Best Elvis album of the 90s

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:57 am

A difficult few years for our man, but he produced some good and very diverse stuff. But which was the best?

I haven't included live or best ofs.

StrictTime · Post by **StrictTime** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:39 am

This is a difficult one. I love at least three of those (Brutal Youth, Mighty Like A Rose, and All This Useless Beauty). I like the remainder, even Kojak, if you can just accept it as it is. And I really like Painted From Memory. I'll go with ATUB, with BY as a close second, and MLAR as a close third. ATUB is probably the one that I listen to most, and becomes my favourite here on Little Atoms and I Want To Vanish. It took me a while to warm up to when I got it back in... I think August, but I'm not sure, but now I can appreciate songs like Poor Fractured Atlas, one I originally wrote off. And after seeing Elvis sing the title track live, I can't get enough of it. It's just a beautiful album, front to back, with very few mistakes.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:40 am

BY, ATUB. ATUB, BY.

ATUB.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:07 am

Aw, dangit. I hate it when I have to make a decision. I'm just so indecisive.

I have such strong feelings for Kojak Variety because it has a lot to do with the beginning of Doc and I getting together. I don't know that I can honestly call it his best effort though.

And I *adore* The Juliet Letters - it was such a highlight for me to see Elvis for the first time at the Ryman with the Brodskys and meeting Jacqueline. Oh, and I got to sit by Moody that evening, so that just made it complete.

And I really do like All This Useless Beauty. It really is a beautiful album.

But I think I'm gonna say Brutal Youth. Something about it, right Miss BA?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:08 am

ATUB got my vote, edging out The Juliet Letters.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:32 am

Same as WSS : All This Useless Beauty followed by The Juliet Letters.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:33 am

Brutal Youth. I saw EC twice on that tour and just absolutely fell in love with this album. Some of the melodies are all-time EC classics (You Tripped at Every Step, London's Brilliant Parade, This Is Hell, All the Rage, Favourite Hour) and the lyrics are very strong all the way through. There's fun stuff (Just About Glad, My Science Fiction Twin), introspective stuff (Rocking Horse Road), mean stuff (Pony St., Kinder Murder), and bizarre stuff (20% Amnesia, Clown Strike). Plus, YTAES is probably my all time favorite Elvis song.

And did I mention Nick Lowe AND the Attractions?

Emotional Toothpaste · Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:50 am

BY is great, but ATUB is a masterpiece.

I really like Kojak Variety, but none of those are his songs. PFM and JL are also good, but those are collaborations. MLAR I haven't played in a while, except I found myself humming So Like Candy this morning.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:50 am

Why do I get the feeling The Kojak Variety will not get many votes?

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:55 am

I adore Kojak Variety. It was about this time of year in 1995 when I first discovered it. It will always hold the most special place in my heart. I still remember how Doc and I were trying to figure out our feelings for each other after being apart all those years, and we just sat listening to those songs. Without saying a word, we both knew how we felt. Those songs made everything so clear.

Especially Remove this Doubt.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:59 am

OK, so I'm wrong.

Always seemed to me to be a mish-mash of odds and ends, some successful, most not. But I understand how memories and sentiments get attached to certain albums.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:08 am

Oh, it's okay, WSS. I didn't vote for it. I just have sappy sentimental attachments to it.

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:13 am

well i didn't vote for it either as ATUB and BY are such strong efforts, but i like kojak variety alot. i didn't get it until well after it was out and it was a pleasant surprise. mediocre elvis still topping so much else available.

wardo68 · Post by **wardo68** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:11 am

The vote for MLAR? That was me.

colrow26 · Post by **colrow26** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:10 pm

Can i be only the third person to vote for Painted by Memory??? I know that this was a collaboration (is that spelt right? my typing is rubbish!!) but i reckon it is one of Elvis best albums ever. The strength and scope of the songs is phenomenal and it includes God give me strength which is one of the greatest songs written by anybody

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:22 pm

I have no problem with a vote for PFM. Great album, but for me it suffers from having such a strong start and ebbs away a little until the closing track. It's just flatter in the middle imho.

I also find the ladies a little grating and cheesey on one or two songs.Esp Tears at the Birthday Party (which by contrast, my kids love).

colrow26 · Post by **colrow26** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:37 pm

Know what you mean about the backing singers although I love the female coal on My Thief, great effect.
Another reason its a favoutite is the one of the tracks, think its The Sweetest Punch, sounds the closest to Elvis covering a Steely Dan song!! well to my untrained ears anyway

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:44 pm

I'm the other for MLAR, much underrated imo. So like Candy, CCIUNo.4, All Grown Up, The Other Side of Summer, How To Be Dumb, Hurry Down Doomsday, After the Fall are all fantastic songs, and the rest are mainly good. Like most EC albums since there are a couple of tracks that could have been left off, but I love the beard years. The bonus disc also has the fantastic Just Another Mystery.

I also like BY and ATUB, but never really got on with the others.

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:53 pm

I'm having a hard time with this one. MLAR and ATUB are the two frontrunners in my book.

MLAR is possibly EC's darkest, angriest album and contains some great songs but still seems to be underappreciated even by those who like the dark and angry EC.

ATUB is probably has the highest ratio of great songs on a single album (with the exception of KOA, of course); however, for me, the production has worn a little thin over time.

I'm going to postpone my vote pending further soul-searching.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:06 pm

ATUB for balance

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:59 pm

ATUB ?? - Dont understand peoples love for this - dont like it at all.
Its really between MLAR and Brutal Youth - I was about to vote for Brutal Youth because it hangs together so well as an album and is wonderful throughout - but now I think about it more , its really got to be MLAR.
Other Side of Summer, Unexpected, Candy, Doomsday, Sweet Pear - all some of his very very best songs ever.

sulky lad · Post by **sulky lad** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:15 pm

Really hard choice between ATUB, MLAR and BY. ATUB is such a mature album but there is an element of sobriety about the Attractions that seems to undermine the performances. BY, like B&C seems much more of a bastard of an album and has, of course, the sublime bass lines of Mr. B.T. on 13 Steps and Sulky Girl and it was such a relief to buy that album after Spike, MLAR and the Juliet Letters and find they could still out perform bands half their age !

alexv · Post by **alexv** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:46 pm

PFM. I love this record. The lyrics, the singing, the melodies I never tire of, and are well worth the kitschy effects. Bring them back together for an encore. ATUB and BY are two other favorites.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:14 am

ATUB. BY and MLAR vying for second. KV to me is a very flat record. Great songs, great band, no life in it. Going through the motions.

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:40 pm

I think ATUB is the only one of those that I couldn't live without

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