Reviews (page 3 of 10)
meh, medio aburrido
Nice background music.
had some good tracks, decent
One or two bangers but the rest is some of the most bland, boring music I’ve heard. It’s not offensive, it just exists. Meh.
It wasn't awful but certainly not something I would ever want to hear again. Sounds a bit like Coldplay but where Coldplay usually have at least one great track that grabs your attention on every album, Elbow's album 'The Seldom Seen Kid' sounds like one long song cut into 11 pieces. A forgettable affair all around.
This album consists of an absolute banger sandwiched between two halves of deeply introspective, melancholic, heartfelt songs. The first few tracks are beautiful and intimate. Then Grounds for Divorce blasts you out of nowhere before the album pulls you back into that introspective headspace with the mischievous An Audience With the Pope and takes you on a mystical journey. I use words like melancholic but this album is incredibly grandiose at times. Tracks like An Audience With the Pope and The Fix made me feel like I was the protagonist in a musical, about to uncover some secrets, or preparing to make a deal that might not turn out in my best interests, but finding a way to make everything work out in the end. This isn't the kind of music I listen to because it's entertaining. This is the kind of music that makes me feel something. That resonates with me on a deep level.
It was a first listen to me. Late 00s British indie rock, quite Radiohead like with Coldplay and Blur influences. The album has good variety and intricate details which I always like. The melancholy is a bit much here and there. I would give it 3 and half stars but I should give it more listens to decide if it's worth a 4.
Apparently I really love Radiohead and Coldplay, but after them, this band is just impossible to take seriously. Just plain bad.
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.
We’ve heard this late 2000s British alternative so many times. Give it a rest! It was fine.
Unnecessary indie music. Trying to be something between Coldplay and progressive.
Sounds like Peter Gabriel and Dave Matthews mixed together for me. I cant say I understand why this would be on the list.
As I started listening to this album, my initial reaction was that this was another example of early 2000s sleepy Brit-pop making its way onto this list. However, as I continued to listen, I found myself enjoying it more and more.
Pretensioonikas ja mitte alati parimal moel. Mõni lugu on täitsa huvitav, aga mulle selle laulja vokaal ei istu kuidagi üldse. Ja tundub, nagu nad teeksid muusikat "intelligentsele" publikule, aga see kuidagi ei tööta. 2.8/5
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
No conocía a Elbow pero qué cosa tan genial. Me encantaron las canciones, las letras, los arreglos. Toda la propuesta me pareció solidísima. Fan desde ahora de los Codo.
4/10
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.
Another album that sort of washed over me. That's probably more indicative of my recent listening habits rather than a reflection of the quality of this album. It was an enjoyable collection of largely slow, melancholic ballads and I'm sure it would improve upon another listen.
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.
This reads as extremely generic to me. It’s fine, but unremarkable
Listened to this yesterday. Not really sure about it now
the kind album that makes you fall asleep at your desk and fart yourself awake
Never heard of them - great groove and songwriting
Maybe it would have hit more at the time but I found this one missing something. I can see why it was a hit but not much for me to grab onto. Sounds a bit derivative of the other bigger bands around this time that were working in the same style.
This was a journey. I hated it, I liked it, I disliked it, I loved it. Weird. I think the theme of the album should be "every song has changed"
It has some great songs on but overall it’s a low 4 for me
This strain of British “rock” is well liked but not my cup of tea, cause I don’t like tea. What happened to British rock, though to be honest there is very Little Rock or roll in this, in the new millennium. Why did this train from Pink Floyd via Phil Collins Genesis through to Radiohead, via Coldplay become so all encompassing. What we get here is a slight variation, the northern accented one. It’s earnest, it’s kitchen sink, passive emotional. Musically fine but overall bland chin rubbing. But and this is a big but it is this is so, so very dull. If I wanted to induce a coma then this would be fine, but I don’t. I felt miserable bloody miserable after listening to this first thing on a Monday morning. He is telling me it’s looking like a beautiful day, it is melodic, strings surge but he isn’t convincing me, sod one day in 365, that odds sum up what this album is. Don’t want to particularly dislike on this, it has music merit like all of the list at the start, and I do understand why lots like, but I really don’t want to listen to this like I wouldn’t want to study a mathematical equation all morning - 2 Star.
Meh
good
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
Such a mellow style.
like Phil Collins and Coldplay had an illegitimate child. dreary and whiny and not my cup of tea
I remember being aware of this band when I worked at Tower in the early '00s and would listen to anything from the UK, but I certainly didn't know this album at all. Vocals sound like Peter Gabriel, dig it, but starts to get a little boring as it goes on. The British Grizzly Bear?
Coldplay meets what the fuck is that emotional band from the 90's again?
There are some really great songs on this album and also some really boring, forgettable ones. Lots of potential for this band, reminds me of Coldplay with a mix of the Lumineers and more folkish sound
Nice one ! Especially Mirror ball.
I think Elbow have become victims of their own success, becoming the poster child of bland radio rock in the UK. When this came out it was fresh, considered, influential and rightly lauded critically. Overexposure now makes it harder to listen to objectively. That said it starts strongly, articulately and confidently, that sense carries throughout. At times a bit dull and wet.
it's a 3.5
What a great album. Melancholy, weird, poppy. A nice mix, glad to be introduced to these guys.
lyrical, feels like spring, love it
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.
Is it good? Yes Should it be on the list? Probably not
It was fine. Sounded good but pretty forgettable like most British alternative (what does that even mean anymore?) music.
kinda like Radiohead-lite. wouldn't seek them out again, but would be fine listening to it in background
Boring
Meh
This unfortunately didn’t hit the marks for me. But it’s cool to discover a new to me artist.
What you would expect from an English alternative rock band in the 2000s -- the singles are pretty good while the rest of the album is aight.
I really thought I'd enjoy this, but just didn't find it interesting at all
Gut.
Meh
4.5
I think the comparisons I've seen to Coldplay in the reviews are a little unfair. While very stadium, The Seldom Seen Kid feels far more intimate and genuine than Coldplay's work. I'm still not a massive fan, but I enjoyed this album well enough and it certainly didn't incite the anger in me that A Rush of Blood to the Head did.
I've heard of this artist. Have not listened to much if any of their music. It's good. I respect it but not for me
I love Elbow and consider this to be one of the truly great albums of all time. Their albums before TSSK were good, but this represented a step up to a new level which manages to produce beautiful intimate songs with sweeping arrangements that sound at home in arenas and festivals. There is no weak point on this album. From the get go Starlings throws down the gauntlet with great lyrics “i guess i’m asking you to back a horse thats good for glue and nothing else” and explosive brass. The Bones Of You snd Mirrorball ensure there’s no let up before the pounding bass and Guy Garvey’s smoky vocals introduces you to the seldom seen kid and the undeniably catchy Grounds for Divorce. The addition of Sheffield laureate, Richard Hawley add yet another level with The Fix. Whilst Starlings is my favourite track you have to acknowledge that One Day Like This is the star that shines brightest in an album of stars. Whilst i would say this is Elbow’s best work they make damn fine albums both before and after this and their consistency is incredible.
I struggled with this score because Elbow and the type of music they generally create isn’t a thing I would normally actively enjoy. The two songs I knew (“Grounds for Divorce” and “One Day Like This”) are just spectacular, especially “Grounds for Divorce”. The rest of it is what I expected an Elbow album to be - not for me, but inoffensive. In an ideal world, this would be a 2.5 star one; however, I have enough self-awareness to say that this is definitely one of the more polished of the indie-types. Guy Garvey has a beautiful voice and the orchestrations are gorgeous.
Another album where I only knew the singles (one of which has been stuck in my head for the last 3 weeks due to a cover I heard) so I was really happy to see this appear. "You are the only thing, in any room you're ever in, I'm stubborn, selfish and too old" from Starlings is such a great lyric to set a mood. Mind you that track already set the mood by deafening me as I'd turned up the volume on the gentle bits only to be attacked by the horns. Loved it. And the lyrics that make me smile continue into track 2: "Overdraft speeches and deadlines to make, cramming commitments like cats in a sack". They have a way with words. I continued to really enjoy the tracks until we got to Grounds For Divorce: I ADORE Grounds For Divorce. The lyrics are great, the hook is incredible. It's an insanely catchy song with a really interesting melody. If I could give it more than a 5 as a single track, I absolutely would. There's then, for me, a slight lull but only because it would be impossible to keep up that level. I still really enjoyed the songs though. Of the album tracks I didn't know, I think my favourite would be The Fix, with local lad Richard Hawley. I very much enjoyed the Specials-like backing vocals. One Day Like This is a behemoth that broke containment. I think basically any person in the UK would recognise the hook, even if they couldn't name the song. I once heard the band play this as I lay in the grass in the sun and confetti gently floated down on top of me. I remember nothing else about their set (my fault not theirs, I was sleep deprived and drunk) but that one moment formed a core memory for me. That song is meant to be sung by crowds. I have said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a sucker for brass and there's a lot sprinkled throughout this album. And strings! I went into this thinking I'd probably like this album, but now I'm considering buying a copy. 5/5
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.
Didn't finish all the way (busy) but I enjoyed it! Not my fave ever but good
I don't mind Elbow. Guy Garvey seems to be a nice guy and he's got a great programme on BBC Radio 6. But. Elbow kind of lost me after this album, and truth be told, this album was the beginning of them leaving me behind. That said: Grounds for Divorce, An Audience with the Pope and The Fix are great, outstanding songs. But to me, their first three albums had more of those. Had I not been familiar with Elbow before listening to this again, it would have had a hard time to get more than 2/5, so my familiarity with the band and those three songs save the 3/5.
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.
The first track was so bad I really thought this was going to be a slog, but there were actually a few interesting songs/melodies on here. There were also a few stinkers so this fits squarely in the "mixed" category. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
this sounded like a mix of dave matthews band, radiohead, and coldplay. that is to say it sounded pretty derivative. other than one or two songs it wasn't bad but i don't understand how an album that sounds like this, from this time period, made this list.
Amazing listen actually!
This is what you get when you ask for an old Radiohead album and your mom says you have old Radiohead albums at home
Irgendwie ist der Sänger so ne Heulsuse
I've always liked Elbow more in theory than in practice. I love the singer's voice, the orchestral arrangements, and a lot of their lyrics. Songs like "Mirrorball," "Grounds for Divirce," and "One Day Like This" are great and capture love in all of its dimensions, from infatuation to heartbreak. But too many of their songs are kind of forgettable and/or just don't go anywhere. They're more of a "greatest hits" kind of band for me. Still, I'm appreciative of them for their intelligence, great chops and singing, and interesting arrangements.
I wouldn't say i disliked this but its... kinda dull? Was definitely expecting to like it more, because one of the KEXP DJs always plays One Day Like This and that song's really grown on me. The symphony vibes make for easy listening but just nothing else really grabbed me the whole time. Started to approach a more unique sound on The Bones of You and The Fix, but much of this felt instantly forgettable.
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
Weather to fly was surprisingly decent but the majority of this truly was just Coldplay who I hate. It’s like they’re doing a bad Radiohead impression the whole way through.
C'était de l'eau tiède. J'ai pas envie de mettre 1, parce que c'était quand même mieux fichu que du Georges Michael, mais qu'est-ce que ça m'a ennuyé !
Bit jangly but not bad
Solid album with a great sound
very grand and cinematic sound but as the album progresses, just like with very long movies, you kinda start wondering when is this gonna finally end (though i wouldn't say the album was boring at all). the music is very rich and well crafted but, at the end of it all, i just don't really know which song is which, as they all just blend together sonically. this album really misses out on having at least one or two powerful singles that would stand out and give some energy and life to the whole thing. i guess i can see this album and band being someones favourite but to me it sounds a bit like a step down compared with their influences (such as radiohead and peter gabriel)
Tof om terug te horen
A quieter album, with great vibes, perfect for early morning relaxing
Very beautiful. 4/5
Really liked this! Especially One Day Like This
Fantastic album. Beautiful music, interesting, the vocals were delicate with real substance. Some lovely lyrics, with lines like "We kissed like we invented it" and "So yes I guess I'm asking you, to back a horse that's good for glue". My first 5 in this musical journey.
01) Starlings - 8,5 02) The Bones of You - 8,5 03) Mirrorball - 8,5 04) Grounds for Divorce - 9,5 05) An Audience with the Pope - 8,5 06) Weather to Fly - 8,5 07) The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver - 8,5 08) The Fix - 9,0 09) Some Riot - 8,0 10) One Day Like This - 10,0 11) Friend of Ours - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,73 (87/100) Current ranking: 110/828
Beautiful, never heard it before. Absolutely grand. It reminds me of Peter Gabriel in the best way. Lovely. I'm keeping it.
I am super vibing with Grounds for Divorce. It's giving Radiohead meets Gordon Lightfoot. Not a bad album. Very soothing. I might have needed it today. But not one that I am going to keep in my favs.
some good tracks/vibes, though the best song was a deluxe uk track?
cool sound, didn't love the opening song but there are some strong ones highlights: Mirrorball, The Bones of You
M'eh, background noise, no reason to listen twice
Sleepy.
I wonder why good albuns like this went under my radar on the last decade... very good, 4 stars.
It’s ok, don’t have much else to say
Very lovely album. Reminds me of if Doves was fronted by someone who sounds a little like Peter Gabriel.
Average.
This guy's voice really annoys me and overall this album seems like it really wants to be clever and impress the listener. It's like a guy at university trying to get a girl by playing her his original songs on a guitar at a party to show her just how, like, deep he is, baby, like a lot of people don't really understand just how I'm feeling, yeah, like we all hide our true selves, you know? Anyway, what he / they have come up with are a bunch of songs with swooping but misplaced orchestral backing and belaboured metaphorical lyrics. Also the songs could all stand to finish about one minute sooner instead of having very prolonged outros. Oh, when One Day Like This came on I was like, this is it, this is the reason this album is on this list. This was the hit that was everywhere from 2008 onwards, and it is head and shoulders above the rest of the songs on this album. Having listened to the whole thing, this song is the sound of lightning striking, and it doesn't strike twice.
I saw a bunch of people claiming that this sounds like Radiohead, but honestly, it's kind of just English indie rock with a moody palette. I guess there are a couple of melodies that remind me of The Bends, but that's it. Anyways, The Seldom Seen Kid is fine. The songs are varied, reasonably well written, and pretty detailed. Although, it has something a little theatrical about it that usually comes across as cheesy. And I don't think it has an incredibly strong unified identity. The performances are also a mixed bag. Also, for being enjoyable enough, The Seldom seen Kid is also inessential. It has also not aged particularly well, and I don't see it getting more interesting as time goes on. Elbow feels like a band that had a moment, but are now cursed to live within it. But for all the negative things I have to say about this, I can still put on most of these songs and say "yeah, that's pretty neat", which does carry Elbow into a 3.
A warm, well-crafted album that’s easy to appreciate but hard to remember. The atmosphere is cohesive and sincere, and tracks like “Grounds for Divorce” and “One Day Like This” stand out, but much of the record sits in a similar mid-tempo, reflective space. Admirable in craft, yet lacking truly memorable moments. 3/5
Pretty hip, but I can't stomach the name! (See what I did there?)
I'd never heard of this band or any of their songs, but I really enjoyed this album! The sounds were fun and interesting, and each song was pretty different. Solid album!
This was fine. Some things were a bop others were camp
Not one great song, nor a particular bad. The album feels older than 2008, and I am not sure about its historical importance. But overall I can't say I did not like. 7/10
it’s a shame each song overstays its welcome by 30-45 seconds, it has a really good foundation
there’s an aughts indie twinge that I don’t appreciate
albums like this remind me to be less judgmental because I have bad taste in music and men
Liked this album but found myself not wanting to listen to it
Surprised I’d not heard more Elbow before now. Great album.
Bit too artsy for my taste
It's from the 2000s, it's a band I've never heard of, and it's an indie rock album. That combination sounds like boring shit to my ears. And it IS boring shit! It's bland indie rock that kind of just plays in the background rather than engages the soul like good music. Of course, the band are British(why not?) and it sounds pretentious as all hell(because many music journalists dig pretentious bullshit). Granted, I can love pretentious albums, but this has little musical merit behind the veneer. It's the very definition of "meh" and therefore not an album to hear before you die. Come on, man.
Very nice album; surprised me.
first half really good, second half meh
Peter Gabriel vibes
très bonne découverte A REEECOUTER
This was surprisingly good
Never heard of it, good
Surprisingly didn't send me to sleep
Felt like if Coldplay and Radiohead adopted a kid at maybe a discounted price Highlights: grounds for divorce, one day like this
2.5
Trifft bei mir keinen Nerv.
Hatte die immer positiv assoziiert, gestern hat mich das Album über weite Strecken ziemlich umgehauen. Tendenz zu 5 Sternen, werde ich mir nochmal geben.
I enjoy discovering a band and album I have not heard of before. Have I been out of touch, or did this one escape my attention for a reason. (The year it was released I was the busy parent of a 1-year-old) At first glance, it's a decent album. Probably one I would like with repeated exposure. No stasnd out songs
Great but little fictions always #1 in my heart
This album bored me to tears at times and made me really embrace the beauty of composition at others. When power chords were struck I was electrified and when orchestral swells entered I hung my head in sorrow. This is a pretty unique and inspirational album. But I simply cannot get over the Radiohead and Coldplay fusion. It's a blend I hadn't quite considered to be good. Long melodrama infused down tempo sections combined with a bright influx of energy. I gotta at least give this 3 stars. Maybe 4. Sorry guys. Nothing wrong with it.
This British group was a very interesting listen. Filled with lush sounds that were big almost orchestral at times. Another British band to delve deeper into. I don't know why this group didn't gather some chart attention here in America. They were very successful in England.
Not bad but I'll listen if it's on.
not bad but got bored quickly
There’s some great stuff here, which I think most fans of bands like Radiohead, TV on the Radio, Blur etc. would enjoy. I’m not sure why this band hasn’t had more success in the U.S. i especially like their sonic textures. The songwriting could be a little stronger. This is the kind of music that reveals new details after a few listens.
Varies in quality. I liked it initially the longer it played the more I got some boom clap energy from the singing especially. I know that's not really music criticism per se but I also just didn't enjoy a many of the more animated tracks besides being afraid of listening to something thie internet might deem cringe.
i don’t even know. pas mémorable?? j’ai dormi 3h cette nuit. je me rappelle de rien ♡: An Audience With The Pope
I honestly don't believe that this represents one of the top 1000-and-something albums ever recorded. Joy Division, The Smiths - they did it so Elbow didn't have to but, unfortunately, they did.
Actually downloaded!
Good stuff from a band I never heard before. Would listen again.
3.5
I feel like Elbow is what Radiohead fans get out of Radiohead. I don't enjoy Radiohead broadly. I do, apparently, enjoy Elbow quite a lot. A couple of the songs felt like pieces from a weak musical but usually they were both musically and lyrically engaging. The vocals were strong as well. I'll be giving this another listen.
Coldplay is the pop version of this. Where coldplay is more poppy and commercial, this is not. It’s more chill, rustic, experimental, less catchy.
With a band name like Elbow I didn't expect this to be such a banger, or as beautiful as it really is. The arrangements are really nice. "Grounds for Divorce" is like what if commercial music was actually good
Actually kind of charming. I tuned out for the middle third of it, but it didn't intrude. Going for a 4.
Not horrible but a boring waste of time
It didn’t move me thaaat much. I could tell when the most streamed song came on that it was something that stood out more for radio..
A good indie album - moody, mysterious, melodic
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!
Crap
Overall: 6/10 Coldplay but not insufferable. Had moments I loved and moments I couldn't stand. Feels like it would be great music to fall asleep to. Fav Song: One Day Like This
Coldplay left me well, cold
They're like a significantly less shit Coldplay. A couple of duds but I enjoyed this
While this isn't to my taste, I do think these songs are very beautiful. I might rank it higher if I wasn't basing it on mostly personal preference.
Beautful
Lots of things going on in this one. Too much ? Maybe I did enjoy it quite a bit, going from ambient sounds to very catchy melodies. The energy varies quite a bit, leaving you a bit on edge.
Idk how to feel about this album It’s just not for me I liked the loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver and an audience with the pope
How did this album make the cut?
Dangerously close to being put in the same bucket as Imagine Dragons.
pretty vibey and refreshing sound. i think by the end of the album it feels like it meanders a little bit (songs range exclusively from 4 and a half minutes to 6 and a half which feels very funny); the couple of times they pick up the pace it's exciting, but they're mostly pretty sleepy. favorite song is Grounds for Divorce
Rating: 5/10 I'm usually a fan of the kind of acclaimed posh alt rock that Elbow inhabits but I just found this boring. This album won the UK's Mercury Prize for some reason. I really tried with the album and stuck with it in my headphones on the bus full concentration and wasn't having any fun with it. There was really no clear highlight to me until at the very end One Day Like This finally sounded interesting. Very meh and doesn't deserve to go in my 3 bucket at the moment
It was kinda weird to start tbh but I really enjoyed it as it went on. Kinda feels like indie Peter Gabriel but in the 2000s 8.2/10
Tycker överlag det är rätt bra. Men får inte en mer känsla än, "bra". Har nu lyssnat och det blir i framtiden inte mer, med största sannolikhet. Typisk trea.
Fin och melankolisk men ändå är det något som saknas för att jag riktigt ska gå igång på den. Det är jämnbra men aldrig riktigt bra. Stabil trea.
Love Starlings so much. This whole album is beautiful.
Really quite pleasant. I was listening to it just after my roommate put on a Guided by Voices LP. Guy from Elbow has a similar timbre as GBV guy, but dang, Elbow had way cooler textures and instrumentals throughout.
Quite forgettable.
I like
I think it's art rock because the combination of dense intricate lyrics against strong emotionally guided instrumentals is a little bizarre, in a creative way. The production is a little too clean for me, I feel like I prefer my indie gritty, otherwise I'm looking for pop. Right? There's a few tracks, no more than half the album, that I can recognize as extra special because of this combo of exquisite lyric and sonic composition, but the production quality on everything else (and during some of these standouts) makes me not want another listen. 2.7/5
Det är egentligen aldrig riktigt dåligt. Men däremot oerhört tråkigt och själlöst. Luftslott utan nån som helst täckning, lite som ett svårmodigt Coldplay 2008, innan dom började göra märkliga Aviciisamarbeten. Sångaren låter exakt som Peter Gabriel pratar, om det är bra eller dåligt får ni själva avgöra. Vi kallar det väl en stark etta, en vettig låt hade nog räddat tvåan
Ännu ett intetsägande indierockband från 00-talet som ingen längre minns.
Gäsp! Det här ger mig absolut ingenting. 55 minuters tristess.
Tidstypisk britpop efter britpopens storhetstid. Går att lyssna på men inte fantastiskt eller originellt på något vis. Inga låtar som sticker ut.
This is not really good music. Its discordant and rambling and not technically interesting but... for some reason pleasant to listen to.
I was not familiar with this band or album before just now. I like this. I like the orchestral elements in some of the songs. "Grounds for Divorce" sounds like a Black Keys song. I really liked "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver." It reminded me of Radiohead with a different singer. "The Fix" and "Some Riot" sounded like QOTSA.
holy mid i wish this album was seldom heard. 3/5
I’ve never heard this before and knew nothing about it going in. It sounds like they recorded this after receiving a noise complaint and all of the instruments are turned down. It plods along, hardly ever getting out of second gear. The singer sounds like Chris Martin. If this was a color it would be beige. If it was food it would be oatmeal. If it was a feeling it would be malaise. For a moment in Tower Crane Driver it seemed like it turned a corner. The somehow the next track sounded like a show tune. One Day Like This finally has some urgency, but it’s too little too late. Overall very boring with nothing to make you want to listen again. 1.5 for One Day Like This.
A tricky one to rate. There’s something quite moany about most of these songs which make them a chore to get through. “One Day Like This” redeems the album.
Vibes
This is fine. Some bits were very nice. Most of it was just fine. Unsure how it won the Mercury Prize Songs added to playlist: - Grounds for Divorce - One Day Like This
I can appreciate the production but didn’t wow me
You can definitely hear the Blur and Radiohead influences on this record, but Elbow does have enough of their own sound going to make 'The Seldom Seen Kid' sound distinctive in its own right. Once you get past the fact that singer Guy Garvey isn't Damon Albarn (he's a Mancunian, not a Londoner for starters), 'The Seldom Seen Kid' is an interesting record that, while deeply rooted in the kooky alternative stylings of post-'97 Blur or Radiohead, has some unique arrangements. 'An Audience For the Pope' shuffles along like Nick Cave's 'Red Right Hand', 'Grounds For Divorce' and 'One Day Like This' stand out as obvious singles and the vocals pull you in like a warm embrace, and I'm glad Garvey kept his voice true to his Mancunian roots and didn't shift it into a colourless indie whisper like most acts of the time were doing. I quite like the sound of this record. It's well produced and gives the songs plenty of room to unfurl their wings, and the vocal melodies are downright gorgeous in places, as are the subtle hints of guitars and strings. On first impressions, I was prepared to not like this record very much, as it seemed like another boring late 00s indie record, but 'The Seldom Seen Kid' has enough going for it to hold my attention. Best songs: Grounds For Divorce, The Bones of You, An Audience With the Pope, One Day Like This
Muy pretencioso
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 🎲🧱🟫 Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🕊️💞🙌 Rating: 💪💪💪💪/5
boring
A little weird. Not my cup of tea.
not too shabby I liked some riot and friend of ours and I really enjoyed the instrumental of starlings 2.5/5
What is this cheeks very calming and mellow and the guy is saying too much of the shhh and that is annoying or maybe thats just his voice anyways too bad ass music
the bones of you pretty peak the one about being a tower crane driver is good too its actually not that bad its not unlistenable but not many songs were added to playlist 2/ 11 songs the ones mentioned above
hate getting excited at seeing an album labeled “alternative” and it turns out to just be an alternative to the lumineers
album was pretty slow for my liking but had beautiful instrumental and tone of voice with lots of emotion. My favorite song was "The Bones of You", overall 8/10
I enjoyed the pacing of the period I didn't think there is any parts that dragged on, when he picked up speed and when he slowed the songs down each time felt appropriate. I thought his voice was a little quiet on the first lesson on second listen I realized that it doesn't subtract anything from having his voice being quiet it blends really well with the volume of the horns and the drums brass but I think everything ties in really well together.
Their definitive album by common consensus. I really should like this band more than I do - ranges of moods and instruments, soaring vocals, northern, Guy Garvey is a great personality. However aside from mirrorball and the Olympic ceremony track, it’s not FULL of tunes. An ok band in my book.
Не мій гурт, здається цей альбом вже слухав раніше. Трохи арті колдплей вайб. Нудьгувався, коли його слухав. Єдине, що сподобалось - вокал.
Такий трохи дивний альбом. Місцями, де тембр вокаліста дуже близько наближається до Пітера Гебріела, стає прям гарно. Але переважно просто нудно.
Pretty good! Think if Coldplay and Dave Matthews Band spawned another band. This would be it.
I like the instrumentation on songs like 'Some Riot' and 'Starlings'. Between this guy and Pulp I feel like I need to start a business selling CPAP machines in England like jfc.
I enjoyed it. There were a couple of really good tracks, and plenty of better-than-average ones too. It's probably somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, I'll give it 4.
Unknown band. Mildly interesting. An OK album.
Rv
Really like this one. Favs are... The Bones of You, Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce. Also An Audience with the Pope, and One Day Like This. You can totally tell how this influenced indie and alternative music. Very orchestral in some songs. And Guy Garvey is a good singer.
Ok. Bit boring
this voice is familiar for some reason...Sting? Sting in Australia? Men at Work? the Police at Work? This isn't offensive, but I wouldn't say I'm enjoying it. Just not my taste, I suppose. Its as if the Police tried to make a Radiohead styled album but did so poorly. Well that all changes at track 8 "The Fix'. This is quite the style shift. Sounds like the theme song to a Mystery TV show on the BBC. It's getting a 2, would be a 2.5 If I could do it.
Boring
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
Gorgeous, a little one-dimensional
0/11
bit of a snooze fest
I've never heard of Elbow before, so no expectations going in. Pulling from Radiohead and Peter Gabriel for the majority of the record (and Murder by Death for "The Fix"), Elbow's alt rock is interesting and listenable, and then there's the stomp/clap country blues of "Grounds for Divorce" which sounds like it belongs in a Chevy truck commercial. Generally a good listen, though I wouldn't suggest it's essential in any way.
Dirge
A bit too whispy, ethereal.
Album Review 037 The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow (2008) Rating 3/5 The Seldom Seen Kid: Not a great album, not a poor album. One that didn’t move me or make we want to stop listening. Worth more than a 2/5 rating, not deserving of a 4/5. Doubt I’ll ever think “What I really want to hear today is some Elbow”.
Elbow ♥️ sweet tender sound and lots of lovely songs, I always enjoy listening to him /them
This album is solid. Very surprised I’ve never heard of this band. Well written songs and composition. Layer upon layer of texture.
I've tried over the years. It's bit like Talk Talk they tell me. There's a touch of Peter Gabriel they say. A less moody Tindersticks maybe? With some distance it's more like another mercury prize winner that had a penchant for neat sounds before slowly disappearing through the aughts that I pray to God is not on the list - Gomez - fronted by a less rocking Sting (post All for Love). It's neat but not sure this is better than Pretzel Logic.
Two good songs. Lots of less good songs. How did this make the cut?
Well, it’s epic, beautifully written and sometimes sounds interesting. If it were shorter, I would like it more. It’s 54 minutes of depressing, boring music, which is way too much for me. I already want to call Robert Dimery a jerk for including so many ordinary britpop albums. It’s exhausting. It’s worse than Coldplay. And Coldplay is worse than Radiohead, so... 2/5 —————————————— No liked songs
Fine
wasn't a big fan of the vocal. I really like the instruments.
Didn’t get me very excited
I do not like Elbow. It's rare that I skip songs but there were multiple here that I just couldn't finish: An Audience with the Pope, Weather to Fly, The Fix, and Some Riot were just awful. One Day Like This is OK but does it need to be almost 7 minutes long? The only song I genuinely enjoyed was the last one.
If this album was more entertaining, I’d start a rumor that this is actually a Coldplay album. But no one here in America cares about or likes this type of music, and I’ll forget about this in music in 15 minutes anyways.
Starlings - 3/5 The Bones of You - 4/5 Mirrorball - 4/5 Grounds for Divorce - 2/5 (sounds like car commercial music) An Audience With the Pope - 3/5 Weather to Fly - 3/5 The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver - 4/5 The Fix - 3/5 Some Riot - 2/5 One Day Like This - 3/5 Friend of Ours - 3/5 We're Away [bonus track] - 3/5 Average score: 3.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ sounded promising at first, but i struggled to actively listen by the halfway point. it's a bit of a snoozefest for me personally
Album #12 Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid I feel like, on paper, I should love this album. I am quite enamoured with British culture since consuming their television, film, sport, and music from a young age. My top ten favourite bands would all be British except for Pixies. Part of the reason I love British music so much is the lyricism, the cynical and witty views that most Brits have always endeared me. Britpop is my favourite genre of music, and I am even quite charitable to most post-Britpop. I enjoy early Coldplay, Keane, Boa, etc. Yet for some reason, this album just doesn’t do anything for me. I went in expecting to like it, and by the third track, I could tell that something was off. My least favourite decade for music is definitely the 2010s. I feel as though most rock music began to become infected with the stomp-clap indie sound that emerged in the late 2000s; this sound can be identified seeping through this album, but primarily in the song “Grounds for Divorce,” which is constantly backed by literal stomps and claps. I find this song to be really out of place on an album which appeared to be a slower and more lyrical listen at first. There are some interesting and clever lyrics, but I struggle to fully enjoy them due to the singer's voice. I normally like hearing blatant British accents in music, yet for whatever reason just feel grated by his voice. It’s hard to really understand why I don’t enjoy this, while liking many similar albums. It’s not terrible, but to me it just felt a little subpar, and not an album which should be considered one of the 1000 essential albums. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this list in relation to the 2000s and onward, but if this makes the cut, then I'd better also see some quality indie rock like Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Killers, Interpol, Arcade Fire, etc. Also, probably not on here, but the Divine Comedy’s Absent Friends would fill this slot much better. Best Tracks: One Day Like This, Starlings, Mirrorball Worst Track: Grounds for Divorce Score out of 10:5.5
its britpop time. haters: the guys who compiled this list are british boomers. they may not know weezer or mcr but britpop is right up their ass. make your own list or change to another list, assholes. it starts a bit weak but began to generally peak up the pace after the second song. its certainly not the apex of post britpop but indeed its a decent album. 3.5/5
Proggy pop seriousness, with singer who is very distinct. Some moments, some good writing. Very British.
More mediocre British pop. Found it very boring; my family was begging me to stop listening in the car.
Well-composed and restrained, I struggle to hear the spark at the heart of the record. The Seldom Seen Kid is the sound of smooth becoming unremarkable, or of having refined your influences and playing so expertly that the result feels averaged out, with only a faint hint of the material that went into it. This album is the seltzer of music; it's the memory of a taste rather than an immediately flavorful experience. Lacking the ability to punch through, surprise or delight, it's adult contemporary for the indie age sleepwalking through the mid-aughts.
On paper, it’s not bad—it’s quite good, in fact, and it was an enjoyable listen—but the Radiohead and Coldplay influences were too painfully obvious. Still would recommend though—especially The Lonliness of a Tower Crane Driver, The Fix, and Grounds For Divorce.
Not my thing vocally
Having never heard them before I found them overall enjoyable.
Definitely reminds me of Coldplay but better and more impactful. A couple really great songs on here and I hadn’t heard of Elbow before so I am glad they are on the list.
I feel like this is something I might have really liked back in the day
Really lovely and immediately hooks you, but a bit too...sleepy at the back end
Weather to Fly is that straight-up Beatles descending chromatic but it works well. Overall group reminds me of British Sea Power and a little of early Coldplay. Not bad. Oof the Fix is in song is terrible
A couple songs caught my attention, but overall it was drab and boring. Much like my review.
There is something intriguing about this album that I can’t pinpoint. The music is slow and the unexcited tone of the singer doesn’t do much to hype you up, but I actually enjoyed the album. Maybe it was the subtle nature of the songs or the peacefulness that it exudes, but I truly listened to every song.
The name says it all. When it comes to pasta, the elbow is never the shape you are looking for. Elbow is neither your top choice nor a timeless classic. The elbow is something you’ve settled for - you definitely wanted something else but this is what you ended up with. Human elbows don’t make any sense. They are impractical, hard to navigate, easy to bump, impossible to beautify. Nobody is “into” elbows - they are wrinkled, bony protrudances that are so common, we completely ignore them except when they are broken or used as weapons. Likewise, this is how we should regard this band. It is undesirable, commonplace and wholly uninspiring. Maybe If you cover it in cheese and bake the hell out of it for an hour, you might forget how mediocre it is - but I doubt it.
There have been albums in the past I should have liked but didn't. This is one I should hate, but I don't. There is an interesting component just under the dull surface of the music that drew me in. Overall I liked a lot more about the album than I disliked. Not a rave review, but a low/mid 3 for me.
Another boring Radiohead clone
3.5
Seldom seen kid, the song is great. Awesome riff but the rest of this album is a bit samey. Feel like one day like this is ubiquitous in the UK as a song over a montage or an advert. Very easy to be absolutely sick of.
grounds for divorce slaps. one day like this i had saved previously at some point years ago that i have no memory of, but i recognised the song. it’s a good one. 2008 me would probably love this album. 2025 me is finding it difficult to get through and i can’t really relax and enjoy it without feeling it drags on and is quite… uninteresting. it’s solid but it’s just… nothing really stands out. it just exists. it’s annoying in a way that i can’t make up my mind about it haha. *a few moments later* it def felt better in the middle and towards the last half except for the last song that didn’t do it for me as an end song. 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall Rating - 3.27/5 (6.54/10). Pleasant, a bit of the mid-2000's angst, which I don't particularly like, but a solid album.
I like his voice. This album feels wide and sweeping while at the same time feeling separated and intimate. Like using the restroom during an orchestra performance where you can still hear the music through the wall. Also shoutout Richard Hawley back again! Favorite songs were The Bones Of You, Grounds For Divorce, Weather to Fly, and The Fix.
That was pretty good. I wasn’t a fan of the vocals but I didn’t mind it as it wore on. The real hero was those beautiful instrumentals. This is a rare one where I think the beginning and end of the album are the weak parts. Rating: 4.2
It's not a bad album, but it is like a discount Coldplay. I don't really see the need to listen to Elbow if Coldplay is better and also right there.
Much better than I was expecting. Who names their band Elbow and expects it to sound good? what a terrible name.
Una mezcla de Radiohead con Black Keys pero no tomó lo mejor de cada uno
too millennial for me
♫ Listening to "One Day Like This" by Elbow (The Seldom Seen Kid (Bonus Tracks Version), 2008) ♫ ★★★
I was weirdly listening to One Day Like This just before generating this album. But that's the only slightly interesting thing about this album unfortunately To no ones surprise - theres only one good song on here. One hit wonder for a reason guys 2 ⭐️
I will not include the bonus tracks in this review. I have listened to Elbow before, particularly with their 2021 album Flying Dream 1. They're an art rock group that wears their influences on their sleeves, most notably from Radiohead and early Genesis. That much should be evident from listening to The Seldom Seen Kid. Guy Garvey's unique vocal tones and intricate lyricism draw comparisons to Peter Gabriel in a good way, as he elevates the mundane with such prose. Whether it's the pursuit of love that becomes more important than having "An Audience With the Pope", the reflections on being overworked and looking for the simpler things in life on "The Bones of You", or even the confidence in rigging a horse race on "The Fix", there's a certain air of elegance with the descriptiveness Guy brought to these songs. Adding to that sentiment is the experimental pomp throughout this record, with the orchestral instrumentation from the session personnel complementing the sharp guitar and piano melodies, Pete Turner's nervy basslines, and Richard Jupp's strident percussion. If I had to complain, this album is generally stuck at a slower tempo, which can make the listening feel longer than it is. Also, as much as I will commend Guy's vocal cadence, the falsetto that opens "Weather to Fly" does not work, even if I think it has a nice sentiment about the beginnings of the band. Overall, The Seldom Seen Kid is a remarkable album that helped cement Elbow as a band worth checking out.
This isn't something I would've ever expected to like, but it was really charming. For a British rock band, this group had a completely different sound and vibe from the others on this generator. Beautiful ballads, great musicianship, and really solid vocals that I grew to love more and more with each passing song. This was a standout.
1. ztar - 0 2. bonez - 0 3. mirror - 0 4. divorce -0 5. pope -0 6. fly - 0 7. driver - 1 8. fiz - -1 9. riot -0 10. day -0 11. friend - 1
Very nice
3/5
I'm a fan of Guy Garvey. But mostly because of his fantastic weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music, where every Sunday afternoon I tune in to listen to the great music that he curates. His taste is nearly identical to mine. But, oddly I was never a big Elbow fan. The one song of theirs that got my attention when I first heard it was "Grounds for Divorce". That bluesy slide guitar riff, the vocal melody and the guitar and bass doubling for that epic chorus drop are all recipes for an absolutely top notch song. The rest of the album is a lot more subdued than I expected. Very atmospheric and light, reminding me (predictably enough) of the band Doves. Northern indie bands must share a sound I guess. The opening four songs are great, but it's let down a bit by the rest of the album. 3 stars feels a bit harsh, so let's call this 3.5.
Chill but solid album. Lush atmospheric arrangements.
I have no memory of this album or band, though it looks like we reviewed it when I was at the A.V. Club. My friend Josh wrote The Seldom Seen Kid "perfectly distilled [Elbow's] sad-sackiness into potent pop and a keenly current sense of grandiosity." He's a big fan of British sad-sacks, so I'll take his word for it. For me, this album had some nice moments but didn't grab me. Maybe a subsequent listen on headphones would change that, but I'm not terribly motivated to try.
I remember hearing about Elbow in like 2002 on NPR. Today was the second time I've heard of them. Good on them for doing big early Genesis style music and having a real go of it. This seems better than Coldplay for whatever that's worth.
A nice album with very gentle and pleasant music. I'm not a fan of the vocals' English accent but also don't feel that it hurt this music either, just that I would have enjoyed it more without. The Bones of You was this album's best and the rest seemed adjacent to filler but were still good.
Sorry, but for me, it sounds just like yet another boring indie record. Does absolutely nothing for me, probably not complete thrash, but I skipped most of it and really don't want to listen again, we will see. Max 2 stars.
Appreciate the different arrangements. But feels overproduced and commercial.
Hadn’t heard this band before. Liked his voice, and the first few songs, but then they all started running together a bit.
This is interesting and very eclectic music. I can hear the Peter Gabriel influence as the singer often sounds exactly like Peter Gabriel. Liked Songs Added: Mirrorball
Nice
Easy listening crap, like all Elbow albums.
I liked the musicianship here, but I wasn't that much of a fan of the vocals. I really enjoyed The Bones of You, but it's a little slow for my taste. Some of the unique sound elements are nice, though, some harpsichord and other choices are nice. The later songs the singer is growing on me a bit giving me some Peter Gabriel vibes.
One of my favorite songs ever is by Elbow. But it’s not on this album. Boo.
Classic that also proves that continuing to work on your craft pays off…
Another whiny man backed up by subpar music
Not bad…not compelling.
Brittish Coldplay-DioHead is kinda fire!!
Who
This was the album that somewhat saved their career, won them a Mercury Music Prize and gave them their first "hit" (one day like this which became ubiquitous on radio and tv) and big seller. It wasn't my first album of theirs (I loved Leaders of the Free World more and still do) but if was somewhat of an event album. There are weaker tracks that let it down (the fix with Richard Hawley and an audience with the pope) but overall it is very strong and has their trademark deep layers and strong subject matter.
War gut, aber meine Lieblingsband wirds nicht
Progressiver Poprock? Geil!
Sealesker britpop
I loved this at first then got bored to towards the end? now I'm confused
I mean it's alright
Thoughts before listening: British 00s indie rock I believe. I don't know much about these guys, but I'll guess they're vaguely Radiohead influenced. Maybe like a slightly more interesting Coldplay or something. Review: Nailed it...from Allmusic: "Exploring the fruitful middle ground between early Radiohead's mopey art rock and Coldplay's radio-friendly dumbing down of the same". This is fine. It's definitely reminiscent of other 00s British alt-rock bands, but the strong vocals and emotional performance helps them stand out. 3-stars
3/4
Decent Britpop. 3/5
Very mid
Very British but interesting British. Like Gorillaz meets.. I don’t know… Radiohead maybe? It’s good but I will admit as of writing this I am struggling to remember a single song. 7/10
Genuine “liked it” rating here. A solid surprise from a contemporary album, offering a sort of “alternate universe” Coldplay where they don’t try to create the biggest pop songs of the century after their debut. The tracks are considerably unique, which — by nature — works when it does and doesn’t when it doesn’t.. but I still respect the totality of the creativity here.
"One Day Like This" makes the rest of the album worth the listen. Sadboi 2008-core
Majestic brilliant, simply one of the best albums ever.
I wanted to write off this album as an ok album with one hit song, but as it went on, I was pleasantly surprised by the varied and layered textures of each song. Consider me a convert.
Quiet and nice
yeah just not feeling it idk.
hadn't heard of them, but fine songs
I have barely ever heard of this band. Ok, but it will take more than one listening
It’s strange to me that the reviews compare this band to both Coldplay and Radiohead. I don’t think Elbow sounds at all like either. In the case of Coldplay, that’s good for Elbow, cause Coldplay truly sucks. However, Elbow could stand to sound like early Radiohead, who rule. Anyway, I like the singer’s voice a lot; he sounds like Peter Gabriel or something. And I like the music for all its constituent parts. But, for me, the songs themselves leave something to be desired. They have all the elements I would look for in what I consider a great song, except for replayability. I listened to half this record and realized that I didn’t care if I heard the rest of it. Nothing about this music is bad at all, but it just lacks passion and direction for me. I can’t understand most of the reviews for this one because I can’t understand why someone would love or hate this record. There’s nothing really amazing or truly terrible about it. For me, it is a record that should be great because of all the things it does right, but winds up being completely forgettable because it doesn’t really inspire anything in me. This is probably the definition of a 3/5 record; non-offensive, but very forgettable. 3/5
I liked this one. Kinda feels like one of those of the moment albums but it seem to mix and blend some soft indie rock vibes with some more diverse instrumental colors so it’s p cool
I have been feeling a little burned out from music on this recent "vacation" I am on, but I am wanting to power through some of the piling up recommendations from the 1001 albums to hear before I die list. Today I got yet another album I have heard absolutely nothing about, Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid, and it is both not what I expected at all and unfortunately really middle of the road. This project at first comes off like a very thoughtful Indie Rock album and then slowly loses itself as it continues to try and stretch itself thin with all these theatrical ideas in a project that really doesn't need it. This album is far from essential but it is novel in its' efforts to try and bring more over the top efforts to their Indie Rock sound. It is cool for what it is, but I would definitely not call this a "must-hear" album by any means. Nuff said.
2 great songs in Grounds for Divorce and One Day Like This. The rest is ok, kind of boring overall. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
Pretty good! Can definetly see the boring accusations.. but hey, also had some great songs