The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years [DIGIPACK]

Elvis Costello

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2007)
• Original Release Date: May 1, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B000OHZJJQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,432 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

22 Timeless songs compiled by Elvis Costello from his first 11 albums.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of The Best, May 1, 2007

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

There have been numerous Elvis Costello compilations, but this new release focuses on the most fertile period of his career, the first ten years. Mr. Costello's first four albums, My Aim Is True, This Years Model, Armed Forces & Get Happy!!! are virtual greatest hits albums themselves. After a brief detour into country covers on Almost, he came back with the stellar Trust & Imperial Bedroom albums. Of course no one could keep up that blinding of a pace and subsequent albums that fall into this period, Punch The Clock, Goodbye Cruel World, King Of America & Blood & Chocolate aren't as strong, but do contain some first rate material. The songs have all been dissected before and fans of Mr. Costello owns these songs probably in multiple formats, but if you want an introduction into some the finest and most creative music of the late 70's and 80's, then this album should be in your collection.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get this if you're new to Elvis, May 1, 2007

By	H. David Peirce "Zossima" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a 5 star collection if you're new to Elvis and a 3 star collection if you're an Elvis fan ('cuz you most likely already own the albums).

I have been an Elvis fan for more than 20 years. These 20 songs rank with his best, yet I already have all the original albums and treasure many songs that will never make a greatest hits collection. But if you're new to Elvis, this is a great starting point.

The 20 songs here are ones every Elvis Costello fan knows. They showcase both the lyrical ability and musical eclecticism of Elvis. They also showcase one of the top backing bands of all time, the Attractions, who (for reference) are nearly as talented as the E Street Band. There are other Elvis Costello greatest hits collections out there, with only slightly different song lists, but the recording quality is the reason to get this over those.

After you've enjoyed this and if you're interested in exploring Elvis Costello and the Attractions more thoroughly, I recommend two paths: Either enjoy his first six albums (My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy!, Trust, and Imperial Bedroom) sequentially or purchase the Girls, Girls, Girls two disc compilation.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Only Elvis That Matters" Done Justice, May 19, 2007

By	Mark Weisinger (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In my opinion, this is the best single-disc Elvis Costello compilation anyone has ever released. In fact, it may even be the best introduction to E.C. out there (He's so stylistically diverse that no single album is an effective introduction, and both of the more extensive collections - "Girls Girls Girls" on Columbia and "The Very Best of Elvis Costello" on Rhino - would probably be overwhelming to someone unfamiliar with the majority of his work). Also, the collection "Rock and Roll Music," as is evident in the title, ignores his non-"Rock and Roll" songs.

But this disc finally gets it right. There was a "The Very Best of Elvis Costello & the Attractions" single-disc issued on Rykodisc in 1994 that came close, but as good as that disc was, this collection makes three substitutions that are actually improvements: "(The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes," "New Lace Sleeves," and "Almost Blue" replace "Watch Your Step," "New Amsterdam," and "Love Field."

Not only are the substitutions slightly better songs in my opinion, they also paint a more complete picture of Elvis Costello as an artist and writer. Especially "Red Shoes" - if you'd only heard the ballad "Alison" and the reggae-influenced "Watching the Detectives" from his debut album, you'd have no idea what to expect from the rest of the CD, but "Red Shoes" really sets the tone for the rest of that disc (and it's just an amazing song). Some people complain that these songs have been repackaged too many times, but I have a hard time arguing with the final result.

The remastering of this collection sounds as good as the Rhino remasters (which managed to be a slight improvement over the already great-sounding Rykodisc versions), and I really don't understand why some people complain about the sound (but I never owned any of the vinyl records, so maybe I am missing something). Still, the sound is the best that I've heard on CD, and in terms of song selection, this is a near-perfect set. For some, this will be all the Elvis Costello they ever need. For others, it will be the beginning of a long journey into the career of one of the best, most insightful and most interesting singer-songwriters in popular music. Either way, it's hard to go wrong with this collection.