Cardiff Giant11

So of late I've been hearing alot of Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, and Billy Bragg thanks to XM and a friend of mine. To my ears they all seem somewhat similar and I'm looking for more artists like them, past or current. Any reccomendations?
Also, having only heard a few songs by each of those I mentioned, any reccomendations on particular albums to pick up?

cungar

If you're referring to their early work, Joe Jackson's first two albums are highly recomended and usually lumped in with that group of English "angry young men". Also John Wesley Harding's album Here Comes the Groom is influenced by early Costello and also highly recomended.

Talkin2Phil

Marshall Crenshaw
XTC
Nick Lowe

atlantamoi

I also thought of Nick Lowe. Many early Nick Lowe albums featured the guys he worked with in Rockpile (Dave Edmunds). The one and only Rockpile album is fantastic.

The Antipodean

Try Richard Thompson out if you haven't. Amazing guitarist and similiar lyrical bent to Elvis Costello. Check out "Rumor and Sigh" or "Mock Tudor."

zombiezilla

Another nod to Nick Lowe. The man is just an incredible songwriter!

wendersfan

Also check out John Hiatt, particularly during his MCA/Geffen period (Slug Line, All of a Sudden, etc.)

Oh, and the first two Joe Jackson albums (which I see cungar already mentioned...)

Cardiff Giant11

Thanks for the reccomendations. It totally slipped my mind that early Joe Jackson had a similar sound. I've heard a song or two by Nick Lowe on XM so I'll look into him some more. I need to get more of the original artists I mentioned. My friend has like 4 Billy Bragg CDs that I need to borrow but I don't think between the two of us we have any Elvis Costello or Graham Parker stuff.

Buford T Pusser

I was gonna say the first two Joe Jackson albums but I'm too late. LOVE 'EM!

Also love Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Elvis Costello and XTC.

cungar

Keep in mind that all of these artists branched out in many different directions, especially Costello who has recorded in just about every genre known to man. Nick Lowe is now basically a lounge singer (in a good way) and Graham Parker became more folk in his later years. So their later stuff is likely to sound a lot different than their "classic" periods. I'd look in allmusic.com for the early albums that have high ratings. There's some great ones in this lot.