Reviews (page 5 of 10)
starts and ends v strong imo , the middle kind of lost shape for me but there are quite a few cool qualities to this from front to back. theres a sort of Pathetic feel thats couched in the artsy/rocky arrangements, big guitars and small strange instrumental ideas with guy garvey's very un-assured as the chewy center. its an interesting vibe, one that reminded me of the first two nick drake albums within a couple of tracks, not in Sound but the effect has some overlap. p good record for the miserable texas summer that just kicked into high gear. and im a huge sucker for Big Bombastic Penultimate Track/Sparse Subdued Closing Track
Still like Peter Gabriel's cover better but pretty cool songs!
It's fine. Not really much else to say. Some of the songs are good, but there are some snoozers on here as well.
A middling album. Grounds is the only track I full enjoyed. Lots of boring tracks. They do have a unique sound which is cool.
Kinda boring. Not bad.
Good stuff
Great album. Such a shame how overplayed these singles were in the UK back in the day…
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.
Lots of lush song arrangements but with little in the way of memorability outside of the one obvious hit.
I cannot convey my love for this in words. I wandered into a tent at Reading festival around 99 and discovered Elbow on their Cast of Thousands album. I was blown away. By this album i was a proper fan and saw them play this live a few times. My favourite was at the octagon in Sheffield when Richard Hawley came on to sing 'The Fix'. Its the album that played in the early part of my relationship with my now wife, so the romance is baked in. Elbow make music that paints with every colour. And the pictures they paint are of my home, my childhood and my life.
Pretty boring album tbh, I can't even name one song on it that was a bit memorable and interesting enough to remember. A Coldplay and Radiohead baby but without the good and interesting musical ideas of theses two bands, so... I was busy drawing in the meantime and honestly I listen to everything but this album didn't get a hold on me at all and was really boring and even annoying at some point to listen to. That's a no for me.
Solid album and Guy Garvey seems like a lovely chap.
Decent listen.
Really into this, definitely a 2000s sound, reminded me of cake
Beautifully made UK indie rock record from the late aughts. The singing fits perfectly with the style of rock, and the instrumentation is richly layered and has a lot of moving pieces that all gel with one another really nicely.
É um bom álbum. Mas meio que não leva a lugar algum. Me lembrou um pré Imagine Dragons com um pouco de Arcade Fire. Mas é legalzinho. Gostei de Mirrorball, Weather to Fly, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Drive e Friend Of Ours.
A British Coldplay trying to be Radiohead. There's an echo in these reviews.
Nothing good happened in 2008. I feel like I couldn’t conjure up one album that came out that year before starting this list. Look at this album cover? I’m either in for a tear-jerking romp through the dank corridors of my repressed adolescent memories, or I’ll be crying that another late oughts album brought me to the brink of psychosis. Bring me my melancholic Rubik’s cube. I wish to crack the puzzle of this life. Oh and I need to warn these guys about the housing crash. Starlings - Ooh. A very cool start. Noooo vocals. Actually they’re not too bad. The heavy northern accent is kind of fun. If this didn’t also sound like “Hey there Delilah,” we’d be cooking with gas. The Bones of You - The music is really working for me. The vocals are a little operatic and forward in the mix, but the variety of instrumentation is killer on this one. Drags near the end. Mirrorball - This sounds like Coldplay is doing a Peter Gabriel cover. Frankly, I can’t imagine too many musical things worse than that. Imagine being trapped in a room. The key? Inside of a simple Rubik’s cube. The catch? Every wrong move you make, the bootleg Coldplay says “let’s kiss like we invented it.” They’d find me convulsing in a pool of my own ear blood and mouth vomit. Grounds for Divorce - THIS IS A FORD COMMERCIAL. For sure. I know it. The kind of music that interrupts the YouTube videos of the proletariat (no premium). Miserable. Do you have delusions of being blue collar? Well,The F-150 isn’t just for construction guys anymore. Not just because it costs 80,000 dollars, but also because we’re using inside Britpop riffs to advertise. Hop into our brand new hybrid model. One that’s perfect for daily trips to the more expensive grocery store and obstructing the city roads outside your overpriced condo. FORD. Please buy our shit. An Audience with the Pope - This one spent all of its good will on the title. Audience with? Underutilised phrase. Popes? Always a funny concept. We’re here at the Vatican for SmokeWatch 2025. This is the moment crazy religious people have been waiting for for some reason. Which old man will appear in front of crowds to defend millennia of child abuse and blatant exploitation of the most vulnerable? I can’t wait to find out. Here we go.The smoke billows. The smoke is black!!! I think that means we have a new contender for worst album this week. Weather To Fly - Ughhhhh. This sounds like every radio song in the “alternative” stations at this time. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Operator - Listen. I hate glorifying working hard. I really do. I feel for people who have jobs where they can’t spend the first hour writing inane reviews of terrible albums. But. I feel in my heart that anybody who has ever even been near a Crane (Not the bird) would hate this music. Maybe that’s why they’re dunking on his loneliness. The Fix - The fix is in, dude. They’ve been conspiring against me since day 1. This song is a theatre kid’s dream, which means it is indeed my nightmare. Some Riot - Is this like “man, that was some riot hey? Things really got out of hand.” OR is it more “my windshield? Yeah it was some riot or something. People were storming the Melon Factory in my neighbourhood. This is the tenth violent clash over melons this month. I think I have to move. I mean sure, the smell is nice but I can’t keep dodging cantaloupe chunks. What do you mean melons aren’t made in a factory? Where do you think they’re made? The jungle? You think the jungle is REAL?? Alright pal. Anyway, I’ll take two cartons of the ones with Joe Camel on the front AND the biggest lighter you’ve got. I want to impress the judge. You got any of those shirts that look like tuxedos?” One Day Like This - It’s a bittersweeeet symphonyyyyyyyy. So bombastic, so lame. Please end this. Friend of Ours - Oh hey oh whoa. This guy here. He’s a friend of this thing that we do. Let’s just say he’s apprised of our little cantaloupe situation. We rule the melon market in this town. Watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, HONEYDEW?? Some shit you’ve never heard of from the fuckin uhh Fiji islands buddy. Whatever you need. Like mortgages in 2008, we have handed instruments, studio time, and critical acclaim to people hopelessly unqualified to hold those things. Our negligence and love of the concept of freedom has taken me here; listening to “Elbow” do whatever it is they did here. I enjoyed elements of the first couple songs and then we took a nosedive off of a cliff into truck commercials and pseudo-emotional boredom that will have me thinking “We reviewed a band called Elbow” in about three weeks. Microplastic induced amnesia aside, I hated this. It’s wallpaper music. Outdated, kind of gross, and ultimately just there, doing absolutely nothing and waiting for something better to come along to replace it. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Hi, lights. I’ve been floored by bad albums again and I find myself gazing at your fluorescent glow. Whisk me away from here. Where the only music sounds like the screams from Satan’s cauldron accompanied by bitchin’ riffs.
Fantastic, moving, simplicity in vocals
an album that tried to do a little bit of everything it had heard on the radio in the 2000's, and did none of it very well. Incredibly stale 5/10
"The Seldom Heard Record" - I enjoyed this, but it's a record I'll probably never revisit.
арт индюшка. местами доставляет, местами отменяет доставку
Not as rocky as Muse, but unmistakable cut from the same cloth. I mean you can hear it in songs like "The Bones Of You", just the melody and cadence are the practically same as Muse's Black Holes & Revelations era... Enjoyed the hell out of this with "One Day Like This" being the highlight
Great album but I don’t like the voice
This shit was so boring and slow it actually pissed me off - I'm seeing why other reviews compared Elbow to Radiohead and Coldplay, two other bands that are so dull it's irritating. Ugh. Why did I have to listen to this?
I saw Elbow by mistake at the Reading Festival in 2011 - waiting for Muse - and they blew me away. I went out and bought the recently released 'Build A Rocket Boys' on the back of that performance (and what a great album it is) but never went any further back into Elbow album history than that. Listening to 'Seldom Seen Kid' I can remember some of the tracks from that Reading set nearly 15 years ago, they are that strong and memorable. This is a really good album. I think the natural progression of prog rock (they may hate me for saying that). The only reason it's not a 5 is Starlings which I think is a massive dud, and, as an album opener, almost puts the listener off. The rest is sublime.
Not my cuppa tea, but can remember “One Day Like This”, being a huge chart topper when I was a kid!
A more brooding, contemplative Coldplay without the star power.
sounds like every slow sad radiohead song but with annoying romantic alcoholism and a voice that is annoying but not in the thom yorke way where you eventually like it
love this record. brings me back to my high school days. the production is lush and the lyricism is just gorgeous.
Never heard of 'em before. I like it. Made me listen a couple of times, and look at some of their other music. I'll be back to this one.
Never heard of this band. Listened to the album four times. I'm on a roll!
6/10 I listened to this album a lot with my dad and my sister when it first came out - we were all fans - and surprisingly my sister still often listens to 'build a rocket boys!' despite her music taste having changed substantially in the years since. This album held up much better than I thought it might. On the one hand, Elbow's sound feels a little trite and easy to parody, factors that contribute to my surprise in them being included on this list. On the other hand the instrumentation is beautifully done: the swelling strings and crisp production creating an incredibly spacious sound. Guy's vocals are distinctive and fit perfectly with the sounds they create in this album. Surprising amount of variety in the album, with the vocals the only real constant stylistically: 'Grounds for Divorce' kicks in with its bluesy feel and thumping drums to breathe fresh air into the middle of the album. The melody on the main vocal hook is also very appealing to me. 'The Fix' is cool - it feels a bit like something from a musical. Songs like 'The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver' get a little bogged down in their grandiosity. 'One Day Like This' remains an outstanding piece of music. It's a good album, carefully crafted, with plenty of good songs, but I suppose it falls well short of greatness, or provoking a sufficient emotional response to really stick with me. It's hard to imagine that this would still be worthy of inclusion on an 1001 albums list written 20 or even 10 years from now. Best songs: Grounds For Divorce, One Day Like This Listens: 3
I could have sworn that I've listened to an album by Elbow before, but after looking at their discography, I don't think that I have. But now that I'm pulling up this album on Spotify, I see that I've added "One Day Like This" to my liked songs. I'm gonna say that I've never listened to an Elbow album before, and I'm curious to see if "One Day Like This" is going to be familiar to me. I think I can definitively say that other than "One Day Like This," I've never listened to Elbow before. This album wasn't really my jam, but I still thought it was well made. The songwriting was fantastic and brimming with emotion, and the arrangements were really beautiful. Despite those factors though, this album was a bit boring at times, and it felt a bit tedious and overwrought at times. Once I got to "One Day Like This," I immediately remembered it. I don't know where I first heard it, but I think it's an incredible song. The vocals are incredibly uplifting, and the strings create an atmosphere that's like walking outside on a bright day after spending two hours in a movie theater. I feel like I just want to float away when listening to "One Day Like This." I thought "Starlings" was good too. The bright blasts of sound were great and really punched up the overall song. The guitar on "Grounds for Divorce" was great, and it really stood out from the rest of the album. Other than that, The Seldom Seen Kid was good, but I didn't think it was anything to write home about.
Decent with some top songs in it 7/10
A lot of albums that sounds like this on the generator. At least it's better than Coldplay or Radiohead. 1.52
Weirdly accessible and off-putting at the same time.
Nice
Another provincial list artifact. Elbow’s whole deal always struck me as a bit obvious: a very conventional rock band trying to make a big, anthemic sound in the wake of Radiohead and post-rock. Before this record I always liked a song per album, whereas this just fell flat, the natural outcome for a band that had become suited to tv soundtrack shorthand for dramatic character moments. Doves followed a much different trajectory but eventually arrived at the same point. DFW has this faux parable he did at a commencement address that came to mind thinking about Elbow’s mid-tempo existence: There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?” Would Garvey’s voice not work with a speedier pace? Do their arrangements fall apart with some pep? How many times have they even tried something about 130 bpm (and not to just set at half-tempo)? The big hit - er, prime time soap soundtrack filler - here merely makes their earlier huge choral success sound like it was a test-run (or more likely, they were devoid of ideas). I’m sure this all means a lot to more people than my favourite bands of the moment, so, I’m reluctant to knock anything this harmless but they’ve done better.
Fine, not really that remarkable, I kinda forgot about it after it finished
Overall while listening to this album, I felt it was nice, but nothing really stood out to me. The instruments, the vocals, the notes, they all were pleasant and fine. It all just kinda felt... there, for the most part. The track One Day Like This was a treat, though. Obvious to say, given how much it's been played on YouTube Music compared to the others, but it's the real standout.
Its fine. Sounds just different enough to similar acts to merit existence. Shades of radiohead, L. Cohen, bowie etc. Not real sure what justifies it being on the list. Need to get a copy of the book sometime and see how cogent the arguments are for some of these.
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!
Dope
Sweet, soft, nondescript - the sugar cube on the cover is appropriate.
i feel like this album is a precursor to the many album in the 2010's which sound similar to that, which is cool. nice backing instruments in the strings when they have them :)
I seriously need to stop looking at the reviews of the albums before I listen to them. I got SO excited about the prospect of a mix of Sting and Coldplay, as those are my favourite bands and artists ever. However, I was delivered a typical British Indie rock album... Like sure, it kinda sounds like Sting, but if he sang in a heavy British accent, it does have Coldplay vibes, but nothing like the brilliance of those two. I'm sure if they didn't make this so vibey and a bit dreamy, and leaned into the rock element of the album, minus the real British accent, it could be brilliant. But no! It wasn't bad, just disappointing. So sure, I'll rate this another 3, like I don't have enough 3s on my list.
Beautiful.
Som om Peter Gabriel gjort musiken till de deppiga delarna i Notting Hill
Really not a fan of this one.
Lyrically it was very good so I can appreciate it on that level it musically not really my taste xxx
This is a great sounding album, great separation, love the string arrangements in particular, and it feels like a ‘whole’. Excellent production. I was expecting Coldplay and got something a bit more progressive. The bass driven “Grounds for Divorce” was a pleasant surprise. “Starlings”, “Mirrorball” and “One Day Like This” are standouts. I liked “An Audience with the Pope” and the instrumentation which reminded me of The Third Man soundtrack. I liked this a lot and would listen again. The live recording at Abbey Road sounds like it would be interesting.
It wasn’t for me but not the worst.
Another irrelevant indie band
A beautiful album. It might just be Elbow's best, and I'm a fan, but for some reason I don't think it deserves to join the echelons of my 5 star albums. More like 4.5.
Probably 4.5 if I'm being honest just because I do think it might do well with a bit trimming. Otherwise beautiful album.
I've always felt that Elbow were over-hyped and this album doesn't do much to dispel that feeling. My favourite track on the album is the single "Grounds for Divorce".
Don’t listen to this if your feeling a bit down
It is one of those sweeping, move soundtrack type albums. It is quite good, but it could use some trimming.
It took me a long time to listen to this album, but it's better than I expected. Elbow really feels like an early version of Mumford and Sons (in a weird way). This album has some really interesting songs and really encapsulates the transition from 2000s indie rock to the stomp clap folk rock. Best Songs: The Bones of You, Grounds for Divorce Worst Songs: TLOATCD, Some Riot
This was excellent. I'd never heard of them before
No bad at all.
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"
brb gonna go get married in order to come up with Grounds for Divorce, what a song, and what solid, great sounding album. I haven't heard of this band before trying to nail down the genre of this band off the first couple tracks was interesting. The melancholy bits here and there somehow reminded me of Guster. Fun first time listen for sure. Giving this a high 4.
If you're an English artist/band with any talent whatsoever, you apparently belong on an "albums you must listen to before you die" list. Keep in mind, it's a good album. I enjoyed it. But I can probably think of a hundred albums from the last 25 years that could just as easily replace this one. Anyways... regarding the album itself - it does have intricate songwriting and good storytelling with a very melancholic feel. Does well mixing orchestral elements with rock instrumentation, and (from my understanding), this was self-produced by the band, which may account for why it maintains a raw sound.
Not good to run to, and only knew two songs
Nfm
Never considered how lonely tower crane drivers must be
Not that notable for me
Lempparit: Grounds for Divorce, One Day Like This Vähiten lemppari: An Audience With The Pope
I found Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid to be reminiscent of Coldplay, but a lot less pretentious. Unique lyrics with some beautiful music. The album flows so well, one song into another, showing how much craft went into it, again like Coldplay. As a result, The Seldom Seen Kid was monotone without too much variety. But this moody alternative rock was what I was in the mood for today, so I'm not complaining! 3.5
Not bad, but not a fave. A lot of the indie/alt rock from this period had a tendency to all sound very one note and be particularly drone-y. There are still elements of that droning sound here, don't get me wrong, but these guys do find a way to keep things sounding interesting and engaging from track to track. This kept me curious throughout the entire album, and at times the dissonant sounds they used left me feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Ultimately, that is not a bad thing, because I welcome an interesting listening experience. At the end of the day though, I didn't find this to be too memorable. But it was fine.
A few likable tracks. But overall, too much like Coldplay for my tastes.
Subdued but pleasant. Some of this reminds me of Carbon Leaf in their quieter moments. Easy to listen to multiple times; however, it might possibly run its course.
Started off interesting. They've clearly got some talent. But the vast majority of songs felt pretty similar. Might be worthwhile checking out their other albums to see if they have any that are a bit more dynamic. 3.5*
I want to like this band I really do, but there’s just something that doesn’t really gel with me. I can’t put my finger on it, is it the music, is it the lyrics is it Guys voice? (I like listening to his show on BBC6 Music) I don’t know. Ahhhh! I listened to this twice today and apart from the famous one and a couple of other songs it just didn’t do it for me, sorry Guy!
Fine
.25 .25 1 .25 .25
Never heard of this artist, or maybe I have and don’t remember, because I just finished this album and I really don’t remember anything about it.
Not for me.
You know that music you can put on and do other stuff? This is not that kind of music Even when it isn't your cup of tea, all of a sudden it is and you're backing up to see what you missed. Interesting and engaging. The gravelly voice comes in and out of focus over music that comes out of nowhere. Love it.
This is so nearly a 5. Gorgeous, clever, beautiful songs. People who compare them to Coldplay are just wrong. I always mean to listen to more Elbow but never quite get there. I’m glad I did it today. Scrumptious!
I am a big fan of this band. Was going to serve up the album that preceded this, "Leaders of the Free World," to our extracurricular effort if this album weren't already on the list. And, if you haven't figured it out, I prefer that album to this one — I just love every song, where on this there are a couple that fall a little flat. In fact, for a band that hangs its hat on epic opening tracks, this is one of my least favorite, I find that orchestral punch a bit grating. But here I am bitching about an album that I really do like. I appreciate the subtle incessantness of the melodies (vocal and otherwise) that can sometimes play on a loop and then shift into something else, and I'm a fan of the low-key mood of most of their compositions. Though, it's when they let their hair down that I really dig in, "Grounds For Divorce" is an example of what I mean. As is the song "Leaders of the Free World." If you have a minute, check that one out.
Fantastic. Thoughtful songs, beautifully performed, with original and interesting arrangements. Not sure why I'm not giving it a 5. maybe i just need to listen to it more and I'll revise.
Beautiful
Scrum, but some songs not as much as others
Radiohead lite
A paint by the numbers average indie album. Unfortunately it had 2-3 "anthems" which just make my blood boil I hate them so much (Divorce being the worst offender). But there was good instrumentals throughout. All around not for me. 2/5
If Peter Gabriel Genesis and Death Cab For Cutie had a super awesome rock n roll baby
Sometimes its jazzy and smooth, like a Sting album or even Elvis Costello. But then you get slapped with orchestral movie soundtrack numbers that aren't catchy at all and I wonder wth I'm listening to.
What a lovely surprise of an album! There were some moving and beautiful songs, others I could have skipped.
Pretty good. Will need to give it another listen soon to let it soak. 3.5/5
This wasn't bad but didn't do too much for me.
interesting but didn't love love every song. definitely some good songs though
Too slow and the songs feel too similar. I don't think it's that good.
A nice album, with some very interesting bits, majority of it sounds attractive and approachable. However, I'm not sure how much real soul is there in it. Still, I've liked it.
#530. Music for middle aged divorced wine-moms. 3/5: fine, I guess
Lukewarm
This was a nice little discovery, some really good songs here. Surprised I wasn't listening to this back in the day, but hey. I'll come back to this one at some point for sure.
I’ve loved this album a long time. Every song is perfect. It’s a joy to revisit
New band for me! Had never heard of them. I enjoyed it. Will be listening to it again.
Not bad, I thought it was kind of generic and had a very consistent sound throughout the album the first listen, but I gave it a few more listens and there's some good songs in there for sure. I liked a bunch of songs on here - probably at a b-list level but there's gonna be a few a-lists in there. 4/5 stars.
Not sure how I have never heard of Elbow, but I really liked this! A ton of good slow indie-rock songs. I'll definitely be revisiting this Best Song: Weather to Fly Rating: 7.5/10 Stars: 4/5
I really enjoyed this album. Never heard of this group before.
Really not good. 2 stars
Cinematic pop, passionate vocals
A perfectly fine album. Coldplay/Radiohead influences are clear but it never really comes close. What the hell is going on with Grounds for Divorce??? Why is there a car commercial song in the middle of this album??? I don’t mind it, but certainly something I have no interest in listening to again.
I have no desire to analyse why this well-made, intelligent record does nothing for me, though I admire how it captures the damp, cold texture of a smudgy cloud falling from the other side of the Pennines.
The Elbow albums I have heard all feature one great song ("Grounds For Divorce" here, which elevates the rating below) that are distinct enough from the plodding sameyness of the remainder to catch my attention. You wish they would be more bold more often, but instead seem content being a bit better the Coldplay, if infinitely better than the wretched Doves (who would kill for an ounce of Elbow's talent). Guy Garvey was born with the gift of a golden voice (a recent call-back for you, Mark!) but overall it's too grey and English for my patience these days.
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.
There has to be a really good reason for a rock album post 2000 to get on this list. This album is not it.
I always wonder how random this is as it's been giving me a lot of indie rock/pop records from the 90s-00s lately. This one is pretty good though. I always enjoyed grounds for divorce as a rocker but the rest if a lot more orchestral/soft indie feel at times too. Very grand instrumentation/theatrical.
meh
Really enjoyed this album and I’m kinda shocked I’ve never listened to Elbow before. Love the mellow feel and textures they layer throughout the album. Will put in the rotation. The Bones of You was my favorite track on the album.
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.
Not sure why this is on the list. Not interesting, not any stand out tracks, no energy. Not worth it.
First couple tracks made me think it was going to be similar to spiritualized, instead it ended up being way too much like Coldplay
It’s very hard to believe that the sun never set on the British Empire when they willingly subject themselves to this shit.
Some really beautiful moments but not all in my wheelhouse. The first track is incredible.
I just don't find this particularly gripping. Specifically referring to "An Audience With The Pope." Yeah, I just finished the album and I didn't really "get" this album. Brits, man lol.
Great album..great band.
Interesting album -- for me, like a quintessential 3.5 stars.
Never heard of this band, somewhat reminiscent of Blue October and Hinder, overall decent listen.
Some pleasant songs
I've always wanted to like Elbow but have struggled to connect with their music. That said, I was looking forward to giving The Seldom Seen Kid a proper listen to see if it could change my mind. I can definitely see the appeal of this album—it has shades of Coldplay and Radiohead, two widely beloved bands. Musically, it’s fantastic, and the lyrics are beautifully crafted. However, for me, the pacing feels quite slow. A song like The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver is undeniably beautiful, but it’s not something I could listen to repeatedly. The album leans heavily into a melancholic, almost dreamy atmosphere, which doesn’t entirely resonate with me. Favorite song: Grounds for Divorce—a great track with a strong, driving energy. I also like One Day Like This, though it has been overplayed in recent years. Least favorite: Starlings—it’s such a slow start to an album that it feels like you’re waiting for something to happen. Album artwork: A cool cover. I also really like the interactive version on Apple Music.
36/1001 - Seems somewhat derivative of Radiohead but I mildly enjoyed it.
Chill. Never heard of this before.
Largely boring and uninteresting.
Standard 2000's british alternative rock album inspired by Radiohead and Coldplay
Veers close to a 1. That 'One Day Like This' is the very definition of a song that I hate because it has been so over-played.
Paar Songs sehr gut die anderen sehr Schlecht Bisschen unbalanced aber als Gesamtpaket trotzdem echt gut
Boring !
как он мне надоел в своё время. но за вчера не уловила что мне казалось на Рахманинова похоже, теперь это будет меня мучить…
The album definitely feels cohesive and a single body of work with some nice instrumentals/strings (very 2000's indie style), but the minimal-range vocals and the plodding nature of the album don't do it for me. I found myself craving Lil Wayne for a weird reason. He released a much better album in the same year, but for some reason it's not on the 1001 albums list???
I had never heard of this band. Does it kind of sound like slow Muse? Maybe? In rainbows by Radiohead? Sounds well produced and recorded with a lot of care. It was okay, won’t come back but not unenjoyable.
This sounds so much like the late 00s early 10s. You have your chamber pop songs (first few songs), you have your indie pop/rock songs (Grounds for Divorce)... all in the same vein as a band like Local Natives. An Audience With The Pope could be a B side Hozier song. There's something about this era that makes it sound like the lead singer is saying something really profound. Certainly a song from this era of indie music needed to make it on the 1001 list, and this is overall a pretty good listen. Not sure I see what was exceptionally special about this album vs. the rest of the genre, but solid 3.5 / 5 rounded up to 4
I initially thought this 1001 albums thing would be mostly albums I knew, because I'm reasonably into classic rock and interested in a wide range of genres, but when you do the math, it's 143 albums per decade (merging all pre-60s music as one decade, since the 50s were a little light and the 20s/30s/40s/ were pretty much just Jazz and Blues). That's a lot so I guess I should stop being surprised to see artists and albums I've never heard of. Anyway, here's another. I really enjoyed this. I listened to it on background (twice) so I'm not able to give specifics as to what I liked. Good solid well-built indie rock. Cohesive album that has tonal variation and yet sticks to a theme. Anyway this is great, but I wouldn't say anything in particular stands out such that it would be a 5.
This album is a vibe. And baby, I'm vibing.
Is 2.5 stars an option? This is an extremely average indie rock album. Definitely not bad, just not exciting. I’m a little surprised I’ve never heard of this band before given the genre and when it as released. “Grounds for Divorce” is good and I swear had to have been used in a commercial but I can’t seem to remember which.
This album was honestly cleansing for me. There was something about the playfulness of its conception that was really compelling; it didn't feel self-serious. It reminded me of the jam sessions I used to have back in college in a lot of ways.
Honestly, don't remember much from this album.
melodiöser, grooviger rock mit (teilweise) schlaf-/traumwandlerischen phasen. aber dennoch: zum hinhören! die feinen gitarrenklänge, wenig piano und die charaktervolle stimme von guy garvey.
Tönt gut und würde sicher noch besser gefallen bei mehrfachem hören.
Atmospheric. Ambient. Noisy. Verbose. Doesn’t quite captivate.
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!
It's good to hear some other songs by Elbow that One Day Like This, but that song still is amazing and the standout track of the album. Overall I enjoyed it and would probably listen again. Some of the lyrics really drew me in, but some songs passed me by. I'll probably have a dig around the rest of their work and see what else grabs me
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.
Really enjoyed seeing Elbow become mega off the back of this. Loved them since Asleep in the Back.
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
Quite indie
meh
Fav song: Mirrorball Pretty good album! A bit vanilla in a lot of places, but very beautiful in other parts. Friend Of Ours is a big stand out in particular. Also love the lyrics.
There were a couple of nice tracks but overall meh
Not offensive but something was missing here. It didn't click with me.
Not bad. Never really gets out of first and wasn’t interesting enough to merit higher
Not my bag. Too mellow for me.
7/10 Another one that I listened to at release but haven’t a load since. Pretty good. An album of major highs and the rest being nice, but not amazing. Guy Harvey has an amazing voice, both literally and lyrically. Very well put together, nice orchestration and influence from a number of genres from dad rock right through to post rock. Best: Some Riot
Despite the unfortunate name, we actually really enjoyed this album. It was good.
Boring
Possibly my favourite artist/group named after a body part (maybe after Hand Simmer). I quite liked the album overall, although some bits dragged and felt a bit dull. Now I think about it without "Grounds for Divorce" and "One Day Like This" it would have been quite shit... a bit like the Elbow... one of the shitter joints in the body.
Felt like a coldplay album without all the mystical noises and sort of weird sounds that are meant to be trippy and cool. Then ‘One Day Like This’ come on and made me think of football. Obviously the reason this album made the list. Overall very mehh
Elderly, rural and plain. Music made by Hovis.
Not too standout for me and too long. My attention span can't handle this. Will I listen to again: 0%
textured songwriting and big sounds from the second best band to come out of Bury in 1993*
Cant parse words here. All clichés apply. Masterpiece, hidden gem, diamond in the ruff, magnum opus, no skips. Almost every track has multiple moments you could listen to on repeat for 5 min.
The good songs on this are truly excellent. Best songs being the Bones of You and One Day Like this. Grounds for Divorce, Audience with the Pope and The Fix are all great. Starlings is a good opener. Friend of Ours sounds like an attempt at the prettiest song of all time, and it's a fair shot. It's just the lesser songs on here don't do that much for me. It all sounds great though production wise, with grand and lush instrumentation, and great vocals and lyrics. Very deserving of 4 stars. Good Album cover as well.
8/10. At first, I thought that this was going to be a boring listen, but I was pleasantly surprised. I like the orchestral arrangements of this album!!! :)
4.5/10
Enjoyed a few songs. Apart from that, mostly uninteresting album. Standout songs: Ground for Divorce An Audience with the Pope One Day Like This
Good band. Good music.
Almost a four, but not a three. A nice few songs on the album, a couple I've heard before, I do like. Some are mediocre, but still worth listening to. Nice smooth voice, a lot of melody. A lot of people have said Radiohead meets Coldplay, but I'm more inclined to say Coldplay, Oasis, Travis mashup. But what do I know. I listened to it twice and will probably listen again.
I like the vibe and the music but by the end I was well ready for it to be over. I would listen to this again but probably only half of the album at a time.
Really good, everything on the album was this interesting prog-y thing but very accessible and fun to listen to.
Great album, love the songwriting, production and arrangement choices. Will definitely listen many more times.
Started off as a fairly innocuous indie rock album. Influenced by post-rock acts, perhaps. The light strings and delicate, deliberate instrumentation had me engaged from the first few songs. As soon as Grounds for Divorce started, this album completely vomited up all the good will that it had earned from me with a completely hamfisted and ugly attempt at capitalizing on the "sound of the time." That completely boring kick-boom-hey blues rock that made the Black Keys so popular. It's fucking music for ads. Even the wiki page for this album mentions Grounds for Divorce and all the different ads and TV shows it's been featured on. After track 4, my enthusiasm took a nosedive. It's a shame too, because there is definitely something here to enjoy. Thom Yorke style crooning over hushed drums and tight strings. I have to wonder if the band itself wanted to go in that direction or if they were just trying to get in on that blues rock money that so many other bands of the mid-late 2000's were getting. Either way, it's sad. The album suffers for it. Profits over art, I guess.
Good background music some interesting parts but not something I'm in a rush to listen to again.
Made me want to put my elbows in my ears.
Sonically sound but quite boring. Best: Grounds for Divorce Worst: The Fix
First listen. Quite good.
Went into this completely blind and had no idea what to expect — but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s got some really solid songs on it, way more emotional depth and cool arrangements than I thought going in. The vocals take a minute to get used to, but once you're in the groove, it works. A few tracks hit harder than others, but overall it's a well-put-together album with a good mix of moody, dramatic, and melodic moments. Definitely made me curious to check out more of Elbow’s stuff. Favorite song: The Bones of You
A couple of classic tracks starlings and one day like this - enjoyable
7/10 Great vocalist. Would probably return to some songs or relisten this album again. I do not like the folk elements in the album, not a cheesy as the lumineers Hey Ho; but still the late 00's early 10's folkrock scene is something we should all be ashamed for letting happen. The synths work perfectly with the vocals in the album.
The album has magnificent production with a sound like Coldplay and Sting.
Reveal reaction: Never heard of it. First 30 seconds: Wait a minute, this might be excellent. Two songs in and it's on a 5 star pace. I'm a bit blown away, so I'm getting down my thoughts in real time so I don't forget! I'm getting shades of Seal, Killing Joke, Sting, Chris Martin, a bit of Oasis, maybe some Peter Gabriel, and even a little Radiohead. The music is unique and almost orchestral in parts. The lyrics are abstract, but not so much so as to be pretentious, rather thought provoking and beautiful. The type of lyrics that allow themselves to be open for your own personal interpretation - and if they land, they land hard. The vocalist is not your standard rock front man, but wow, what a voice. So I think it cools off a bit on the second half of the album. It's still very, very good, but maybe not the same high quality as the first half. Consider this another plea for half stars, because this is a 4.5 for me.
Hm never heard of this band before...Hmm pretty interesting. I liked that second track. The Bones of You. Kinda digging this sound honestly. I've actually enjoyed this album. I like the melancholy sound it. 4 stars.
It took a few songs to warm up to this but I gotta say this was better than expected. I really liked the orchestral indie feel throughout the album. As well as some pleasant singing that was quite soothing. Very solid. Top 3 Favorites: Weather To Fly, The Bones Of You, and One Day Like This 3.25-3.50/5
Interesting melodies but overall an absolute snoozefest
What is it about people with this exact vocal style that makes them want to make overwrought hour-long albums?
Feels like a mix of Radiohead and Coldplay. Not in a good way.
I’ve been aware of Elbow for a while but can’t say I ever properly explored their sound. A quick scan of my Last.fm profile suggests I’ve listened to them more in the past couple of days than in the previous 15 years combined. I always had them down as one of those turn-of-the-millennium second-wave Britpop bands, à la Keane. However, the fact that The Seldom Seen Kid won a Mercury Prize in 2008 raised my interest—the Mercury Prize is notoriously singular in its album choices, for better or for worse. While comparisons to Radiohead may be a step too far, I was pleased to hear that Elbow can deliver both driving rockers and introspective ballads. Guy Garvey’s warm, expressive vocals are a clear high point. He’s not a showboating vocalist aiming to hit every high note. Instead, he brings a grounded, authentic presence, blending sweet melodies with just the right amount of grit. His voice adds emotional weight without overdoing it, making each track feel personal. Highlights undoubtedly include “Grounds for Divorce” with its stomping riff and epic vibe, “One Day Like This” with its ambitious orchestration and euphoric chorus, as well as “Mirrorball” and “The Bones of You” for their delicate yet powerful delivery. Elbow turned out to be much more than I had initially assumed—a thoughtful and nuanced band with a sound that bridges grandiosity and intimacy. The Seldom Seen Kid feels like an album that gets better the more you listen to it, and I can see why it is seen as a breakthrough for the band. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? TBC Would this release make my personal list? Currently no. Will I be listening to it again? It's an album I want to return to. I definitely enjoyed it, but I am yet to love it.
Recognised the band name but not the album, which is slightly odd because it won the Mercury Prize and I was big into music around that time. Anyway, this was nice and pleasant. I instantly recognised and really enjoyed 'Grounds for Divorce' The rest didn't exactly blow me away but maybe a grower? Will give it a few more spins.
It’s good. Very nice to listen to - Coldpay’s dark and gloomy cousin
Good album, but a bit… boring? Might need to get them more of a listen to get into it more. Definitely could be a grower
Solid okay album gets a solid 3.
This album is sadly just more proof of how heavily the authors bias played into the creation of this list. There are just far too many albums from the UK, from artists I’ve never heard of in my life, for it to be a coincidence. If I don’t recognize a band, I can check where they are from and more often than not, it’s somewhere in Europe. Like, if we are to look at this on the basis of how essential these albums are to the growth of a person’s musical tastes, can we really place something like this in the same category as Abbey Road or Songs In the Key of Life or It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back? It just doesn’t seem comparable to me. Even for indie rock standards, this album is incredibly dull. Everything feels so flat, and basically all elements of the music lack any real impact or unique style. This is chamber pop for people who like when companies modernize their logos and make them way too oversimplified. The vocals especially don’t add anything of value to the music. He just sounds like British singer number 99. It is slightly unfortunate, because songs like Mirrorball and Friend of Ours are actually quite beautiful at times. But they are surrounded by so much of nothing. These songs have very flowery sections which, while nice, are super repetitive. And I can’t help but lose interest fast. Ultimately this just turns into background music for me. Not the good kind though. The kind where I’m begging for it to be over. Rating: 4/10
Awesome from start to finish! Not a bad song on this track, the band are awesome (and tremendous live) but the real star is Guy Garvey and his lyrics! The man can write, the man can deliver the lines and hold you in the warm embrace of his astoundingly beautiful vocals. Breathtaking.
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)"
A cross between Radiohead and Sting? A few good songs but a few weak ones too.
Started off dull. Warmed to it eventually. Bits remind me of Band of Bees. Not sure of the replay value but I’m glad I was exposed to them.
It had promise, but fell flat for me. I can’t really pin down what I didn’t like about it - too “fluffy,” somehow. Best track: Grounds for Divorce 3-3.5?
I really like grounds for divorce, it’s a great song. Garvey’s voice is amazing. However the album just crosses the line into sappy for me. Some of the songs are really sweet with clever lyrics but it’s a bit too slow. I feel like by the end they’re just trying to target the Sunday afternoon Glastonbury market.
I am in a minority but I find his vocals so whinny.
Ruhiges Album, dass anfänglich eher langweilig wirkt. Ein bisschen „Smiths“ steckt im Klang der Band. Mit den Songs „The Fix“, „One Day Like This“ und „Some Riot“ taut das Album auf und ist insgesamt ganz ok.
This was a group I'd never heard of before and I enjoyed this listen. Nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either.
incredibly interesting album!! almost every song took a little time to get used to but then they were almost all good. kind of a christmas-music vibe throughout with hints of arcade fire and gorillaz. very good
Never heard of this band before. I got a milquetoast Coldplay vibe. Like, not awful but not memorable at all.
I really enjoyed it. Morning ground breaking but solid
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.
Jaren 00 radio indie met ‘whoohohoos’ enzo. Komt niet op gang, beetje teleurstellend album. Voelt als een saaie radiovriendelijke versie van Coldplay of Radiohead. Aan de reviews te lezen ben ik niet de enige die dat voelt
Elbow is pretty fantastic. Guy Garvey’s voice at times really reminds me of Peter Gabriel. In a good way.
Still quite glorious
One great song!!
This is exactly my kind of music
I really like the groups style, wasn't a single song I skipped and I'll def check out more from them. I liked the songs Starlings, Grounds For Divorce and Weather to Fly the most.
Oh god. Just mediocre. Under what fascist dictatorship is this a must listen? And just because you can make this type of stuff doesn’t mean you should.
This is another example of early 2000s indie-style that passed me by. It's not as bad as generic indie landfill, but still doesn't really set my world aflame. A few good tunes (Grounds for Divorce, One Day Like This) that catch my ear. It's OK, I guess. But dull, very dull.
Intro Starlings grabbed me with its quiet melody. Hard to describe what this is but I like the second track The Bones of You, big beefy low end. Grounds for Divorce has a similar sound with pretty good riffs. I like An Audience With The Pope more, a midpaced plodder with the backing keyboards defining the track. Weather To Fly is good also, indie rock vibes. I like One Day Like This too, although it leans a bit too Coldplay for me. The last track is a mellow, poignant closer. Everything's very cinematic sounding, possibly to a fault, and I don't like all the songs. But this is still worth a listen.
Simple layered instrumentation creates a light but full soundscape. Good lyrics sung clearly. No frills vocal melodies. I like it.
Beautiful record.
Kuullostaa hieman indie musiikilta!
Quite enjoyable
Never heard of this band but they are very Radiohead.
Overplayed as it is, One Day Like This is a really, really great song. The rest of this less so.
Good album
I have this album. I don't play it a lot, but it's really lovely.
Favourites: Mirrorball
I liked the song with the sign
Love Elbow. This is a great album. Not thier best album but still really good.
Never heard this before. Some good songs, the whole album kinda blends together though
On Apple Music, when you load it, it says this is a cross between Pink Floyd and Coldplay. If you’re still interested at that point, maybe give it a listen. I wasn’t and I listened anyway and completely f*cking hated it. Also, I really don’t see the Pink Floyd bit. They’re just a Coldplay rip-off and one Coldplay is already far too many
I really liked this one. Never heard of them before. The singer has that whine, but that’s par for the course for this genre.
Great value Coldplay with some interesting exceptions.
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.
Favorite Track: The Bones of You
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.
Initially I really liked this one but the album is pretty long and eventually I started just being a bit bored. A lot of the early tracks kept feeling familiar, like they almost reminded me of something, but never quite. I might listen to this one in the future again and give it more time to maybe better appreciate some of the other tracks. I'll give it a 4, but it's at the very low end of 4 Standouts Starlings Grounds for Divorce 4/5
Good overall. 3.5 stars
Kromě Grounds for divorce překvapivě nic moc.
Sometimes you can instantly pinpoint the year an album was released—and that’s not always a bad thing. Had a nice nostalgic time with this.
I never got into Elbow but always heard good things about them from people whose opinions I respect. This is no different -- listenable, but drab and uninspired
Shockingly good. Never heard of them before.
one of the best surprises in the list
I was going to give this a five but it started grating on me very close to the end
I got to this a couple of years late, but some time around 2010 i loved this album and listened to it a lot. Perhaps too much, or maybe my tastes have changed a bit, because although I still like it, it doesn't quite connect with me in the same way it used to.
So this is basically an indie-fied Coldplay. Truth be told, it’s alright. It’s better than my last Mercury Prize winner (A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite). But the songs just go on for a while. Like why are there so many 5-minute songs? It makes the album feel a bit padded out. Honestly, this whole Mercury Prize shows me the British have a mid taste of music. Favorite track: One Day Like This Other Hits: Weather to Fly, Friend of Ours, Grounds for Divorce, Mirrorball
When I first heard this album I kind of thought is was Royskopp with Sting on vocals. There is a worldly-psychedelic vibe to it, so naturally, I dug it! Mirrorball and Grounds for Divorce were key tracks. My only real complaint is the album felt like it petered out by the end, which was a little anticlimactic. Still enjoyed it.
"Grounds for Divorce" was the stand out track on this album. I didn't have much thoughts on this album but it did feel a bit melancholy overall and maybe that had to do with the fact that a "friend of the band died suddenly in 2006. The closing track, "Friend of Ours", as well as the liner notes of the album, are dedicated in his memory." I doubt I'll revisit this one. I actually thought this was the Eels. So I was initially disappointed because this didn't match my expectations. I hope we get to The eels at some point because I like them better.
The first listen was "meh" (really well made but "vanilla" pop sogs). The second, more careful listen was really nice! The music is good and very well produced, it sounds great with lots of musical detail and an expressive voice. The lyrics are also good. Will listen again! Not a 5* because it is not ground-breaking and songs are a bit same-ish but a nice album all the same. A 3 or 4 but go on then, I'm in a good mood, a 4* (not that anyone cares ;-)).
Ah yes. Not listened for many years but it was heavily circulated around the time. As well as the follow up. One or two tracks sit on playlists, although the joyous one day like this is sadly overplayed. Wonderful song though. Mirrorball is the one I go to for that feeling without the over familiarity. Smooth, gentle, authentically warm. Some of it's a bit boring, Audience with the Pope stands out as a boring track, and it's therefore a bit overlong, but there's some lovely stuff here, good score.
Blegh. Boring alt rock. Reminds me of Doves but so anemic.
A bit boring. 3/5
The group has a nice sound.
I liked this album. Kind of moody. I liked the mixture of lyrics and music.
Aika hyvä jam! Voisin kuunnella artistia tai ainakin albumia enemmänkin!
Triple m type music, eh
Meh, it wasn't bad just a bit boring for my liking.
Gay
I didn't pay very close attention while I was listening to this because things kept happening to distract me. But it did end up playing on a loop three times during that period and at no point was I ever dissatisfied with it. I definitely going to keep it on my phone and the next time I'm sitting down to read a book I'm going to put this on
When I first put this on, my wife said the lead singer sounded like Sting. I could see that, although I imagined if Sting had been in a very different band than The Police, originally. Having said that, I liked this a lot. I thought the songs were effective, particularly "The Fix" which I liked a lot. "The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver" reminds me of "The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner" by Maiden (just in the title really). Some of the songs were a little sludge-y, but I guess that was the sound they were going for. Still, I liked this a lot, and look forward to hearing more of them. Top tracks: "The Fix," "The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver," "Starlings"
I've never heard of these guys but they have a cool sound. Guy Garvey's vocals remind me a bit of Coldplay's Chris Martin. There's more bombast and intricacy to their sound than Coldplay though. They really use the orchestra and the almost baroque style to great effect. Sort of reminded me of The National in terms of their varied, ambitious delivery and sardonic lyrics and song titles. Other artists popped into my head as I listened to them - Dave Matthews, Barns Courtney, Hugo. I wouldn't mind hearing more from Elbow. Favorite tracks were Starlings, Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver, Some Riot, One Day Like This, and Friend of Ours.
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.
Sounds like some shit my friend Brandon would like. Not for me
Another British rock band trying to put me to sleep. 2/5
I remember an interview with Michael Caine where he was saying he liked the band with the old guy in it. The interviewer and the listeners knew exactly who the septuagenarian was talking about. Mid 30s Garvey exudes old man energy, boring, melancholy and slightly menacing.
A mix of Coldplay with elements of Muse. A good and diverse mix of British pop, anthems, thick arrangements. Good album overall from a band I wasn’t familiar with.
This album was good, but not at all that remarkable. Feels like it would have just faded in to the din of similar albums/sounds from bands like this at this time, which is likely why I was unfamiliar with it. Definitely enjoyed listening to it though.
I didn't hate this.
This is like Coldplay if I never liked their music 2/5
Orchestral sort of rock. Singer sounds like Peter Gabriel. Wasn't too bad, so I listened through the bonus tracks too. Some boring, some OK. Favorite track: Grounds for Divorce. A low 3/5
altrock2000guys
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
Dream pop. Alternative indie rock.
Great album. Haven't listened in quite a while but it's good.
This is #day55 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here we are with something from Manchester. If memory serves me right, I was introduced to Elbow by a friend, a grunge aficionado, which now feels a bit weird. Maybe it's because one of his nicknames was "Weirdo," inspired by that notorious Radiohead song, or perhaps it’s because Elbow's music carries a hint of that "radioheadness." Either way, I've come to appreciate this band's interesting sound. There's something idiosyncratic about them: Guy Garvey's melancholic lyricism and distinct delivery, the instrumentaiton that catches you off guard from one song to another, and, in this case, the album cover that evokes autumnal moods, rather on point as it's October outside my window. But, since it's far from 5 and not quite 4 either, I'm giving it a 3. Looking forward to #day56.
Dave Matthews? Is that you? If I wanted to listen to Dave Matthews, I would listen to Dave Matthews. I do not want to listen to Dave Matthews.
Dream pop. Alternative indie rock.
this objectively sounds really good, but I can't shake the feeling like I've heard a lot of these songs before in other albums - not saying it's derivative, because some of the comp titles I'm thinking of came after, but it's still a feeling that's bugging me, like there's nothing that unique about it. nonetheless, I think it's quite good
Wow. This album kinda stunned me. Like coldplays best songs but better. Want to send this to Kevin for Christmas
Depressing as fuck….so much agony and feelings….nice music but not my cup of tea
Never heard this before and found it strangely diggable.
I would describe this as “soundtrack pop/rock” because it has a cinematic feel in both the lyrics and the sound. Mirrorball used to be a cool-down tune after an early morning run, so it’s near and dear, but I kind of lost interest with four songs left.
Nice vibe and very interesting!
Nice album!
Burst of nostalgia
Great album, beautiful voice for one so ugly!
Interesting, but blurry. I like it, but I can't distinguish it from other music I like.
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars for me. I still love the first Elbow album, and I just personally don't think this one is as good as that one. However, it is good, and it has gotten me back into them, not realizing how many albums they have put out over the years. I'm very happy there is still a band putting out the kind of British music they do.
En light udgave af Radiohead, melankolsk indierock
I think it is trash old-fashioned album
Nothing too special
When the best tracks sound like Muse I have to ask why I'm not just listening to Muse. Favourite track: An Audience With The Pope.
When my wife and I got married in 2013 we were both overweight - in fact when we looked at the wedding photos on a DVD my wife said we looked like Les Dawson and Matt Lucas in a dress. All the while, over the top of these photos, the photographer had added One Day Like This by Elbow. 3 out of 5, would get married looking like Les Dawson again.
Honestly I'm pretty surprised that I've never heard this album before. It sounds kinda like 2000s indie mixed with Radiohead. I really enjoyed this record.
This was cool, but it was kind of hard for me to really get into to. It had some really cool songs, and I really like how it all flowed together nicely. I guess in a lot of ways it kind of felt like indie genre music. It kind of blended into the pantheon of bands from this time that kind of sound similar. I did really love the first song, "Starlings" and the second to last song, "One Day Like This." I thought there were cool elements of shoegaze, even some tango and jazz, and just a lot of ambient rock. Which was fun.
It's alright.
This sounds like Coldplay but even more boring, which I thought it was impossible...
Having never heard of this band before, I very much dig their vibe. I see a lot of similarities here with other 2000s Brit-rock bands like Muse and Bloc Party, and TV On The Radio from the U.S. The sentimentality of some of the tracks mixed with some more grandiose sounds and even some punk as well. While some tracks droned on a bit, I still thoroughly enjoyed this album all told. Notable Tracks: - Starlings - The Bones of You - Weather to Fly - One Day Like This 7/10
Elbow heeft me binnen de indie rock scene eigenlijk nooit écht kunnen bekoren, maar dit lijkt me wel hun betere werk. Het doet me bij vlagen te veel denken aan de latere Arctic Monkeys, toen ze zichzelf íéts te serieus namen. Veel nummers zijn te kitscherig, en de nummers die positief opvallen lijken erg op elkaar (Mirrorball, The Bones of You). 'Grounds for Divorce' en 'One Day Like This' zijn wel classics, en zijn belangrijke haakjes geweest in mijn 'exploration of indie rock'. 6/10 Highlights: Grounds for Divorce One Day Like This