Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Armed Forces (1979)

review by: Alexander Washburn
Date: 1/10/01

I just got back from the land where I thought the Spice Girls, Robbie Williams and Oasis ruled. I left London, drunk, tired and secure in the knowledge that "The Man" Elvis Costello still rules the land.

Armed Forces has the hits. "Watching the Detectives," "Accidents Will Happen," and my favorite, "(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding". There was a time when that song along would sum up the greatness of this record but times have changed. "Clean Money" drives you at a speed I wish more musicians played at. Clever songs like "Two Little Hitlers," and "Wednesday Week," a classic Costello. My version includes a few live tracks most beautifully a piano-only version of "Accidents." When he sings, "It's the damage that we do and never know. It's the words that we don't say that scare me so," evoke all the imagery of lost relationships and missed opportunities. Elvis could be corporal into corporal punishment or the general manager of a large establishment. But what he is a solid performer, who has never let down his loyal fans. I've only seen 1 Costello video in my life and you only hear "Allison" and perhaps "What's so Funny" on the radio, but the longevity of his career is merely a testament to his reach and importance in the history of rock and roll.

He's still the man after all these years.