It's easy to see why this is usually listed as among the best albums of the 70's. Coming off a very decent debut album, few could have been ready for this brilliant follow-up which reminds me a lot of Tom Petty's best work with the Heartbreakers. The musicianship and songwriting has improved greatly over the debut effort due no doubt to the more polished backing band that represents the Attractions as well as Costello himself imcreasing in confidence and maturing in ability. The sound quality of this remastered version is also brilliant and together with the wonderful mini-lp sleeve design which includes all the lyrics in English and Japanese as an insert make this the best version of this album that is out there at the moment. Highly recommended!

This Year's Model was Elvis Costello's second album and his first with the Attractions. Mr. Costello embodied the angry attitude of punk rock, but unlike most punk bands who were unskilled musicians that thrived on high energy, he possessed a rapier pen and an ear for melody. The album opens with the fierce "No Action" that in fine punk form clocks in at less than two minutes. "This Year's Girl" is wry take on the fame machine. "The Beat" has a catchy organ riff and is about the tried and true subject of self-gratification. "Pump It Up" is a fiery track as is "Lip Service". "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" has a manic verve while "Little Triggers" slows things down. "Radio Radio" is the most famous off the album, but the album's best track is "Lipstick Vogue". The song has a thumping bass line that shuffles along until a frenzied close. This Year's Model gave further proof that Elvis Costello may well be the king.

Someone else may have mentioned this already, but if not, I think many have overlooked a most important component of the genesis and passion of this album. Let me see if memory serves...

As I recall, this album was indeed the boom following the lit fuse dynamite of the first album, but where did all the intensity come from? Very much like Frank Sinatra's masterpiece recording In the Wee Small Hours, which was born of a broken heart, This Year's Model was the result of the breakup of Elvis' love affair with famed international model Bebe Buell. The cover says it all and it's right there staring you in the face.

Frank nearly lost his mind over the breakup with Eva Gardner, the absolute one and only love of his life. The pain and misery he felt drove him to a level of intensity and passion in his delivery and arrangements never before heard from the Chairman of the Board.

Like Frank before him, Elvis too suffered deeply when Bebe chose her career over him - just listen to the words of Lipstick Vogue. Most of the album was a love lost song to Bebe. It stands out in my mind as truly one of the great albums to come out of the '80's and remains one of my very favorites.

The album is flawless. The musicianship is so tight and economical that not a single note or beat seems out of place (every person I've ever known is thrilled to hear 'Pump it Up'). While obviously one would not cast EC in "I Pagliacci" his vocal tones and inflections are perfect for his material, perhaps never more so than on this record.

But what makes listening to this so breathtaking is the songwriting. This, along with 'Armed Forces' form the most brilliant collection of compositions in the history of popular music. The genre that once relied on "one-two-three'o'clock, four'o'clock rock" and "tutti-fruitti aw rooty" now had Declan the Great to provide "you want to throw me away, but I'm not broken" and "I want to bite the hand that feeds me".

Forget trying to pigeonhole this by saying it was part of this new wave trend or that punk scene - this is one of the greatest of all rock and roll records PERIOD and should be owned by everyone.

This is my first review. It's great when you can read these things, and be warned before spending your hard earned quan, only to be dissapointed. Everything about this release is awesome, the sound, the packaging...oh wait...whats this? There are only 12 tracks! Thats right...Radio Radio is missing! Hope it wasn't your favorite tune on the disc, cuz ya won't hear it here. My copy is not a fake either, so while Im at it, beware of all Japan discs these days. Just because it's Japanese don't necessarily make it better, or even good. I recently bought Rod Stewart's Never A Dull Moment, the Japan mini LP remaster. It's pretty thin sounding and even distorted in some places, compared with the warmth of the $5 domestic reissue. I'm just sayin!