Live Blog: "My Aim Is True" First Impressions

I did it last year for Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix, I should have done it last month for Zeitgeist by Smashing Pumpkins, and I’m doing it again for my newest album purchase, My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello. I’m going to write down my thoughts on each track as I listen to them, documenting my first impressions. It will be a fascinating process, so join me as I listen to My Aim Is True for the very first time . . .

1) Welcome To The Working Week

This starts out with some awesome harmonies. After that, there’s a little shuffling guitar thing while Elvis snarks the lyrics out. This is fairly subdued compared to “No Action” the opening track from his next album. It sounds pretty typical for Elvis, except for the backing harmonies. It ends very quickly.

2) Miracle Man

There’s some good distorted guitar on this one to start, and some buried Elvis vocals. It’s mid-tempo. Good bass guitar! And this is pre-Bruce Thomas. Thus far in the album, the emphasis is on singing instead of rock and rolling. Even at this early stage, Elvis was a great singer. I’m liking this one, it has a great melody. I just hope the next one is fast and loud.

3) No Dancing

Nope, it’s not fast or loud, yet. Again, the vocal melody is featured heavily. I heard more of those backing harmony vocals! I also hear a little of the passionate screaming Elvis is now known for, but he sounds a little more restrained than on later songs. I’ll give him a break, it was his first album. If the rest of the album is similar to the first three songs, then obviously This Year’s Model was made to be more aggressive. Vocally, though, these songs are as good as anything I’ve ever heard Elvis do.

4) Blame It On Cain

This one is very bluesy. Heavy bass, I like that. There’s a good shuffle here, and good lead guitar too. Obviously Clover was a good band. Elvis’ vocals here are plain, without much distortion. It’s a good change from the previous songs. I take back what I said earlier - the passionate screaming is there after all! I also hear the odd rhythmic singing method that Elvis brings to his work. I love that - it’s like you can dance to his vocals. I think this is my favorite song thus far.

5) Alison

I’ve heard this before, but not so many times that I have it stuck in my head. This was Elvis’ first big ballad, and it’s very beautiful. You can hear the tenderness and vulnerability in his voice. Someone listening to this as their first impression of Elvis Costello would be fairly surprised by some of his other work. The guitar playing is great - a lot better than what you hear on Elvis’ later albums. Just my opinion. Ooh, I hear a little snark in there. This may not be the beautiful ballad it seems on first listen. Elvis can communicate so much just with his voice.

6) Sneaky Feelings

This is very soulful and r&b-sounding, showing Elvis’ love for that type of music. This is pretty upbeat, but not Attractions-level yet. I need to stop comparing these songs to Attractions songs. This is very catchy stuff! It grooves and jumps around, I like it. I just wish Elvis didn’t repeat the last line so much.

7) (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

This is the first song where the drummer has done anything interesting. The vocal melody is reminiscent of “Living In Paradise.” Elvis is singing as good as ever! His singing really pleases my ear. So much passion and spirit. This is another winner. Good bass playing, too.

8) Less Than Zero

I like the guitar playing on this. It has a very roots-based sound. Good distortion on the chorus. Even though this isn’t a fast song, it rocks in its own way. The pauses before the choruses are interesting and unexpected. The chorus, itself, isn’t the greatest. Except for the “hey, ey-ey” part at the very end of each.

9) Mystery Dance

Finally, something fast! This almost sounds like that other Elvis. Definitely a rockabilly feel. I like the effects on the vocals. Elvis sings pretty straightforward here. There’s not much snark, not many subtle bursts of emotion. He just sings a rock song and kicks butt. It’s far too short!

10) Pay It Back

Here we go with another r&b song. I’m bobbing my head to this one, that’s a good sign. Clover could really do the soul music thing, I think. I’m trying to think of unique things to say about this one, but I can’t say much I haven’t already said for other songs. Good melody, good groove, good guitar. Nothing outstanding, but not a bad song either. I’m not paying much attention to lyrics yet, but from what I read in the liner notes, he made a valiant start but didn’t yet reach his legendary songwriter status. This is another fairly short song, but I suppose that’s what he was going for.

11) I’m Not Angry

The guitar and keyboard here make this a fairly dark song at the start. Oh, that guitar just bursts out all over the place! This is a welcome diversion from the sweet mid-tempo bouncy melody thing. This could almost be an Attractions song. Very much so. So much that it would sound right at home on This Year’s Model. Good drum work on the bridge! I like the venom coming through in Elvis’ vocals. This song was a sign of things to come.

12) Waiting For The End Of The World

Wow, those are heavy drums! This continues the dark, rock-based vibe from the previous song. Elvis sings very well, almost a blues or early rock style. The heavy, pounding drum is what makes me like this song. The guitar is pretty good too. I’ll admit I was hesitant about buying this album because it wasn’t an Attractions album, but I see my worries were over nothing. Clover can rock! Remember the person I mentioned in the section about “Alison,” the one listening to Elvis for the first time? Well, by this point that person realizes this isn’t Kansas anymore and that Elvis isn’t just a pretty ballad singer.

13) Watching The Detectives

I’ve heard this song many times before. It’s even the theme song to my favorite TV show (which may be why I like it so much). This isn’t the Attractions, but it very well could be by the way it sounds. It’s a bit more reckless than the other songs on the album (and this song wasn’t on the original album anyhow). Elvis’ vocals just ooze with anticipation and contempt. The organ plays its role well, and for the first time, the bass guitar is the main instrument. The reggae rhythm is awesome as well. This album started out fairly simple, but progressed to songs like this. Elvis had some really good non-album singles that were stuck on the end of the American versions of his early albums, and this is one of the best of them. It’s an essential song in the Elvis Costello catalog.

Overall thoughts so far:

I think I still prefer This Year’s Model, but this album isn’t far behind in quality. It sounds like a debut album, and that’s perfectly fine. I was really amazed at how good Elvis sings on these songs. It’s like he was a great singer from the very beginning. His voice is an instrument itself and the man knows just how to use it.

I think I prefer the heavier songs on this album - stuff like “Waiting For The End Of The World,” “Blame It On Cain” and “I’m Not Angry.” The other songs would be ordinary were it not for Elvis’ great voice, and that’s what makes them work. For a quickly-put-together album, this is good stuff.