So I'm listening to the radio station at work, and "Watching the Detectives" comes on. Now, Elvis Costello had never made a big impression on me -- he was always off in the periphery of my attention, being smarmy and intellectual and lightweight (perceptions I've since abandoned). At the end of the second verse I hear the lines "I don't know how much more of this I can take/She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake". And the hair stands up on the back of my neck. And I get a chill down my spine. And then at the end of the song, when he sings "Even if it took a miracle to get you to stay/It only took my little finger to blow you away", I jumped out of my chair and did cartwheels down the hall (okay, not really... but I felt like it). And I thought to myself "This is what good pop-songwriting is supposed to be: catchy, upbeat melodies that, upon closer inspection, hide ridiculously morbid but lucid imagery". Reminds me a lot of the Police's best singles ("Every Breath You Take", "Roxanne", "I Can't Stand Losing You"). Mania hidden behind faux-reggae rhythms.

So I get the album for that one song, only to discover that it holds several more nuggets, some of which I am semi-familiar with but never paid close attention to. "Allison" literally hurts to listen to, it's so close to the bone. In the vocals to "I Don't Want to go to Chelsea" you can hear Elvis' snarled lip and clenched teeth. "Radio Radio" has great energy (and is fun to bang out on a guitar). "What's So Funny...?" brushes off the idea that a pop-song needs to rhyme, and is so good you think Elvis actually wrote it himself (kudos to Nick Lowe, who is the most recent addition to my list of favourite pop-bass players). "Everyday I Write the Book" gets caught up in crappy '80's-style production, but manages to be beautiful nonetheless.

So it's apparent that I'm an Elvis-newbie, and have spent much of my time with this album listening to only the popular singles. I admit it. And why not? They're all great songs. That's what a greatest hits album is for: a quick introduction to an artist's work, which should eventually lead to an immersion in their whole catalogue. Anyway, what I've found so far is pretty damn good. And I should mention that the Attractions were a great band, off of which thousands of derivatives were spawned in the eighties.

"The Very Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions" contains some infuriating omissions--I particularly miss "No Action" and "The Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes," not to mention "Almost Blue"--but this is probably as complete as a one-disc collection of Costello's best can be. Costello has written some of the best tunes of anyone in the entire rock era, and as a lyricist puts the lie to the considered opinions of Alan Jay Lerner, Sammy Cahn, etc., who insisted that all rock songwriters were illiterates. Songs such as "I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea," "Oliver's Army," "Radio Radio," "High Fidelity," "Alison" and "Every Day I Write the Book" are a treasure trove of incisive wit, cynicism and tenderness. Meanwhile, I understand there's also a two-volume "Very Best" that is probably the better buy, but this will more than do if your funds and time are limited.

Far and away, Elvis Costello will always be the best songwriter in modern music with songs that are as hooky musically as they are in their insightful lyrics. The man is the master of the written word in modern pop culture in my opinion and no set displays this better than this "Best of..." with the Attractions. Many of his highlights from the first half of his brilliant career is here, but you could argue that many of his finest 3-minute rock songs aren't on here.

As far as the highlights on the CD, choose your own. The set begins with the passionate yet melancholy "Allison" and it's lyrics of longing. Sexual frustration really comes into play with "Watching the Detectives". Also the new wave rock of songs like cleaver "Accidents Will Happen" and party jam "Pump It Up". And talk about your soul influences, listen to "Everyday I Write the Book". While mostly it's a cool arrangement of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, the background singers and Elvis's moans of "Ohh..Ohhh" sound like something straight out of the seventies. You also can't argue with the great soft country affect on "Good Year For The Roses". The maturing vocals and melodic brilliance of this mournfully nice piece make it a winner and proof of Elvis branching out. Also symphonic rock can be found on "New Amsterdam". Simple and smart, but the best pieces are. You really find the light crooner Costello yearning out on acoustic rock with heart like "Indoor Fireworks" and the hopelessly loving "I Want You". "I Want You" is full circle to the man that wanted his wife to stop "Watching The Detectives". It has some nice guitar work in it and is very adult.

Is there anything he can't do? This set shows off many shades of Costello and represents some of the most intelligent and undernoticed music in the eighties and late seventies. The tracks are honestly candid or just sweet. Whether it is the new wave rock of tracks like "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea", the great experiments like "...Roses" or the just or cool lighter rock like "Brilliant Mistake", there is every kind of Elvis on here to adore. But after this don't be surprised if you want to get all the albums. Might I suggest the 3 first masterpiece albums and the rare live club gig disc that can be found on the box set "2 1/2 Years", but only after this album and maybe the Warner's set "Extreme Honey".

After the early eighties Elvis forgot how to write enough good songs to fill an album, but this greatest hits collection is worth buying. It has all of Costello's best and is great listening. If you want to go any farther with Elvis the first three albums are good, and so is Imperial Bedroom, but other than that, I feel that Elvis Costello is vastly overrated.

This is an excellent CD to have in any collection. This album is representative of the brilliant lyricism of Costello. It includes both poppy upbeat songs like "Everyday I Write the Book" and also throws in a little bit of that angry young man in songs like "I Want You". The Best of Elvis Costello will leave you hungry for more.