Dave Pannell

Below are links to Elvis Costello articles and reviews that were first published in Beyond Belief, the fabulous (and now much missed) EC magazine edited by Mike Bodayle. Thanks to Richard Arthur for his help with Costello Specs numbers 2 to 5 and to John Everingham for help with the 1999 concert reviews.

Costello Specs #1 - The Elvis Catalogue from a Statistical Perspective (May 1995)
Costello Specs #2 - The Demon Reissue Program in Review (February 1996)
Costello Specs #3 - The Gaps (songs that were not included in the Demon reissue program) (May 1996)
Costello Specs #4 - The Post-Demon Gaps (March 1997)
Costello Specs #5 - The Rise and Fall of (MacManus) (analysis of songwriting credits) (September 1997)

The Gaps - full list of EC tracks not on the Rhino reissues or other main albums (a page I've developed on the EC Wiki site)

Concerts I've seen, some with reviews

Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Perth, 8 December 1978

Unpublished review of Elvis Costello and the Attractions in Perth May 1982

Elvis Costello with T-Bone Burnett, Perth, 1985

Elvis Costello and the Rude 5, Perth, 1991

Review of Elvis Costello in Edmonton, Canada  August 1995

Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve in Australia/New Zealand January-February 1999

Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Melbourne, July 2002

Elvis Costello and the Imposters in Perth, Western Australia,  5 December  2004

Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve, Sydney, January 2006

Elvis Costello and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, January 2006, twice

Elvis Costello, Fremantle, October 2009

Elvis Costello, Melbourne, October 2009

ALBUMS:

1. Get Happy!! (1980)
2. King of America (1986)
3. This Year's Model (1978)
4. The Juliet Letters (1993)
5. Trust (1981)
6. Spike (1989)
7. Brutal Youth (1994)
8. Imperial Bedroom (1982)
9. Painted From Memory (1998)
10. All the Useless Beauty (1996)

SONGS:

1. God Give Me Strength
3. Sleep of the Just
4. Radio Radio
5. Shipbuilding
2. So Like Candy
6. Taking My Life in Your Hands
7. You Tripped at Every Step
8. Brilliant Mistake
9. Black and White World
10. The Judgement

(also Toledo, Welcome to the Working Week, Party Girl, I'll Wear it Proudly, Busy Bodies, This Year's Girl, Big Tears, Couldn't Call it Unexpected #4, The Birds Will Still Be Singing, Tart, Jack of All Parades, Country Darkness, Hoover Factory, Wednesday Week).

BEST COVER VERSION:

1. You're No Good
2. God Only Knows
3. Sticks and Stones
4. Peace, Love and Understanding

BEST ALBUM SLEEVE:

Trust

MOST TREASURED RARITY:

Live at New York Town Hall

LEAST FAVOURITE SONGS:

1. Eisenhour Blues
2. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (studio version)
3. Playboy to a Man
4. There's a Message in Your Voice
5. Why Don't you Love Me Like You Used to Do
6. Deportee's Club
7. Mystery Dance
8. This Offer is Unrepeatable
9. Miss Macbeth
10. Chewing Gum

Costello Specs by Dave Pannell
Official site  
ElvisCostello.info
Elvis Costello Wiki
Elvis Costello Trainspotters' Guide
The Gaps - list of EC tracks not on the main albums or Rhino reissues (a page I've developed on the EC Wiki site)

David Pannell home page

Copyright © David J. Pannell, 2009
Last revised: November 20, 2009.