Other Mixes By Vinz Clortho Keymaster of Gozer
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Pop - Pop/Rock
CD
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Holiday - Halloween
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Mixed Genre
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Mixed Genre
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Mixed Genre
ELVIS COSTELLO - "God's Comic" (1989-2002) [2CD]
| Side A | ||
| Artist | Song | |
| Elvis Costello |
45 
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| Elvis Costello |
13 Steps Lead Down
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| Elvis Costello & the Attractions |
Little Atoms
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| Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet |
Taking My Life In Your Hands
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| Elvis Costello |
Harpies Bizarre
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| Elvis Costello |
God's Comic
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| Elvis Costello |
Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution)
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| Elvis Costello & the Attractions |
Distorted Angel
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| Elvis Costello |
Sulky Girl
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| Elvis Costello | When I Was Cruel No. 2 | |
| Elvis Costello |
Clown Strike
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| Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach | I'll Never Fall In Love Again | |
| Elvis Costello |
All Grown Up
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| Elvis Costello |
My Science Fiction Twin
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| Elvis Costello & the Attractions |
All This Useless Beauty
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| Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet |
I Almost Had A Weakness
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| Elvis Costello |
So Like Candy
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| Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach | I Still Have That Other Girl | |
| Side B | ||
| Artist | Song | Buy |
| Elvis Costello |
Kinder Murder
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| Elvis Costello |
Veronica
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| Elvis Costello |
Alibi
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| Elvis Costello & the Attractions |
The Other End Of The Telescope
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| Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet |
Who Do You Think You Are?
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| Elvis Costello |
This Is Hell
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| Elvis Costello |
Spooky Girlfriend
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| Elvis Costello | The Bridge I Burned | |
| Elvis Costello |
The Other Side Of Summer
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| Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach | The Sweetest Punch | |
| Elvis Costello |
London's Brilliant Parade
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| Elvis Costello |
Chewing Gum
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| Elvis Costello |
20% Amnesia
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| Elvis Costello & the Attractions |
Why Can't A Man Stand Alone?
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| Elvis Costello |
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
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| Elvis Costello |
All The Rage
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| Elvis Costello |
Episode Of Blonde
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| Elvis Costello |
Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4
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| Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet | I Want To Vanish | |
Comment:
DOUBLE DISC SET. Volume two of a four disc retrospective I'm making of my #1 musical hero. It's actually a starter kit that I plan on forcing upon friends who aren't familiar with EC. :-) (I personally think the two-disc "best of" currently on the market isn't nearly comprehensive enough). I started with the later years first because it was far easier for me to nail down my picks. This isn't necessarily a "greatest hits," though I did concede to throw in most of the big singles (note the exclusion of "She"). Leaned toward "Brutal Youth" a lot for some reason, which I think is more conducive to being broken up than some of the other albums (more solid songs maybe?). In retrospect I should have thrown on "15 Petals" from WIWC. If I'd had my druthers, I probably wouldn't have included "Veronica." I would also have included more from "The Juliet Letters" and "Painted From Memory." Elvis' collaborations and "experimental" side projects get slighted far too often...I actually find most of them to be highly worthwhile. Also wanted to include "My Dark Life" with Brian Eno, but didn't have room. Got to see EC live recently...it was mind-blowing. Enjoy.
Feedback:
Evlis is incredible, his new CD is incredible, and this mix is incredible. Excellent job!
Great picks so far. While I have trouble listening to the Bacharach stuff, you really can't argue with it's inclusion. And I love the Brodsky Quarter album. It'll be interesting to see this fleshed out. Don't forget the Almost Blue album ;-)
Very nice! Thanks for making such a mix :)
"Don't forget the Almost Blue album."
I wish I could. :-)
I wish I could. :-)
If you ask me, Almost Blue is better than almost any of these later albums that you're championing (aside from Spike, that is)... but that's one man's opinion. And I hate his new CD, although it's well documented that I love Elvis (I did a 4-disc set not too long ago).
Okay, maybe you're not really "championing" these albums (I just read your comments), but I dunno... it just seems like he's really dropped off the planet artistically in the last decade (save a few solid songs on Brutal Youth, Painted from Memory and All This Useless Beauty). I say all of this out of sadness, not snottiness, as his vocals still seem to be top-notch.
best show I ever saw wuz E.C. & Squeeze together!
I do prefer the earlier Costello (after all, I did say I started with the later years because it would be much easier) but I get really tired of hearing people say he's "lost it" or that there was reason for concern in the past decade because EC started branching out or doing mellower tunes. Any artist worth their salt evolves and changes over time, IMHO. If EC kept recording "This Years Model" over and over he would have bored me long ago. I applaud his courage and his integrity...he does what he wants on his terms and doesn't care if he appears to "drop off the planet," as you say. I'm curious as to why you "hate" his new CD. (BTW: I don't like "Spike" much, so we're apparently polar opposites).
I genuinely like Almost Blue. It's not up there in the pantheon, but it works for me, and starts (or was Get Happy the start) Elvis on the road to the studied eclecticism that extends through the Painted from Memory and, I think, contributes to, as Rob says, his drop "off the planet artistically." My difficulty (it's really a mental block) with his post-Attractions work, is that I'm constantly listening for Bruce Thomas' bass lines. I like his new CD, but I would have loved it with Bruce Thomas (and a better mix).
Bruce Thomas is one of my main bass influences...but according to EC, Bruce is lazy, stubborn, doesn't concentrate and can't play very well anymore. Apparently it's why he didn't ask him back after the "All This Useless Beauty" tour...because he was flubbing notes all over the place.
This is a great and exhaustive work. I do prefer his early output, but that's just personal opinion.
Actually, I have no problem with him doing "mellower tunes". I think he should pretty much stick to those, since he's utterly incapable of rocking convincingly at this point. My problem with him at this point is his lack of quality songs (that's interesting tunes with arresting melodies, for a definition from me)--something that apologists for the artist in question (not just Elvis) seem to call "evolution" or "change". I'd hate to hear "This Year's Model" coming out of him now--I know this because he embarrassed himself attempting to play plenty of songs from that period at a show that I saw this summer. In fact, I'd say that the only song I legitimately like from the new record ("Tart") is one of the least-Modelesque tunes on the album. I actually don't understand why you thought that my problem with him stemmed from him "branching out" (particularly when I named the Bacharach album as one of my favorites of his recent output) and don't appreciate that simplistic assumption. But, as I said, this is all one man's opinion.
Oh, and I hate his new CD because the melodies are completely pedestrian/hookless, the "angry man" lyrics are forced, and the irritating, passe electronic drumbeat that permeates all but a couple of songs on the album smacks of pandering to me (demonstrating to me, at least, that he *does* care if people perceive him to be "modern" or "relevant"). Even the better songs ("45" and "Tart") sound like re-writes of better ideas from Trust and Blood & Chocolate, respectively. I don't know if you took the time to look at my "I could've been a king in 6/8 time" series, but that should give you a better frame of reference as to where I'm coming from with Elvis (once again, I'm not saying where I'm coming from is the "correct" place). I also ask that you understand (although you seem to understand this) that all of this discussion is intended as just that--a discussion--and not a dogmatic platform. I appreciate your comments on my Monkees and Jonathan Richman mixes, btw.
Really nice stuff.
Well, similarly (reading what you wrote on my comps), only 7 songs on this two-disc set would be anywhere near compilations for me...
I hear ya, Rob. There's a lot here I'd excise if I were just making this for me. Maybe even a third of it. I wanted a comprehensive overview of his later stuff, though.