The Imperial Bedroom (1982) label anchors the work in a moment when Elvis Costello traded raw punk energy for something more intricate and emotionally layered. Often regarded as one of his most sophisticated records, this album is about appearances, relationships, and fractures beneath polished surfaces.

The title “Mr. Average” (from Little Savage) is ironic. It suggests anonymity, but Napoleon Dynamite’s work—and this piece—pushes against that notion. Collaged against an aristocratic hall surrounded by a regal palate of golds, purples and royal reds, he has moved from punk and new wave and (with a little help from his friend, former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick) innovated a new form of music dubbed “baroque pop” and “art rock.”

Photo Credit: Terry O'Neill