and so do quite few others on here if a recent "what album should i buy" thread is anything to go by.

because of his genre hopping and occasional holier-than-thou pronouncement, but that run of albums from 1977 to 1984 or so is unmatched. Apparently his new one is a return to angry rock music (with Jenny Lewis on BVs) in much the same way as the underrated When I Was Cruel but he's chosen to release it early on vinyl only so all the US reviews go "ooh, I have to turn it over!"

elvis costello is pretty amazing.

First act that had me jumping up and down on my bed circa 1988.

I've also been hoovering up his records from Oxfam Music. A lot of his best stuff was released before I was born, but when I listen to the pap that's on the radio now I tend to pine for his bilious lyrics and sneering delivery.

There was a brilliant clip on that Stiff documentary on BBC4 recently of his doing 'Red Shoes' on TOTP. He's playing what is ostensibly a pop song (albeit one with amusingly snotty lyrics), but doing so with such malice that it's utterly captivating.