Audio CD review:
Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel

Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel

Band: Elvis Costello Title: When I Was Cruel Rating: Release Date: 2002-04-23 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: 45 2: Spooky Girlfriend 3: Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution) 4: When I Was Cruel No. 2 5: Soul For Hire 6: Petals 7: Tart 8: Dust 2... 9: Dissolve 10: Alibi 11: ...Dust 12: Daddy Can I Turn This? 13: My Blue Window 14: Episode of Blonde 15: Radio Silence

A Non-Fan's Perspective (New Fan's Perspective?) The title looked cool. I'd never really heard Costello growing up in the 70s and 80s, so thought I'd better educate myself one day and picked up "When I Was Cruel". . but after I heard it, wow! I was so impressed. This album is fantastic - catchy lyrics that are really clever when you start checking 'em out and the tunes are down-and-out heavy riffed melodies with a lot of soul. If you hear the cd once, you'll want to hear it again. Read the lyrics too - this guy is a poet. This is the first Costello album I'd ever heard. Since then I've picked up another few, but none of them have impressed me like this one. If you don't get another album by Elvis, get "When I Was Cruel"! I don't think you'll regret it. Elvis is a real cruel dude!!!. I love this CD We had some LPs a long time ago, but were far from big fans (very casual). I always liked Elvis Costello, but never owned any of his CDs. Now it is 2007, and I decided to give him another listen. I started with a very best of, enjoyed it so much, that I then decided to buy all of his CDs. I think he has so many awesome songs and is turning out to be one of my favorites with such a WIDE variety of music. When I Was Cruel is definitely one of my top 5 favorites along with Delivery Man, Spike, Trust, and Brutal Youth. It is so hard to choose since I like a majority of his music now. I think When I Was Cruel deviates from a classic EC album, and plays more like something modern on an alternative or college rock station. Many of the songs have wicked baselines, and a unique sound. There are some slight jazz and blues undertones, but it stays more in a progressive/alternative realm. If you like any of his music, give this a listen with an open mind. I think every song is great, and well worth your money. I thought he was done Maybe I didn't keep up with him, I admit. I was a big EC fan from early on. But then I heard "when I was cruel, no. 2". This man is beyond genius. This track is so profoundly creative and genius, words cannot describe. It led me to hunt down the Mina track from which he sampled. But besides that, this one track references Eric Sate', and ABBA! In Japan, they designate some people as "national treasures". EC is the closest thing we've got to that. This is my desert island song. An excellent addition to your music library He hit the music scene in the mid-1970s, and no one quite knew what to make out of this strange man with the big glasses and funny stage name. Elvis Costello is quite literally the most unique and interesting man in rock-n-roll today. At one point he was labeled Punk, and another New Wave. But, Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus) was never easily buttonholed into any category. About the only thing you can say is that he is Elvis Costello. This album is Elvis Costello's twentieth, and came out in 2002. It contains fifteen tunes carrying that great Elvis Costello sound, which is sure to please his fans - well, it sure did me. Overall, I think that this is a great album, and an excellent addition to anyone's music library. I highly recommend it. Elvis Is Dead Sure, he can still write great lyrics, but this album is sadly lacking in melodies. It pains me to say that Declan McManus (his real name) no longer has the chops to fill an album with hits. Without the foundation of hummable tunes, the music collapses. I think Costello deserved to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but I was disappointed. . . ARRGHH!!!. You can see a complete list of all Elvis Costello discography, or go back to the Elvis Costello tabs