Popdose: Popdose Flashback: Elvis Costello, “Spike”
The Man I Used To Be
· 8 months ago
Love this record. Great nod to the production Dunphy. It sounds nothing like the other Albums of its time. In 1989 I was playing this and XTC's O&L's non-stop and you can tell the difference between the two just on the drum sounds alone. It was Spike, not Armed Forces or This Years Model that made me go deeper into Elvis catalog. The one-two punch of Elvis saying - "Here is one for you, then one for me" on this record worked surprising well. I love the pairings of "Baby Plays Around"/ "Miss Macbeth"/ "Any King's Shilling".
JonCummings
· 8 months ago
It was the constant tempo and mood shifts that kept me riveted through much of "Spike" (though the second half tails off dramatically, in my opinion). "Let Him Dangle" is one of my fave Elvis tracks, accomplishing more in four minutes than that movie with the Spandau Ballet boys did in two hours. And I found "Tramp the Dirt Down" eye-opening, having rarely heard a spitting of specific vitriol quite like it.
JonCummings
· 8 months ago
Whoops, wrong movie--there were no Spans in "Let Him Have It," though my point remains. The Kemp brothers were in "The Krays," which was directed by Peter Medak, who also helmed "Let Him Have It" -- and, later, "Beverly Hills Cop 3"!!!! But I digress...
BobCashill
· 8 months ago
After a difficult shoot on "Coming to America" (1988), Eddie Murphy famously said that John Landis would have a better chance of working with "Twilight Zone" unfortunate Vic Morrow than him again. "Cop 3" (1994) was directed by...John Landis. Go figure.
(Medak, director of "The Ruling Class" and "The Changeling," also directed "Romeo is Bleeding"...and "Species II.")
And I love "Spike," which I listened to constantly when I lived in Hong Kong. It helped me through those long hours of editing reports about Taiwanese capacitors, my not-so-glamorous job back then.
Dave
· 8 months ago
I had a similar experience with this album. I was 'familiar' with EC, but this was the first one I really digested and knew every note of. 20 years later, I'm as hardcore a fan as possible. Going to see him in June with a bluegrass backing band!
Old_Davy
· 8 months ago
After the first three brilliant albums, I kind of lost interest in EC until Spike was released. What a return to form! Easily the best album after those first three.
el bandito
· 8 months ago
"Baby Play Around" is a classic. I love this album!
side3
· 8 months ago
I love "This Town"...EC plus McCartney on bass and Roger McGuinn on 12 String Rick= classic.
ShalimarBojangles
· 8 months ago
"Last Boat Leaving" is one of my all-time favorite EC tracks. Sublimely beautiful and sad.
All Comments
(Medak, director of "The Ruling Class" and "The Changeling," also directed "Romeo is Bleeding"...and "Species II.")
And I love "Spike," which I listened to constantly when I lived in Hong Kong. It helped me through those long hours of editing reports about Taiwanese capacitors, my not-so-glamorous job back then.