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Virginia Military Institute Cadet
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Goodbye Cruel World
Sam Browne
Goodbye Cruel World is the latest release from Elvis Costello and the Attractions. This album is the group's ninth release in America. The album exhibits the reggae influence that is in all their albums. Elvis and this three man band are a success in this release.
Goodbye Cruel World was released last summer and was received with very muted praise by reviewers and listeners alike. Cruel World shows the greatness and consistency of Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
If you listen to the album only once and expect to catch all that he is trying to get across, it will not happen. All of Elvis's albums take some time in getting used to because he tries a different approach every time, and it works beautifully on this release. Goodbye Cruel World has the potency and excellence in lyrical fine tuning as Armed Forces did, which I think is the group's best album.
For those who are familiar with the group's other albums know that they all make both political and social comments. This album is no exception. Some of the songs also show a young lover's frustration with his girl. To some it might seem that Elvis Costello is just a Don Quixote going up against established Government, but in actuality he just points out what is wrong with our thinking and says hopefully we can change these attitudes.
It is good listening and it also has some very good dance tunes. The album is upbeat and is not boring listening. A few of the tracks such as "Peace in our Time," "Room Without A Number," and "I Wanna Be Loved" set the tone of the album.
From the title of the album one would think that Elvis Costello is ready to abandon society and its ills, he is not ready to leave yet. Goodbye Cruel World contains 13 tracks and one more than gets his money's worth. If you already have the album, listen to it again. You are bound to find something new.
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