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Spike

Reissued, Remastered

Elvis Costello Format: Audio CD

4.4 158 ratings

$10.23

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Spike

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MP3 Music, February 6, 1989

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$9.49

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Audio CD, CD, October 25, 1990

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$8.29

$6.77

$1.98

Audio CD, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, January 1, 1989

$10.23

$43.23

$3.34

Vinyl, Import, August 5, 2022

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$22.50

$21.26

$43.37

Audio, Cassette, January 1, 1989

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$5.98

$1.99

$0.44

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Track Listings

Disc: 1

1	...This Town
2	Let Him Dangle
3	Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
4	Veronica
5	God's Comic
6	Chewing Gum
7	Tramp The Dirt Down
8	Stalin Malone
9	Satellite
10	Pads, Paws And Claws
11	Baby Plays Around
12	Miss Macbeth
13	Any King's Shilling
14	Coal-Train Robberies
15	Last Boat Leaving

Disc: 2

1	Miss Macbeth (demo)
2	...This Town (demo)
3	Deep Dark Truthful Mirror (demo)
4	Coal Train Robberies (demo)
5	Satellite (demo)
6	Pads, Paws And Claws (demo)
7	Let Him Dangle (demo)
8	Veronica (demo)
9	Tramp The Dirt Down (demo)
10	Baby Plays Around (demo)
11	Put Your Big Toe In The Milk Of Human Kindness (demo)
12	Last Boat Leaving (demo)
13	The Ugly Things
14	You're No Good
15	Point Of No Return
16	The Room Nobody Lives In
17	Stalin Malone (vocal version)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This Rhino Records remastered 2 CD reissue includes the album Spike plus a bonus disc of rare tracks. Disc 2 tracklisting is 'Miss Macbeth' (Demo) 2. '...This Town...' (Demo) 3. 'Deep 'Dark Truthful Mirror' (Demo) 4. 'Coal Train Robberies' (Demo) 5. 'Sate

Amazon.com

Even with records as diverse as Get Happy!!, Almost Blue, and Imperial Bedroom preceding it, you could call Spike the beginn ing of Elvis Costello's super-eclectic period. The 1989 disc, here augmented wit h an hour's worth of inspired demos and B-sides, offered everything from the bed rock New Orleans sounds of Al len Toussaint and the Dir ty Dozen Brass Band to clanging rockabilly, Paul McCartney collaborations (including the sparkling po p hit "Veronica"), and a jazz-ballad standard in the making ("Baby Plays Around" ). And that's only the half of it. As Costello relates in new liner notes, he ha d ideas for several records: "I seem to have elected to make all five albums at once." Such a thing could've gone precious way fast, but nerve, imagination, tun es, and a double dose of anger assured that it didn't. A broadside or three on t he state of England and the world also made Spike hardly less bilious tha n This Year's Model. (Try the coldly mournful "Tramp the Dirt Down" or th e skronking, Marc Ribot-a ssisted "Let Him Dangle.") Heard seemingly everywhere in its day, it deserves the fresh listens this reissue will occasion. --Rickey Wright

Product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 5.75 x 0.45 inches; 4.38 Ounces
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Rhino
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ July 26, 2006
Label ‏ : ‎ Rhino
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00005MLTW
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2

Best Sellers Rank: #263,476 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #2,785 in New Wave
- #5,530 in Adult Alternative (CDs & Vinyl)
- #7,047 in Pop Singer-Songwriters

Customer Reviews:
4.4 158 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

158 global ratings

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Steven N. Peterson

A fan favorite

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2012

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A nice middle period EC album including a stellar collaboration with Paul McCartney on "Veronica" and his then wife on "Baby Plays Around". Slightly overproduced and over ambitious in places but to remedy this, one should not overlook the bonus disc that has some superior stripped down demo performances and B-sides of quality cover songs. Nonetheless, an important addition to the EC catalog.

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Douglas Berlin

Becoming Elvis

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2007

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This is the album where Mr. Costello breaks away from the Attractions and becomes Elvis. For the first time Elvis shows us his great sense of humor along with his obvious songwriting and performing skills. There are several glimpses of what is to come in the future, but my particular favorites are "Veronica" and the beautiful "Satellite" with Chrissie Hynde lending her beautiful vocals to the perfomance. A must for any Elvis Costello fan, or any fan of music, for that matter.

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Joseph McGrath

Let em dangle

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2013

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I've always liked Elvis Costellos'work, and Spike was a particular favorite .Its' references to social matter is rare,the raw criticisms of Thatcher;capital punishment;militarism make it a Great compilation."Rage" would have been listening to this in adolescents. Thanks J.F.M.

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Madame Prez

Classic Costello

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2016

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Spike is an instant Elvis Costello classic. Nevermind that Paul McCartney co-wrote Veronica and plays bass on the album! Spike features some of Elvis' best lyrics and melodies. Great album.

2 people found this helpful

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Jamie

Excellent, thought provoking album as usual with very new wave melodies.

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2013

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I love Elvis Costello and have many of his albums. Always well written with unusual lyrics. I am biased, but I did love it.

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Steve Ford

Genius.

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2016

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Elvis Costello is a genius. I love it.

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Bumpy

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2015

Verified Purchase

Excellent product and service.

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Lunar Boulevard

Bold, Diverse, and Ambitious

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2013

Having properly exorcised his demons with two stellar albums in 1986, Elvis Costello signed with Warner Bros. and entered into a new chapter of his career. No longer paired with The Attractions and starting life with a new wife by his side, it seemed that he was once again free to take his time and pursue new interests. Elvis said at the time that he had five different albums in mind and ended up taking all of those ideas and melding them into one album. Spike is a lofty and complex experiemce with its fair share of twists and turns, making it one of the longest and most diverse journeys in his entire discography.

The first thing that makes this album so unique is that every track sounds different, a rarity in terms of EC albums. The album runs through pop, folk, classical, and different Irish influences with ease and the production help of T-Bone Burnett definitely aids in this process. Songs range from the pop melodies of "Chewing Gum" and "Pads, Paws and Claws" to the gentle ballads of "Any King's Shilling" and "Satellite". The lyrics seem to be more focused on history and current (for 1989) political events, making it quite different from the more personal and love-torn confessions of his previous albums. Some of the figures may be outdated by today's standards but it seems more more politically and socially charged than his previous outings.

It's not all heavy and topical. "Veronica" was a big hit and co-written with Paul McCartney. It still holds up as one of Costello's finest pop masterpieces. The instrumental "Stalin Malone" is a laid-back horn number that sounds like nothing he's done before and it offers a nice break in the middle of the album. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" is arguably his finest piano ballad, while "Tramp the Dirt Down" is one of the darkest and harshest political songs he's ever penned. The atmosphere is broad and relaxed, allowing each song a chance to run its course and take on a life and story of its own. Even the cover art, complete with Costello's painted face hanging on a wall plaque, seems to hint at a more playful experience. Every song is its own little world and despite their eclectic stylings the album manages to flow and work impressively as a whole. My only big complaint is that it feels a bit too bloated and perhaps a tad too ambitious, even for Elvis. None of the songs here are bad but 15 songs in 64 minutes is a lot to take in and a few of the songs tend to drag, not to mention the pacing is uneven. It's not enough to bring the album down and at least you get your money's worth, but it does take a big commitment to get through the whole thing in one sitting.

Spike holds a bit of a special place for me because I bought this record the night before I saw Elvis in concert. At the show I was fortunate enough to hear two songs from this album ("Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" and "God's Comic") and that made the experience even more special. The record itself was a big seller when it was first released and helped usher in a new period of freedom and experimental recordings. It's not quite the place for newcomers or casual fans to start but if you're looking for something different and have the time to invest then Spike is well worth it.

3 people found this helpful

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クリシュナ

一曲だけよかったです

Reviewed in Japan on March 20, 2014

Verified Purchase

聞きたい曲が一曲だけあったので購入しましたがあんまりでした。残念！！

2 people found this helpful

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Poly

Outstanding eclectic album

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

What can you say about Spike, when it's already been said so many times.

Such a great pop rock folk album, with an array of guest musicians, including Chrissie Hynde, Allen Toussaint, Roger McGuinn and Paul McCartney to name a few. Every track is a winner, but be prepared to listen a few times before it starts to sink into your consciousness. This isn't difficult music but it's not easy listening. There's a left leaning, political edge to most tracks if you care to listen to lyrics.

pete

genius

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2018

Verified Purchase

one of his best albums in my opinion...from a prolific songwriter with a huge back catalog....costello(McManus) is much unappreciated by those outside the music industry...so glad to hear he is in remission from his cancer scare...the world cant afford to lose another genius

One person found this helpful

James

Elvis at his eclectic best

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2020

Verified Purchase

Perfect condition. Delivered very promptly. As for the album? It's Elvis at his eclectic and idiosyncratic best. Couple of co writes with Paul Mccartney, one of his best in Veronica. Very much a starting point for Elvis following the break from then Attractions. Good stuff.

Derek Fletcher

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2015

Verified Purchase

One of his best albums particularly his anti-thatcher track. Does he still want to 'tramp the dirt down'?

One person found this helpful

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Spike

Reissued, Remastered

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Track Listings

Disc: 1

Disc: 2

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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Product details

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