#443: Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Imperial Bedroom (1982)

Zack: And now, our third stop on the nostalgia express. Which is, itself, kind of funny because the last time I listened to a Costello album for the blog was I believe the summer of 2013 when Emily and I were taking the train back from a mini-vacation in Atlantic City. That would have been only shortly before I left for Maryland and grad school life. And the first time, Emily and I listened to the album together, with it playing through the crappy speakers I had that plugged into my laptop while we just hung out on my bed in my sophomore-year dorm room. At this point, I have quite a history with Elvis Costello, an artist that I don’t think I’d ever even heard of before this started. And even with enough time passing since the last time I reviewed one of his albums that I’ve watched 30 Rock (and Costello’s cameos) twice, I still get floored by how good the songwriting is. Even on a first listen, the precise and vivid lyrics jump out. Musically, Imperial Bedroom was also impressive. It felt grander than My Aim Is True or This Year’s Model. And although it didn’t have quite the same wide-range of genres as My Aim Is True, it did feel like styles were being switched up constantly. Overall, Imperial Bedroom continues to show why Elvis Costello deserves to have so many classic albums recognized in his catalog.

Favorite Tracks: Almost Blue; Shabby Doll; Human Hands

Emily: Elvis Costello is the sort of artist that can remake himself with every album, but all of that reinvention seems like a continuation of his previous work. Imperial Bedroom, like My Aim is True and This Year's Model, spans genres and influences, picking up more of the new wave sounds of the early '80s rather than '50s nostalgia or late-'70s punk rock. Costello's lyrics continue to tell intricate, heartfelt stories that would be equally at home on the page or screen as on a record. Imperial Bedroom definitely deserves multiple listens, and continued my excitement to work our way through Elvis Costello's discography on this list.

Favorite Tracks: Man Out of Time; Shabby Doll; Almost Blue