40 years ago today (6/19/84), Elvis Costello released his eighth studio album, Goodbye Cruel World and the eighth with his band The Attractions. Costello didn’t like this album and rightfully admitted it: “Congratulations! You’ve just purchased our worst album,” he wrote in the liner notes to a Goodbye Cruel World reissue. The album received mixed reviews upon release. Some critics appreciated Costello’s experimentation and the production quality, while others felt that the polished sound detracted from the emotional intensity and rawness that characterized his earlier work. Watch the official video for the lead single “The Only Flame In Town”
