EC makes RS's List for Best Second Albums

[SoulForHire]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists ... 8-19691231

#10 - This Year's Model

QUOTE

Declan McManus's first album with the Attractions is a caffeinated corker. After recording 1977's My Aim Is True during work-skipping "sick days" with members of California country rockers Clover, Costello quit his day job and banged this out the following year. Obviously synergized by the Attractions – a baroque-rock keyboardist, melodic bassist, and powerful drummer – the Costello persona expanded exponentially in British hit singles like the hyperkinetic "Pump It Up" and cinematically inspired "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea." Apparently too wired to reprise slow-burners like "Alison" or "Watching the Detectives," the Attractions fired on all cylinders behind their devastatingly expressive frontman.

END QUOTE

#1 on the list of the best second albums of all time? Nirvana's "Nevermind"

[sheeptotheslaughter]

The first Elvis album I bought. Great record.

I can remember the publicity for Elvis on the radio at the time of MAIT coming out in the UK, but not really getting into him until I heard Detectives. Seems silly now but without really hearing any of the first album, before being aware of Red Shoes. The publicity around him at the time put me off. Maybe at 16 he was a bit to 'Sophisticated' for me. I cant imagine I would have heard Alison at the time and not liked it.

[sulky lad]

I bought MAIT in Our Price , Kensington High Street in October 1977 , first week at University) and then resisted even after the Roundhouse gig of January 1978 until Get Happy. Then dated a girl who was besotted with TYM and became entranced by it and spent many nights sleeping on her sofa with it quietly playing in the background !
Unbelievable debut for The Attractions and Elvis at his most pent up, wired and vibrant best. It seemed like a whole album that encapsulated the mad rush of falling on love and then ending up disappointed !

[johnfoyle]

Then dated a girl who was besotted with TYM and became entranced by it and spent many nights sleeping on her sofa with it quietly playing in the background !

That reminds me a curious association I have with KOA. In the late 80s I shared a flat with a girl who used to , er, have a lot of over night guests. What with paper thin walls etc. noises from her room with carry down the corridor to mine. She was , as the parlance goes, a shouter and a lot of shouting was done for what seemed like hours on end. A cassette of KOA seemed to be always the nearest to my tape deck and many a night I would play it at top volume just to drown out the moans and groans and try help me get back to sleep. To this day when I play KOA and a track fades I still get the occasional flashback to the sounds of passion that would come back into earshot. Odd but true!

[SoulForHire]

I never really think of This Year's Model as Costello's second album but more as his first album with the Attractions.