Never a big one for lists - I prefer meandering discussion
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
But I'll give it a whirl. These aren't necessarily the EC albums I would single out as objectively his 'greatest.' They're the ones that I personally have listened to and enjoyed the most over the years, which means that personal and idiosyncratic considerations are larded in with more strictly critical factors. Unable to just 'list,' I've added a quick word of explanation to each pick.
10.
Armed Forces. A fundamental breakthrough in giving us the politicization of EC's early persona. Great hooks to boot.
9.
Mighty Like a Rose. A flawed and bizarre album, but I love its sheer eccentricity as well as courageous compositions like 'All Grown Up' and 'Sumnmer.' What's really underrated here is his voice - its timbre the best of his entire career. It's like fine leather...worn by a leper.
8.
Momofuku. An unassuming, engaging collection. I love records like this, just a batch of good songs, with no particular big concept or overarching agenda. 'Mr. Feathers' is, strangely enough, one of my all-time favourites - perhaps EC's best excursion into fusing the musicality of McCartney with Lennonish acid reflux. Pair that with the steamroller of 'Stella Hurt' and this record has an irresistable core.
7.
Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. A controversial pick, but this is one of his best
sounding records to my ear. After a poor beginning, it rises to a great second half by virtue of its unique combination of sound and lyric: half a great record, then. But what a half.
6.
Trust. See Momofuku. 'Fish and Chip Paper' is hilarious. And damn, could that band ever play.
5.
National Ransom. Three songs - 'Jimmie', 'Voice,' and 'Dr Watson' - that rate with the very best of his entire career, along with a whole crop of other terrific numbers. Only the dubious crime of excessive generosity in including a few middling songs causes it to fall out of the top three.
4.
Spike. My first Elvis Costello album. 'Nuff said.
3.
Blood and Chocolate. The whole album sounds like it was made by some weird industrial organism. 'Battered Old Bird' is the only misstep and it took me years to realize even that. Just a tank of a record.
2.
Get Happy!! Has there ever been an album with a higher percentage of catchily perfect pop songs? The absolute pinnacle of Elvis Costello as a pop genius on speed. My only quibble is the inexplicably tinny sound - I could never work out if this was a consequence of 'groove cramming'
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
or the desired effect. If the latter, why?
1.
King of America. Giving us Elvis the epic balladeer, the last four songs represent the acme of his achievement as a songwriter, and possibly the most powerful quartet of popular songs in sequence I've ever heard on any record. An extravagant claim, but one I just might be willing to defend.