Vinyl Vault

As a child, Elvis Costello was a member of The Beatles fan club. At a career crossroads in 1982, on the heels of a poorly-received country album (“Almost Blue”) and no longer content to just be the angry young man the media deemed him, Costello looked to his idols for musical inspiration, even using the Fab 4’s former engineer Geoff Emerick to produce his new album. The result, “Imperial Bedroom,” was a triumph and is still regarded as one of the highlights of Costello’s amazing career. But how does it stand up to a song-by-song dissection? After a ratings recap, we’ll find out.

**** – A classic
*** – Deserving of a place on any mix CD
** – Worthy of a download, but not of a frequent play
* – Drop it like a hot rock

“Beyond Belief”: *** – “History repeats the old conceits/The glib replies the same defeats.” That couplet sets the tone for the lyrical dexterity on this album, as the Attractions build up a lather behind him. The vocal effects in the chorus indeed make it seem like Costello is coming from some place beyond belief.

“Tears Before Bedtime”: **** – The jaunty rhythm and tinkling piano belies a tale of an embattled relationship. Costello uses the technique of sad lyrics against happy music often on the album, and he plays the befuddled paramour well: “How wrong can I be before I am right?”

“Shabby Doll”: *** – The Attractions are at their very best on this number, with Bruce Thomas’ skittering bass playing beautifully off Steve Nieve’s stately piano fills. Nobody does themselves very proud in the lyrics, with Elvis going so far as to call himself a “whore.”

“The Long Honeymoon”: *** – The accordion gives this song a vaguely European flair, but the tale is pure Nashville: A young wife waiting for her husband to return home fears that he may be cheating, with, of all people, her best friend.

“Man Out Of Time”: **** – On the short list of the finest songs of Costello’s career. The lyrics seem to refer to privileged people being brought low by their desires, but Costello’s own personal malaise is unmistakably present. The music is so gorgeous it practically shimmers, until it’s shattered by Elvis’ frenzied screaming that bookends the song. Perfection.

“Almost Blue”: *** – Inspired by the music of jazz legend Chet Baker, Costello gets melancholy with inspired results.

“…And In Every Home”: ** – The Beatles influence is a bit too obvious on this one, with the orchestration sounding like something that even George Martin would have dismissed as too indulgent.

“The Loved Ones”: *** – This is a more effective homage to the Fab 4, with the staccato guitars at the start reminiscent of “Getting Better.” It is kind of ironic to hear Costello singing, “Spare us the theatrics and the verbal gymnastics.” Has he listened to himself lately?

“Human Hands”: **** – Amidst all the anguish, Elvis makes an open-hearted plea for love, and he does it so elegantly that we believe him. Nothing like pleading a romantic case with a line like “I crave the silhouette of your kiss.”

“Kid About It”: ** – This tale of a struggling romance is stunted by the lackluster music which stumbles along so fitfully that you half-expect it to stop dead in its tracks.

“Little Savage”: ** – This hearkens back to the Motown influences of “Get Happy,” but it never quite comes together.

“Boy With A Problem”: * – I love Squeeze, but Chris Difford’s lyrics about a man feeling guilty for what he can get away with aren’t his best, and they aren’t helped by the sleepy music.

“Pidgin English”: ** – Not bad, but the tongue-twisting lyrics are hard to follow, even by Costello’s standards.

“You Little Fool”: **** – Costello advises a young girl against an unsuitable suitor as the Attractions lock into a classic pop groove adorned with just the right instrumental flourishes. Nobody has ever done songs like this one any better.

“Town Crier”: *** – Elvis wallows a bit in self-pity here, but, with the help of horns and strings, it gets by. Plus there are the killer lines here: “Other boys use the splendor of their trembling lip/They’re so teddy bear tender and tragically hip.”

The bottom line: “Imperial Bedroom” features the Attractions at their peak, brilliant production, and Costello entering a more mature phase of songwriting to which very few artists in the rock world could aspire. To quote Judge Smails from Caddyshack: “Top-Notch!”

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