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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wild and crazy return to EC's early sound, August 19, 1998
If your favorite Elvis Costello album is "Imperial Bedroom", you may be shocked by this album. If your favorite is "Armed Forces" or "This Year's Model", you're going to crank your stereo to 11, as Derek St. Hubbins says in Spinal Tap. The energy of Elvis Costello and the Attractions will leap out of your speakers from this CD, with an eclectic sound that ranges from the 'nice' sound of "London's Brilliant Parade" to the manic mania (ooh, but it's fun) of "My Science Fiction Twin". As someone else said in their review, Buy This Now.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Just about glad they reissued this fine album, February 23, 2002
This review is from: Brutal Youth (With Bonus Disc) (Audio CD)
Brutal Youth was hailed with acclaim and most of it focused on EC returning to his roots. Nonsense. He had never left his "roots" behind. He just chose to dabble in a variety of other musical genres and with outside musicians. The result enabled EC to return with his strongest, freshest batch of songs in years. Brutal Youth does indeed recall his early work but the scope of the songwriting had expanded. As a songwriter EC continued to develop and hone his craft. Brutal Youth demonstrated that the detour made into contemporary classical music and work with notable session musicians allowed him to develop additional insight. The extra disc is a fun detour through EC's house of music. We get to hear a variety of demos, b sides and flawed (but fascintating ) tracks that didn't make the final cut. The bonus disc only manages to enhance the original package. The bonus disc alone makes this worthwhile purchasing. The sound quality of Brutal Youth is slightly richer with a warmth to many of the best tracks that were only hinted at in its previous incarnation. The best tracks still sparkle with wit (Clown Strike, 13 Steps Lead Down, This Is Hell) and enough musical invention for two or three albums. Brutal Youth stands as one of EC's best albums since Blood and Chocolate nearly a decade before. Of his contemporaries only Andy Partridge (of Xtc) and Joe Jackson have managed to stay relevent. EC used his musical fame to try on a number of suits and was trying to find which suit fit him best. I'm always reminded of John Lennon's comment about the blues when I think of artist's like EC(when discussing rock 'n' roll); the blues is a chair. There are many common features that link different styles of the blues to each other but they can all be quite different and still be called the blues. Why? Because they share the same basic function. EC's musical career is very much like Lennon's fabled blues chair; there are many different varities but they all still manage to have the same basic function.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Costello's Masterpiece, February 18, 1999
By A Customer
Any fan of Elvis is no fan at all if you do not own a copy of Brutal Youth. This '94 reunion with the Attractions produced some of his best work ever, in my opinion. Like many Costello records, you'll always be able to find something new to like about Brutal Youth. On first listen, I immediately fell in love with "Pony St.," "You Tripped At Every Step," and "Sulky Girl." Since then, I've listened to it thousands of times, and I've come to appreciate every song as a masterwork. Right now, my favorites are "Rocking Horse Road" and "All The Rage." This album really rocks, and I hope that in the future Costello is rightfully regarded as one of the most important songwriters of the century.
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