I remember reading an interview in 1982 where Elvis Costello expressed his desire to have someone like Frank Sinatra cover his tunes (as opposed to Linda Ronstadt). Out of that urge came IMPERIAL BEDROOM, and it shows wonderfully. Whether Elvis Costello was simply maturing or just displaying a side of his songwriting talent that he had to suppress for so long, I couldn't say. But IMPERIAL BEDROOM was certainly an ambitious and far-reaching album. "Man Out of Time", "Shabby Doll" and "Beyond Belief" are incredibly brilliant compositions that, frankly, stunned me back in 1982. I couldn't get over the mix of sophistication and drama in these melodies. While I knew Costello was incredibly talented, I honestly didn't know he had such range.