It does not surprise me that ImpBed won the Elvis Cup, but does not command a majority from the fans.
I had a sneaking suspicion that this might be the case. Although previous polls have seen ImpBed come top, more people voted against it than for it. The fact is that there are a core of EC albums that are generally ranked in the top six consistently (see below). The interesting part of the Elvis Cup experiment, is that none of the post 1989 albums make the top eight with the exception of 'North'.
Imperial Bedroom
Get Happy!!
This Years Model
Trust
B&C
KOA
"But they can't hold a candle to the reciprical war crimes which have plagued our policy of foriegn affairs."
Actually, I think All This Useless Beauty is one of the better ones. It has some amazing songs.. "Complicated Shadows".. "All This Useless Beauty"... "The Other End Of The Telescope", etc.
My order for post 1989 albums (including Spike) would be:
Brutal Youth
All This Useless Beauty
Spike
North
Mighty Like A Rose
When I Was Cruel
Painted From Memory
I can't comment on The Juliet Letters or Kojak Variety, cause I don't have them. And then I guess there's Deep Dead Blue and other weird albums that aren't really albums. But I won't count those
Last edited by BlueChair on Sun Oct 19, 2003 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This morning you've got time for a hot, home-cooked breakfast! Delicious and piping hot in only 3 microwave minutes.
I like Kojak a lot: it was hard to me to accostume to it, since some of the songs aren´t really quite good, but I thing it´s the sound of the wole album the thing you have to get. The way they re-read some of the songs (including the fantastic version of Dylan´s "I threw..."... though I´d rather listen the Davies´ version of "Days" and would forget Costello´s... but the album is almost perfect! )
Anyway.
If we include Spike, my order would be
The Juliet letters
Brutal youth
Kojak variety
When I was cruel
Mighty like a rose
North
Painted from memory
All this useless beauty
"Sometimes I name and number all the things you gave to me"
Elvis' post '89 albums are overall not as good as Spike and prior, I feel.
My order would be:-
1. Brutal Youth
2. When I Was Cruel
3. All This Useless Beauty
4. North
5. Mighty Like A Rose
6. The Juliet Letters
7. Painted From Memory
(then a gap to)
Maybe KoS.
Though I am sure Elvis has never been racist and one drunken incident seems to be referred back to an awful lot (it was recalled in several of the North reviews). It all happened just before I got into Elvis so I don't remember the coverage at the time.
KoS... maybe it influenced it a little bit yeah, cos he (understandably) feels pretty bad about it even today (see Get Happy liner notes).
But, ATUB bad? No chance!!!!! Shallow Grave, Little Atoms, Poor Fractured Atlas, Complicated Shadows, Distorted Angel, You Bowed Down, Other end of the telescope, Why cant a man stand alone...these are all brilliant songs IMHO.
I'd go for...
Spike (during)
Brutal Youth
Mighty Like A Rose
All This Useless Beauty
When I Was Cruel
North
The Juliet Letters
Painted From Memory
Kojak Variety
Cruel Smile... Smile is really good on this though.
1. Brutal Youth
2. When I Was Cruel
3. All This Useless Beauty
4. Cruel Smile
5. Spike
6. Mighty Like A Rose
7. North
8. Kojak Variety
9. Juliet Letters
10. Painted From Memory
11. For The Stars
And 4, 5, and 6 are about tied really. I don't have a strong preference for any of the three. But I would probably at this moment rather hear Cruel Smile than Spike, and Spike rather than MLAR.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
--William Shakespeare
Imperial is kinda experimental because of the production, the loops, the orchestration and the sound.....I'm with King Of Spain....and it's the best friggin' album EC has made! basta!
All This Useless Beauty
When I Was Cruel
Mighty Like A Rose
North
Brutal Youth
Juliet Letters
Spike
Kojak Variety
Cruel Smile
Painted From Memory is left out because I've heard it maybe 3 times at most but don't own it. Don't own Kojak Variety either but listened to it many times. I'm not even bothering with For The Stars.