All This Useless Beauty

All This Useless Beauty
studio album by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Released	1996-05-13 (UK) 1996-05-14 (US/Canada) 1996-05-25 (Japan) 2001-08-21 (US 2CD reissue) 2001-09-03 (UK 2CD reissue)
Recorded	August-September 1995 Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin February 1996 Westside Studios, London
Producer	Geoff Emerick & Elvis Costello
Label	Warner Bros. (1996) Rhino (2001)
Length	48:20

Tracks

01. The Other End Of The Telescope [Costello/Mann] (4:06)
02. Little Atoms (3:56)
03. All This Useless Beauty (4:37)
04. Complicated Shadows (4:43)
05. Why Can't A Man Stand Alone? (3:16)
06. Distorted Angel (4:31)
07. Shallow Grave [McCartney/MacManus] (2:00)
08. Poor Fractured Atlas (3:57)
09. Starting To Come To Me (2:43)
10. You Bowed Down (4:53)
11. It's Time (5:57)
12. I Want To Vanish (3:13)

All songs written by Elvis Costello except where noted.

Credits

• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals, electric, acoustic & slide guitars, celesta on "All This Useless Beauty", second bass on "Shallow Grave", bridge keyboards on "You Bowed Down"

The Attractions:

Steve Nieve - piano, keyboards, drum programming & sequencing

Bruce Thomas - bass

Pete Thomas - drums, percussion, acoustic guitar on "You Bowed Down"

Pete Whyman - bass clarinet on "All This Useless Beauty" & "I Want To Vanish"

Roy Babbington - double bass on "All This Useless Beauty" & "I Want To Vanish"

Matt MacManus - rhythm research on "It's Time"

The Brodsky Quartet:

Michael Thomas - violin on "I Want To Vanish"

Ian Belton - violin on "I Want To Vanish"

Paul Cassidy - viola on "I Want To Vanish"

Jacqueline Thomas - cello on "I Want To Vanish"

Ruth Causey - Bb clarinet on "I Want To Vanish"

All This Useless Beauty (2001 Rhino edition)

Disc 1 All This Useless Beauty (48:20) 01. The Other End Of The Telescope [Costello/Mann] (4:06) 02. Little Atoms (3:56) 03. All This Useless Beauty (4:37) 04. Complicated Shadows (4:43) 05. Why Can't A Man Stand Alone? (3:16) 06. Distorted Angel (4:31) 07. Shallow Grave [McCartney/MacManus] (2:00) 08. Poor Fractured Atlas (3:57) 09. Starting To Come To Me (2:43) 10. You Bowed Down (4:53) 11. It's Time (5:57) 12. I Want To Vanish (3:13)

Disc 2 Bonus Disc (68:14) 01. Almost Ideal Eyes (4:19) 02. My Dark Life - with Brian Eno (6:19) 03. That Day Is Done - with The Fairfield Four [McCartney/MacManus] (5:08) 04. What Do I Do Now? [Louise Wener] (4:26) 05. The Bridge I Burned (5:19) 06. It's Time (Demo) (3:58) 07. Complicated Shadows (Demo) (2:24) 08. You Bowed Down (Demo) (4:18) 09. Mistress And Maid (Demo) [McCartney/MacManus] (2:17) 10. Distorted Angel (Demo) (2:31) 11. World's Great Optimist (Demo) [Costello/Mann] (2:32) 12. The Only Flame In Town (Demo) (4:11) 13. The Comedians (Demo) (3:05) 14. The Days Take Care Of Everything (Demo) (3:55) 15. Hidden Shame (Demo) (3:56) 16. Why Can't A Man Stand Alone (Demo) (2:58) 17. Distorted Angel (Tricky Remix) (5:35)

Original discography pages

• Home Page discography page | A01 | A02 |
• Singles: S01 | S02 | S03 | S04 | S05 | S06 | S07 | S08 | S09 | S10

Internal links

• Lyrics | Liner Notes | Album Images

External links

• Elvis Costello on Rhino's All This Useless Beauty reissue page