From the Jackson Pollock style cover to Costello’s crooning, Armed Forces is an album as cool as Costello himself, what with his thick rimmed glasses, pompadour, and suit-and-tie–a coolness that comes from practically eschewing the whole idea of coolness.

Costello sings more like he’s in the Rat Pack than a rock band, let alone a celebrated harbinger of the punk movement. The verses of “Accidents Will Happen” are performed with so much melodrama that it circles back around to sounding sincere. “Busy Bodies” features a cheesy organ break and a Roy Orbison riff. But these bits of pastiche are pulled off effortlessly by Costello, one of the true masters of irony, seated in the chic-geek throne that Weezer are heirs of.

But under the snide geek-chic surface is a political commentary and self awareness in line with Dylan, although nowhere near as aggressive.

Rather than pointing the finger directly, Costello prefers to dress up as his targets, stand next to them for a photograph, and give them bunny ears (see: “Oliver’s Army”). Only on the cover of Nick Lowe’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” does Costello allow his convictions to shine through unobstructed (save for the punk rock production).

The songs here also target party culture, infidelity, workaholism, and the status quo in general. While the Attractions may have been playing new-wave, Costello’s songs were pure punk in their sneering, crooning, subtle rebelling.