Despite Peewee's recent complaint that we have TOO MANY threads, I'm starting a new one. Sorry, Peewee.

I've just finished reading a new Elvis Costello bio, and I've been playing his records repeatedly, and I thought a discussion about Elvis would be a propos. He's a stylistic chameleon, a la Bowie, and a pop songwriter who rode in on the calvary front of British punk without ever being very punk in sound (but very punk in attitude), and he's dabbled in everything from country to Tin Pan Alley pop, orchestral music to Americana country-folk.

I would call him easily a contender for the mantle of "greatest living songwriter" in the pop genre (although Dylan or Brian Wilson would probably win) and his records, even the ones that aren't great, always have some wonderful songs on them.

If I had to pick a Top 5 of EC records, I think I'd go:

5. King of America
4. Imperial Bedroom
3. Armed Forces
2. Get Happy!!!
1. This Years Model

Man, that's a tough call, though. I've left off My Aim is True (overrated but still quite good) and Blood and Chocolate.

Hmm...well, I rank 'Aim is True' at #48 on my list, I just got This Year's Model and have only listened to it once so I can't really comment yet, and all else I have is Almost Blue, which I've also only listened to once.

Well, I just don't know where to begin...

I haven't much to add to pE's comments off the top of my head except to agree in full and to suggest that Costello is not only on a very short list of greatest living songwriters, but an even shorter list of consistently great living songwriters.

Ranking his catalog is tough. There's so much of it and so much of it is so good. To steal a line from the good friend who introduced me to Costello many years ago, Elvis' worst records are of the quality other artists will only aspire to in their careers and as pE noted, those albums always feature some wonderful songwriting.

Like:

"Everyday I Write the Book" Punch the Clock
A great soul track.

"The Only Flame in Town" Goodbye Cruel World
Darryl Hall belongs on any short list of underrated performers, at least Costello and Todd Rundgren seem think so and that's good enough for me.

"Veronica" Spike
One of his best collaborations with Macca from I think the most overlooked of his albums. I think I'm the only person in the world who thinks Spike ranks with Costello's best work.

"Jacksons, Monk and Rowe" The Juliet Letters
An album that was much more highly regarded on its' release than today. Perhaps it doesn't hold up as well, but "JM&R" is only one of several songs from it that I love.

"All Grown Up" Mighty Like a Rose
While I recognize that "Hurry Up Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)" is a well-deserved knock against this album, I would rank MLaR alongside Spike as an unfairly overlooked album.

Now Playing: "This House is Empty Now" Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach Painted from Memory <- it actually took several years for me to warm up to their two collaborations, but once I did...wow...

You can't forget the incredible "Shipbuilding" with the gut-wrenching lyrics and mournful Chet Baker trumpet solo.

Some of my other favorite songs of his:

"Veronica." Spike is brilliant, LT. Maybe #6 on my list.

"My Brave Face" Another P-Mac cowrite, but a great, great song. Performed by McCartney. I'd love to hear the version with just Sir Paul and Elvis together.

"The Other Side of Summer" A Beach Boys pastiche with a great hook from the "bearded monk" days.

"Riot Act" The angry young man still angry...but singing a ballad. Wow.

Favorite Costello Song: "Beyond Belief"

One of the best album openers ever, (new thread topic idea) and amazing lyrics. I own about eight of his records, (first three, Imp. Bedroom, King of America, some more recent "bargain bin" ones). It seems that "Trust" or "Get Happy" are the next logical step. Any suggestions on which one(leaning towards "Get Happy")?

Yes, get Get Happy!!! first, but Trust is VERY good.

I think Mark is right...go with Get Happy!!!, then Trust. Here is a suggested order in which to acquire the rest of the catalog:

1. Get Happy!!!
2. Trust
3. Spike
4. Almost Blue (if you like country...if not, save this for the end)
5. Blood and Chocolate
6. Mighty Like a Rose
7. Punch the Clock
8. Goodbye Cruel World

I'm not sure what bargain-bin Costello you've got, but of the recent records, I'd get Brutal Youth, All This Useless Beauty, and Painted From Memory (the Bacharach collab) before Goodbye Cruel World. Save Kojak Variety, When I Was Cruel, Cruel Smile, North, and The Delivery Man for last.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll have to go out and get "Get Happy" now.

Just picked up Get Happy!!. Fun album. Thanks for the recommendations.

Definitely needs to be in the Punk section.