(First of all, I know I'm missing out a certain live album here, but a) I can't remember its title and b) I'm counting studio recordings here).
This is probably as hard a question as anything for us to answer here (it is for me anyway). Don't know about everyone else but I simply couldn't pick one. My choice would be either This Year's Model, Trust, Imperial Bedroom or Blood and Chocolate. If you can't honestly pick one, by all means, just vote for the first one from the top of your head...
Best EC album featuring the Attractions
Best EC album featuring the Attractions
...the cost of living in sin would make a poor man out of Paul Getty...
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And No Coffee Table
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And No Coffee Table
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martinfoyle
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In all fairness, an understandable ommission. As Graeme Thompson clearly lays out, Bruce Thomas was in session musician mode on this album so it really wouldn't be fair to judge it against the previous collaborations between them and Elvis.And No Coffee Table wrote:You forgot All This Useless Beauty.
My vote would go for Trust. Three years of almost non-stop working between the four of them, there's an awesome synergy about the sequence of songs on the original vinyl edition. The album flows perfectly all the way through, there isn't a wasted moment. Nick Lowe plays quite a part in it as well since he had to marshall the fairly fragile atmosphere here, the outtakes really are quite ragged. Still, the finished album is amazing and it's one opf Elvis finest moments.
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Fishfinger king
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I found that I have somewhat surprisingly voted for Armed Forces!
In my mind, Get Happy is the classic Attractions album that broke them out of the "new wave/punk" mold and defined them as a versatile band. It was also Elvis' first attempt to come across as an actual human being, rather than some adrenaline-fueled monster slaving after commercial success. Imperial Bedroom was probably the Attractions best collection of great songs, channeled through thoughtful, intelligent arrangements and great individual and group playing. TYM was a 300 pound gorilla that forced the listener to listen. Trust was tricky, dry and sometimes spot-on. Blood and Chocolate was the most spontaneous.
But Armed Forces defined the Attractions' sound and utter musicianship. When I occasionally play the album these days, I'm taken by the disc as a whole - much more than the sum of its' somewhat dubious parts. It's a great onslaught of bright pop songs with sometimes great lyrics, pointed and somewhat arcane politics and just a touch of sly humor to keep the whole thing in balance.
I like both Brutal Youth and particularly All This Useless Beauty but consider them both somewhat compromised Attractions projects for reasons defined by Mr. Martin Foyle and others.
In my mind, Get Happy is the classic Attractions album that broke them out of the "new wave/punk" mold and defined them as a versatile band. It was also Elvis' first attempt to come across as an actual human being, rather than some adrenaline-fueled monster slaving after commercial success. Imperial Bedroom was probably the Attractions best collection of great songs, channeled through thoughtful, intelligent arrangements and great individual and group playing. TYM was a 300 pound gorilla that forced the listener to listen. Trust was tricky, dry and sometimes spot-on. Blood and Chocolate was the most spontaneous.
But Armed Forces defined the Attractions' sound and utter musicianship. When I occasionally play the album these days, I'm taken by the disc as a whole - much more than the sum of its' somewhat dubious parts. It's a great onslaught of bright pop songs with sometimes great lyrics, pointed and somewhat arcane politics and just a touch of sly humor to keep the whole thing in balance.
I like both Brutal Youth and particularly All This Useless Beauty but consider them both somewhat compromised Attractions projects for reasons defined by Mr. Martin Foyle and others.
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sexysadie7
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bambooneedle
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It's Time is absolutely a great song!
IMO, ATUB is the best collection of songs EC ever recorded with most of the musicians formerly known as the Attractions
.
Yesterday, I vote Armed Forces as the best ATTRACTIONS album. But I might concede that ATUB is the best album that the Attractions ever PLAYED ON. There's a slight difference, for me - but I might just be being squirrely!!
When I listen to Armed Forces, I'm listening to the sound and the flow of the songs. When I listen to ATUB, I really listen to the songs individually. Definitely a higher caliber of songwriting on ATUB!!!
IMO, ATUB is the best collection of songs EC ever recorded with most of the musicians formerly known as the Attractions
.Yesterday, I vote Armed Forces as the best ATTRACTIONS album. But I might concede that ATUB is the best album that the Attractions ever PLAYED ON. There's a slight difference, for me - but I might just be being squirrely!!
When I listen to Armed Forces, I'm listening to the sound and the flow of the songs. When I listen to ATUB, I really listen to the songs individually. Definitely a higher caliber of songwriting on ATUB!!!
Well if I could vote twice I'd go for Imperial Bedroom and Trust myself. Trust is an absolutely flawless masterpiece of some wonderfully complex arrangements, that somehow avoids over-pretension, and Imperial Bedroom is a magnificently versatile and sophisticated pop record. Dunno about everyone else, but I can't stop listening to Boy With a Problem; one of my favourite ever Costello tracks 
But that said, it's so hard to ignore This Year's Model, Get Happy, B & C and so forth. The only albums on the poll which wouldn't qualify for me, and some may disagree with this, are Punch the Clock, Goodbye Cruel World and Brutal Youth. (Again, sorry about missing out ATUB)
But that said, it's so hard to ignore This Year's Model, Get Happy, B & C and so forth. The only albums on the poll which wouldn't qualify for me, and some may disagree with this, are Punch the Clock, Goodbye Cruel World and Brutal Youth. (Again, sorry about missing out ATUB)
...the cost of living in sin would make a poor man out of Paul Getty...
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Jackson Monk
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strangerinthehouse
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I agree, Imperial Bedroom is one of my favorites as well, the band on that record is tightly wound together and all of the attractions stand out.
The other albums are great but every so often I would hear a great emphasis on a single attraction and their instrument.
In Get Happy, Bruce Thomas' bass permeates each song which in this album worked great to resemble that motown sound.
Trust, also one my favorites, Steve Nieve's piano/organ is the guide for most songs making it even more of a pop/lounge singer type of album.
Pete Thomas stands out throughout This Year's Model, in "lipstick vogue" and "Radio Radio," his presence is felt a little more than that of the other two attractions.
As for the other records, B&C is probably the second best as a band in my view. Armed Forces is nearly there. AUTB should have been on the list.
The other albums are great but every so often I would hear a great emphasis on a single attraction and their instrument.
In Get Happy, Bruce Thomas' bass permeates each song which in this album worked great to resemble that motown sound.
Trust, also one my favorites, Steve Nieve's piano/organ is the guide for most songs making it even more of a pop/lounge singer type of album.
Pete Thomas stands out throughout This Year's Model, in "lipstick vogue" and "Radio Radio," his presence is felt a little more than that of the other two attractions.
As for the other records, B&C is probably the second best as a band in my view. Armed Forces is nearly there. AUTB should have been on the list.
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Mr. Average
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