Filed under: Elvis Costello
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello
Released 1979
Accidents Will Happen: 8.3
Senior Service: 6.7
Oliver’s Army: 8.9
Big Boys: 6.6
Green Shirt: 6.7
Party Girl: 7.4
Goon Squad: 7.9
Busy Bodies: 7.4
Sunday’s Best: 6.3
Moods For Moderns: 6.5
Chemistry Class: 7.0
Two Little Hitlers: 5.9
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?: 8.4
Overall Rating: 7.23
And just like that — Elvis Costello is a songwriter!
After handing the populace one pub-rock Buddy Holly clone record, and one “pock” album that was ultra cool but a shade off the best, Costello and his Attractions (now fully a part of the bloodline) decided to go all in. Armed Forces — yes, it seems like it’s anti-military … seems like — is the beginning of the good stuff, the real meat and potatoes of the Costello canon. It’s new wave to the extreme, playful, pure, punctuating and other words that begin with “P.”
First off — the whole anti-military, anti-fascist thing isn’t really there. “Oliver’s Army” is a snipe against the militree (as they call it over there in Eng-land). And “Goon Squad” is a bitter little ditty (actually it’s a blast of a rocker with bell tolls and some of Bruce Thomas’ finest bass playing) about the boys out at war. But other than those two, the actual war-themed titles are more about love, something Costello surely knows how to write about.
In fact, if you follow Costello (and you follow my reviews), you’ll notice the regular themes continue. There’s rants against so-called “douchebags” (“Big Boys”) and “little girls” (“Sunday’s Best”), love songs to people he probably met like once (“Party Girl,” “Chemistry Class” and “Green Shirt”) and crooners about the state of marital affairs (“Two Little Hitlers”). Women are much more the enemy than Northern Ireland to Mr. McManus.
But enough of the songwriting quotient. The songs are new wave bliss. “Busy Bodies” is a hook-filled pop gem with some blistering synth blips (yeah Stevie Nieve!), while “Moods For Moderns” is Costello probably aping David Byrne and the Attracts aping the Heads, and doing a yeoman’s job of it all. Then you got the two magnificent stunners, the underrated pop classic, “Accidents Will Happen” (that fade out is one of Costello’s finer moments), and the big single, “Army.” You’ll notice it’s a complete rip of Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” something Costello admitted to in the reissue liner notes. No problem. If you’re going to rip off any keyboard line, best do it from “Dancing Queen.”
Meanwhile, part of “Party Girl” is a blatant rip off “You Never Give Me Your Money” by the Beatles. Again, no problem. He’s an encyclopedia of pop, guys! Also, “Party Girl” is fantastic. And meanwhile more, he throws in the cover of Nick Lowe’s “Peace, Love and Understanding,” and makes it the kind of (sarcasm-laced?) anthem Bruce Springsteen would wet himself to write.
Yeah, the small misteps are small. “Senior Service” is solid but forgettable and “Green Shirt” is too caged. (Release the beast, Elvis!) And “Two Little Hitlers” isn’t his best foray at mock-reggae. But all things aside, if you want the prototypical new wave album, take your pick between this and Reggatta De Blanc and call me with the results.
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album notes 
OMG. Look what I found! A Meet and Greet with Richard Branson and Elvis Costello”.How cool is this, I never thought I would ever have a chance like this. If you want a chance to bid on this visit this link. http://www.ebay.com/virginunite. There is this item up for grabs and many others. I think the auction page says that new items go up ever week too.
Comment by Miranda October 23, 2007 @ 3:12 pm