Reuniting with The Attractions for the first time in eight years, Costello turned up the kinetic energy—and the amplifiers—on this 1994 album. The bracing “13 Steps Lead Down” captures the group’s alchemy, with cracking drums, loping bass, carnival organ, and crunchy guitars accompanying joyously descending harmonies. Whether lacing lovely ballads with arsenic (“This Is Hell”) or nodding to his younger New Wave self (“Sulky Girl”), Costello is in his element, thumbing through the thesaurus while getting things off his chest.