Me too. Musically that album doesn't do much for me—it's not of quite the same quality as Songs for 'Drella—but the lyrics, I think, stand up pretty well. Especially that title track.

When you pass through the fire, you pass through humble
you pass through a maze of self doubt
When you pass through humble, the lights can blind you
some people never figure that out
You pass through arrogance, you pass through hurt
you pass through an ever present past
And it's best not to wait for luck to save you
pass…

Agreed.  Keef's got the skull ring.

I feel like Fecky the Ninth for not thinking of that first.

You disappoint me.

Crud.  And now I must apologize, because the version of "'A' Train" I mentioned above is actually on Ellington Uptown - another very solid album from the same era.  'The Tattoed Bride' makes the investment in Masterpieces worth it, though.

I think I read that in the liner notes to Get Happy!!, appropriately enough.

I'll have to check that out again.  I sort of gave the bonus discs for KOA and B&C short shrift when I picked up the remasters.

"Next Time 'Round"—most underrated EC song ever (or at least that I can think of at this exact second).

I thought the same thing.  I guess the quibble is over what constitutes "major hints," but yeah.

King of America was the first Elvis Costello album I owned, and the second album (after Purple Rain) that I knew every lyric to.

I knew you'd be happy, @avclub-241b2421faecd6ca0aaa67cb80e8a634:disqus .  As am I.

Recently been getting into that middle-ground post-bop stuff like Horace Silver and Lee Morgan, plus the other middle ground of that era: the one between structured and 'avant'-free jazz in players like Andrew Hill, or Miles' Second Great Quintet, for that matter.  Really rich veins of music I'd ignored for too long.

Masterpieces by Ellington is a good intro.  His first to take advantage of the LP format, so nice long tracks, extended solos, and the best vocal version of "Take the 'A' Train" in existence.

Antibes 1960, baby!

I will now content myself with the transitive property of brushes with greatness.

You just need to shake harder.

Best way for me was to go all-out and get the box set of this stuff.  I think a single-disc compilation doesn't give you enough time to absorb the music (and get over the sound quality).  Also, the box includes a couple great mid-fifties tracks with Sonny Rollins and the full 1958 Five-Spot set with Coltrane.  So…

Have they done anything on Mingus yet?

Another gateway for me.  Art Blakey is a force of nature, and you get to hear both Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins do vastly different (but equally spectacular) takes of "Ruby My Dear." The Riverside 2-disc set also has the fantastic track "Monk's Mood" - previously available only on Thelonious Himself (which is also…