024 07:29 | #302972

I just loved the "Shipbuilding", the slightly poppier style is perfect for my taste. (Edited)

Well, if sounds pretty much exactly like what you'd expect from a collaboration with Clive Langer. It sounds like the Attractions have been replaced as a backing band by Madness. As others have noted, the three classic songs are really great highs for this album but the rest of the record is not up to the standard EC had set with his work previous to this album.

I suppose there is a slight irony that the album containing my favourite ever Elvis Costello song was the first album he released which was a little below par. The song in question is Shipbuilding of course.

From indieshins 02/28/2018 01:49 | #209765 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Really the first significant blemish on his career. Sometimes I'm in the mood for the whole thing, but mostly I'm not. The horns are just so out of place, and overall it's too glossy - Costello would do this sort of sound better on albums such as 1989's Spike. Overall, it's essential listening all the way through only if you're a diehard fan like me, otherwise you can just stick with Everyday I Write the Book, Shipbuilding, and Pills and Soap, which are the classics from this album.

Good, enjoyable but not his best. Still better than most other artists.

After the commercial disappointment of the brilliant, imperial bedroom, album, Elvis Costello tried for a more accessible approach this time around. Punch the clock, then, is Elvis Costello's pop record. The songs are smothered in a clean pop sheen and a horn section, as well as The Attractions. There are some throwaway filler, especially towards the end of the record, but it still features some great Costello tracks. Opener, let them talk, and, everyday I write the book, open the album strongly and are perfect for the sound Costello has gone for. This also works well on, TKO(boxing day), and, the invisible man. The best tracks though are the vitriolic, pills and soap, and the beautiful, shipbuilding, which features an astounding trumpet solo from the legendary, Chet Baker. All in all, punch the clock, is not one of Costello's strongest records, but it's not bad.

From lightmyway 05/13/2012 21:52 | #42251 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

They say he sold out with this one. It's a flawed album but it has a lot of good songs. I can get behind this most of the time.