Elvis Costello - Radio Sweethearts (1980)

Even though I've followed Elvis Costello throughout his long and varied career, I've alway had a soft spot for the music that he released in the first three years of hs solo career. Those first few singles were so unlike anything else that was out there at the time that they shone out like a beacon. If you bought them when they came out, as I did, you found that there were even more gems tucked away on the flips, and when the albums started to appear these songs were often conspicuous by their absence. His first few singles for Stiff Records ('Less Than Zero' and 'Alison') failed to chart, but his debut album was an immediate success, gracing the UK Top 20, which was quite a achievement for a New Wave album. The backing for the recordings was provided by American West Coast band Clover, a country outfit living in England, whose members would later go on to join Huey Lewis and the News and the Doobie Brothers. Costello put together a new band for his next single, and Steve Nieve (piano), Steve Goulding (drums) and Andrew Bodnar (bass) recorded 'Watching The Detectives', his first UK hit single. Replacing Bodnar with Bruce Thomas, and Goulding with Pete Thomas, The Attractions were born, and Costello's most creative period began. This album collates all the b-sides, freebie singles, and one solitary movie soundtrack recording that were issued between 1977 and 1980, and is more for the UK visitor, as quite often UK non-album singles were added to the US editions of his records, although there is much to savour here no matter where you live.   

Track listing
      
01 Radio Sweetheart (b-side of 'Less Than Zero' 1977)
02 Watching The Detectives (single 1977)
03 Stranger In The House (free single with 'This Year's Model' 1978)
04 Neat Neat Neat (Live) (free single with 'This Year's Model' 1978)
05 Big Tears (b-side of 'Pump It Up' 1978)
06 Crawling To The USA (from the soundtrack of 'Americathon' 1979)
07 Radio, Radio (UK single 1978)
08 Tiny Steps (b-side of 'Radio Radio')
09 Talking In The Dark (free single with 'Armed Forces' 1978)
10 Wednesday Week (free single with 'Armed Forces' 1978)
11 My Funny Valentine (b-side of 'Oliver's Army' 1979)
12 Girls Talk (b-side of 'I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down' 1980)
13 Getting Mighty Crowded (b-side of 'High Fidelity' 1980)
14 Ghost Train (b-side of 'New Amsterdam' EP 1980)
15 Dr. Luther's Assistant (b-side of 'New Amsterdam' EP 1980)
16 Hoover Factory (b-side of 'Clubland' 1980)
17 Just A Memory (b-side of 'New Amsterdam' EP 1980)
18 Clean Money (b-side of 'Clubland' 1980)