Blood & Chocolate

The Attractions, Elvis Costello | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B0000009V1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,169 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #88 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Singer Songwriters

Track Listings

1. Uncomplicated

2. I Hope You're Happy Now

3. Tokyo Storm Warning

4. Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head

5. I Want You

6. Honey Are You Straight or Are You Blind?

7. Blue Chair

8. Battered Old Bird

9. Crimes of Paris

10. Poor Napoleon

11. Next Time Round

12. Seven Day Weekend [*]

13. Forgive Her Anything [*]

14. Blue Chair [Single Version][*]

15. Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo [Live][*]

16. American Without Tears, No. 2 [Twilight Version][*]

17. A Town Called Big Nothing (Really Big Nothing) [*]

18. Return to Big Nothing [*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"A pissed off thirty-two year old, divorcee's version of 'This Year's Model,'" Elvis Costello deems this 1986 album in the Rykodisc reissue's liner notes; if anything, given its raw sonics and Esperanto sleeve credits, it's even more perverse than that 1978 masterpiece. A first finale for Costello's working relationship with the Attractions, Blood & Chocolate brings the group together for a series of songs that moves through garage noise ("Uncomplicated"), twisted folk-rock ("Crimes of Paris"), a harrowing Dylan-Lennon homage ("I Want You"), and other genre twistings. Perhaps the most underrated classic in the man's catalog, it carries six bonus tracks--including the fabulous "Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo"--in this edition. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

Rhino Records expanded reissue, completely remastered and packaged with a bonus disc of rarities. Bonus disc content -'Leave My Kitten Alone', 'New Rhythm Method, 'Forgive Her Anything' (new version), 'Crimes Of Paris' (electric version), 'Uncomplicated --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated and Incredible, March 13, 2002

By 

Timothy P. Young (Rawlins, WY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blood & Chocolate (With Bonus Disc) (Audio CD)

As an EC fan...this is possibly the most punk album by the punk/new wave pioneer. True, it came out in 1986, but it's a raw, live-in-the-studio (mostly) rock band playing songs...

It works, better than he thinks it does.

Hard driving, desperate rock and roll from EC and the Attractions. Steve Nieve's organ punctuates madly and cascades it's way over Bruce Thomas's bass lines, creating a melody like a disastrous waterfall that pours over Pete Thomas's rock solid drumming.

The result is a discordant, spartan proceeding that has some of EC's best songs and the Attractions' best playing. Words: : Well, here's a boy if ever there was/Who's gonna do great things/I guess that's what they all say/And that's how the trouble begins/I've seen them rise and fall and through their big deals and smalls/And he better have a dream that goes beyond 4 walls."

Lyric brilliance, vocal emotiveness unrivaled by a damn good soul singer, and awesome musicality..buy it or die trying...fantastic album.

And the bonus CD... WELL! Great stuff, alternate takes of album tracks (that make me trust EC's judgement) and some demos, and some B-sides...WELL! A non-fan doesn't need any of it, but for someone who has followed a career, it's invaluable...luckily, RHINO is not charging for the second CD..buy them, realize them, enjoy them...this is songwriting at it's best!

Trust me....this is worth your time.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Neglected Costello Album, November 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Blood & Chocolate (Audio CD)

How is Elvis Costello like Woody Allen? Just about everyone admits they're great artists, but most people only pay attention to their early work and ignore more recent output. It's their loss. By the time he produced "Blood and Chocolate," Elvis Costello was already being taken for granted and ignored by most listeners. He repaid their neglect with one of his finest hours. This is the last howling hurrah of the original, "punk/new wave" Elvis Costello, and he and the Attractions, with an able assist from Nick Lowe, do themselves proud. Song for song, for variety and quality, this album is hard to beat. You want slam-bang rockers? Try "Uncomplicated," "Honey Are you Straight . . ." or the free-associating maelstrom of "Tokyo Storm Warning." You want near-perfect pop? Try "Blue Chair" or "Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head." You want to be left breathless with wonder? Sit close to the speakers for "I Want You." Get it, listen to it, tell your friends. You'll thank yourself and they'll thank you.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elvis' Seminal Work, December 10, 2007

By 

Kevin C. Brown "KevAZ" (Fountain Hills, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood And Chocolate (MP3 Download)

I've been an Elvis fan since Day One, no matter what format he decided to take. I pull out Elvis once a day at minimum, but if I were asked to take only one of his works with me, I wouldn't hesitate to name Blood & Chocolate.

Here's a clue how much I enjoy it, my 38 yr old (as of 2007) Golden Crown Amazon parrot can sing every word of this album. Alice's favorite artists are Elvis, Jimi and INXS. But she only sings the words to the songs of Blood & Chocolate. Otherwise she's the opera diva with a loud voice, but no words.

I can't place my finger on what exactly it is about this album that hits me so, but it might be the deep lyrics and their meaning. Or it just might be that it's a great beat to belt out as you paint your blue chair.