Track Listing
DISC 1:
1. Welcome to the Working Week
2. Miracle Man
3. No Dancing
4. Blame It on Cain
5. Alison
6. Sneaky Feelings
7. Red Shoes, (The Angels Wanna Wear My)
8. Less Than Zero
9. Mystery Dance
10. Pay It Back
11. I'm Not Angry
12. Waiting For the End of the World
13. Watching the Detectives
14. Radio Sweetheart
15. Stranger in the House
16. Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver) - (previously unreleased)
17. Mystery Dance - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
18. Cheap Reward - (previously unreleased)
19. Jump Up - (previously unreleased)
20. Wave a White Flag - (previously unreleased)
21. Blame It on Cain - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
22. Poison Moon - (previously unreleased)
DISC 2:
1. No Action
2. This Year's Girl
3. Beat, The
4. Pump It Up
5. Little Triggers
6. You Belong to Me
7. Hand in Hand
8. Chelsea, (I Don't Want to Go to)
9. Lip Service
10. Living in Paradise
11. Lipstick Vogue
12. Night Rally
13. Radio, Radio - (previously unreleased)
14. Big Tears - (previously unreleased)
15. Crawling to the U.S.A. - (previously unreleased)
16. Running Out of Angels - (previously unreleased)
17. Green Shirt - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
18. Big Boys - (previously unreleased)
DISC 3:
1. Accidents Will Happen
2. Senior Service
3. Oliver's Army
4. Big Boys
5. Green Shirt
6. Party Girl
7. Goon Squad
8. Busy Bodies
9. Sunday's Best
10. Moods For Moderns
11. Chemistry Class
12. Two Little Hitlers
13. Peace, Love and Understanding?, (What's So Funny 'Bout)
14. My Funny Valentine
15. Tiny Steps - (previously unreleased)
16. Clean Money
17. Talking in the Dark
18. Wednesday Week
19. Accidents Will Happen
20. Alison
21. Watching the Detectives
DISC 4:
1. Mystery Dance
2. Waiting For the End of the World
3. Welcome to the Working Week
4. Less Than Zero
5. Beat, The
6. Lip Service
7. Chelsea, (I Don't Want to Go to)
8. Little Triggers
9. Radio, Radio
10. Lipstick Vogue
11. Watching the Detectives
12. Miracle Man
13. Band Introduction
14. You Belong to Me
15. Pump It Up
16. You Belong to Me
17. Pump It Up
| Details | | Contributing Artists: | Dave Edmunds, Mick Jones, Nick Lowe | | Distributor: | Ryko Distribution | | Recording Type: | Mixed | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes
This 4-CD box set contains the albums MY AIM IS TRUE, THIS YEAR'S MODEL, ARMED FORCES, LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO, and a booklet with color photos.
MY AIM IS TRUE personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); John McFee (guitar, pedal steel); Sean Hopper (piano, organ, background vocals); Johnny Ciambotti (bass, background vocals); Mickey Shine (drums).
Additional personnel includes: Steve Hazelhurst, Mick Jones (guitar); Nick Lowe (bass, background vocals); Mich Kent (bass); Malcolm Dennis or Ian Powling (drums); Dickie Faulkner (percussion); Dave Edmunds (background vocals); Mike Whelan, Ken Smith.
Producer: Nick Lowe.
Engineer: Bazza.
Recorded at Pathway Studios, Islington, England between 1976 and 1977. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello.
All songs written by Elvis Costello.
THIS YEAR'S MODEL personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums).
Producer: Nick Lowe.
Engineer: Roger Bechirian.
Recorded at Eden Studios, London, England between 1977 and 1978.
All songs written by Elvis Costello.
ARMED FORCES personnel: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Bruce Thomas (bass); Pete Thomas (drums).
Producer: Nick Lowe.
Engineer: Roger Bechirian.
Recorded at Eden Studios, London, England.
All songs written by Elvis Costello except "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" (Nick Lowe).
LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO was recorded live at El Mocambo in Toronto, Canada on March 6, 1978.
MY AIM IS TRUE (90271), THIS YEAR'S MODEL (90272) and ARMED FORCES (90273) available separately on Rykodisc. The box set contains 23 tracks not available on the original LPs.
This essential box chronicles the earliest and most influential phase of Costello's career, containing his first three albums and the previously bootleg-only LIVE AT EL MOCAMBO. Anyone unfamiliar with Costello, arguably the most important singer-songwriter of the post-punk era, is directed to this set, which showcases his "angry young man" phase in full bloom. On his debut MY AIM IS TRUE, Costello bridges the gap between pub-rock and "new wave" backed by members of Huey Lewis & the News (!), then known as Clover, and inaugurates his nerd-with-guitar-and-chip-on-shoulder aesthetic. THIS YEAR'S MODEL saw the introduction of Elvis' soul brothers the Attractions and a tighter, more frenetic sound.
By the time ARMED FORCES rolled around, Costello and the Attractions had begun to stretch far beyond their new-wave roots, with lush, almost baroque arrangements that occasionally recall the Beatles. Steve Nieve's kaleidoscope of keyboard colors had become the primary sonic ingredient in the band's sound by this point. The live disc shows Costello and the Attractions at their punkiest and most stripped down, blazing through their repertoire like the Devil was jabbing their collective posterior with a pitchfork.
Editorial Reviews
Ranked #2 in the Village Voice's list of the 10 Best Reissues Of 1993.
Village Voice (03/01/1994)
...the preeminent singer/songwriter of his generation...also one of the most prolific....Essential stuff, and it all sounds significantly better than the old Columbia CDs....
Stereo Review (12/01/1993)
Sound: A+ / Presentation: A+ - ...At a time when punk rock was breaking loose, it was the anger of Costello's songs that caught people's ears...In retrospect, the most important elements propelling the songs are his stylized singing and his ear for melody...
Audio Magazine (11/01/1993)
8 - Excellent - ...a particular joy to the Costello trainspotter with its little insights into the great man's songwriting...
NME (10/30/1993)
...his insistence on language as a more vicious weapon than style has ultimately proven a durable mortar....When Costello harnessed his greedy intellect on these early albums, he pulled big triggers....
Melody Maker (10/09/1993)
...that's the time it took [Costello] to spit out his first 3 albums: it was an astonishing display of fecundity, particularly since many of these songs rank among Costello's finest...
Rolling Stone (11/11/1993)
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