King Of America (studio album) by The Costello Show Featuring The Attractions And Confederates

So many great songs here, although I’m not too bothered about the couple of covers.

I have loved Brilliant Mistake and in particular Indoor Fireworks for over 20 years but oddly enough I had never heard such wonderful tracks as Little Palaces, American Without Tears, Sleep Of The Just and Suit Of Lights until fairly recently, these songs are all somehow as good as Brilliant Mistake!

If nothing else, this makes King Of America a well-balanced collection of songs as it has an excellent start, a very strong middle and the ending is impressive too.

From indieshins 04/19/2018 23:10

I remember the first time I heard Brilliant Mistake, the opener of King of America. I was bowled over by the lyrics. I loved Costello before, but I think this is where his words stole the show. An entire album of stunning poetry set to beautiful music and a powerful return to form after the disappointing duo of Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World.

His best album lyrically, in my opinion. Great album but prefer My Aim is True.

Billed as The Costello Show, king of America, is Elvis Costello's Americana album. Costello had tried to capture an authentic stateside sound on his country covers LP, almost blue, but where as that album sounded forced and phony, king of America, sounds real and lived in. It features probably Costello's best collection of songs since, imperial bedroom, and they're all delivered in a U.S. country/blues/folk hybrid. Opener, brilliant mistake, is one of my personal favourite Costello tracks, other highlights on the record are the beautiful, indoor fireworks, the excellent, I'll wear it proudly, and, the penultimate track, suit of lights. In fact, there's loads of great songs from, little palaces, to, sleep of the just, from, Jack of all parades, to, American without tears. The only disappointments are the cover, don't let me be misunderstood, and the boring, Eisenhower blues, if those two tracks had been left off it would have been a perfect album, as it is, it's just very good.

From lightmyway 05/13/2012 21:56

A transition to country and folk songs after a couple of less-well-received albums. It works really well.

From ffudnebbuh 12/30/2009 23:03

"Brilliant Mistake" and "American without tears" are my two favorite costello songs...plus an all acoustic album by elvis always goes very well with the songs