NewsElvis Costello / Brutal Youth limited edition 2LP gatefold red vinyl
2LP red vinyl • 1000 only • Gatefold • Numbered
Elvis Costello‘s wonderful Brutal Youth album from 1994, which featured the full Attractions line up on a number of songs, will be reissued as a limited edition 2LP red vinyl set in July.
The album was produced by Mitchell Froom and was well received, reaching number two in the UK album charts, thanks in part to excellent word-of-mouth and a top thirty hit in Sulky Girl.
The record mostly features Costello with Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Nick Lowe (on bass), but original Attractions member Bruce Thomas does play the bass on five tracks.
Although a relatively long album at 15 songs, it’s a real cracker with some wonderful material, including moving ballads like ‘All The Rage’, ‘Favourite Hour’ and ‘Still Too Soon To Know’ and fiercer, spiky numbers like ‘Just About Glad’, ‘20% Amnesia’ and ‘My Science Fiction Twin’.
I saw Costello on this tour at the Royal Albert Hall and it was superb.
Anyway, Brutal Youth is issued as this double coloured vinyl pressing via Music On Vinyl on 31 July 2020. It’s limited to just 1000 units with only 300 earmarked for the UK. Get your order in via the SDE shop using this link or the button below.
SIDE A
1. Pony St.
2. Kinder Murder
3. 13 Steps Lead Down
4. This Is Hell
SIDE B
1. Clown Strike
2. You Tripped At Every Step
3. Still Too Soon To Know
4. 20% Amnesia
SIDE C
1. Sulky Girl
2. London’s Brilliant Parade
3. My Science Fiction Twin
SIDE D
1. Rocking Horse Road
2. Just About Glad
3. All The Rage
4. Favourite Hour
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My copy has arrived and it sounds fantastic. The album was actually really nice produced but what really strikes me is the very high quality of the song-writing throughout. I think I’d underrated this record so I’m really glad it was reissued. I hope they do some more reissues in this series, such as the Juliet Letters and North.
The reissue of TJL that came out in 2014 is more expensive that an original on Discogs.
Listened to North the other night for the first time in years. It’s very well recorded but dreadfully dull and one note aside from ‘Still’ and the closing bonus track which sounds nothing like the rest of it.
From Elvis’s Warner Bros. years, I still give Spike a slight edge over Brutal Youth. To me there is more variety in the material (probably due to the fact that its not an Attractions album) and nuance in his singing performances. But Brutal Youth is excellent just for choice cuts like “Kinder Murder”, “Pony St”, “Thirteen Steps”, and “…Science Fiction …”
Nah. Spike has some good songs, but the album as a whole is over-produced (as was the follow-up, Mighty Like a Rose).
Brutal Youth FTW.
One of the best tours of his illustrious career, mixing songs from Brutal Youth with old classics from This Year’s Girl and Armed Forces.
Thanks Paul,
Happy to buy it! The red vinyl should look wonderful. This will be my third time buying this album. Original CD, Expanded Double CD and now Vinyl. Great album, I really like some of those WB albums. Brutal Youth was special in that it was a return in away (but with a harder edge and more guitar solos) to those first 5 albums.
Make sure it gets to Canada in good shape :)
Pony St. FTW
Hey Paul,
Is this going to be released in the states? Would love to order from you but the post makes it a bit to heavy duty for me.
Thanks for a great website,
Neal
Agreed with the person who called this one EC’s “last great album.” I saw EC and the Attractions tour this record in Seattle and it was an excellent show. I also have the MOV 2LP from however many years ago and would assume this was made from the same master — which was quite good! If only there weren’t all these Macca and Beatles things coming up I’d grab this one. Since I don’t know if I’m even returning to my old job at this point, I gotta pass. Dang.
Ordered looking forward to this one Cheers Paul
Great album – one of his best! So just ordered. Many thanks Paul
Cheers Terry.
Great album and a really good deal. Ordered thanks Paul!
Let’s hope there are more reissues from the Warner years in the pipeline. All I own from that era is the Extreme Honey compilation, on MOV.
That’s my day made.
Saw him do this album at Glastonbury & Wolves in 1994.
Ordered !
His last great album, IMHO. Not that he hasn’t made good ones since, but this one just “clicks” for me. Coincidentally, the cover is perfect for these times.
Would love to, but those postal rates are lethal.
If there are any left I might combine it with something else. I already have Tin Machine II bundle on order.
Ordered! Many thanks, Paul!
Cheers Guy.
Fantastic album, as is the follow-up. My favourites are 13 Steps Lead Down, This Is Hell, You Tripped At Every Step, Still Too Soon To Know, 20% Amnesia, Sulky Girl and London’s Brilliant Parade.
One of my top 5 albums! But the only reason to buy this would be the colour of the discs? Other than that I assume this is exactly the same edition as the one MOV released in 2013?
I don’t own this on vinyl, so that’s my reason to buy it.
touché :) And indeed, I didn’t know that the previous vinyl version is now so rare and only for sale at ridiculous pices. So probably good that it’s coming out again. Bring on the other ones too, I would say.
Funny thing is – I actually ordered a copy now. It’s too good to resist after all …
(see whether you can find my name in the list ;) )
Great work as usual Paul- Ordered from SDE straight off. Haven’t listened to this for a while so really looking forward to giving the records a blast.
Best of health to all the SDE community.
Cheers!
Well, this came out of the blue – it’s not as though the album is celebrating an anniversary or anything. Thanks for the update, Paul- your SDE updates are invaluable! Order placed.
A great album, and there were some great b-sides kicking around at the time too.
Yes, I’m very happy to buy this from you, Paul, and I’ve just placed my order with you.
Thanks Paul
Ordered. This is fantastic to buy from you!
Thank you
I’ve got the MOV black reissue from around 10 years ago . I missed out on All This Useless Beauty so a coloured vinyl reissue of that would be nice
Fantastic news! The best of his WB albums, in my never-humble opinion
Tremendous album so a no brainer, ordered straight away.
Cheers Paul.
This is my most-played album of the last 25 years. That being said, I should probably order this, but I already have the black-vinyl issue that Music on Vinyl did. I may pass, though my gut tells me to get it.
Agree – love it. Bought it. Thank you Paul.
Love this album, ordered, cheers Paul :)
Thanks Sean!
I know a few Costello fans that really rate this record, but I’ve never got into it. I’d recommend people sampling it first – but then with only 1000 out there, maybe they know this isn’t great Costello…..
I love this album. One of his best for me.
Totally agree Paul – love it!
This is great Costello, top 5 of his albums
1000 copies is the usual run for MOV coloured pressings . Definitely one of my favourite Costello albums , the tour which I saw in Sheffield was also one of his best I’ve attended