My Amazon Reviews: Elvis Costello "Live At Hollywood High"

Portrait of the Young Artist in His Prime

5 Out Of 5 Stars 

What started as an EP insert in original pressings of "Armed Forces" LP's finally gets a full release, and it's a corker. The young Elvis Costello had finished up his third album in two and a half years, and he was coming into an early peak with The Attractions. At this 1978 concert in Los Angeles, he and the band rip through cuts from the first two albums plus a preview of the new one via "Accidents Will Happen" and "Goon Squad."

It's easy to forget just how vibrant the seventies version of Elvis Costello was. Only on "Alison" and "Party Girl" (and a pumped up version of "Stranger In The House") does he and the band slow down over the concert's 70 minutes. He was also still heavily into his 'revenge and guilt' phase, which means that driving numbers like "Lipstick Vogue" or "Pump It Up" dominate the setlist. Even so, signs were already showing that he wasn't going to get pigeon-holed into the angry young man thing for long, starting the show with a piano-only version of the brand new "Accidents Will Happen."

Elvis is already planning an array of re-releases and vault titles under the moniker of "The Costello Show," with this one and Live at the El Mocambo already out. I can already tell you that Hollywood High kicks the El Mocambo CD out of the pool without contest (more songs, better performance and better sound), and I can add that I am really curious what tapes he will be uncovering.