Three albums from what at the time was often described as a group of angry young men – that being Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Graham Parker in their early, breakthrough years of the late 1970s when new wave and punk rock broke big.

First up is Elvis Costello’s debut My Aim Is True from 1977 followed by Joe Jackson’s first album, 1979’s Look Sharp! and Graham Parker’s 1979 album Squeezing Out Sparks. Rounding out the two-hour slot are three of my favorite songs from Parker’s 1980 album The Up Escalator.

Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True

1. Welcome To The Working Week
2. Miracle Man
3. No Dancing
4. Blame It On Cain
5. Alison
6. Sneaky Feelings
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
8. Less Than Zero
9. Mystery Dance
10. Pay It Back
11. I’m Not Angry
12. Waiting For The End Of The World
13. Watching The Detectives

Joe Jackson – Look Sharp!

1. One More Time
2. Sunday Papers
3. Is She Really Going Out With Him?
4. Happy Loving Couples
5. Throw It Away
6. Baby Stick Around
7. Look Sharp!
8. Fools In Love
9. (Do The) Instant Mash
10. Pretty Girls
11. Got The Time

Graham Parker and The Rumour – Squeezing Out Sparks

1. Discovering Japan
2. Local Girls
3. Nobody Hurts You
4. You Can’t Be Too Strong
5. Passion Is No Ordinary Word
6. Saturday Nite Is Dead
7. Love Gets You Twisted
8. Protection
9. Waiting For The UFOs
10. Don’t Get Excited

Graham Parker extras, a few favorites from The Up Escalator album

1. Devil’s Sidewalk
2. Stupefaction
3. Endless Night