Elvis Costello When I Was Cruel

Included in Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2002"
4 out of 5 stars - "...Costello still records...with care and creativity....WHEN I WAS CRUEL is a collection of tough tunes and textures that recalls-but doesn't recycle-the records that endeared him to his earliest admirers..."
7 out of 10 - "...The professor [has] his groove back....46-year-old Elvis sneers, snipes, and snaps like it's '77....the music-ranging from twangy jazzisms...to raucous blues rock...lets Costello honor his roots..."
Ranked #2 on EW's list of 2002's "Albums of the Year" - "...Packed with bristling spews, noir soundscapes, and cutting autobiographical sketches that reveal a man grappling with the onset of middle age..."
3 out of 5 stars - "...Raw and lengthy....the veins at Costello's temples are throbbing again..."
6 out of 10 - "...CRUEL is ultimately a welcome return to the office..."
Ranked #4 on CMJ's "Top 10 of 2002"
"...Costello has blessed us with a motherlode of tunes, concetrating on crafting self-proclaimed "rowdy rhythm ballads" shaded with subtle textures and vibes..."
Ranked #33 in Mojo's "Best Albums of 2002"
"...Costellar..."
6 out of 10 - "...There are reassuringly unhealthy signs of life..."