Blood & Chocolate (1986)

Blood & Chocolate (1986)

Costello’s second album of 1986 finds him reunited with both the Attractions and producer Nick Lowe, following the roots rock enterprise King Of America. The resultant tour-de-force is one of the artist’s best and surliest rock albums, commencing with the caveman stomp of “Uncomplicated” and winding its way through sneering gems like “I Hope You’re Happy Now” and “Blue Chair,” and seething menacingly on the slow-burning “I Want You” and “Battered Old Bird.” It’s not all great – the ersatz Dylan of “Tokyo Storm Warning” outstays its welcome over the course of its six and a half minutes – but on balance this is a terrific pub-rocking gut punch of a record.