Armed Forces [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Elvis Costello

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 19, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 19, 2002
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000787GM
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,288 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Accidents Will Happen

2. Senior Service

3. Oliver's Army

4. Big Boys

5. Green Shirt

6. Party Girl

7. Goon Squad

8. Busy Bodies

9. Sunday's Best

10. Moods For Moderns

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Tiny Steps

2. Busy Bodies (Alternate version)

3. Talking In The Dark

4. Big Boys (Alternate version)

5. Clean Money

6. Wednesday Week

7. My Funny Valentine

8. Accidents Will Happen (Live)

9. Mystery Dance (Live)

10. Good Squad (Live)

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Armed Forces was the last title in a trilogy of albums that rank with the greatest three-LP series in pop-rock history. In retrospect, it also now appears to be the one on which the young Costello's pop tendencies peaked, right before they began to "mature" and grow less accessible. "Accidents Will Happen" features a melody line as beautiful as any ever written; "Oliver's Army" easily competes with the best of Abba and Brian Wilson among pop masterpieces. This is also where Costello's early themes--most notably romantic rejection equated with the horrors of neo-Nazism and modern politics--came together most precisely (the album's working title was "Emotional Fascism"). Rhino does its usual superb job, with wonderful remastering, in-depth liner notes by Costello himself (including a catty paragraph about famous groupie-author Bebe Buell, who often claims this album is about her), and a second disc of concurrent singles and alternate versions. Best of all are nine live tracks from the legendary June 4, 1978, Hollywood High School show, fully documenting that Costello & the Attractions were once among the all-time dynamic live rock acts. --Bill Holdship

Product Description

Produced under the direct supervision of Elvis Costello. Housed in a slim-line package, each rerelease contains a deluxe 28-page booklet with brand-new liner notes by Elvis Costello, rare photos, reproductions of memorabilia, and printed song lyrics. Album includes an entire second disc of bonus material!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a 24 year old Elvis contemplates domination and conquest, December 2, 2002

By	Alan Hutchins (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews

Armed Forces represents an early high point to Elvis and the Attractions' late-70's progression and development. On this disc, Costello is fully mining the vein of what he had referred to as "Revenge and Guilt" song subject manner while filtering it all through the framework of a fascination he had with the topics of fascism and control. A good share of the songs either directly or indirectly feature characters or situations where corporate, military or social shackles "force" someone into doing something to someone else--usually something quite nasty. Lyrical tidbits of profound dark humor and twisted verbal brilliance are to be found all over the place in this strong set of like-minded songs. Examples include "It's a death that's worse than fate" or "They took me in the office and they told me very carefully the way that I could benefit from death and disability" (Senior Service)-or how about "Now you've given your performance/though the matinee was idle/ and you're finding that a wave of her right hand could seem so tidal" (Busy Bodies).

Though the musical stylings are still roughly defined by what became known as the 'New Wave' sound, this disc is more informed by the sounds of then-contemporary US AM radio than any other Costello disc. One cause of this was the AM radio in the station wagon the Attractions used to drive from show to show on their first US tour in 1978. You'll hear the evidence pop up in places like the piano flourishes (just like those in ABBA's "Dancin' Queen") in "Oliver's Army" , or in the four/four disco beat of "Senior Service". Disc one of this reissue set is the whole essential, verbose, witty, and ear-pleasing Armed Forces disc in both its UK/world incarnation ("Sunday's Best" included) and US version("...Peace, Love and Understanding" included.)

Disc Two is made up of non-LP/B-sides (all 5 of which were on Columbia's "Taking Liberties" collection from 1980 and on the Rykodisc reissue of Armed Forces) and two previously unissued alternate versions of two "Armed Forces" songs in addition to a whole slew of live songs. If you bought the "Armed Forces" LP right when it was released in 1979 you got a free bonus shrink-wrapped in with the album, a three song single called "Live at Hollywood High"(These three songs were also on the Rykodisc reissue). The gorgeous voice and piano version of "Accidents Will Happen" led off side A of this single, which faded abruptly as drums came bursting in before the final chords were done ringing. Next was an understated "Alison"(also with a quick fade), and on side B, a feedback whine faded in to a rather lengthy version of "Watching The Detectives". Thanks to this new bonus disc, we now can here the whole nine song live event without the fades and in the proper sequence. We can hear further evidence of the smoking power and breakneck pace of the 1978 Attractions (also portrayed on the very worthwhile Rykodisc promo CD called "Live at El Mocombo" from a March, 1978 Toronto date), but we can also glean a bit more subtlety and variety in the band's rapidly maturing approach by studying the nuances of this show. We now know that is was a direct link to "Mystery Dance" that caused the quick fade of the first song, and that it was the end of "Lipstick Vogue" that furnished the feedback link to "Watching The Detectives". A final solo "Chemistry Class" closes out this excellent bonus disc.

This wonderful reissue of a reissue should represent the last time you'll ever have to buy "Armed Forces". Get it and you may be able to fully comprehend the tagline from an early 80's Columbia ad campaign---"Elvis Costello. Four Eyes. One Vision."

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Costello takes the music world by force, November 23, 2002

By	Wayne Klein "If at first the idea is not absu... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

One of Costello's richest, most diverse albums, Armed Forces stands as a masterpiece full of rich melodies and witty songwriting. It's also a strong rock album that doesn't shy away from controversey. Although mired in controversey himself at the time (he got into a fight with Stephen Stills and his band over nasty comments about Ray Charles--it was Costello idiotically provoking a musical rival), Costello proved that he wasn't the racist he was accused of being and, in fact, apologized for the impetuous, stupid comments.Costello was mistakenly identified as a "racist" because of this incident. Many of the songs (particularly Oliver's Army)reflect the exact opposite. Regardless, the brilliance of the writing and production along with the sharp performances make this a classic worth keeping. This edition of Armed Forces isn't a cheat; the second disc alone has more than enough material for a new album. It includes most of the Hollywood High show (previously available as a three track EP), as well as, such minor classics as Tiny Steps. Also included are a number of alternate versions of classic songs and b-sides issued with the original singles.The sound quality is comparable (if slightly better by my estimation). The value added portion of the program is the stunning live tracks from Hollywood High on the second disc. There's also extensive liner notes explaining both the circumstances that went into the writing and making of the album. The lyrics include alternate lyrics as well for some of the demos.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Armed and Loaded, November 20, 2002

By	Eric D. Sweetwood (Normal, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Probably one of the most "pop" of his early albums, Armed Forces is a treasure with so many signature classics. Accidents Will Happen, Oliver's Army, Green Shirts, Party Girl, Peace Love and Understanding standout as obvious great moments, but the listener will gain further appreciation of Busy Bodies (my personal favorite) and Big Boys as well as Goon Squad on this classic. Moods For Moderns is the least accessable of the cuts, but Armed Forces stands out as one of the late seventies, early eighties MUST HAVE CD's.

The bass of Bruce Thomas on Chemistry Class and Big Boys as well as Goon Squad is awesome. Pete Thomas pounds away relentlessly on Busy Bodies and Senior Service. Steve Nieve is a true artist on Oliver's Army and Two Little Hitlers. Obviously Elvis Costello is the showman and star of the Attractions, but this is no mere back-up band. Costello's voice, songwritng style, and riffs are hitting a peak on this album. The lyrics on Oliver's Army and Busy Bodies are concise and clever.

The bonus CD is incredible. The live cuts are amazingly clear and tight--as anyone who saw the Attractions from this time period would already know. Great pacing and energy makes this a fantastic show. The other cuts are equally interesting--including some tracks formerly on the Taking Liberties album.
Also, the solo version of Chemistry Class as the final track is just a wonderful way to close the CD. Talk about an engaging interpretation of this song.

Add to this song line-up, fantastic comments from Elvis himself in the 28 page booklet/sleeve and the quality of the remastered recordings, this is the latest greatest package from Rhino. Well worth the price for the bonus disk alone.

Join Elvis and the Attactions as they "are starting to function in the usual way..." and you will be amazed.