Brutal Youth!

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 11:18 pm

I've read about "Get Happy!!!" being great and to the point and without a down moment.

I've read about "Trust" being underrated and Elvis's best album despite its lack of hits.

I even just read that "Blood and Chocolate" is, in a person's opinion... the end of Elvis's Golden Age(to that person- I'm not trying to be an asshole to you, just trying to make a rather unimportant point).

However... the only opinions I've heard on Brutal Youth is that it has been mismarketed as the return of the Attractions with Elvis.

The "trip trip trip trip" at the end of "You Tripped At Every Step" is the golden age of Elvis.

--- after that set up, I am hoping I will get replies from people exclaiming their love and faithfullness to Brutal Youth... but I understand if you disagree.

Elvis, in my opinion, is at his vocal best on Brutal Youth. There are notes of his that I call his "brutal youth notes"... you know, the notes where his voice is almost fake(the end of "Pony Street" for example), and the Attractions(despite Steve Nieve's lack of solos, and the fact that Nick Lowe played bass on a lot of the album) execute beautifully.

I, to this day, could never really listen to "My Science Fiction Twin" in its entirety, but Brutal Youth has remained one of my top 3 Elvis albums for its gems. "This Is Hell", "Sulky Girl", "20% Amnesia", "London's Brilliant Parade", and "Kinder Murder" are timeless classics. Oh I adore this cd.

I know there are a few of you here who are itching for a new Brutal Youth discussion. I try my best to satisfy.

<3,
s.

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 12:01 am

In my wildest dreams, I would never want to denigrate the brilliance of Brutal Youth. But it fell in after a prolonged misadventurous period ;(Spike and MLAR).

It IS the record everyone credited WIWC of being. I even enjoy My Science Fiction Twin, and the whole nine yards. I just think that the period from TYM thru B and C will never be eclipsed by another single songwriter in my lifetime. (Elliott Smith might have if he wouldn't have gone and stuck a steak knife in my heart.)

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 7:44 am

I don't think there's anyone here who doesn't like BY....

Sulky Girl
Clown Strike
London's Brilliant Parade

some good examples of wordsmithery...

My Science Fiction Twin
20% Amnesia
13 Steps Lead Down

all good examples of 'rock out' Elvis.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say this is his most 'hard rock guitar' album...

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:48 pm

It's a brilliant album, Elvis applying the narrative and some times even compassionate songwriting he'd explored on the Wendy James and Juliet projects to the band. The band rise to it, bringing something new, an overall trebley sound with the snare drum really tight. The combo playing is exceptional, with everyone (even Steve!) quite reined in and in full control (witness the impecable changes to and from the loud bridge they let rip in Rocking Horse Road). They're down on the next page of the forum by now I think, but I wrote two threads analysing London's Brilliant Parade and You Tripped at Every Step that should let you know how great those songs are.

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 10:48 pm

Short note: It's my favoutite EC record. I was goona start a BY thread next week coz BY is 10 years old this Friday.

Listening to bits of it tonight, it's really great. End of story.

DrJ

(Wow, my 300th post, hmmm)

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:56 am

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Brutal Youth can do no wrong.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 11:13 am

I was wondering when that statement would pop up here, Miss BA.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:29 pm

It's great to hear that the album gets its respect.

I must have sounded crazy with my little "noone likes brutal youth" rant.

<3,
s.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:01 pm

I really can't stand Brutal Youth. It is poorly produced, the songs are weak and Elvis has sung much better on subsequent albums

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:13 pm

Oh dear...

I always quite like the way he cracks his voice for emphasis, if that's what you mean Doof. Like a lot of EC LPs it would make a fantastic EP, so I partially agree on that score.

kimmy · Post by **kimmy** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 9:26 pm

Thank you, WHAR. I have always regarded Brutal Youth as one of my favorite albums. As it has been mentioned, the melodies and songwriting are exceptional.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:49 pm

The songs are weak?

Hmm.

In my opinion, Brutal Youth is his strongest lyrical and vocal achievement.

<3,
s.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 11:01 pm

Yeah, I'm not sure about the weak vocals/songwriting argument, and especially production. I like the fact that it's so raw, with Elvis often playing guitar and bass, with Pete Thomas on drums.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 8:54 am

I think it starts strong, ends with a wallop, but the some of the middle is kind of namby-pamby. 20% just gets on my nerves with all the 'thesia' rhymes. But, as is usually the case, there's way more good stuff than bad and the bad isn't really bad. sometimes bad is bad. but not here. ok, shutting up now.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:17 pm

As a long time listener and someone who owns every album, most b-sides and lots of bootlegs, I have to say that my all-time favorite EC song is "You Tripped at Every Step" and so I have to give BY lots of big time snaps.

I was also lucky enough to see two shows on the tour, two nights apart (with the only downer being that Crash Test Dummies opened both shows- sorry Blue Chair, but that is one Canadian export I could live without!).

Another very overlooked song, but one that Elvis names as a favorite, is 'Favorite Hour'. Absolutely heartbreakingly lovely. Even if I haven't a clue as to what he's on about.

I also have soft spots for 'Pony Street' and 'Kinder Murder' (much discussed on the Narbawlz board). I find 'My Science Fiction Twin' going through my head quite often, and 'Clown Strike' has a great groove and sound.

The only song I never really cottoned to is probably 'Rocking Horse Road', which I know is a big board favorite (throw tomatos now).

And I can't believe I forgot to mention the beautiful Ray Davies tribute 'London's Brilliant Parade'. Ahhhhhhhhh

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:19 pm

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 8:05 pm

Sorry Mood Swing, got to disagree with you on 20%. To me it's a lovely little viscous rant with lyrics by turns off hand (The word that she wanted was destination I suppose) to earth shakingly serious (the 'think back' verse).

I've a vested interest though: EC said the Gorbachev verse was inspired by his seeing the then Russian president at London's Royal Opera House for a performance of La Canderella (i.e. Cinderella). The irony, Elvis explained, being that Gorby was in London 'cap in hand' to appeal for aid at the G8 summit. He got only high minded words praising his democratic reforms and 'the rest is history' (or in Putin's case grisly current affairs). Whoever took him to that show, EC said, had a cruel sense of irony.

In actual fact the person who took Gorby to the performance was the Opera House's ex chief, Jeremy Isaacs (a great man who started our once excellent and radical Channel 4 TV station in the 80s and produced the masterly doc series The Second World War in the 70s). He used the evening to try to persuade Gorby to be interviewed for his new series The Cold War. Gorby was reluctant but acquiesed. I know this because someone who is now my wife did the interview. Not a lot of people, as they say, know that! Anyroad, as you can imagine, all this gives the song a special place in my heart...

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 8:26 am

that's really cool! I'll try to appreciate the song 20% better.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 8:51 pm

Brutal Youth definitely would have benefitted from a little more thought put into the song sequencing.

The songs were written and recorded very quickly and the production was rather plain, but in them there's an excitement revealed that I like, probably to so with the reacquainting himself after a while with some real rocking stuff while developing some expressive, slower tempo, more abstract songwriting, stuff to a new level -- there were these two ends of the spectrum on the album, a sort of: this is what I know, and this is what I'm learning. And EC's singing is tops, right on the ball.

No wonder the next logical step was to make the production more of a feature, with ATUB, which worked wonders.

I wonder if Nick Lowe will ever produce another EC album...