My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 1977
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B000OHZJKA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,537 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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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. --Rickey Wright

Product Description
Special 20bit K2 Japanese limited edition issue of the album classic in a deluxe, miniaturized LP sleeve replica of the original vinyl album artwork. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elvis defines a genre, May 5, 2007

By	Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Shortly after Elvis Costello let this 13 song tornado touch down in the US, he made the infamous comment that his thorny songs about relationships were motivated by revenge and guilt. That having been said, rarely has this much misanthropic venting been so great a joy to listen to. It wasn't just that Elvis was angry, it was that he was throwing twisted phrases into the vocabulary with seeming effortlessness.
Take some of these:

"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused."
"Rhythmically admired."
"Walking on the water won't make me a miracle man."
"Everything means less than zero."
And of course, "My aim is true."

That's just five songs. The astounding thing (at the time), was each song was always just as good as the one before it, if not better! During the burgeoning punk movement, most of the bands getting press were doing so less for the music than for the attention getting behavior. (Think the Sex Pistols, etc.) Despite the blatant headline grabber of his assumed name and that bizarre knock kneed mutation of Buddy Holly's look, Elvis' debut was one of musical assurance. Part of that came from the usage of Clover, the band of Californians that contained a few of Huey Lewis' eventual Newsmates, and John McFee's guitar work. It was McFee's brief guitar lick that gave "Alison" a signature introduction. While hardly the fiery backing Elvis would find once The Attractions signed on, Clover gave "My Aim Is True" a barebones framework that made the in your face immediacy of the songs explode from the album.

In 1977, this was one of the albums that changed my outlook on life. (Hey, I was 17 years old, when such things were still possible.) Of those records from that time in my life, this is one for the very few discs that stayed with me and one of the only artists to emerge with a lifetime's worth of talent. "My Aim Is True" remains a showcase for songwriters, no matter what the motivations for their pens.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe define a genre, January 10, 2009

By	Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: My Aim Is True (MP3 Download)

Shortly after Elvis Costello let this 13 song tornado touch down in the US, he made the infamous comment that his thorny songs about relationships were motivated by revenge and guilt. That having been said, rarely has this much misanthropic venting been so great a joy to listen to. It wasn't just that Elvis was angry, it was that he was throwing twisted phrases into the vocabulary with seeming effortlessness.
Take some of these:

"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused."
"Rhythmically admired."
"Walking on the water won't make me a miracle man."
"Everything means less than zero."
And of course, "My aim is true."

That's just five songs. The astounding thing (at the time), was each song was always just as good as the one before it, if not better! During the burgeoning punk movement, most of the bands getting press were doing so less for the music than for the attention getting behavior. (Think the Sex Pistols, etc.) Despite the blatant headline grabber of his assumed name and that bizarre knock kneed mutation of Buddy Holly's look, Elvis' debut was one of musical assurance. Part of that came from the usage of Clover, the band of Californians that contained a few of Huey Lewis' eventual Newsmates, and John McFee's guitar work. It was McFee's brief guitar lick that gave "Alison" a signature introduction. While hardly the fiery backing Elvis would find once The Attractions signed on, Clover gave "My Aim Is True" a barebones framework that made the in your face immediacy of the songs explode from the album.

In 1977, this was one of the albums that changed my outlook on life. (Hey, I was 17 years old, when such things were still possible.) Of those records from that time in my life, this is one for the very few discs that stayed with me and one of the only artists to emerge with a lifetime's worth of talent. "My Aim Is True" remains a showcase for songwriters, no matter what the motivations for their pens.

Also: This Year's Model, Armed Forces

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good aim, March 13, 2009

By	IRate - See all my reviews

Brisk and informed rock debut from this thinking class hero had all the touchstones of a noteworthy first release even if a majority of tricks were stated right away in the first track- intelligent yet catchy structures fused with multiple styles to create something fresh for aggressive as well as slow songs.