Elvis Costello Fan Forum

I've been a fan of TJL since it first appeared. I was a relatively new fan, having first gotten into Elvis with Spike. I was pretty obsessive at that point and was very unsure what I would be getting into. Of course now we are very used to EC's genre-jumping, but in 1993 this was pretty new territor...

Just saw Black Swan as well and admired it more than enjoyed it, although I echo Christopher's praise for Natalie Portman, who was excellent. I also saw 'The Fighter' which I found to be hugely entertaining. Melissa Leo is just fantastic as are Bale and Wahlberg.

MFBB = My Flame Burns Blue

I'm not much of a track skipper, but some songs (Playboy to a Man is one example) deserve it. I can happily listen all the way through Trust, Imperial Bedroom, Armed Forces, Brutal Youth, The Juliet Letters, Painted From Memory and National Ransom without skipping.

Lucky enough to receive the Springsteen 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' set. Beautifully packaged, I must say. The two disc 'The Promise' set makes a case for BS as being one of the great pop songwriters of our time. This stuff makes an amazing album on its own, but didn't fit with the somber mood of...

Food for thought from EC's 'interview' leading up to the release of National Ransom: OWH: A wolf, perhaps the one from the cover, appears in the opening song and the closing song of "National Ransom". Is this the same wolf? Is he somehow the master of ceremonies? Are these two songs more l...

I liked Broken Bells, The Roots, Cee-Lo, and EC.

Just received in the mail my copy of Ryan Adams & the Cardinals III/IV, the great 'lost' albums from a few years ago. One and a half listens through and enjoying very much. Won't convert anyone, but if you liked Easy Tiger and Cardinology as much as I did, there is a lot here to recommend.

Thank you for all you do!

I listened to it several times through and then purposely left it alone for a couple of weeks (filled the intervening time with GCW bonus disc). When I returned to it yesterday, I found myself loving it even more than initially. Great sign for me.

Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4 is one of my all time fave songs, and my second favorite EC song . Which begs the question - what's your favourite Elvis song? I could never choose - but am fascinated by the decisions of those who can. What is it, and why?! My all time favorite, for reasons that I...

I also have a very large soft spot in my heart for MLAR. My brother had expressed some interest in Costello, and I gave him this album (as it was new at the time). He said he couldn't get past the first three songs. It made me understand that EC wasn't for everyone. Still, this album rewards repeate...

Probably Spike or Brutal Youth for strictly sentimental time/place reasons.

Inspired by this thread, I gave both Momofuku and Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane a spin today, and I have to give the tilt to Momofuku. National Ransom feels like a nice cross between the two, but with superior songs. SP&S has some great songs (I'm a fan of the Secret Songs...) but is sounding a...

I had the opposite experience ET. Relatively low expectations and a very, very high satisfaction level. As I've said before, I'm not the best judge as I tend to love everything EC does, but this one has already merited more repeat listens than any of the last five or six. Great, great album.

Church Underground is it for me. The chord change on the chorus hits me where it counts every time.

Sulky Lad, I've been lucky enough to see Cheap Trick 4 or 5 times in fairly small venues. They are always fantastic, and you are right about how 'young' they sound. Why they are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is beyond me. And Bon Jovi is up for induction this year!

A few 'obscurities' I feel lucky to have heard live from the man: Sweet Pear (MLAR tour in Berkeley, CA; EC played the beautiful guitar solo on a nice fat hollow body Gretsch or something like it) Secondary Modern and Strict Time (the 'Best of' tour a couple of years ago in Washington DC) Tears Befo...

I'll concur with most of the others after a week's listening- this is a corker from top to bottom. I'm one of those fans who enjoys the melodic EC over the 'rowdy' EC most of the time, and so my initial reaction to 'National Ransom', 'Five Small Words', 'Jezebel', etc. was muted. However, I'm findin...

#3 on Amazon mp3 album sales overall and #1 for rock mp3 album sales. Probably the fact that it was offered for $3.99 all day yesterday contributed to this!

If you haven't ordered it yet, you can get a digital download of the new album from Amazon for only $3.99 today only: http://www.amazon.com/National-Ransom-digital-booklet/dp/B00491G9A6/ref=amb_link_354393862_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=browse&pf_rd_r=1NT67VBDB5D1MBB6GD8M&pf_rd_t=101...

I'm in.

Posts like this make me really, really miss Bright Blue Times! The lick in 'Next Time Around' was copped by REM for 'Stand', so shortly after that song became a hit, EC used it again in 'How to Be Dumb'. I felt he was almost daring someone to suggest he stole it from REM!

Got my copy in the mail today! Hoping 'Ransack' follows in my email soon. I have studiously avoided listening to any version of any of these songs, except for the three downloads I got when I purchased it and 'The Spell You Cast' free download. Needless to say, I'm anxious to give it a spin.

I'm going to hazard that MPD might be the three Christian names of his son Matthew? Only because he refers to Frank and Dexter by three Christian names in the dedication. Wild speculation only.

Excellent interview.