Classic Album Review: Elvis Costello My Aim is True

f you ever buy an Elvis Costello album, buy this one.\nFor true enthusiasts, his 1977 debut album represents the premier of the Angry Young Man who introduced the pop combination of doo-wop and punk. For Costello students looking for the context of his sound, country-tinged tracks such as "Blame It On Cain" and "Waiting For The End Of The World" more clearly show the metamorphosis of Costello's 30-year career when comparing them to the variance of songs from his 21 studio albums.\nCostello's voice, basement-recording sound and bitingly clever lyrics make My Aim Is True worth the listen. If you don't fall for the swoon in the unfortunately affectionate chorus of "Alison," lyrics such as "Well I see you've got a husband now / Did he leave your pretty fingers lying / in the wedding cake?" catch your attention and maybe your resentment, a not uncommon reaction to his music.\nCostello first caught flack because of the lyrics in "Less Than Zero." His first British single, the song tells the metaphoric story of Mr. Oswald, his swastika tattoo and the porn films he made with his sister. The liner notes of Rhino's 2001 re-release of My Aim Is True identify Mr. Oswald as Oswald Mosley, a British politician from the 1930s who was widely associated with Hitler and Mussolini. It's a hip and sarcastic song that climaxes in the chorus with the kind of drum roll that becomes the calling card of his next album This Year's Model. \nThough it's grouped with the emerging punk scene of 1977, Costello's debut is much more melodic, with equal focus on the irreverent lyrics and an image reminiscent of Buddy Holly. My Aim is True is a classic and essential album for anyone interested in the transition music made from the disco-drenched '70s to the new-wave '80s.