Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

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kosi559
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Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by kosi559 »

1. Armed Forces - Just the image of the elephants marching looks so great
2. Imperial Bedroom - It's a beautiful abstract painting. The yellow man is supposed to be Elvis, and the woman to the left is the audience. It's a cover that sticks in my head.
3. King of America - It perfectly illustrates just how much Elvis has changed, and I like how grim it looks
"Can't you see? My band is up there."
emotional_fascism076
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by emotional_fascism076 »

This Years Model
Spike
The Julet Letters
Who on earth is tapping at the window?
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Uncomplicated
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Uncomplicated »

This Year's Model
Trust
Get Happy!!
It's in your eyes..... It's in your eyes.....
sulky lad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by sulky lad »

Trust
This Year's Model
Painted From memory

and not one with The Attractions or The Imposters !

The only "band" cover is on The Juliet letters.
Neil.
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Neil. »

We've had this before, but it's always fund to remind ourselves

King of America (original, non-colourised version) - the unreadable expression is priceless and somehow hilarious, yet timeless
This Year's Model - classic new wave image, much imitated
Trust - again, the slightly unreadable expression makes it intriguing

Sulky, I'm quite intrigued that Painted from Memory is in your top 3! We can't see Elvis's face, it could be a lego man.

Spike, for me, is bubbling under. Very funny, striking image showing him bagged as a prize on the Warner Brothers boardroom wall.

When 'Look Now' came out, we had a discussion at the London meetup about the cover, and decided it's probably one of his worst. For me the others are 'Punch the Clock' (very dated, Smash Hits look to it) and The Delivery Man, which just isn't very exciting to look at!
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Goon Squad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Goon Squad »

This Year’s Model
10 Bloody Marys+10 How’s Your Fathers (the black/gold cassette version)
My Aim Is True ( black and white version)

Just missing out......Taking Liberties
Last edited by Goon Squad on Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Goon Squad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Goon Squad »

Neil. wrote:We've had this before, but it's always fund to remind ourselves

King of America (original, non-colourised version) - the unreadable expression is priceless and somehow hilarious, yet timeless
This Year's Model - classic new wave image, much imitated
Trust - again, the slightly unreadable expression makes it intriguing

Sulky, I'm quite intrigued that Painted from Memory is in your top 3! We can't see Elvis's face, it could be a lego man.

Spike, for me, is bubbling under. Very funny, striking image showing him bagged as a prize on the Warner Brothers boardroom wall.

When 'Look Now' came out, we had a discussion at the London meetup about the cover, and decided it's probably one of his worst. For me the others are 'Punch the Clock' (very dated, Smash Hits look to it) and The Delivery Man, which just isn't very exciting to look at!

Very interestingly two of the covers I really dislike are Spike and Look Now. Just goes to show we’re all different!...........be a bit boring if we were all the same! :wink:
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Harry Worth
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Harry Worth »

King of America
North
Trust

I quite like the Secret, Profane & Sugarcane and National Ransom covers too.
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Fishfinger king
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Fishfinger king »

Goodbye Cruel World - weak album but I've always loved the cover and full band present
KIng Of America
This Year's Model

Get Happy!! and National Ransom with honourable mentions
Can't you see I'm trying to change this water to wine
sulky lad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by sulky lad »

Neil. wrote:We've had this before, but it's always fund to remind ourselves

King of America (original, non-colourised version) - the unreadable expression is priceless and somehow hilarious, yet timeless
This Year's Model - classic new wave image, much imitated
Trust - again, the slightly unreadable expression makes it intriguing

Sulky, I'm quite intrigued that Painted from Memory is in your top 3! We can't see Elvis's face, it could be a lego man.
I think you're thinking of the Bacharach song

LEt me GO to him !!
I make no apology for having "cabin fever"!

PS I'd forgotten about Taking Liberties so now my list is:-
1. Taking Liberties
2) Trust
3) This Year's Model
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Goon Squad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Goon Squad »

sulky lad wrote:
Neil. wrote:We've had this before, but it's always fund to remind ourselves

King of America (original, non-colourised version) - the unreadable expression is priceless and somehow hilarious, yet timeless
This Year's Model - classic new wave image, much imitated
Trust - again, the slightly unreadable expression makes it intriguing

Sulky, I'm quite intrigued that Painted from Memory is in your top 3! We can't see Elvis's face, it could be a lego man.
I think you're thinking of the Bacharach song

LEt me GO to him !!
I make no apology for having "cabin fever"!

PS I'd forgotten about Taking Liberties so now my list is:-
1. Taking Liberties
2) Trust
3) This Year's Model
Bloody amateur ! :shock: :roll: :lol:
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Goon Squad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Goon Squad »

Let you off Sulks ! :wink: 8) :lol:
sulky lad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by sulky lad »

Goon Squad wrote:
sulky lad wrote:
Neil. wrote:We've had this before, but it's always fund to remind ourselves

King of America (original, non-colourised version) - the unreadable expression is priceless and somehow hilarious, yet timeless
This Year's Model - classic new wave image, much imitated
Trust - again, the slightly unreadable expression makes it intriguing

Sulky, I'm quite intrigued that Painted from Memory is in your top 3! We can't see Elvis's face, it could be a lego man.
I think you're thinking of the Bacharach song

LEt me GO to him !!
I make no apology for having "cabin fever"!

PS I'd forgotten about Taking Liberties so now my list is:-
1. Taking Liberties
2) Trust
3) This Year's Model
Bloody amateur ! :shock: :roll: :lol:
Outrageous - there goes your copy of Hammersmith !! :lol: :wink:
Can't believe I missed that as it's such an iconic (reverse) pose by Elvis when he was the coolest man on earth ( apart from me with my West Country Afro circa early 1978 :roll: )
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Goon Squad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Goon Squad »

sulky lad wrote:
Goon Squad wrote:
sulky lad wrote: I think you're thinking of the Bacharach song

LEt me GO to him !!
I make no apology for having "cabin fever"!

PS I'd forgotten about Taking Liberties so now my list is:-
1. Taking Liberties
2) Trust
3) This Year's Model
Bloody amateur ! :shock: :roll: :lol:
Outrageous - there goes your copy of Hammersmith !! :lol: :wink:
Can't believe I missed that as it's such an iconic (reverse) pose by Elvis when he was the coolest man on earth ( apart from me with my West Country Afro circa early 1978 :roll: )
You’re still ultra cool Sulks, but I can’t now erase the thought of you with an Afro ! :shock:
Scarred me for life! :lol:
Neil.
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Neil. »

Sulky with an afro - OMG, there's got to be a photo! Please say there is!
sulky lad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by sulky lad »

There are a couple which I was unable to destroy before other members of my so called beloved family retrieved from my Dad's house last year - blackmail or what?
One day you'll have to face the Deep Dark Truthful Mirror :roll:
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Top balcony
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Top balcony »

More like - High Fidelity, which kicks off :

Some things you'll never get used to...
sulky lad
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by sulky lad »

Top balcony wrote:More like - High Fidelity, which kicks off :

Some things you'll never get used to...

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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verbal gymnastics
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by verbal gymnastics »

I’d go with “Such a picture of loveliness” from Painted From Memory!
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
JerseyPride78
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by JerseyPride78 »

I think it can be hard to separate one's feelings for the music from their appreciation of cover art. I've tried my best to do that here:

(1) When I was Cruel
(2) This Years Model
(3) Brutal Youth

These are definitely not my top 3 musically, but they're my favorite covers.
Harry Lime
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Re: Top 3 Elvis Costello Album Covers?

Post by Harry Lime »

JerseyPride78 wrote:I think it can be hard to separate one's feelings for the music from their appreciation of cover art. I've tried my best to do that here:

(1) When I was Cruel
(2) This Years Model
(3) Brutal Youth

These are definitely not my top 3 musically, but they're my favorite covers.
That's so true. It's tough to separate those feelings from the cover art--they become entwined. Here's my attempt to remove the emotion:
1. This Year's Model
2. National Ransom
3. King of America
Who put these fingerprints on my imagination?
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