Spike and Mighty Like a Rose?

[25to12]

I have a feeling that these albums, especially the latter, kind of split EC fans down the middle. If I'm wrong just say. But the reason I'm posting this is because I just got these two albums in the post yesterday. Just wondering, what does everyone else think of these?

Personally, I think they're both fantastic, Spike to a slightly larger degree than MLAR. Naturally, I love the singles off each, also quite a big fan of Satellite and After the Fall. I've only listened to both albums all the way through once, so I can't really give a very in-depth analysis. I suppose I just really love the complex arrangements, very pretentious, and that's the way I like my music.

[King Hoarse]

In my book, the middle of Mighty Like A Rose's second side is Elvis at his most skippable but apart from that I love them carnally!

[Poor Deportee]

'Spike' is close to being a brilliant record. Indeed, I rather wish he had continued on the path of making such eclectic records instead of pursuing each musical genre on its own, in self-contained 'concept' albums. For all that people criticise it, there's at least a half dozen truly spectacular tunes on it and several more merely delightful ones. Only 'Any King's Shilling' tries my patience to any extent. And a lot of it sounds like nothing else he's done before or since - e.g., dig the musical palette on 'God's Comic' or 'Chewing Gum.'

MLAR suffers, as King Hoarse observes, from the weak second side, although the grandiose closer redeems it somewhat. Some of the songs also have rather confusing or strained melodies (Georgie, Invasion Hit Parade, even All Grown Up). But the massively baroque production, which turns so many people off, is actually one of its strengths - the record wears much better than its first impression implies, because there's so much packed into every tune. The amazing thing to me is that EC can still sound so energetic, angry, and urgent even when smothered with this many layers of ketchup.

In some ways I think of this as the last album made by 'the old Elvis' - the Avenging Genius. (Juliet Letters seems a decisively taming moment to me, somehow, which is NOT to say that he hasn't been great since then...just more craftsmanlike and genteel).

[thepopeofpop]

In my book, the middle of Mighty Like A Rose's second side is Elvis at his most skippable but apart from that I love them carnally!

I only love them semi-carnally.

In a way these albums are an extension of what he first attempted on "Imperial Bedroom" - particulary Spike in it's use of the recording studio and recording process as a tool in creating the arrangements. Mighty Like A Rose also is noteworthy in being an attempt to create an "Elvis Costello & The Attractions" style album without using the Attractions. Just to show that it was really him all along, not them. I don't think everyone was entirely convinced. However let's have a showdown.

Maybe we should conduct a poll:

Which album do you prefer?

Mad About the Wrong Boy - The Attractions

Mighty Like A Rose - Elvis Costello

[verbal gymnastics]

Maybe we should conduct a poll:

Which album do you prefer?

Mad About the Wrong Boy - The Attractions

Mighty Like A Rose - Elvis Costello

That would just be plain silly

[Fishfinger king]

I don't agree with the majority view.
Spike has some great individual songs but doesn't make up a cohesive whole. It's very much a collection of individual songs rather than an album, which is not so with Get Happy, King of America, Imperial Bedroom and so on. As such I listen to it rarely, but like individual songs when they come on the iPod.
MLAR is much more cohesive and I like it a lot and think it's very under-rated. What are these bad songs on side 2? So like Candy? - great. Sweet pear? - extremely good. Couldn't call it unexpected? - one of EC's best ever. I even like Playboy to a man, though I'm aware it's not to all tastes - what's wrong with a bit of disposable fun now and again? Cait's song Broken is the only out and out stinker that should have been strangled at birth.

[King Hoarse]

What are these bad songs on side 2?

Georgie is a wonderful song but taken at a pace that does not let it breathe, really, which should work live but sounds a bit stressful on the record. Still enjoy that one a lot though.

I do not like the repetitive use of the word/name Candy in that song or the way Elvis sings it. The sickening sweetness of the name itself annoys me. But I understand why most people think it is a great song. It certainly does what it was supposed to do; it is just personal taste.

Unexpected 2 is very nice as interludes go but since it comes after So Like Candy Candy Candy and before Playboy To A Man, which sounds like much ado about nothing and as close to an annoying random racket as EC is gonna get, it gets skipped too. PTAM is a musical cousin to other "rowdy" 7th chord songs like Sour Milk Cow Blues and Beaten To The Punch that I tend to skip too. Just do not like the style I guess. And it sounds like that is Jon Bon Jovi on backups, which can never be a good thing.

Again, I understand why people like Sweet Pear but to my ears his voice is too strained. "In all the world there is only one true love" is a line I never want to hear again unless it is a religious song. Reminds me of Lou Reed singing "Only a woman can love a man" in Heavenly Arms. It just works against almost everything else Lou and Elvis have written somehow. And again, I hate the title. Lovely guitar solo, though!

I actually like Broken! Then again, I am a drone fan (and a bit of a drone as well, come to think of it). But it is not quite the pick-me-up side 2 needed before the majestic ending with what is one of my all time fave EC tracks, Unexpected 4.

For a pop record, the end gets a bit ballad heavy, the only exception being PTAM, whose biggest strength apart from the catcalls is that it makes you long for another ballad.

Spike is like an eclectic (sorry but I could not find a better word) compilation album where you never know what you are going to get next, only that it is going to be great. After Mighty's mighty start I expected more of it on the second side.

Again, to clarify: 3 skipped songs, 1 nice interlude, 10 tracks I love or at least like a lot. Despite the middle of side 2, I like MLAR much more than Goodbye Cruel World or even Armed Forces.

[noiseradio]

I used to adore both records, and they were two of the first three EC records I owned. They're still really good, but I greatly prefer his earliest and most recent record to anything from the late 80s early 90s. I rarely listen to MLAR or Spike all the way through anymore.

[alexv]

Neither Spike or MLAR are at the top of my EC list. The only Spike songs I consistently enjoy these days are Deep Dark, Veronica and God's Comic, and to a lesser extent Pads.

MLAR's first three songs, however, set my toes a-tapping at the mere mention of their titles. The same goes for Georgie and So Like. I have some problems with the lyrical tricks in After the Fall and All Grown Up, but the melodies are good, and the songs sort of fit together. Couldn't Call It is one of a kind after all these years; it's almost Dylanesque. A great song. Invasion, Harpies, and Playboy have always made me run for the fences. And these days, even Pear and Broken sort of grate.

[oldhamer]

For my money, Spike is one of Elvis's best albums. It's a tough call, but it's in my top half dozen. I know the album isn't that cohesive, but it's fifteen great songs. It's good to sit back and listen to. Too many favourites - Satellite, God's Comic, hell, I like them all!

Mighty Like a Rose is more mixed for me. The Other Side of Summer is a great pop song, but there's too much stuff going on in it. Aren't there something like 23 instruments playing at one stage or something? And Broken, Playboy and Invasion Hit Parade are among the less-good songs Elvis has put onto CD. All on the same album. Still, there are some great moments on it. How to be Dumb, So Like Candy, Georgie, and Couldn't Call It unexpected redeem a mixed album.

Spike gets ten out of ten for me, Mighty Like a rose seven.

[Chrille]

Urgh, if had to pick two regular studio-albums of his to throw in the garbage these two would be it

I really dislike Spike. I really really REALLY dislike Spike. The biggest problem is the production, everything sounds very bloated and I can't stand it. The brass sound especially makes me feel queasy at times. The production aside, I just don't think the songs are very good. 2-3 great ones perhaps, but the rest just aren't interesting at all to me. This isn't helped by the fact that they're often drawn out to terrible lengths.

Now MLAR I do like quite alot. Though there are a few weaker tracks among some very good to excellent ones, I still enjoy listening to the entire album (save perhaps Hurry Down Doomsday (The shit is taking over) whose production fails it).

King Hoarse: I can understand why you don't like "Playboy To A Man" (though I find it very enjoyable) but how can you not love "Beaten To The Punch" ?

[Otis Westinghouse]

MLAR for me. Has some personal faves and lots of special personal memories too. I'm with Fishfinger King.

[wardo68]

MLAR for me. Has some personal faves and lots of special personal memories too. I'm with Fishfinger King.

As am I. Spike lost its luster after the first year, but MLAR still gets my attention regularly.