I don't agree that his early music was his best. (Feel free to beat me with a stick.) Mighty like a Rose, as Bill said is a good record, and the Juliette Letters was hard to warm up to, but brilliant nonetheless. But more new than that was when he got back together with the Attractions and made Brutal Youth. That is a damn great album. I wasn't expecting it to be good and then it blew me away. When I saw them play, I was even more blown away, especially that they all got along for a little while. How nice.
I think his mistake wasn't so much working with Burt Backarach, but working with him SO MUCH! Jesus, it took him off a very good path I think. I thought the Grace of my Heart film was great, but he should have left it alone there and never gone on tour with him. That was a big mistake I think. I sat through that concert and nearly wanted to kill myself -- and no one could love Elvis more really. I even respect Burt, but what a bad combo for 2+ hours! I lost a lot of my love for Elvis after that. Then Spectacle was a pretty thick nail in the coffin.
Every now and again I break out of my coffin though and secretly love EC. I can't help it. :)