From time to time an artist comes along who is so outstandingly unique that he forces people to pay attention to him whether they like it or not. Elvis Costello is such an artist. He poses on the cover of his debut album, My Aim Is True, like a Woody Allen impersonation of Buddy Holly. He sings with a raspy Graham Parker-like voice in Elvis Costello angry tones. His music is basically a throwback to good old rock 'n' roll, but he gives it a whole new dimension with his fresh and creative approach. He doesn't need to resort to three-chord, crank-it-up music to convey it.
Side One opens with a short, simple rock 'n' roller called "Welcome To The Working Week." Right away, Elvis hits home with "Welcome to the working week / I know it don't thrill you / I hope it don't kill you/ You gotta do it/ so you better get to it." "Miracle Man" is the first of several songs about his relationship with women. "Why do you have to say there's always someone who can do it better than I can / Don't you think that I know that walking on water won't make me a Miracle Man?"
"Alison" is the only ballad on the album and at first it seems to be a simple, nicey love song. Lyrics like, "sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking when I hear the silly things that you say / I think somebody better put out the big light, cause I can't stand to see you this way ... Alison, I know this world is killing you. Alison, my aim is true," give it a more awesome feeling.
Side Two continues the atmosphere of the first with a tune called "Pay It Back." Costello sings of all the things people have done to him in his life. "I'm Not Angry" is Costello's ironic number. He sings "I'm not angry anymore" in his angriest voice.
Unlike most recordings, continued playing of My Aim Is True does not lead to finding more faults with the album. But, the only thing that annoys me is that sometimes it is impossible to understand what Costello is saying. This is his style, though, and a small problem in light of what one can get from the album. We can only hope that Elvis Costello continues to be as unique on his upcoming efforts as he has on his one.
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