io dress them up. There’s some banal moments and “Shot With His Own Gun’”’ is melodramatic, but overall the album stands up quite well.

“most Blue - His only turkey in fifteen years. Shock- ngly bland, the exact opposite of everything he hampions. Note: Does not contain the song *‘Almost Blue,’’ otherwise it wouldn’t have been a ¢otal turkey.

imperial Bedroom - Not quite the masterpiece it was Outed as: it’s occasionally bloated and some of the jongs simply aren’t that good. It also marks the jeginning ofaslickness in Costello’s sound. How- tver, it’s still quite good and contains one of Elvis’ nost beautiful ballads, **Almost Blue.’’

aunch the Clock - A brassy entry that has some yonderful moments, like **The Greatest Thing,’’ "Everyday | Write the Book’’ and ‘“‘Shipbuilding.’’ the slickness furthers and undercuts some fine mate- jal.

joodbye Cruel World - Costello’s most sterile album nd his second worst, which means it’s still fairly od. Some songs, like ‘‘I Wanna Be Loved’’ and ‘The Deportees Club,’’ (arguably) rise above the tifling production.

fing of America - Almost Blue done the right way. A lainly acoustic outing that returns Elvis to human lusic. This one really flies on the gorgeous, soulful ‘Poisoned Rose,’’ ‘‘Suit of Lights,’’ the undeniable, stro ‘‘ Lovable’’ and ‘‘American Without Tears.”’

lood and Chocolate - Released in the same year, food once again finds Costello going backwards, lis time to the classic Attractions sound. The songs fé fantastic; from the tortured ‘‘ Battered Old Bird’’

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to the dribbling rhythms of ‘‘Tokyo Storm Warning’’; from the abrasive stomp of ‘‘Uncomplicated’’ to the obsessive “‘I Want You.’’ A fine argument that the Attractions was all Costello ever did right.

Out of Our Idiot (Import) - His second collection of unreleased material just doesn’t stack up. Nonethe- less, he manages to spice up some fairly inconsequen- tial compositions with his usual pop touches. Con- tains nothing that even a fanatic (like me) can’t live without.

Girls Girls Girls - A compilation that is undeniably well chosen; it speaks, it flows, the music’s great, yet it’s completely illogical. It doesn’t have ‘‘I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down,”’’ ‘‘Radio Radio’’ or “Peace, Love and Understanding.’’ Regardless of whether he wrote these songs or not, acollection should present an artist’s biggest and best material (a Reader’s Digest version of acareer), and this one doesn’t. Besides, an Elvis Costello collection is impossible, the man flirts with perfection almost every time out.

Spike - By this time Costello may have looked like a failed experimentalist, as demonstrated in the retreats of King and Blood. But for me, this one brings it all together and makes his career make sense. With amazing dexterity Elvis presents some of his most soulful singing and beautiful songs. For me (and I stress this), this is his finest moment.

Mighty Like a Rose - His worst since Goodbye Cruel World, so it’s actually quite good. The material is occasionally vapid and the baroque arrangements sometimes freeze over. Also, his nonstop misanthropy has become somewhat tiresome. Nonetheless, ‘‘So Like Candy’’ and ‘‘The Other Side of Summer’”’ stand up with his best material.