Elvis Costello & The Attractions Armed Forces by: Steve Scully Mon:15-Oct-07 Label: Columbia Year: 1979 WB rating 92 out of 100

Two albums into his music career, Elvis Costello was no longer just ‘the other Elvis’. With his third record, Armed Forces, his greatness was assured. An album full of rollicking, punk-inspired forays into youth frustration had never been so melodic, and never before had punk music been the genre of choice for the intellectual. Costello, still holding his working-class roots close to his heart, emerged from the album a figurehead for a wider youth rebellion, as Elvis the Artist finally caught up to Elvis the Antagonist.

Armed Forces is an exercise in balancing two competing approaches: subtle wit and satire, and blatant political statements. ‘Two Little Hitlers’, a song that on face value seems a political statement, is also a biting invective against destructive relationships; the jealousy illustrated in the lines “He wants to know the names of/All those he’s better than” is all too real.

‘Oliver’s Army’ is Armed Forces’ most timeless track, and one that sits as perhaps the greatest of Costello’s repertoire. Apart form the fearful ‘N’ word that pops up, eliciting cringes from the modern prudes, it is about as perfect as a pop song can get. Lyrically, it’s a labyrinth of social satire and incomprehensible logorrhoea. The chorus “Oliver’s army is here to stay/Oliver’s army are on their way/And I would rather be anywhere else/But here today,” finds new tangibility in our current climate of pugnacity, and the precipitousness of the global situation in Costello’s time, as in ours, is made lucid: “Only takes one itchy trigger/One more widow, one less white nigger”. On top of all this poignancy, there’s a catchy melody, brilliantly full production, and it’s extraordinarily well-performed by all involved, the piano (played by Steve Nieve), bass and strings particularly effective.

There are so many little references to political extremism that interpretation can fall either way. Either Costello is either being blatant, sending a very coarse message, or he is mocking, full of tongue-in-cheek hyperbole. ‘Two Little Hitlers’ plays on the inferences many draw from the mere mention of the name, and the “final solution” in ‘Chemistry Class’ could again be read as a similar play on the listeners’ perceptions. In all, Costello is undoubtedly making his political sentiments clear – he is frustrated, and has nothing but disdain for the ‘Goon Squad’ boys who “don’t grow up at all” or the big-wig ‘Busy Bodies’ who are “nothing but a nuisance” – but the wordplay, the subtle injections of these turns of phrase, belies any conception of mere simplicity. Even ‘(What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding’, a song with such a clear message, is so heavy-handed that it seems almost parodical. It is when you strike a balance between the opposing interpretations of Armed Forces that you take the most out of the album. It may have clear political and social messages, but the underlying humour and cynicism Costello exhibits towards even his own political stance is equally as thought-provoking.

The other masterpiece this album has to offer is the opening track, ‘Accidents Will Happen’. “Oh, I just don’t know where to begin,” Costello sings; the song is Armed Forces’ mission statement, making explicit what the rest of the album only implies. Costello’s lack of surety comes through, his frustration no longer black-and-white and he has developed a fear that can only come with experience: “it’s the words that we don’t say/That scare me so.” It’s the mark of an intelligent man that he can see his own flaws, and admit his lack of knowledge. Fear based on these acknowledged flaws is by no means a mark of cowardice: “I know what I’ve done,” he claims, and it’s intensely confronting to even think of what others more powerful than you are capable.

Armed Forces’ lyrics are deep enough to warrant their own analysis, but you can’t overlook what is most striking on first instance. The sonic construction of the album, its instrumentation and production, is utterly superb. Costello’s harmonies in ‘Oliver’s Army’ and ‘Big Boys’ show true musical ingenuity, his lyrics never seeming forced as they mould to fit the rhythmic melodies. The Attractions too are at the top of their game on this record, Bruce Thomas on bass and Pete Thomas on drums particularly brilliant as they exhibit skilful sparseness in ‘Green Shirt’, then trade idiosyncratic licks and fills in ‘Goon Squad’ to superb effect.

An album of depth and complexity that doesn’t compromise on accessibility is a rarity. Armed Forces is not only one of the finest pop albums of its decade, but it possesses the quality of being consistently relevant, and increasingly enjoyable – a combination that only the most remarkable works of art possess.