My Aim Is True (CD)
Elvis Costello
Amoeba Review
Michael Keefe 06/15/2010
It's difficult to imagine now, but Elvis Costello's phenomenal debut album, My Aim Is True, was originally intended as demos for fellow ersatz pub rocker Nick Lowe. Instead, once Costello and his temporary backing band, The Clovers, had captured these songs to tape, it was clear that they needed to be issued by their creator. Thus, the launching of one of music's most rewarding careers. Without the harder edged playing of Costello's future comrades, The Attractions, the music of My Aim Is True has a lighter bounce and more straightforward feel, but it's none the worse for it. At the dawning of the punk and new wave era, Elvis hadn't fully wound himself up into his angry young man stage. Still, his satirical bite bubbles up plenty throughout songs like swinging, mid-tempo rocker "Blame It on Cain," the adrenaline-fueled "Mystery Dance," and, of course, "I'm Not Angry" (actually, he is). While these album cuts would be good enough to make most debuts worth buying, Costello had some bona fide singles to offer, too. Neither the blue-eyed soul of "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" or the timeless ballad "Allison" made the charts at the time, but both are classics of the Costello canon. Added onto the US version of the LP, the poppy and syncopative "Watching the Detectives" became Costello's first hit (and first single with The Attractions). Top 40 in both America and England, My Aim Is True marked the terrific beginning to Elvis Costello's remarkable discography.
Track Listing
Disc 1 Titles |
Artist |
Length |
---|---|---|
1.
Welcome to the Working Week
|
Elvis Costello | 01:23 |
2.
Miracle Man
|
Elvis Costello | 03:33 |
3.
No Dancing
|
Elvis Costello | 02:43 |
4.
Blame It on Cain
|
Elvis Costello | 02:53 |
5.
Alison
|
Elvis Costello | 03:25 |
6.
Sneaky Feelings
|
Elvis Costello | 02:12 |
7.
(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
|
Elvis Costello | 02:49 |
8.
Less Than Zero
|
Elvis Costello | 03:18 |
9.
Mystery Dance
|
Elvis Costello | 01:37 |
10.
Pay It Back
|
Elvis Costello | 02:36 |
11.
I'm Not Angry
|
Elvis Costello | 03:02 |
12.
Waiting for the End of the World
|
Elvis Costello | 03:26 |
13.
Watching the Detectives
|
Elvis Costello | 03:45 |
Disc 2 Titles |
Artist |
Length |
---|---|---|
1.
No Action (Early Version)
|
Elvis Costello | 02:15 |
2.
Living in Paradise (Early Version)
|
Elvis Costello | 03:00 |
3.
Radio Sweetheart
|
Elvis Costello | 02:31 |
4.
Stranger in the House
|
Elvis Costello | 03:04 |
5.
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself (Live)
|
Elvis Costello | 02:27 |
6.
Less Than Zero ("Dallas Version")
|
Elvis Costello | 04:19 |
7.
Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)
|
Elvis Costello | 03:39 |
8.
Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 02:15 |
9.
Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 02:18 |
10.
Jump Up (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 02:09 |
11.
Wave a White Flag (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 01:59 |
12.
Blame It on Cain (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 03:34 |
13.
Poison Moon (Honky Tonk Demo)
|
Elvis Costello | 01:53 |