Comments for Costello, Elvis, Armed Forces

I can't decide which is the most quintissential E.C. album, Brutal Youth or Armed Forces? (An ultra-zealot would claim that they're ALL perfect...) The bottom line is, if I were stuck on a desert island, I'm pretty sure I'd need this album to survive...

No question that this is one of Elvis' best (the Attractions are at the top of their form as well). I loathe to use the term commercial, as I despise labels of any sort, and besides, E never got any real airplay anyway. But it is far and away (and again, strong support for "Brutal Youth") one of the all-time great albums for pure catchyness (is that a word?) on the very first listen. Even if one does not like Elvis, how could they not like "Accidents Will Happen", "Olivers Army", "Big Boys", "Green Shirt", or "Two Little Hitlers"? Hell, how could anyone at all not like any of it? No doubt, the man is a genius!

About as close to perfect as Mr. McManus has come since "My Aim is True". Other than "Big Boys" & "...Hitlers", every song is a gut ripper and ultra-listenable.