My Aim Is True [Extra tracks]

Elvis Costello | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B0000009UR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (126 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,416 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #42 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Singer Songwriters
  • #64 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Singer-Songwriters

Track Listings

1. Welcome to the Working Week

2. Miracle Man

3. No Dancing

4. Blame It on Cain

5. Alison

6. Sneaky Feelings

7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

8. Less Than Zero

9. Mystery Dance

10. Pay It Back

11. I'm Not Angry

12. Waiting for the End of the World

13. Watching the Detectives

14. Radio Sweetheart [*]

15. Stranger in the House [*]

16. Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver) [*]

17. Mystery Dance [*]

18. Cheap Reward [*]

19. Jump Up [*]

20. Wave a White Flag [*]

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Elvis Costello kicked off his debut album with a formal device that would also serve his next two long-players well: the first thing you hear is his voice. That opening phrase--"Now that your picture's in the paper..."--was more than sneakily, if not intentionally, appropriate, since Costello was quickly declared the second coming. It's become de rigueur to dis the pub-rock backing of U.S. band Clover, but their work here is satisfactorily edgy; guitarist John McFee makes some of the arrangements with his wailingly articulate fills. The Rykodisc CD restores the album's British sequence, adds the eternal "Watching the Detectives," and kicks in a slew of bonus tracks, including the intriguing "Honky Tonk" demos. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

Japanese reissue of 1977 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. Produced by Nick Lowe. JVC. 2003. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opened my doors of perception, June 27, 2002

By 

S. Finefrock (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Aim Is True (With Bonus Disc) (Audio CD)

Scene One; A sixteen year old boy is happily sitting in suburban Detroit. The soundtrack to his life is what would later come to be known as Classic Rock Radio. There are rumors of punk rock and new wave from England, however these are not audible yet in the midwest. One Saturday evening, he sits down to watch SNL with special musical guest Elvis Costello. Snap! That was the sound of a dropping jaw breaking the coffee table as Mr. Costello (looking like an exhumed Buddy Holly) plays Radio Radio. Scene Two; Said boy brings home My Aim is True. His mind is blown. Every song sounds like a hit single. He is amazed. Maybe there are other unheard things out there like this. Epilogue; This album helped open my doors to Punk, New Wave, Reggae, Ska, Jazz, Blues, World Music, Country, well you get the idea. Thank you Mr. McManus. One classic album.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Elvis' aim was off on earlier edition (Ryko) but not with the Rhino and this edition-Do You Need It? Read on.., September 25, 2007

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: My Aim Is True (Dlx) (Audio CD)

First up--until the licensing agreement with UMG ends in November of 2007, the live album portion of this release IS available at iTunes (along with the new bonus tracks)at a reasonable price ($15.99)but you have to buy the whole set to get that price.


DO YOU NEED THIS ALBUM?

Absolutely but if you've bought it before and are satisfied with the Rhino release (which honestly was the best of the four versions that have been released in the last 20 plus years outside of this reissue), then you certainly could skip this and buy new music.

WHAT'S HERE THAT WASN'T BEFORE?

This edition has an entire live performance taken an appearence at the Nashville Room in 1977 plus the five track soundcheck (which only duplicates "Alison"). The original disc is augmented by the outtakes from both the Ryko and Rhino versions plus eight demos from Pathway Studios (four of which "Blue Minute", "Call On Me", "I Don't Want To Come Home" and "I Hear A Melody" are previously unreleased songs that may have been cannibalized for other songs).

If you're an EC and The Attractions fan, I'm sure that you've often wondered what "My Aim Is True" would have sounded like recorded by The Attractions. Now you can find out but if you had the "Live At El Mocambo" you had an idea.

The live album is pretty terrific with EC and the band in top form. The Pathway tracks while not as important as the album itself are interesting.

DOES THE ORIGINAL ALBUM SOUND ANY DIFFERENT?

Maybe a tad louder than the Rhino but it appears to be the exact same mastering as before (which was done by Dan Hirsch at Digiprep). Suha Gur masters the live tracks and demos new to this edition. EC and Bill Levenson supervised the compilation which means that they tried to put out a quality release.

DOES IT LOOK ANY DIFFERENT?

Yeah it's bigger but not necessarily better. It's in the "Deluxe Edition" style with the slip cover (I hate it personally but many will love it). The booklet is missing EC's notes from the previous edition on Rhino with song lyrics and photos not in the previous edition.

As sick as I am of EC reissuing his back catalog (let's see...we had Columbia, Ryko, Rhino a single disc edition of this in a Digipak and this release)with DIFFERENT tracks, the live album is great to have as are the demos. EC please, please don't do this again. Your fans have bought this one too many times and barring the discovery of tapes you made in your previous band, there's just no reason for this terrific album to be put out again and again and again and again.

CONCLUSION: Hardcore EC fans and those who have waited to upgrade their CDs (or never replaced it on vinyl and can't find it there now) will love this edition. There are different bonus tracks however between the Rhino and this edition.

UPDATE:

My advice--go to iTunes and download the live album/new bonus tracks ONLY. At least that way you won't be springing for the whole set again. Also, the whole album is downloadable there for $15.99 for the time being much cheaper than the CD edition. While it won't be lossless quality (it'll be compressed and suffer from many of the issues that dog mp3 like releases), it'll be better than not having it.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the first and greatest elvis., May 22, 2006

By 

fluffy, the human being. (forest lake, mn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Aim Is True (With Bonus Disc) (Audio CD)

at the time that this album came out i had just lost my little boy, my husband had left me for a woman 24 years my junior, & i had a serious rash all up & down my left side. i was DEPRESSED. then i heard this music & suddenly i wanted to wear lipstick again. i wanted to wear lipstick & i wanted to dance. what a great album. and to this day in 2006 it still is! the best elvis costello album known to man (and that's saying something).