Ha! Yeah, but The Attractions are on only a coupla songs, which I skip. ;-) Just kidding. I loved Costello’s debut (I got the UK Stiff Records import before it was released stateside), not knowing at the time the band was comprised of members of Clover, from my neck-o-the-woods (well, Marin County).
When the follow-up came out, I didn’t care for it at all. The playing on the debut was much more soulful, with a fairly deep pocket; on the follow-up the playing sounds rushed (English drummers are well-known to play at the front edge of the pocket. Ringo was an exception, as was the studio drummer who played on the early Kinks albums.), and "clacky". Plus, I didn’t like the production, the sound of the recordings. Too glassy-sounding, not organic enough for me. Too bad he didn’t have Dave Edmunds produce him instead of Nick Lowe (don’t care for his production style. Edmunds is far more to my liking).
If Costello likes the drumming of Pete Thomas, well, we just have different tastes, and will have to agree to disagree. Pete tensions his drum heads far too tight for me---the drums don’t "breathe". Very shallow tone, no depth. But hey, he’s done alright for himself, hasn’t he? ;-) I felt the exact same way when I heard The Red Hot Cilli Peppers’ drummer on one of the Dixie Chicks albums---he’s playing a piccolo snare drum, the sound of which I despise. Ruined the album for me! And then there is The Attractions bassist (don’t recall his name): he plays a Rickenbacker! How "girly" is that? ;-) Real men play Fenders.
But what really makes The Attractions unlistenable is the cheesy sound of Steve Nieve’s organ. He needs to get himself a Hammond and Leslie! He sounds far too "white" for me, in both tone and style.
As for Costello himself: he’s a mighty fine songwriter, but his vibrato is WAY outta control. Far too much of it; Elvis, baby, just sing the note---stop trying so hard to prove you’re a "good" singer.
When the follow-up came out, I didn’t care for it at all. The playing on the debut was much more soulful, with a fairly deep pocket; on the follow-up the playing sounds rushed (English drummers are well-known to play at the front edge of the pocket. Ringo was an exception, as was the studio drummer who played on the early Kinks albums.), and "clacky". Plus, I didn’t like the production, the sound of the recordings. Too glassy-sounding, not organic enough for me. Too bad he didn’t have Dave Edmunds produce him instead of Nick Lowe (don’t care for his production style. Edmunds is far more to my liking).
If Costello likes the drumming of Pete Thomas, well, we just have different tastes, and will have to agree to disagree. Pete tensions his drum heads far too tight for me---the drums don’t "breathe". Very shallow tone, no depth. But hey, he’s done alright for himself, hasn’t he? ;-) I felt the exact same way when I heard The Red Hot Cilli Peppers’ drummer on one of the Dixie Chicks albums---he’s playing a piccolo snare drum, the sound of which I despise. Ruined the album for me! And then there is The Attractions bassist (don’t recall his name): he plays a Rickenbacker! How "girly" is that? ;-) Real men play Fenders.
But what really makes The Attractions unlistenable is the cheesy sound of Steve Nieve’s organ. He needs to get himself a Hammond and Leslie! He sounds far too "white" for me, in both tone and style.
As for Costello himself: he’s a mighty fine songwriter, but his vibrato is WAY outta control. Far too much of it; Elvis, baby, just sing the note---stop trying so hard to prove you’re a "good" singer.