On May 14, 1996, “Warner Bros” label released “All This Useless Beauty”, the seventeenth Elvis Costello studio album. It was recorded 1990 – 1995, and was produced by Geoff Emerick and Elvis Costello. It was Costello’s final album with his backing band “The Attractions”.

Personnel:

• Elvis Costello (Declan Patrick MacManus)  – vocals, guitars, bass, piano, other instruments
• Steve Nieve– piano, keyboards, drum programming
• Larry Knechtel– piano
• Roy Babbington– double bass
• Bruce Thomas– bass
• Matt MacManus –Fender bass, drum loop
• Danny Goffey – drums
• Pete Thomas– drums, percussion, acoustic guitar
• Ruth Causey –clarinet
• Peter Whyman –bass clarinet
• Brodsky Quartet– string quartet
• Brian Eno– gadgets
• The Fairfield Four– vocals
• Ned Douglas – sample control

Track listing:

All tracks by Elvis Costello, except where noted.

1. The Other End of the Telescope – Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann
2. Little Atoms
3. All This Useless Beauty
4. Complicated Shadows
5. Why Can’t a Man Stand Alone?
6. Distorted Angel
7. Shallow Grave – Matt MacManus, Paul McCartney
8. Poor Fractured Atlas
9. Starting to Come to Me
10. You Bowed Down
11. It’s Time
12. I Want to Vanish