No Less Than Zero

 

Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True [JC 35037 USA 1978 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]

Originally released on UK label Stiff Records (SEEZ 3) in July 1977, Elvis Costello's debut album, My Aim Is True was released across the Atlantic following a deal with Columbia Records. A recent acquisition is this 1978 second pressing from Columbia's own plant in Pitman, New Jersey. To these ears, this pressing has a much fuller sound compared to UK pressing.

It's worth recalling that none of the original singles from this album were initially UK hits, and as the album to launch Costello in the US, his fourth single & breakthrough hit, Watching the Detectives was added to the US release. All the singles from this album are now revered as classics by a true British institution.

The singles aside, some of the other album tracks are highly worthy of attention, the wall of sound soul of No Dancing, the garage punk of Welcome To The Working Week and Waiting For The End Of The World, the bluesy rock of Blame It On Cain, the Chuck Berry rock'n'roll of Mystery Dance and the east-end pub-rock of Pay It Back. Throw in the sentimental Alison, the ska-reggae of Watching the Detectives and the power-pop energy of Less Than Zero and Red Shoes, this is an album of widely varying styles and influences which work remarkably well together.

A1 Welcome To The Working Week
A2 Miracle Man
A3 No Dancing
A4 Blame It On Cain
A5 Alison
A6 Sneaky Feelings
A7 Watching The Detectives
B1 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
B2 Less Than Zero
B3 Mystery Dance
B4 Pay It Back
B5 I'm Not Angry
B6 Waiting For The End Of The World

Comments

  1. Blogmeister4 November 2022 at 09:27

    https://mega.nz/file/eEoTWBzb#WdhINU2vGfIHhbobA0hR1e0NFzOomtw4cjdqihfQ4YE

    ReplyDelete
  2. 80's Child4 November 2022 at 17:39

    Thank you. Much appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4 November 2022 at 21:47

    Thank you. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5 November 2022 at 02:05

    Good stuff here, the angry man who looked like Buddy Holly and called himself Elvis and recorded his debut album with with Huey Lewis' backing band. Who would have guessed this would be the landmark release it has become. I had wondered if the original stiff had better sound, of course this album is really not the same without Watching the Detectives. If you want to go extra Hi-Fidelity here, the US 7" for Alison also has those extra weepy synth strings tho give it that extra "Last American Virgin Soundtrack" vibe. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Des Cargar5 November 2022 at 21:20

      For my money Watching The Detectives has a different mood (and production) and Elvis's voice had become more intense and confident. It's not on my UK Stiff LP but I bought the single as soon as I heard it.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous5 November 2022 at 02:51

    Arguably the greatest debut album of the post 60s age...

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  6. Anonymous5 November 2022 at 10:30

    [Hmmm, Roxy Music's first?] Thanks BM this is excellent. Armed Forces remains my go-to but it's a near thing when weighed against My Aim Is True.

    Hamish

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  7. Anonymous6 November 2022 at 16:47

    He did say, "arguably." :) This - and "The Cars" - hit huge right as I was going through puberty and alternate as 1A and 1B in my personal list of greatest debut LPs.

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  8. sleep9 November 2022 at 07:57

    it's always a pleasure to hear such an early pressing. thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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