Record Mirror, December 31, 1977

Bibliography   72 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 UK & Ireland weeklies UK & Ireland magazines UK & Ireland newspapers US newspapers US rock magazines US music magazines US magazines US alternative weeklies European magazines European newspapers Canada  •  Mexico  •  Asia Australia  •  New Zealand South America  •  Africa Blogs  •  Fanzines  •  Books Online publications Record Mirror   1974 March 16 1977 March 19 1977 March 26 1977 April 16 1977 May 28 1977 July 16 1977 July 23 1977 August 6 1977 August 13 1977 August 20 1977 August 27 1977 September 3 1977 September 17 1977 September 24 1977 October 8 1977 October 15 1977 October 22 1977 November 5 1977 November 26 1977 December 3 1977 December 17 1977 December 31 1978 January 14 1978 January 21 1978 February 25 1978 March 4 1978 March 11 1978 March 18 1978 March 25 1978 April 15  1978 April 22 1978 May 20 1978 June 24  1978 July 8  1978 September 16  1978 September 30 1978 October 21  1978 November 18 1978 November 25 1978 December 30 1979 January 6 1979 January 13 1979 February 3 1979 March 3 1979 May 12 1979 May 19 1979 June 2 1979 October 13 1979 October 27 1979 December 15 1980 January 12 1980 January 19 1980 January 26 1980 February 2 1980 February 16 1980 February 23 1980 March 1 1980 March 8 1980 March 22 1980 April 12 1980 May 10 1980 August 23 1980 September 6 1980 October 4 1980 October 18  1980 December 6 1980 December 27 1981 January 3 1981 January 10 1981 January 17 1981 January 24 1981 January 31 1981 February 28 1981 March 14 1981 April 4 1981 June 13 1981 July 4 1981 August 8 1981 September 12 1981 October 3 1981 October 24 1981 November 7 1981 December 26   1982 January 9 1982 January 16 1982 March 27 1982 May 1  1982 June 5 1982 June 12 1982 June 19 1982 June 26 1982 July 3 1982 July 10 1982 July 24 1982 September 4 1982 September 18 1982 October 9 1982 October 16 1982 November 27 1983 January 1   1983 June 4 1983 July 2 1983 July 16 1983 July 30 1983 August 13 1983 September 10 1983 November 19 1983 December 10 1984 January 7   1984 March 24 1984 March 31 1984 April 14 1984 April 21 1984 May 5 1984 May 12 1984 June 2 1984 June 9   1984 June 16  1984 June 30 1984 October 20  1985 May 11  1985 June 15  1985 July 20  1985 September 21 1985 November 9  1985 December 7  1985 December 21  1986 February 22 1986 March 8 1986 April 26 1986 May 17  1986 May 31 1986 June 28  1986 July 12  1986 August 2 1986 August 23  1986 September 20 1986 November 8  1986 November 29  1986 December 6 1987 December 12 1988 February 27  1988 November 12 1988 December 17 1989 January 7  1989 February 4  1989 February 11 1989 February 18   1989 March 4  1989 April 29 1989 May 6  1989 May 13  1989 June 17 1989 July 1 1989 July 29 — Elvis Costello And The Attractions Mark Ellen Nashville Rooms, London Elvis, clad as ever in ill-fitting suit, shirt and tie, clutching at the mic, arms jerking wildly — an earnest, deranged-looking geek burning his way through "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes." Why so successful? — Cos he writes good songs. Good, powerful, harmonic, sincere songs. Every one a winner. He played "Waiting For the End of the World." As in the other numbers, nothing detracts from the vocals. No solos, no digressions. The backing is focused down to an exact, balanced support for his spasms of desperate lyrics, varying with his expression, and controlled by the excellent, but unobtrusive, keyboard playing of Steve Naive. They worked through some different styles — from rock 'n' roll to ballad to the thin, reggae feel of "Watching The Detectives." A longer and more varied version, with Pete Thomas, drums, and Bruce Thomas on bass, fading out to just hint at the rhythm, and Elvis, not very much at ease, letting loose his forceful and emotive vocals. Last, and best, was "I'm Not Angry," played to an ecstatic audience. A more defiant stance, more sweat, more accusing glares, more harsh, torn guitar chords — always impossible to anticipate his changing moods. It's amazing how compelling his anti-hero image is. I hardly took my eyes off him once in the whole set. No doubts as to whether Elvis was missed while touring the states. Anyone who returns to play their first gig on borrowed gear, plagued with PA problems, and still get that kind of reception, isn't going to have to start busking in the near future. A truly great and imaginative new musician. Tags: The Attractions  •  Nashville Rooms  •  London  •  (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  •  Waiting For The End Of The World  •  Steve Naive  •  Watching The Detectives  •  Pete Thomas  •  Bruce Thomas  •  I'm Not Angry  •  1st US Tour << >> Record Mirror, December 31, 1977 Mark Ellen reviews Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Thursday, December 22, 1977, Nashville Rooms, London, England. My Aim Is True is No. 84 on the Top 100 Albums Of The Year (pages 02, 23). The Black Plastic Awards include My Aim Is True, "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives." EC is featured in an illustrated recap of 1977 (page 24). Images Clipping composite. Illustration by Charlie Brinkworth.   Black Plastic Awards of 1977 Record Mirror Page scans.   Cover.

External links

• Wikipedia: Record Mirror
• americanradiohistory.com