Elvis Costello and the Attractions-Imperial Bedroom (1982)

 


Artist: Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Title: Imperial Bedroom

Label: Columbia

Format: LP

Cat #: FC 38157

Year of Release:1982

Country and Year of Edition Issue:

Listed Condition: US 1982 Pitman Pressing

Sell Date: 3/25/22

Sell Price: $5.99

Discogs Last Sold: 3/13/22 $8.99 NM/VG+

Low: $3.00

Median: $6.50

Average: $7.60

High: $28.80 NM/NM 

Current low price:

Current Number on Sale at Discogs:11/19/21

Have/Want: 567/72

Where Sold: Humble, TX

Time it took to sell: 7 years

Where and When Bought: abandoned by former roommate

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B+

Sad To See It Go: No

Imperial Bedroom is one of those albums that was cited a classic upon release and maybe wasn't as good as lauded (the 4 1/2 has now been docked to a mere 4-stars) compared to the whole catalog.  In fact, I listened to his new one A Boy Named If start to finish a month or so ago and maybe enjoyed it just as much as this one, if not more

I didn't bother to actually buy this one until Ryko did a CD reissue and this specific copy was left behind by a roommate well over 10 years ago.  If he ever asks for it, I guess I'll just get him another one.  Somehow I don't think that will happen,  I seem to remember this getting played incessantly, but the only song I remember well is "Tears Before Bedtime."  Maybe only side one was played.  Maybe only the first few songs were played when I was home.  Who knows?

So what of my current headphone listen?  Well for me the tracks that stood out are "Man Out Of Time" a startlingly abrasive rocker as well as "Human Hands."  "Pidgin English" and "You Little Fool" wrap up the album in a strong manner before the grand finale "Town Cryer."  Imperial Bedroom is strong Elvis Costello, kind of a bridge record.  It seems better than the time I've allotted to it in my lifetime.   I like some later ones more that maybe I shouldn't, but for a long time Armed Forces was the only one I had before the CD era.  As I filled in holes over the years, I added titles at random throughout his career, instead of methodically getting every album.  Although I still like the Angry Young Man years best, these dense song packed albums never make it beyond a pass here and there.

It's a daunting catalog for me, really...

ED NOTE 10/29/24: I got another copy of this and decided listening today that this is an A level record.  Worth the time.


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