The Seldom Seen Kid

I was aware of Elbow but I honestly can't remember listening to them before this popped up as my next album. The Seldom Seen Kid is an absolutely phenomenal record with skillfully layered songs and and emotional punch. It will be getting plenty of rotation going forward!

Beautful

Love Starlings so much. This whole album is beautiful.

This album is phenomenal. I listened to this album once before around 10 years ago, then promptly forgot all about it until now. Mistake I say! "One Day Like This" really stands out, reminds me of the likes of Eleanor Rigby the way the orchestral arrangement fits so perfectly with the vocals. Very well done. Those strings are so powerful and hit with such impact towards the second half of the song. And that choir! Love it. I ought to check out more of Elbow's music now. Really good stuff here, 5/5

Progressiver Poprock? Geil!

Majestic brilliant, simply one of the best albums ever.

An amazing album.

Surprisingly proggy and atmospheric—this one really clicked. Enjoyed it far more than expected and went back for a second listen. Great stuff.

This is a wonderful album that captured my full attention in 2012, not long after my housemates at the time invited me out to Sydney's Hordern Pavillion to see Elbow in concert. I’d heard a handful of their tunes before, but experiencing the magic of the One Day Like This audience choir sent me head over heels; it remains to this day one of my most memorable live music moments. Every tune on this album has a reason to be there. They’re perfectly placed. From the cinematic extremities of the opener, Starlings, through to the energetic Grounds For Divorce singalong, to the lonesome dynamic of Tower Crane Driver, to the aforementioned anthemic highlight of One Day Like This, there aren’t many albums that reach artistic beauty in the way The Seldom Seen Kid does. This is contemporary music at its finest.

I've been eating good this week with this list. First I get Drive Like Jehu, then Jamiroquai, now these guys. What a beautiful album. A great mix of that British kind of indie rock with really nice strings and keys. I always love finding bands I've never heard of through stuff like this and coming out with masterworks. That's what this is, a masterwork. The instruments, the singing, the lyrics, the flow, the everything. Masterful.

It’s not going to be possible to divorce this one from my nostalgia. There was a while when this was the album we had in the car. My dad used to turn the volume up really loud because Starlings starts so quiet and then the loud parts would startle the rest of us. I still think about that every time I listen to that song. I still listen to this album quite a lot. I love his voice, I love how evocative the lyrics are, I think the music is beautiful. Definitely quite slow with a lot of space, but really good for just sitting with emotions. I’ve picked a fav and least fav song but I like all the songs and I think those picks are just based on my mood today. Fav song: Grounds for Divorce Least fav: Weather to Fly

This was the only CD in our car when I was a kid so I've heard it many many times. I'd like to think I'd find it just as stunning without the nostalgia but I really can't separate the two. Just gorgeous lyrics, vocals and music! I like his radio show but this album is actually Guy Garvey's finest hour. Favourite song: The Bones of You (or One Day Like This or Grounds for Divorce) Least: Weather to Fly

I was turned off by the first couple songs-- too shocking and then too dull-- but the rest of the album is some of the best music I've heard of the millennium. What a great find! 4.5/5 (except for the first couple songs)

*The Seldom Seen Kid* by Elbow is a masterful album that excels through its profound lyricism and exquisite production, though some critics note a reserved pace. The 2008 Mercury Prize winner is a heartfelt tribute to friendship, love, and loss. | **Aspect** | **Summary** | | :--- | :--- | | **Lyrics & Themes** | Poetic, deeply personal narratives exploring love, loss (dedicated to a late friend), male friendship, and everyday beauty . | | **Music & Sound** | Brit-pop/rock foundation with orchestral grandeur, atmospheric textures, and diverse instrumentation from blues-rock stomps to delicate ballads . | | **Production** | Self-produced by the band; praised for its warm, detailed, and immersive sonic quality where every element is rendered beautifully . | | **Influence & Reception** | Critical darling (Mercury Prize 2008); cemented Elbow's status and influenced perception of mainstream rock with intelligence and emotional depth . | ### 👍 Pros of the Album * **Lyrical Depth and Emotional Honesty**: Guy Garvey's lyrics are consistently highlighted as a masterclass in storytelling, avoiding clichés in favor of specific, poignant imagery . The album's emotional core—especially the tribute to Bryan Glancy in "Friend of Ours"—is profoundly moving and authentic . * **Superb Production and Sonic Detail**: The band's decision to self-produce resulted in a uniquely intimate and lush soundscape . The production is rich with subtle details that reveal themselves over multiple listens, creating a deeply immersive experience . * **Musical Diversity and Cohesion**: The album seamlessly blends different moods and styles, from the explosive brass in "Starlings" and the blues-rock riff of "Grounds for Divorce" to the serene beauty of "Mirrorball" and the orchestral anthem "One Day Like This" . Despite this range, the album feels like a cohesive journey . ### 👎 Cons of the Album * **Pacing Can Feel Slow or Uniform**: A common critique is the album's generally slow to mid-tempo pace, which some listeners may find challenging or draining in a single sitting . One critic felt the tracklisting could be improved, with several lighter ballads grouped together . * **Not Universally Engaging**: While many find it deeply moving, some critics admitted the album didn't fully connect with them emotionally, describing it as "dignified" but sometimes hard to love or "a bit boring" compared to other works . * **A Matter of Personal Taste**: The album's very specific, nuanced, and often understated nature means it's a celebrated "grower" that requires patience , but it might not appeal to those seeking immediate, high-energy rock. *The Seldom Seen Kid* is a landmark album that rewards attentive listening. Its strengths in lyrical brilliance, emotional power, and detailed production far outweigh the subjective critiques of its pacing.

“Starlings” has to be one of the finest opening tracks on an album that most causal music fans have never heard. Just breathtaking.

Such a pleasant discovery!

Ohhhhh yes it’s time for my British Rubicks Cube album. I used to listen to this one all the time in high school, and it still holds up marvelously. “Grounds for Divorce” is a classic, but man, The Bones of You is a gorgeous song. I was on a plane for the first bit of this album, and “Weather to Fly” actually picked up right as we approached the runway. Couldn’t have timed that better if I’d tried.

I really like elbow, I love a proper northern singing accent which carries the quieter songs while there is a good heft to the darker songs, it has that emo tinged indie feel at times. I do think that it has a smooth, soul like production that almost certainly ensured it was more commercially successful but blunts the edges of some of the songs. A song like the bones of you should sound more uncomfortable but it's produced like a lounge track. Only nitpicking cos I think the songs are good! Good album, don't think I've listened to much more by them but I probably should. 4.5.

As much as I try to hide it, subconsciously or otherwise, I am northern. From Bury, same as these lads. There are two colleges in Bury - Bury College and Holy Cross College. Bury College produced Guy Garvey, and Mark E Smith. Holy Cross produced Anna Friel, and me. Holy Cross, when I was there, was ranked second in the country overall. Last in the country for music. This album was pretty startling when it first came out - back when I had iTunes, Greetings for Divorce was given out as a free download one week, and I remember downloading it for a listen on the way back from Holy Cross, exam time, on the bus, and having a very good ride. Looked up the band when I got home, paid for and downloaded the rest of the album, and had a great few days with it on repeat. Loads of minor key stuff, Guy Garvey can sing (he doesn't always choose to, quite the maverick), and the instrumentation is solid. Bones of Thee, An Audience with the Buddha, and The Repair jump out, and are still great going on 20 years later. Lippy Kids from the following album, Build a Rocket Boys, is great, but I am convinced that all their other work was written explicitly to be "anthemic" following the success of One Day Like This, and they got really boring. The band? A 3.5. This album? A 5.

I absolutely loved the album ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ by Elbow! I hadn’t heard of the band before, and it was truly a breath of fresh air. I was really surprised and delighted by the sound

Certified bangers met the bones of you, grounds for divorce en weather to fly is dit gewoon een heel goed album. Friend of Ours vind ik ook gewoon een hele mooie afsluiter. Ik heb er geen slechte woorden voor.

Grounds for Divorce is such a fucking tune. The rest isn't quite as good, but there's some nice tracks on it.

Where has this band been all my life? I have never heard of them and to be honest, the name Elbow did not inspire great expectations. This album is GORGEOUS! The lead singers voice is so warm, the arrangements are soothing. It’s atmospheric. What a treat. This is what I hoped for when starting this project. Finally a British discovery that I am really very grateful to know. This music strikes a chord within.

A familiar album is often a 4 or 5. But this is a 5 from my first ever listen, I remember it well. Wonderful album. Such obsessive love and lust and care and reality

I found Elbow a huge source of comfort in the famously horrific year of 2020. Something about Guy Garvey's calm and authentic voice, the embrace of warm, rich instrumentation and some truly poetic songwriting combine to create a deeply soothing aural experience. You can pick on many different songs or verses and dive deep into the lyrics or briefly grab hold of any number of simple, effective couplets and just snack on their innate charm. You won't find many better songs by anyone ever, than One Day Like This, but even away from the grandiose and obvious, the imagery on Mirrorball, the stomp of Grounds For Divorce and the deft fragility of Weather To Fly are all confidently crafted while still remaining understated and unassuming. Elbow offer everything you can find in a Radiohead or Coldplay album with none of the hype or histrionics and they somehow remain one of post-millennial Britain's best-kept secrets.

Even tho I consider Elbow a one album wonder, it's an amazing album and very deserving to be on this list.

Majestic. Epic. Subtle.

C'est drôle, du Elbow jouait au même moment. Les petits hasards de la vie.

One of my top albums although not quite my favourite Elbow record. TTOALOE achieves this mantle. First came to my attention when I saw them live. They opened for Coldplay at Bolton Wanderers Stadium and was really impressed with them. So tinkered around with their earlier albums and bought this one on day of release. Was singing the hook line “Throw those curtains wide” to One Day Like This ages before my workmates caught on so they were really impressed when that tune was everywhere. Have seen Elbow again live many times. If you’ve never caught them they are highly recommended. Guy Garvey is a lovely chap and that shines through in abundance live. As can be expected by his down to earth and relatable lyrics which this album exploits to the maximum. His Radio 6 slot on a Sunday afternoon is also a treasure chest of the best music around. I’ve followed dozens of bands and singers as a result of what he plays. One of the best albums of the 2000’s. 5/5 11/6/25

When Elbow became a musical phenomenon. Remember seeing the video for Grounds for Divorce and was blown away it became the ringtones ne on my phone when that was still a thing . One Day Like This 20 years later is one of the finest anthems written

I know what you're going to say: another lame britpop band. But I LOOOOVE IT. Heard for the first time maybe 15 years ago, exactly this album, and felt in love with all of it.

Absolute _stunner_ of an album, a perfect no skips album for me that offers up for every mood and desire. Sexy attitude; reflective; introspective; witty; beautiful, mournful; big & bold, soft & gentle. Instrumentally accomplished, alongside Guy Garvey's lovely lovely voice. Has everything I want lyrically too: some proper gut punch, clever, beautiful lines of poetry but in a way that doesn't make a big deal out of it. You could easily miss the lyrics for the music takes precedent in many cases. Had never paid much attention to Weather To Fly, Wowzers, what a beauty. Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver too. AND a lovely bit of Richard Hawley chucked in there, for good measure. Lit up with excitement seeing this one today. Haven’t listened to fully in over a decade and never really paid much attention to it beyond the big hitters. Quite annoyed I've wasted so many years of my life without this front and centre of my fave albums. The first review I've written which isn't just essentially 'yeah I like it' - or - 'not for me'. Which probably says something. And the first time I'm actually quite annoyed at the low user ratings, get to fuck if you think this is anything other than at least 'really quite good'. 5 big fat well-deserved stars for me.

i really, really like this album. i've tried to listen to a few other elbow releases and they always just make me want to listen to this release instead. i could draw comparisons here and there, some of the cadences and especially the vocals are pretty clearly inspired by early radiohead but theres enough emotion, and the instrumental is so clearly different that i think it really is just inspiration without being derivative of radiohead's works. i cant really describe why i feel this way because i think that instrumentally they have very different sounds, but enjoying elbow came as an evolution of enjoying folk-punk artists like johnny hobo/pat the bunny and crywank when i was younger. i suppose its that very emotionally driven vocal sound, but i think the accompaniment is a lot more mature and the sweeping strings (i want to say cello but i dont know a lot about non-guitar string instruments) really, really add to it. i know this isnt prog rock, but to me the album certainly has that progressive feeling of building up to something and telling a story through the music. im not sure if it's meant to be a concept album like that, but it's just a feeling i got from it that added to how enjoyable this release was to listen to as a whole. highlights: the bones of you, mirrorball

Great

That was so good with its hints of Radiohead and Peter Gabriel Genesis. It would be good but it's elevated by the wonderful singing of Guy Garvey.

Fantastic, moving, simplicity in vocals

love this record. brings me back to my high school days. the production is lush and the lyricism is just gorgeous.

bro apple music might be onto something describing elbow as a cross between pink floyd and coldplay! (two top tier bands btw). “the bones of you” was my EXACT type of song. also “grounds for divorce”. and “the loneliness of a tower crane driver” has some INSANE chords. there were other songs i really enjoyed but i forgot to write those down. 5/5!

Probably 4.5 if I'm being honest just because I do think it might do well with a bit trimming. Otherwise beautiful album.

This was excellent. I'd never heard of them before

Great lyrics, vocals, arrangements, production – the live orchestral recording is sublime also. In with a shout for greatest Manchester album?

This was a pleasant surprise, I hadn't ever heard of this group or any of these tracks before, but I enjoyed them immensely. Definitely will listen again. Favorite track: "The Bones of You"

Lempparit: Grounds for Divorce, One Day Like This Vähiten lemppari: An Audience With The Pope

I’ve loved this album a long time. Every song is perfect. It’s a joy to revisit

Kind of mind blown. Never heard of the band, didn't know what to expect. It sounded both vaguely familiar and completely different all at once. Songs used different unique sounds. Vocals felt like they slightly carried between songs. Not a lot of lyrics stuck with me, but all the songs had elements that sounded different from one another (so not sounding like one song blending into another), yet still tied together. I'm looking forward to listening to the album again to let it sink in more; listen for more that I didn't catch on the initial listen.

My word this is brilliant. For me, it's Elbow's best by some distance. 'Epic' barely begins to cover it, it's magnificent from start to finish. One of my all-time favourites. Thanks, 1001 Albums Generator, for letting me live this again.

Great album..great band.

This album is a vibe. And baby, I'm vibing.

This album was phenomenal. I already knew the song "One Day Like This" but have never given the whole album a listen. What a pleasant surprise this was!

I;ve never listened to an Elbow album but I have liked all the hits (that I have been exposed to via BBC6 when Guy Garvey is doing his own show). I thought this was beautiful. He has a lovely voice and they are masters of souring vocals and melodies.

Take back to Two Thousand Eight A year that carries a lot of weight independence in foreign lands Freedom and no demands Elbow in Ears very oft Crossing the street in Shanghai Tears in eyes, making me soft My life, never the same again It carries high emotional weight Never heard anything like it The road is never quite straight But maybe that's why I like it

textured songwriting and big sounds from the second best band to come out of Bury in 1993*

Really good, everything on the album was this interesting prog-y thing but very accessible and fun to listen to.

The album has magnificent production with a sound like Coldplay and Sting.

Remember seeing Elbow on the Brits, probably around 2008, as a 10 year old. First reaction was anger -- why are they wasting time on such a band, and especially one that is called Elbow? Over time, they grew on me though. One Day Like This was a large reason why for many years. Especially hearing it in the BBC Children in Need Medley. Epic stuff. In recent years, apart from One Day Like This, I largely ignored Elbow. I had never listened to this album in full. What a damn treat! Can hear the Radiohead influences, especially early in the album. Also Genesis, as they mentioned also themselves. But they bring something unique that I cannot quite put my finger on too. Saved most of the songs, absolutely flawless stuff. A very easy and very solid 5* album. Will be revisiting a lot. p.s., completely produced, performed and written by themselves, bar the feature of Richard Hawley in one song. "Throw those curtains wide One day like this a year will see me right (for life)"

I liked this one a lot. I am not sure how it influenced others though, especially since it is so unknown and so recent (comparatively). But I think this should replace office music everywhere - soft, smooth, musical at times, nice beat, and just much better ambience than traditional office/elevator music.

Elbow is pretty fantastic. Guy Garvey’s voice at times really reminds me of Peter Gabriel. In a good way.

This is exactly my kind of music

I’ve never in my life heard of the band Elbow. But maybe I should have, because this album was really really cool!! Usually the meaning of cleverly written song lyrics eludes me, no exception here 😅 but I really loved the words to these songs, even if I didn’t completely grasp the full meaning at times. I enjoyed how some of the phrases and lines were crafted. To me the lyrics were thoughtful and really sweet. And musically it was beautiful and creative. I’ve already listened to it twice and some of the songs I’ve listened to many times. It has kind of a Peter Gabriel vibe, but not as weird. My favorites were Mirrorball, An Audience With the Pope, and One Day Like This. Grounds For Divorce sounds so incredibly British 😂 I love that one toot.

I thought before listening that only the singles were great and the rest was whatever. These guys never took off in North America, I think Grounds For Divorce doesn’t sound too different from Black Keys. This whole thing though is great. I have no option but to give them their flowers.

Super glad to find an awesome album on #1000 :-) Favorite new one in a long time.

Shockingly good. Never heard of them before.

one of the best surprises in the list

I was already a big fan of this album. I know some listeners get tired of all the UK band bias on the list, but this one is worth it. To me Elbow is what Radiohead would be if they didn't get weird and what Coldplay would be if they were actually good (yeah, I said it). And this is my favorite Elbow album, so good pick. Favorite tracks: Starlings, Mirrorball ("We kissed like we invented it" - great line), Grounds for Divorce, An Audience with the Pope, One Day Like This (the anthemic ending always puts me in a good mood). Easy 5 for me.

Great album. Haven't listened in quite a while but it's good.

Wow. This album kinda stunned me. Like coldplays best songs but better. Want to send this to Kevin for Christmas

Very good

I really liked this. Really felt it was rewarding and satisfying album. I feel, after 4 or so listens, it will move into being a 5 stars album, so I'm going to give it that. Noice!

Loved this!! Hauntingly beautiful. Little echos of Coldplay.

The album where I discovered Elbow. Subsequently went though their entire discography. Love this band. Love this album. Still undecided if I prefer this version, or the live at Abbey Road. Both amazing.

Fuck it. I'm giving it 5/5. Whole album is great and I enjoyed every single song, but main reason is "One Day Like This" is a one of the greatest songs. Ever. It's simple, not overly complicated composition with simple message. It gives you hope in a way music should give hope.

Love it

p922. 2008. 5 stars. Fabulous Brit alt rock tinged with melancholy and gentle humour. There is not weak track on this.

Holy crap it happened, a band I've never heard of form this list whose music I immediately liked and added into my regular rotations. Hell yeah. That's what this whole exercise is about! I liked the opener Starlings, but a combo of "straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day" and the bass coming in on The Bones of You hooked me. Really liked the rest of the album. The Bones of You, One Day Like This are the shining favourites for me.

didn't know yet, awesome!

HL: “Starlings”, “Mirrorball”, “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver”, “One Day Like This”, “The Fix” Despite having half-heard this album like 10 years ago, I still don’t really know The Seldom Seen Kid, or Elbow for that matter. Considering Apple Music positions its sound between Pink Floyd and Coldplay, I really should’ve gobbled it up when it was new. The three songs that really stood out from hearing years ago are the soft/loud “Starlings”, the spooky “Fix” (which features Richard Hawley, whoa), and the crowd-pleasing “One Day Like This”. Luckily the rest of the album lives up to that standard, HOWEVER: The one song I’m on the fence about is “Grounds For Divorce”, which is part dreamy psychedelia, part truck commercial cock rock which seems at odds with the rest of the tracklist. At the same time, I don’t hate it… The album quiets down in the 2nd half, but it doesn’t lose steam, with some of the prettiest moments nestled in songs like “Crane Driver” and “Some Riot”.

It’s a stunningly beautiful album. Melancholy, orchestration, story telling and Guy Garveys amazing tone. Love it. Mirroball and Friend of Ours stand out alongside the epic One Day Like This

One of my favorite bands and a fantastic album. Beautiful.

8 / 10 Rock relajado tipo Americana. A seguirlos.

Love this record. Great 2000's rock record. It's cinematic, it's lush, it's aggressive—it's wonderful.

A little like Dave Matthew’s Band

A beautiful album that never fails to make me feel things

A beautifully beery sentimental album

Loved this album such a great sound.

Great discovery, really enjoyed this one. Each song is solid, diverse, & stands on its own.

really nice, a bit of genesis vibes, easy going music

Absolutely Stunning album both lyrically and with the lush orchestral arrangements... a true classic!

Somewhat depressing but beautiful atmospheric sound. Definitely would listen again. Nice lyrics as well. Radiohead + coldplay

What an interesting album. I especially liked the writing and the voice of the singer

good find

Aparecen muchos condimentos sin perder la estética del album, algunos me sorprendieron. Excelente álbum.

My god, what an album! How have I never heard of this band before? Oh yeah, it's because my daughter neglected to tell me about them.

The beginning of this live album was so orchestral (replete with kettle drums) I thought I might hate it. Spotify calls it cinematic. Yes, it is a huge and spacious album, lush and verdant like a forest protected in a cathedral. The incredible instrumentation including strings, horns, etc.. which frequently give artistic nods to classics like "Summertime" are very seductive. Vocals are excellent. Understated, humble. Eventually I realize how I'm shocked I've never heard of it. It may be one of the greatest live albums I've never heard. Just cohesive and exciting on many levels. Finding albums like this is the primary reason I joined this project. Powerful and moving.

😍

Great band - great music! The reason I signed up for this is precisely so that I can discover new favorites from the past! Until today I had never heard of them.

Completely blown away by this album. How had I never even heard of this group before. It’s rare that I love an album on first listen, but this is one of those. From beginning to end, it is a great album to listen to. It has some Peter Gabriel, Dave Matthew’s,….I’ll have to listen to it more to see what else, but it is one I will add to my playlist and listen to regularly. I even want to go check out there other albums!

Completely blown away by this album. How had I never even heard of this group before. It’s rare that I love an album on first listen, but this is one of those. From beginning to end, it is a great album to listen to. It has some Peter Gabriel, Dave Matthew’s,….I’ll have to listen to it more to see what else, but it is one I will add to my playlist and listen to regularly. I even want to go check out there other albums!

Really surprisingly good. Never heard of them before. Relaxing but fun.

I’d never heard of them before and I love it! Downloaded immediately

Starlings - big bombastic opener, love the contrast with the slow strings/piano and the brass section The bones of you - really vibing this, great instrumental contrast again, builds nicely Mirrorball - slower but still a banger Grounds for divorce - enjoyed this but probably the most ‘standard’ song so far The loneliness of a tower crane operator - this song straight VIBES The fix - still cool vibes Some riot - still vibin One day like this - really enjoy this one too, feels super upbeat after the last few songs Friend of ours - slow vibes out This was right up my alley, really enjoyed it

Very soothing

Of course I was aware of Elbow, but had never actually listened to any albums right through. Have changed that now, and am a convert

❤️❤️❤️❤️

very unique and can initially seem disjointed but it works amazingly well

At last! A great album. Uncomfortably close to the nub with a genuine sound it comes across fresh as a daisy to me.

Easy 5 for me. Going in, I had liked 8 of these tracks already in Spotify. I went ahead and like the other two. This record slaps. Elbow is criminally underrated.

Has bim wösch mache gloset und muess sege selte so sehr gvibed debi als mit dem album The bones of you und grounds for divorce was für banger. Genau sones album hani mir erhofft kenne zlerne wemme bi dem 1001album ding mitmacht. Für mich es 5/5

Whimsical isch so s erscht wort wo mer in sinn chunnt. Aber bis etze mag ichs voll? Ok nice gfallt mer sehr, finds öppis neus und bis etze isch kein track gliich? Ahhh eifach so so schön! Ohhhh grounds of divorce hett chli en andere vibe and i dig it! Noice Wieso tönt sini stimm wie zuckerwatte ih miine ohre? Can’t explain aber isch nice Ahh one day like this isch insane ich fühl mi wie imene film Friend of ours isch meeeega pretty. Bi richtige fan vo dem album tbh und vor allem vo dem lied. Mega nostalgisch iwie? Bi voll drinn versunke. Allgemein chli en jacob collier vibe. Jung, früsch experimentell und mega divers, iwie volle hoffnig und wunder und eifach sochli s attitude vowege wie chani welles instrument ihsetze und harmonie verwende und was chani alles demit mache? Spiele mit Dissonanze und Konsonanze sowie de intensität vo de melodie und tön. So toll.

I had never heard this album before, which is surprising because apparently several songs were features on shows that I watched in college. It’s almost specifically targeted at my tastes, I’m definitely going to relisten and wouldn’t be surprised if this made it into my most listened to albums of 2024 (its too late to make it to 2023). Originally I was thinking a 4 star rating, but as the album went on I found myself digging every song.

Really enjoyed this album. Great vocals. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver was my favourite song. Need to explore Elbow more.

Love it!

A great find for me. Loved this indie rock album.

Turns out I already have listened to this album and liked lots of songs on it without realising. I will continue to do so

I'm pleasantly surprised to see Elbow on the list. It's not my favorite Elbow album, but there are some really good tracks on here.

I've listened to this a few times now and it really is incredible every single time. First off, the lyrics are fantastic - imaginative, playful, poetic, and sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting. The band behind frontman Guy Garvey play with a delicateness and at times brashness that conveys so much emotion and builds great tension. Overall, the album feels like you're transported into a childhood fairyland with equal parts light and dark that juxtapose each other so well. 9/10

What a ride

If Sting was in Radiohead. 6/5!!

very rich sound and colorful palette like the atmosphere of the album and it sounds huge and intimate at the same time

Perfect

It was really chill. I plan on listening to them in the future.

Whilst I think there are other Elbow albums that are just as good - if not better - as this this, Seldom Seen Kid is a great album. One Day Like This is such a beautiful anthem but the album is brilliant from start to finish. From the way the delicate start of Starlings gives way to the synth stab, the album constantly takes surprising turns (hello Grounds For Divorce’s convoluted but effective singalong). Guy Garvey’s voice has a fragility and honesty that comes from singing in his own accent whilst the lyrics approach Nick Cave levels of poetry (A friend of mine grows his very own brambles…) A fabulous album. I’d put at least another couple of theirs on this list too

Calm indy on a wet Monday morning fuck yeah.

Great

One of the best albums ever made. Every song becomes a new favourite.

Heerlijk compleet album, muzikaal, veel gebruik van klassieke instrumenten. Melodieus, goede stem. Ground for Divorce +++

Loved it

Weird and beautiful to listen to. Never heard of them before this listen. Really liked some of the "growling" harmonies Reminds me of artic monkeys / radiohead / Coldplay. I'll look into other stuff by them.

What a gorgeous album. Beautifully evocative, really paints a soundscape. Loved it.

Enjoyed it! Each song had a different sound and feel. Definitely an intentional listen, if that makes sense.

Timeless, brilliant, great production also.

Gewoonweg prachtig. Fenomenale stem van Guy, droomachtige lyrics, muzikaal heel sterk

The intro to the opener “Starlings” omg immediate chills. The instrumental to this whole song is phenomenal, banger opener. Hello the harmonies in “The Bones of You”?!?! Damn chills for this song too. “Grounds for Divorce” ok left turn on song style. I am eating upppp this album so far. Omg another left turn with “An Audience With the Pope” HELLO? Omg I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been eating up this album like for breakfast lunch and dinner and I think it’s because they sort of sound like Arctic Monkeys. And I loveeeeee the Arctic Monkeys. “The Fix” is giving A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes and I’m so here for it. Stop because “One Day Like This” is so cutie I’m living. I think “One Day Like This” would have been a better closer than “Friend of Ours” but idk maybe there’s some stylistic value or deeper metaphor that I didn’t get or pick up on that makes this a banger closer. Overall in a constant state of chills the whole album I fucking loved it.

Thoughtful, well produced, good musicianship and in their own way sticking to their guns and doing what they do best - avoiding the pitfalls of pop. Guy Garvey’s voice is full of real northern (UK) soul.

I had heard of Elbow, but that was about it. I think I maybe once, very long ago, listened to one or two tracks by them, but either didn't like them or wasn't in the mood. So this seemed like what might have happened if Peter Gabriel had set up with Radiohead and kicked out Thom Yorke. It was very much like listening to early Genesis Gabriel, but with a different band that was more film-score-music and less guitar/keyboard-orientated. I loved it, nice lyrics, interesting songs, felt like a 5-star album from start to finish. I'm going to go back and listen to it again now!

Added Bones of You to my all time favorites. Very good Album.

I listened once, I thought it was alright, I recognised ‘One Day Like This’ and I had to stop listening because I was so exhausted. After my nap, I revisited and it is SO SO GOOD. Orchestral chamber indie rock that won the Mercury Prize that sounds like Blur mixed with early Coldplay (two of my favourite bands) etc. etc. = perfection. Just listen to it.

I like every track on here, which the generator process has taught me is surprisingly rare. - The romantic Starlings and Mirrorball, which are arranged with poise and patience - not afraid to take their time and linger on the quiet bits in order to build a mood. See also the epic Tower Crane Driver, which makes you wait nearly 4 minutes for its spine-tingling release, and is all the better for it. - The deliciously sly Audience With The Pope and The Fix, which sound like Fagin holding court in dingy Victorian London. - The nostalgic Bones of You and Weather To Fly, which really emphasise Guy Garvey’s poetic lyrics: ‘…when out of the doorway the tentacles stretch of a song that I know, and the world moves in slo-mo, straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day…’ - The moving Some Riot and Friend of Ours. Garvey’s everyman knack of extracting the beauty and emotion from small moments is never more effective than on the latter, and the orchestral swells in both are gorgeous. - Elbow’s two biggest hits, One Day Like This and Grounds For Divorce, which, happily, show off two very different sides of the band. As a result of these (ODLT in particular) they hit the mainstream, but it was deserved. There’s a lot craft and nuance in what they do, beyond the sentimental singalongs.

Personal Enjoyability (out of 40): 32 Consistency of Quality (out of 25): 20 Keeps Interest (out of 25): 22 Album Flow (out of 10): 9 Overall 83/100 ★★★★★ Quick Review: This is brilliantly crafted album. It feels heavily influenced by Radiohead in the way the atmosphere is created in each song. Each song flows almost seamlessly into the next, but never gets boring. I thought that Elbow were supposed to be a bit naff, but I couldn't have been proven more wrong.

massiivinen alku, järisyttävä yllätys että jotain on tapahtumassa... parin biisin jälkeen hiipuu puhti, mutta vielä pihisee kipinä, joka sytyttää liekin joka leviää tulipaloksi... laulumies toki indie paskaa miten niillä on aina sama ääni mutta pystyn korvia höröttänän sen ohi. älkää indiehorot koskaan väittäkö että en ole tehnyt mitään puolestanne... hävettää tällänen mutta koko albumi kiinnostavana prkl, prkl sanon minä an audience with the pope

The gods, if they are real, truly must have been listening to me, for after complaining about overplayed radio music, and after listening to multiple albums with extremely popular songs on it - including a bonafide "meme" song! - I get this. (For context, I am American, if this is a much more popular album in the UK, you are free to ignore the above statement) And wow, I wasn't expecting something so dreamy, ethereal even, that takes me on its own haunting journey. Don't know if it is because I had low expectations, but this is high praise from me.

This album has a crazy amount of variety and pulls from many different genres. I can see why people would be put off by this album but it was a very enjoyable experience. It uses so many different styles of instruments and has good vocals to match.

Loved everything about this album

This is why I love this project. This album is the perfect mix of melancholy alternative for me. Each song sounds fresh and pops. The Bones of You has that sick fuzzy bass that reminds me of Radiohead’s Exit Music (For a Film). Sounds like a combination of Radiohead and new Arctic Monkeys. If you like this in any way I highly recommend listening to the live album at Abbey Road. It has an orchestra and choir. Epic af.

Tempted to call it an all-timer.

A little frightened rabbit, a little radiohead. Real cool song writing.

Absolutely delightful. The singer's excellent voice and range is accompanied by a band that knows exactly what it's doing. Pulling out all the instruments, and switching between being delicate and bold playstyles to fit any song. There's quite a lot of variety on the album, but all of it is memorable and impactful. 5/5.

2.5 stars. I have a sneaking suspicion that English bands are over represented on this list. This album could be evidence of that. The songs are operatic—I frequently wondered if still listening to the same song since they seemed to contain multiple acts. Operatic is cool but they didn’t take me on an emotional journey—I connect more with the whining angst of the Decembrists.

Reminds me of Coldplay, but cooler. And I like Coldplay hahaha. I wish I found this when it came out in 2008, this album is soothing, and a journey of music. I will put this on for road trips, work, cleaning, or sending love songs that I don't listen to the lyrics entirely to my lover, Mike. The Fix, is an epic song. Very fun! Hands down a beautifully crafted album. 5/5 stars

The current average rating for this is 3.33, which astounds me 😲 An absolutely brilliant album which is thoroughly deserving of all its awards 🏆 If I had to pick one favourite track, it would be Mirrorball, but this album is excellent all the way through.

Incredible! Like poetry!

Loved it

I was surprised for two reasons. One, that I haven’t heard of this album before. And two, just how exceptional it really is. Some of the production reminds me of early Coldplay (i.e. fantastic and multilayered), but it has a really unique sound and an overall orchestral feel. Highly recommended.

I'd forgotten how much I love this album. It's just about a 4.5, but rounding up...

beautiful, beautiful album. really really good.

Прикольное смешение кантри, акустики и симфонического оркестра в какой-то мере Elbow - Grounds For Divorce - имеет одно из самых запоминающихся интро и я ее обожаю. Послушайте, если не слушали В общем идеальный альбом чтобы сесть в кресло и налить себе виски А еще офигенная версия записанная в Abbey Road с оркестром. Чистый кайф, особенно на колоночках. Ух как мощно. Только за это 5ку готов ставить и захотел себе винил с записи оркестровой

"Like if Radiohead and Coldplay had a failson." - какой-то комментатор из глобальных ревью к этому альбому. Полностью поддерживаю это описание. Как будто Coldplay забыли антидепрессантов принять перед записью, а Radiohead вернулись в свой 95ый. Но может быть, failson это всё-таки перебор. АААА, ЕМАЕ! Кто включил мне КВН?!?!? Ладно, этот выпад поймёт видимо только Влад. Вот почему название группы таким знакомым казалось... Пояснялочка: Grounds For Divorce - отбивка команды Наполеон Динамит, по-моему из Тюмени; там у них был брутальный чел, который отпускал какую-нибудь шутку и под основной риф надевал очки. Короче вот, минутку ностальгии окончили. Тем не менее, выше упомянутый трек неплохо так качает, что-то в духе Arctic Monkeys, добротненький такой бэнгер. Но из 11 треков с альбома условно только его (ну может, ещё The Bones of You и One Day Like This) можно выделить, как НЕ гипертоскливый (в хорошем смысле тоски). От остальных же песен периодически исходило желание грызть стены. Примерно как от старых добрых Сплина и Земфиры. Прям дико накрывает беспроглядной мглой. Возможно, погода сегодня мне решила подыграть, чтобы я уж прям совсем погрузился в свои думы думные. Музыка безумно красивая, с аранжировками здесь полный порядок. Как и с лирикой. Но если вернуться к изначальному сравнению, до уровня экспериментов Йорка и ко. ещё очень далеко. Тем не менее, слушать этот альбом невероятно приятно и легко. Что же с оценкой? Очень трудно, но пусть это будет 4.5/5 с округлением вверх. Альбом точно будет переслушан и не один раз, но чего-то ещё ему не хватает... Возможно, какой-нибудь фичи, из-за которой его было бы ещё интереснее деконструировать.

Loved this album growing up. The lyrics are beautiful and have such a flowy melody, Garvey’s voice is lovely, and the music swells to dramatic peaks and soothing valleys throughout. It’s also just pretty strong throughout. A classic of our lifetimes. First track alone earns the 5 stars.

Loved! Spooky and ethereal and uplifting. Took me to the British countryside as if I knew what it’s like

Love this

I don’t know exactly what it was, but I fucking loved this album. It just felt cinematic a lot with the music on most of the tracks. There were times where the vocals reminded me of those memes where people annunciate their vowels too much which is common in this genre of music (I don’t know what genre it is). Maybe he’s just British idk. It was nice though overall. Track 6: Weather to Fly and Track 10: One Day Like This were my favorites.

Cracking

Ahhh this is so good. I listened to it while house-cleaning and I think that's part of why I like it so much. I don't like the song Weather to Fly but I love how melodic and earwormy even that song is. A lot of the songs, such as The Fix, also feel so noirish. One Day Like This is definitely the highlight and I've listened to it so many times already.

Absolutely love this.

Wonderful record.

10/10 wouldn’t call myself an alternative fan but then again, I love nearly every alternative album I hear so idk

very cool

I think I only know one Elbow song, and as luck would have it, it is on this album! One Day Like This is such an amazing song, so I’m looking forward to hearing the rest. Songs I already knew: One Day Like This, Grounds For Divorce (didn’t know I knew this song until it came on) Favourites: One Day Like This, Grounds For Divorce, Mirrorball What an excellent album! It sits somewhere along the softer side of rock for the most part, with plenty of orchestral strings thrown in for good measure. The call and response between the vocals and strings in One Day Like This is simply perfect. Buttery smooth vocals is always a plus for me, and the fact that the singer’s accent makes him sound like he lives down the road from me isn’t a bad thing (a cursory google search shows they’re from Bury, so yep, just down the road). A very easy recommend, with some incredibly catchy songs.

I genuinely liked it

Excellent hidden gem

This is some really Soft "Rock", and I am really glad I had no preconceived notions going in. This was an incredible and delightful little piece to put on for my morning.

This was actually really good

Edit- I can't believe I gave this a 3! I listen to this album all the time now. Elbow has a great, unique sound.

Idk how big are in their country, but at least in mine (which isn't an English speaking country), Elbow doesn't seem to be a well known band. Oasis and Blur were definitely the most popular britpop bands but, Elbow? I don't think anyone would recognise then. So, I listened to this album without knowing what this band was like, and I didn't know what to expect. Holy cow This album blew my mind. The combination of classical music and alt-rock is one that I particularly like. The lyrics gave me a nostalgic but melancholic vibe at the same time, like a teenagers memories of growing in a poor neighborhood. The last song, "Friend of Ours", made me burst into tears, but more or less all of the tracks managed to send a chill down my spine. This album is a hidden gem, and I think anyone should give it a listen at least once in their lives.

This is a great listen all round. Worth your time and repeated listens

Never heard of this band before. About halfway through the album now, this is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for out of this 1001 albums list! Excellent, and will definitely be looking into their other albums very soon!

3 Sure haven't heard of Elbow before, but I mean the music is pretty good. Hey! Richard Hawley! :)) Really beautiful. I wish I had something to link it to right now. 4 I have to listen more to this! "Friend Of Ours" is heartbreaking. Whatever 5

Starlings - 10/10 The Bones of You - 9/10 Mirrorball - 8/10 Grounds for Divorce - 8/10 Weather to Fly - 8/10 The Fix - 10/10 Some Riot - 9/10 One Day Like This - 10/10 Friend of Ours - 8/10 We're Away - 7/10 Hotel Istanbul - 10/10 Lullaby - 9/10

Мне понравился альбом. Интересные и красивые аранжировки; обложка классная — как головоломка, а еще в ней что-то от игры botanicula

Nice vocals, sort of downtempo/groovy rock.

Superb a classic Cover art 5/5

I love this album, haven’t listened to it much recently so when it popped up as the album for the day I was overjoyed. Not a bad track on the album and days like these was the track that my wife and I walked out of the church to on our wedding day. A banger of an album, a 5/5 every day of the week and twice on a Sunday

I loved this. I told a few people about it. By my metric, that's a 5. Will listen again.

Going by Apple Music’s description of this being a cross between U2 and Coldplay, I figured I would either love it or hate it. IMHO it’s much more like Coldplay than U2. This album won me over, though. I was thinking it was a strong 4, but by the time I got halfway through, it became a 5. I look forward to listening to this again. I had never heard of this band before so this is a fun surprise.

One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands. Lyrically, musically and vocally flawless. My favourite lyric is the first verse of "Some Riot". Heartbreaking at points, and arguably even more so when you read the story of his friend who it is dedicated to. 5 🌟

Fantastic album, luscious arrangement beautiful melodies

Absolutely amazing!

Listning to this album on the 2nd day in May in a public park ! Greatfull for this moment 🙏

I was not familiar with Elbow but happily now I am! I love the grand, orchestral sound and the first lyric, "How dare the Premier ignore my invitations/ he'll have to go." What a wonderful opening song. "Darling, is this love?" Yes. "Mirrorball" is magical and beautiful. "Grounds for Divorce" has a great, gritty rock sound. "An Audience with the Pope" sounds like one of the better James Bond themes. "The Fix" is just great story telling and I love the duet of conspiring voices singing lyrics like "the redoubtable beast has had Pegasus pills." This is definitely a new favorite.

I very much enjoyed this album. The instrumentation is very interesting, the vocals are pleasant sounding, and all layered together so well. Kind of simple while simultaneously so grand.

I'd never heard of Elbow, which is either the best band name or the worst. Can't decide. But what a wonderful surprise! I was hooked by the second track (The Bones of You). Many other favorites, including Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce, Weather to Fly, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver, and of course One Day Like This.

The first time I listened to this I felt like I knew some of these songs. Later I realized I’d seen a couple of TV shows that used a few of these songs. Otherwise this was the first time I’ve heard this group. This album really clicked with me on the second listen. Catching more clever lyrics like “So yes, I guess I’m asking you to back a horse that’s good for glue” and picking up more of the stories the songs tell really made me fall for this album. The music is really interesting, the vocals unique, and it all came together for me. “ We made the moon our mirrorball The streets, an empty stage The city sirens violins Everything has changed ” There are touches of epic, wistfulness, sadness, drama, sarcasm and joy throughout the songs. I love it! Standout songs: Mirrorball, Weather to Fly, An Audience With the Pope, One Day Like This, A Friend of Ours, Hotel Istanbul

Fantastic

This album is like an Edward Gorey book come to life.

Chill all the way through.

Þessi plata er barasta virkilega góð. Fjölbreytt, dramatísk og skemmtileg lög, og ekkert þeirra bara til uppfyllingar. Útsetningar hæfilega flóknar og söngvarinn nær til mín, bæði túlkunin og röddin sjálf. Held ég hendi barasta fimm á þessa.

Grounds for Divorce made this album rocket up to a 4 automatically for me. It started out kind of slow but just kept getting better and better.

Right up my alley!

This is a brand new band for me, never heard of Elbow before. The first song didn't really grab me, but it quickly picked up and I got very entranced by the music, it's a very pleasant listen and I realized this band reminds me very much of what Coldplay could have become if they didn't go into the mainstream stadium rock path, it's very reminiscent of their early work. In the reviews I see Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Dave Mathews, and Peter Gabriel come up frequently and I think the comparisons make sense. Good album, I could see myself picking this one up if I spot it in a shop. Grounds for Divorce is the standout but it's solid across the board.

Elbow are a perfect combination of Mancunian sensibilities with a soft core of romanticism smoothing out the northern swagger. Garvey's voice is like one of those throat lozenges with anaesthetic in it. Soothing. Although this album won the Mercury music prize, it's their earlier work that I'm keenest on. Asleep at the back was one of the greatest debuts of the decade. Live they are incredible too. A national treasure.

The album is dominated by a melancholic undertone; I got some very slight Radiohead-meets-Leonard-Cohen vibes out of it. On top of that, the singer sounds a bit like Sting at times. Still, there is quite the variation between songs, which keept me engaged. Standouts are Mirrorball, Weather to Fly, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver and One Day Like This. I will listen to this again. - Very enjoyable 4.5/5.

Ooooooh I have always loved this album!! Before I really had a music collection or a music taste, before I formed opinions and learned about how music is made. I owned a couple of tracks on iTunes and a few burned CD mixtapes but I had this album! A very dear friend introduced this album to me and it's extremely emotional, the memories tied to it. It's a five stars all the way to me and I can hardly even look at it objectively because of how strongly I immediately feel when I listen to these songs. The timing of this album coming up has been quite spookily meaningful for me. Listening to this with the sun shining after days of rain is magical.

From the first crash of starlings all the way to the triumph of one day like this, beautiful songs with clever lyrics.

Lovely

4.5/5 Nice album, relaxing and nice voice

Beautiful album Fav tracks: Starlings, grounds for divorce, the loneliness of a tower crane driver, one day like this, friend of ours.

I was listening to this album a lot when I met my wife, and we had Mirrorball playing at our wedding. Not going to get a fair rating out of me, sorry. It's a crime One Day Like This got so overplayed on telly. Ban TV.

This album led me to a whole new genre of albums and songs. The singer sounds like sting

Absolutely beautiful. Reminds me of Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear. Amazing combination of strings and traditional rock instruments.

Beautiful and experimental. Full score. Will buy the album on occasion.

Perfectie met extra aandacht voor de volgorde van de nummers; het voelt zo geweldig om van het ene in het andere nummer te vallen.

Hopla! Een van mijn all-time favorites. Album klopt van top tot teen!!

Geweldige band, geweldig album.

Asleep at the back and THIS … lyrics are so good …

Somehow actually hadn't heard this before! Great album though

zingers

Style and sound I like.

5/5 This was definitely one I really liked that I would never have heard. Sounds kinda like Dave Matthews.

Great Album!!! I love it

Hell yes! Peter Gabriel vibe, but different. Love this album. Even though you have been here since 2006...Welcome to 2021, Mr. Elbow. Really good album.

What an album! So atmospheric and loved listening to it through while driving

Had to listen to this a second time on the following day. On the first listen I disliked the first song and then didn't listen too attentively, but found myself liking the album more and more as it progressed. Since it's a fairly unobtrusive album I thought it fair to give it another spin the next day and listen more attentively. I'm really glad that I did because this time around I really loved it. It's serene, but has a surprising amount of depth and versatility. I can see myself revisiting this one quite often when I want background music that is relaxing but simultaneously of really high quality.

This is a beautiful, milti-genre, journey. Another album I’ve never hear of that I loved. Good lyrics, nice minimalism, epic crescendos. There are a few songs that almost ruin it, the country revival dirge in the middle reminding me of the radio songs of 5 yrs ago, there’s also a couple Nick Cave style songs I didn’t love. At its best this album sounds like a film score with Indy vocals. Nick Cave and country revival songs weren’t enough to ruin this album for me, it was successful despite those songs. 5.

Classic. Not a bad song.

I really enjoyed this album! Absolute bangers.

Tämä oli ensikuuntelulla selkeä, joskin erittäin yllättävä, 5* levy. Myöhemmillä kuunteluilla pidin levystä yhä kovasti, mutta alun käsinkosketeltavaan kiimaan ei enää päästy. Erittäin hyvä levy kuitenkin uudelta tuttavuudelta. Rauhallinen äänimaailma ja laulajan ääni miellyttivät kovasti, eikä raukeasta tunnelmasta huolimatta tylsiä kohtia tai täytebiisejä löytynyt. Vaikka jossain vaiheessa kuuntelu-urakkaa käytiin nelosessa, niin kyllä tämä levy lopulta vangitsi vitosen arvoisesti.

Digging this. Chill but euphoric at times.

Kind of reminds me of Sting, Kind of reminds me of Mumford and sons. Will have to listen again to pick my favorite track.

I loved this album. Listed to it for another whole day

One of my favorite albums that I’ve been listening to forever. Grounds for Divorce is one of my favorite tracks. Discovered from Left for Dead 2, I believe.

Feels like trying to fall asleep at night after a super long day and you can barely think and when you close your eyes you can see images. And that's a pretty good compliment coming from me

Lovely album

Every time I hear Elbow I had forgotten about them and also how great they are.

Day 316 An album I know well, not my favourite Elbow album (that would be cast of thousands) but still one I’ll put on fairly often, One day like this is one of the best pissed up festival singalong songs of the past 25 years. Highlights Audience with the pope One day like this Friend of ours

The Dutchess Man of Lancashire!! haven’t listened to this album in over a decade and it absolutely still holds up

1001 albums to hear before you die 134# Why does 'Weather to Fly' so underrated? 76 compared to the others.. damn i really loved it I think i've already stumbled upon Elbow but never quite gave them my attention. This was quite a good surprise I'm suspicious about this cause I love indie rock, that's where i started to really get into music with Cage the elephant and stuff but this has some beautifull and heartfelt passages followed by more 'agressive' turns. I didn't listen to the lyrics closely.. i'm studying for a presentation, maybe someday It reminds me a lot when they're more delicate and calm of The Antlers, which is a great band.

Before listening to this I was only familiar with "One Day Like This", strongly associated with the 2012 Olympic Games. That to me is definitely the strongest song on the album, but generally speaking it's pretty good overall.

Belle découverte

Great. Guy Garvey has a great voice. The songs are stories or poetry. Stand out One Day Like This a classic

Whilst not being a ‘lively’ album on the whole it seems to do the job.

In my mind I thought I hated this album other than ‘Grounds for Divorce’. So I’m not sure where my head was at when this came out, but I stand corrected, it’s a cracker. Apart from ‘One day like this’, I can’t stand that one, which means the album ends poorly and the closer isn’t great either. Special shout out to the bass player, some filthy lines and sounds on some tracks.

Guter UK-Rock. Melodisch, angenehme Stimme. 4/5

Guy can really write a love song

Stem doet denken aan Sting.

Gratamente sorprendido por el álbum. La verdad no los conocía, ni siquiera había oído hablar de ellos. Hay algo en la música que me lleva a otro lugar, me recuerda a algo pero no sé qué es o cómo describirlo. Me gustó muchísimo.

Genuinely touching in places. Plus it upsets some of the American reviewers, which is an added bonus.

- primera impresión: empieza chill - segundo track ya se anima la cosa - canciones de 5 min pero bastante llevaderas - siguen siendo chill

This is pretty cool. I was prepared for yet another tepid UK-band that snuck onto the list for unknown reasons, but I'm enjoying this one.

New to me. Draggy at times, but overall good prog rock.

again I'm being a high rater.....realistically this is a 3 something but this was p solid and i enjoyed the vibe, would not have engaged w this album w/o this project most likely hmmm

I really like this album. It reminds me of the verve but in all the ways that the verve is good and not in the ways that it's bad and boring.... I'm definitely gonna have to listen to this album again... I'll add it to the list!

joining the like of the shins, the head & the heart, and smash mouth in awesome bands

Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: The Bones of You, An Audience With The Pope Never heard of Elbow before. This was quite a pleasant album. Something about it reminds me of Massive Attack's Heligoland. I also hear a lot of Radiohead influence, and maybe a bit of the Black Keys. The instrumentation is great. Clean, good fidelity, very melodic. Diversity across songs. I like when adult contemporary doesn't sell out and go hard-right to top 50 pop music.

Another English rock band I’ve never heard of! Surprised as it’s from an era I feel like I should know. Interesting through the first few songs. Can obviously hear some Radiohead influence, but there’s something else this is reminding me of that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a bit straightforward sometimes as a rock album, but then it goes into more elaborate productions and feels like something different. For example, Grounds for Divorce is a solid rock song, and then it follows up with something way more unique in An Audience with a Pope, a great track. Overall very solid. His voice reminds me of some solo career Sting. I enjoy this very much it’s kind of orchestral and grand at times. Sometimes it slows down but it’s always interesting. I think this might be a 4. A few really great songs. Kind of surprised me after the first few that I ended up enjoying it as much as I did. Felt like a played out alt rock sound at first, but it’s really its own thing once I started really taking it in. We’ll go 4.

Sweet

very lovely instrumentals and vocals, would definitely recommend! I love more than half the tracks on here.

La voz me recuerda a peter gabriel (y un poco a Genesis). Me gustan. Buen disco

I listened to this like 4 times. The way it flows is mesmerizing. 4 for now, but might be a 4.5 and rising.

Beautiful but perhaps a bit samey

The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver leeft al jaren vrijgesteld van huur in mijn hoofd. Mooie plaat, maar niet zo goed als Leaders of the Free World.

Haters gonna hate. This is great. Very confused about the idea that I had never heard of the album or even the band before. Curious to see if I still like it in a year, but after one listen, I love it.

Not a regular 4, but a on-this-mediocre-list-4.

I really liked this. What a gem.

Excellent record.

Mostly mesmerized by the voice, but I thoroughly enjoyed this listen. The production takes some interesting turns as well so a very engaging and complete record.

Love surprise bangers, really makes the journey worthwhile

The best of that early 00s sad slow lo-fi indie Mercury Prize nominee bunch that tries to be a bit Coldplay and a bit Radiohead, and by best I mean basically the only good one. Grounds for Divorce and A Day Like This are the standouts, but the rest is pretty solid.

Frábær hljómsveit og mjög góð plata. Fílaði eiginlega bara öll lögin og vel hægt að vinna með þessu.

Elbow var mjög góð hljómsveit, vanmetnir. Soldið Peter Gabriel væb á þessari plötu. One day like this er svo algjör banger.

Just a really good mature solid album by a band i don't listen to very much, but when i do always appreciate them. Bones for you and grounds for divorce are great songs!

Got this album at home. Always thought its a very good album. Bones of You is great. Friend of Ours is touching, Among Other highlights. Rest of Elbow's stuff doesnt do a lot for me. But this album's their peak.

Never listened to elbow before but that album was very good Grounds for divorce was great

Nice band i like the birds

Yeah, this was pretty great. Never heard of the band, but I enjoyed that. Listened twice. Urban beardos weren't making this kind of music stateside in 2008.

It started like yet another not-bad-but-uninteresting album that can play in the background without annoying me, and then, somewhere in the middle, it changed. I don't know when I realised that this music was catching my attention and I actually enjoyed listening to it

Really enjoyed this. A great sound and some masterful compositions. One Day provides a truly uplifting anthem. Other tracks great including Grounds for Divorce. Love the use of strings on this album.

Went through a while elbow phase in college then just forgot that they existed. Great album

Hadn't heard this in a while. Never really got into their other albums but there's a lot of good stuff on this.

4 stars for this big emotional sweep

Good Times forever

I really enjoyed this album

Some lovely stuff on this.

Never heard of this band before, but I have heard some of these songs. I like it, give me kind of a Verve Pipe vibe. I would definitely listen again.

Quite liked this, was familiar with 'One Day Like This' but not the rest of the album. Speaking of 'One Day Like This', what is it about that song that makes me go all misty-eyed and wistful? It's a beautiful piece of art, and I could listen to it a thousand times over. The rest of the album never quite hits those heights, but there are lots of wonderful moments. 'An Audience With The Pope', 'The Fix', 'Grounds For Divorce' are all fantastic, with clever lyrics and lovely arrangements. Whilst Guy Garvey's voice might not be technically brilliant, his down to earth singing carries the songs with an element of truthfulness.

Never heard of them - great groove and songwriting

It has some great songs on but overall it’s a low 4 for me

Very moody. I’ve always been told the greatness of Elbow. And this record certainly does shine in its own shimmering way.

Okay, this was a bit of a journey. I dug it though, almost surprised at how much I enjoyed some of this. I enjoy a band that is obviously inspired by a bunch of different stuff and somehow kinda winds up sounding just like themselves.

7/10

What a great album. Melancholy, weird, poppy. A nice mix, glad to be introduced to these guys.

Definitely a bit/ of nostalgia for me with this one, had it on CD, really nice enjoyable album.

I really like this band’s style and his vocals. Yes they are a little Floyd and Coldplay. This is the type of music that should be on this list.

4.5

Interesting and a bit ethereal. I liked it well enough.

Hauntingly beautiful vocals. The two songs I already knew were the highlight (grounds for divorce and one day like this). But the rest of the album was also interesting.

I liked their early stuff and then mostly fell out of touch before this one. Nice.

Elbow's sound can be described as alternative pop rock with occasional orchestral instrumentation. The most remarkable thing, however, is Guy Garvey's gentle yet powerful voice. Their 2008 album “The Seldom Seen Kid” fluctuates between nice ideas (e.g., “Grounds for Divorce”) and inconsequential easy listening. Unfortunately, the production and especially the drum mix don't always seem quite mature to me. Nevertheless, this album is enjoyable to listen to, and I find it quite astonishing that I had never heard of Elbow before. The best thing I can say about this record is that some passages (e.g., “An Audience with the Pope”) remind me of Sleep Token (without their brute force, of course), so Elbow clearly provide a very interesting insight into the developments in the British music scene at the time.

Amazing listen actually!

This is a great album! I didn't know anything about them at all. They got instant demerits for their name. Why the hell would you name your band Elbow? On first listen, this is a little bland. I can see why some reviewers dipped out. But there was a flair or two that caught my ear. And I give every album on the list at least 2 tries. Quite happy I did this time! Yes, it's a little soft and often slow, but it has layers. It's subtle and superbly played and produced. I do enjoy his voice. He doesn't seem to have a great range, but he definitely has a bit of a chameleon voice as he sounds like a few other singers: Nick Drake, Peter Gabriel, and, once in a while Thom Yorke (who I don't love but occasionally makes good tones.) It's interesting and lends itself well to the various sounds they are going for on different tracks. "Meeting with the Pope" had the first tone to grab me on this one. I love the swing and hook of it. "Grounds for Divorce" is good as the most upbeat song here. Never heard it before, but apparently they made hay of it. I pretty much like all of it. I guess they could have skipped "Starlings" or at least put it later. I think it's a terrible introduction to them, and that horn stab is frightening! Some of these are now on my lists, and I'm saving this album to come back to it. Worthy of the list! I'll give it a 4 because I like it and there's nothing really bad on it. BUT is it influential? Does it do something new and exciting? Not really. There are few 5's in this world!

Slow start, but picks up and delivers

Solid album with a great sound