The Very Best of Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 17, 2001)
• Original Release Date: April 17, 2001
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00005ARFU
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,410 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #17 in	Music > Alternative Rock > British Alternative > British Punk
  #53 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Singer-Songwriters

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?

2. Oliver's Army

3. Watching the Detectives

4. Alison

5. (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea

6. Accidents Will Happen

7. Pump It Up

8. I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down

9. Radio, Radio

10. Clubland

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Big Tears

2. Beyond Belief

3. Lipstick Vogue

4. Green Shirt

5. Pills and Soap

6. Tramp the Dirt Down

7. Shipbuilding

8. High Fidelity

9. New Lace Sleeves

10. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The debate over whether he is punk or new wave is long over; today Elvis Costello is less likely to be found on a list with Strummer and Scabies than he is with Bacharach and David and Jimmy Webb. Lauded initially for his energetic and literate attacks on the social ills of Thatcher's England, he has become a peerless master of the popular song. The evolution of Costello's craft as a songwriter and performer, from the early high-octane polemics, through his stylistic experiments with country and soul, and on to standards written for others, is splendidly documented on this elegant two-disc set. Chronology is ignored in favor of a thoughtful program that catalogs the jewels from his prolific output and a sprinkling of covers that demonstrate the maturing of his singing voice. The 42 tracks here lean generously to the first 10 years with the Attractions, but also collects the best of his subsequent collaborations with the cream of America's session musicians and on through to "She," his contribution to the soundtrack of 1999's Notting Hill. --Rob Stewart

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly the Essential Elvis!, June 23, 2001

By	L. Alper (Englewood CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have owned quite a number of Elvis Costello anthology albums. The first was back in the late 80's, a "Greatest Hits" LP put out by CBS/Columbia. In 91 I purchased "Girls, Girls, Girls" a triple CD collection, & recently found a budget priced cassette called "Extreme Honey: the Best of the Warner Bros. Years". Each of these had songs I liked, but often contained more that I didn't.

Now I have purchased "The Very Best of Elvis Costello" & for once I can say this album absolutely lives up to it's title! In 2 CD's we have an overview of the extraordinary career of one of the most prolific & multi-faceted songwriters of our time. It's wonderful! Everything is here, from the chilling "Watching the Detectives" & supersonic "Lipstick Vogue" of the early albums thru the jazz & country-tinged experiments of the late 80's up to his latest collaborations with the Brodsky Quartet & Burt Bacharach. There isn't a single song that tempts me to hit the "forward" button on my CD player.

Curiously, Rhino has opted to put the material in a non-sequential order. Most greatest hits collections start with the earliest songs, working their way up to the latest. "The Very Best of..." was organized by someone who had their mind on creating an emotional mood rather than a history of the artist. Although normally I prefer the time-line approach, in this casse it works quite well. If you want to hear the developement of Costello's song-writing, Rhino has included original release dates in the credits so that you can sequence your own order. Other than song titles & lists of musicians, this is about all the information you will discover inside the jewel case. This is about the only weakness I can find to this package. Personally I would have preferred some type of liner notes included.

If you only own 1 Elvis Costello album, make it "The Very Best of..." . I guarantee you won't regret it!

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basically, THE Perfect Compilation Disk, January 14, 2002

By	Spencer Medvick (Richfield, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an exceptional album, it may be the best compilation disk I have ever heard, over it's two disks it:

1. Provides an excellant cross section of Elvis' career
2. Keeps the listener interested by the mix of sounds
3. Doesn't have a "clunker"
4. Provides something hard to find elsewhere ("She")
5. Does not give everything away, there are omissions here that make me go back to the original albums

As an introduction to Elvis or for the obsessed fan, this album is essential.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pump It Up!, April 17, 2001

By	R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Out of Declan (Elvis) McManus' several greatest hits packages, this one is the best. While the single disc entries are good, you just can't contain Elvis's library of music to one cd. Brains, style & energy - this is Elvis. Whether his lyrics discuss political views, relationships or they're just plain cynical observations - you know Elvis will sing about it smartly. Sure, the hits are wonderful, but the real gems lie in some of those obscure album tracks. Disc 1 in this collection concentrates on many of the radio friendly songs (Alison, Watching The Detectives, Oliver's Army, Pump It Up, Radio Radio, Everday I Write The Book) that Elvis & the Attractions stamped out in the late 70's and 80's. Although I enjoy all of Elvis' work, I was a major fan of his at the beginning of his career (My Aim Is True, Armed Forces, This Year's Model). While this package disregards chronologic order, the song selections of Elvis & the Attractions and his solo career are well placed. Disc 2, in my opinion, leans toward the more recent & obscure tunes (the best being Big Tears, Pills & Soap, Indoor Firworks & High Fidelity). It's quite evident that his style has changed since 1977's "My Aim Is True". His career has covered the spectrum - New wave, punk, pop and rock. Hard to believe that prior to "Elvis & The Attractions" - this boy was playing country rock in the band "Flip City". There are at least 3 "greatest hits" packages now by Elvis Costello. This one is easily the best to date, and the most complete.