![Jake's Progress [Original TV Soundtrack]](https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jpg?c=kiy2mQN2NpA2DTUF3N6e6VWnbEN5fCjifro6xhIBuB4=&f=1)
Perhaps frustrated by the lack of commercial success Imperial Bedroom encountered, Elvis Costello enlisted British hitmakers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley to produce its follow-up, Punch the Clock. The difference between the two records is immediately noticeable. Punch the Clock has a slick, glossy surface, complete with layered synthesizers, horns, studio effects, and the backup vocals of Afrodiziak. The approach isn't necessarily a misguided one, since Costello is as much a pop musician as he is a singer/songwriter and many of the best moments on the record -- "Everyday I Write the Book," "Let Them All Talk" -- work well as shiny pop singles. However, the problem with Punch the Clock is that Costello is entering a fallow songwriting period; it is his least consistent set of original songs to date. The best moments, the antiwar ballad "Shipbuilding" and the eerie pseudo-rap "Pills and Soap," are as articulate and effective as any of his past work, but frequently Costello falls short of meeting his standards, particularly when he's trying to write a song in the style of his older songs. Nevertheless, the sheen of the Langer and Winstanley production makes Punch the Clock a pleasurable listen. Costello's uneven writing means that only portions of the album are memorable.
Elvis Costello / Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Punch the Clock
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AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Track Listing
| Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:06 | Amazon | ||||
| 2 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:54 | Amazon | ||||
| 3 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:04 | Amazon | ||||
| 4 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 02:53 | Amazon | ||||
| 5 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:13 | Amazon | ||||
| 6 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 04:53 | Amazon | ||||
| 7 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:28 | Amazon | ||||
| 8 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:55 | Amazon | ||||
| 9 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:04 | Amazon | ||||
| 10 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:05 | Amazon | ||||
| 11 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:45 | Amazon | ||||
| 12 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:43 | Amazon | ||||
| 13 | Elvis Costello & the Attractions / Elvis Costello | 03:25 | Amazon |
