This Year's Model [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Elvis Costello

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1993)
• Original Release Date: 1978
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B0000009OU
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #90,319 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Singer Songwriters

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
With his second album, Elvis Costello firmly established himself as one of rock's--not just punk/new wave's--premier singer-songwriters. Building on the promise of his '77 debut, My Aim Is True, Costello put together a backing touring trio, the Attractions (keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas, and drummer Pete Thomas), and their versatility helped Costello define himself as a punk-fuelled power-pop force. Sporting influences ranging from Bob Dylan (the stream-of-consciousness "Pump It Up") to Burt Bacharach (the Dusty Springfield-worthy "Little Triggers"), this '78-released collection also features such righteously angry anthems as the anti-conformist "This Year's Girl," and the anti-MOR classic, "Radio Radio." --Billy Altman

From the Label
So it's mid-1978 and Elvis Costello's just gotten off his first American tour. Though the debut MY AIM IS TRUE was widely heard as a "punk rock" album (everything new was "punk rock" back then), it was downright polite compared to the racket that Costello and his new band the Attractions unleashed onstage. He delivered what may be the best (and certainly the snottiest) performance in the history of Saturday Night Live, and introduced smoldering new songs about having no action, pumping it up, and not wanting to go to some hellhole called Chelsea.

The tour would down and along came this album, now regarded as one of modern rock's defining moments. Along with familiar songs like "Pump It Up" (which closed many a Costello concert in years to come) and the still-timely "Radio Radio" are overlooked gems like the ominous "Night Rally" (left of the original US edition of the album) and the stellar punk-pop of "You Belong to Me." Legend has it that Costello wrote the latter tune for Dr. Feelgood, who wouldn't record it because it had too many big words!

Extended-play tracks include the essential B-side "Big Tears" (with the Clash's Mick Jones on guitar) and early working versions of two songs that would emerge on the following year's ARMED FORCES.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You better listen to the radio, April 25, 2006

By	Itamar Katz (Ramat-Gan, Israel) - See all my reviews

This, the first album Costello recorded with his long running backup band - the Attractions - is a strong contender for the best recording in a long and varied career. Not as tight or melodic as the classic follow-up Armed Forces, this 1978 album is certainly the dirtiest, punkiest album Costello had ever pulled, and the Attractions are given more space here to roam than in any of the latter, more tightly arranged albums; drummer Pete Thomas is especially wonderful here, adding a savage beat to wonderful, infectious songs like This Year's Girl and Pump It Up.

Elvis's excellent debut, My Aim Is True, signaled the arrival of one of the freshest artists of his time; but This Year's Model makes My Aim Is True sound more like practice for the real thing. This Year's Model indeed shows him to be one of the freshest recording artists of the 70's, and though it's generally labeled as punk rock - and punk's influence is certainly there - it remains fresh today like few punk albums have. Like the Beatles in the psychedelic era, Costello was not an integral part of the punk movement but instead used it to create music that's new and fresh; and This Year's Model is true timeless music, more than a bit thanks to Costello's intelligent, sarcastic lyrics. Songs like This Year's Model and the single Radio, Radio are statements that are powerful today as they were back then.

Each and every song on This Year's Model is a classic, successful singles and undiscovered gems alike; Costello drew immense amounts of depth from songs that are akin to punk in their compactness, tightness and simplicity. In less than three minutes of songs he says more than many other artists can in a forty minute album - and the songs on This Year's Model are as infectious and straightforward as they are deep, intricate and intelligent. From the incredibly short, fast and furious No Action, through dark non-conformist anthems like Lipstick Vogue, Night Rally and Lip Service, to the unbelievably catchy classic Pump It Up with its infectious groove and Dylan-ish lyrics, it's an album that flows by quickly and strongly, not leaving any listener indifferent and making them want a whole lot more.

You get some more with the bonus tracks, which are good, though not entirely essential, and the album actually works better as a whole without them. Other than the essential classic Radio, Radio - which was not part of the original album but is there on all CD versions and makes a perfect ending for the album - there's also Big Tears (the Clash's Mick Jones playing guitar), Running Out of Angels and Crawling to the USA - all good songs, though not quite as good as the original album tracks; also included are acoustic demos of two excellent songs from the Armed Forces LP - Big Boys and Green Shirt. All of the bonus tracks are worth having, but on repeated listening I usually tune out after Radio, Radio.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest!, April 10, 2000

By	KC "KC" (CA) - See all my reviews

I was fifteen when this album came out -- I bought it soon after seeing the band perform "Radio Radio" on "Saturday Night Live". Over 22 years ago! Jeez! And this album, along with "Armed Forces" and most of "Get Happy! " are still among my all-time favorite albums. Can any other musical artist equal Elvis Costello's creative period between 1977 and 1979? I doubt it! I also must say something about the Attractions, without a doubt the tightest, most talented backup band in rock history! Especially Bruce Thomas on bass -- what's HE doing with himself lately? "This Year's Model" along with "Armed Forces" still sounds as fresh and innovative now as it did 22+ years ago...just as an aside, I stopped watching the Grammy Awards the year this came out due to the award for "Best New Artist" being given to the one hit wonder band A Taste of Honey rather than EC! What a travesty!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When 5 stars are not enough., February 17, 1999

By A Customer

It's almost superfluous to offer a review of this record, Costello's, and one of rock's, finest albums. What, after all, remains to be said? From the furiously headlong beat that would quicken the pulse of a dead man (try driving 55 while "Hand in Hand" through "Lipstick Vogue" play on the car CD) to the direct and forceful writing that hadn't yet been marred by EC's need to out-Porter Cole Porter ("The Beat", "This Year's Girl"), this is the perfect soundtrack for anxious adolescence or, well, anything after. No less so than Beethoven's Fifth, it states its theme squarely at the start and only builds -- dizzyingly and ecstaticly -- from there.

It is unfair to put this inspired work up against all of the "good" albums that get 5 stars on this system.