More on: Elbow

Label: Fiction
Release Date: 17/03/08
Rating:

Let's make this clear from the outset - the fourth LP from the criminally underrated Manchester band is likely to be the album of the year. Once you get to 'The Bones Of You', it all becomes clear. Guy Garvey has never sounded better, with his voice lilting and soaring - every line is evocative, every note divine. Not a single second on this album is wasted.

'Mirrorball' is the perfect example of the older and now avuncular Elbow, sounding like the aural equivalent of a great big bear hug. A sweetness and tenderness prevades the track, a song of romance that is beautifully done: "I plant the kind of kiss/that wouldn't wake a baby". Lead single 'Grounds For Divorce' shocks you out of your lulled sense of bliss with its Zeppelin-esque riffs and boldness. The 'biggest' track on the LP, it stands out as an obvious single, but it's credit to Elbow that it's not even the strongest song present.

Garvey recently revealed that 'Weather To Fly' is about Elbow themselves, and how fitting it should be a striking and hypnotic ballad reflecting on the struggles of their early days and their self-worth. This leads into 'The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver', and you may have to ensure you are seated for this. A dark story unfolds of the lives of others, over music which is literally gut-wrenching, then builds to a crescendo of understated and off-kilter drama. Possibly the most stunning effort from Elbow to date, it confirms the band members as some of the greatest songwriters around today.

'The Fix' alters the tone somewhat - still keeping with the dark humour, this collaboration with Richard Hawley sees the two singers at as much ease as barflies regaling their life stories. Such chemistry is a joy to listen to, but does not leave the impression the rest of the LP does, and comes across as a novelty piece. Like a glorious awakening, 'One Day Like This' is a seven minute gospel-tinged showcase of such utter euphoria, it's almost unbearable to listen to. It's the song equivalent of Elliott and ET biking against the moon in the sky - ridiculously rapturous, this will be the stand-out of any future Elbow gigs. Garvey has spoken of the influence the death of their good friend Bryan Glancy had on the writing of 'The Seldom Seen Kid' - indeed the title is for him and 'Grounds For Divorce' is written about the impact his loss had on the Manchester community - therefore closing track 'Friends Of Ours' has added poignancy.

It is staggering to listen to third album 'Leaders Of The Free World' again after this - if you thought that was a glorious achievement, you have heard nothing yet. The sense of naivete and wonderment in 'Leaders...', along with the apparent frustrations, have given way to an epic, masterful body of work - the sound of a band who've grown into purveyors of sweeping, brooding, atmospheric songs that shame their soulless peers. Elbow show on 'The Seldom Seen Kid' how you can be magnificent without any sense of pomposity or self-importance. As it stands, 'The Seldom Seen Kid' is the album of the year, by one of the most important bands this country has produced. We should be deeply proud of Elbow, who avoid fame and its trappings to concentrate on just being brilliant.

Becky Reed

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