Reviews (page 7 of 10)
I enjoyed this one. Not groundbreaking, but worth the listen.
I’d never heard of them before and I love it! Downloaded immediately
i feel like beginning is good but the sound almost is sort of copy pasted on every track not that am complaining
First impressions: I really don't like this singers voice - it's so bland to me - and the arrangement of this opening song is so annoying with that awful, high volume burst of dissonant brass-type-instrument. So, we're not off to a great start. I tried with this to be open minded but I really can't stand it. The singers voice is extremely tedious and low energy, lacking dynamics - it's as if the guy next to you at the pub starts singing his stories to you - which, I guess I can see how some people would find this appealing - and the music is uninspiring, lacking any ideas beyond one-per-song that repeat. Its dull adn I really don't like it.
First time hearing this bad. Weather fly was good enough to give this album 3 stars.
Better than I expected. Very much a 2010s sound, but I don't hate it. A soft indie sort of vibe, but track lengths were a little longer than I liked.
It’s okay. I don’t know why it’s on this list, but I gave it a go. Two songs stand out, but the rest are just standard dreamy pop music.
👍
Starlings - big bombastic opener, love the contrast with the slow strings/piano and the brass section The bones of you - really vibing this, great instrumental contrast again, builds nicely Mirrorball - slower but still a banger Grounds for divorce - enjoyed this but probably the most ‘standard’ song so far The loneliness of a tower crane operator - this song straight VIBES The fix - still cool vibes Some riot - still vibin One day like this - really enjoy this one too, feels super upbeat after the last few songs Friend of ours - slow vibes out This was right up my alley, really enjoyed it
Album was fine and nice to moisten too. Cool sounds. Probably wouldn’t listen bc again.
Yet another English band I've never heard of. His voice reminds me of Sting at times. Wow. Really liking this one. Standouts: Starlings, The Bones of You, Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce, The Fix, We're Away. Really all the songs are very good. I enjoyed this album very much. Never heard of them before but now I'm glad I listened. 3.5
One of my least listened to elbow albums, not entirely sure why though
First half of the album was solid, probably wouldn't listen again but enjoyed the listen overall.
Not my thing
Good album from a band I had never heard before. Their sound reminded me of Coldplay at times.
I liked it! Very "of an era" sound but I'm surprised I'd never heard it before
V Good
HATED THIS ALBUM.SO ANNOYING.IT SOUNDS LIKE A TERRIBLE MUSICAL.I don’t know why I hate it so much but I do.Only one “semi-good” song and that’s because of nostalgia for the Olympic Games.
For the love of god, pick a fucking genre. Too British, too boring, too fucking shit. I'd get more enjoyment by listening to someone mash two cheese graters together. Songs feel like they have no connection to one another. Feels more like a compilation of songs made for tv and movies rather than an actual album. Singing is uninspired and makes me want to jump into a 30 foot abyss full of sharks.
THAT SHIT SUCKS
Strong start, strong finish, mushy middle.
Nope. A few tracks were good, others not at all. I had to turn it off.
Sounds demonic
Some jams but mostly not my thing
Had never heard of this band going in but it’s very instrumental and chill and British, kind of early vampire weekend feeling only slightly harder and less dreamy
Very soothing
Of course I was aware of Elbow, but had never actually listened to any albums right through. Have changed that now, and am a convert
zzz
dislike. if radiohead was boring
i liked a couple lines but :/
First song shell shocked me "We kissed like we invented it" is a cool line, I liked it a lot. There were some other lines that stood out for me, I guess I'm sad because I understand the lyrics One Day Like This is a drag
second half brought it down to a 3 very interesting and unique to me
Original link disappeared and was unable to find the one linked before with no bonus tracks. I was initially happy to get a band I've previously purchased albums from, but this really didn't seem to be an album I'd listen to at this point in my life. I also evidently didn't listen to it when it came out, having given up on this band and album or two before this one
My first time hearing this band and album. Great indie rock sound. The songs vary in style, keeping it interesting throughout. I particularly liked “Grounds for Divorce.” Terrific album overall.
A rare instance where an album sounds absolutely beautiful but feels empty at the same time. I like one song but the grandiosity seems like a veneer and the songs lack specifics or heartfelt emotion. They are like an emotional show not personally emotional. The production is first rate but I have no desire to listen to it again.
Not listened to this for a decade! Saw them live on this tour and they were great. Not my favourite album of theirs, I prefer "Leaders". Mirrorball will creep into my brain unbidden at anytime, Grounds for Divorce is just a barrel of noisy slightly menacing fun, Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver is very unusual, and desperately swaggering quite incredible vocal performance. And of course then we have the overplayed big hit single of "One day like this" which listened to again with fresh ears deserves all it's plaudits, plastic pint glass raising anthemic gold.
I'm sure he's a good exponent of whatever subgenre he represents. I pride myself on listening to as wide a spectrum of music as I can and appreciating it, even if not actually liking it. This just sounded like maudlin, whiny, self important crap to me though.
I liked the production on this one a lot. Feels grandiose and moody when it needs to be. Great instrumentation as well. While it is good. I don’t think it’s worthy of five stars. Cool album nonetheless!
After hearing The Bones of You I thought this is gonna be masterpiece but my sky-high expectations were tempered as the album went on.
I love his voice, he also has a really interesting way of stressing words which is very satisfying to listen to. All the songs are quite similar but generally enjoyable
Enjoyed this more than I expected to. singles among the stand outs, but enjoyed the Richard Hawley one the most.
Some good songs, some bad ones
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Kind of nice
Worth another listen
Enjoyed this very much
very unique and can initially seem disjointed but it works amazingly well
Sooo lovely and sad , perfect for my constant despair
Hated half the songs, the rest were decent.
Hmm i think its ok
Very samey and dull
These songs, whilst they’re fine, are all at least a minute too long. Everything feels a little overblown and self indulgent to me
J’ai pas eu le temps ni l’envie de l’écouté au complet, c’est plutôt moyen
It’s solid but man this felt long.
Likeable
Too moody
Hyvä!
Singer sounds like Peter Gabriel but the music runs a little too Coldplay for me. Four songs in, so far meh. I’m convinced this is only on the list cause the author is a Peter Gabriel fanatic. The music itself is really average and uninspired. It’s getting worse as it goes. Yeah this is shit pop.
didn‘t know this album. peter gabriel on vocals? ok
Mellow alternative …. Absolutely NOT my style …. But this is just my opinion.. therefore I might be the wrong person to rate this … The album ran during breakfast and while I was drinking my morning French press coffee … and it felt like elevator music … sorry again but I am really not the guy reviewing this album I’m giving it three stars just to not do much harm
At last! A great album. Uncomfortably close to the nub with a genuine sound it comes across fresh as a daisy to me.
Easy 5 for me. Going in, I had liked 8 of these tracks already in Spotify. I went ahead and like the other two. This record slaps. Elbow is criminally underrated.
Has bim wösch mache gloset und muess sege selte so sehr gvibed debi als mit dem album The bones of you und grounds for divorce was für banger. Genau sones album hani mir erhofft kenne zlerne wemme bi dem 1001album ding mitmacht. Für mich es 5/5
Whimsical isch so s erscht wort wo mer in sinn chunnt. Aber bis etze mag ichs voll? Ok nice gfallt mer sehr, finds öppis neus und bis etze isch kein track gliich? Ahhh eifach so so schön! Ohhhh grounds of divorce hett chli en andere vibe and i dig it! Noice Wieso tönt sini stimm wie zuckerwatte ih miine ohre? Can’t explain aber isch nice Ahh one day like this isch insane ich fühl mi wie imene film Friend of ours isch meeeega pretty. Bi richtige fan vo dem album tbh und vor allem vo dem lied. Mega nostalgisch iwie? Bi voll drinn versunke. Allgemein chli en jacob collier vibe. Jung, früsch experimentell und mega divers, iwie volle hoffnig und wunder und eifach sochli s attitude vowege wie chani welles instrument ihsetze und harmonie verwende und was chani alles demit mache? Spiele mit Dissonanze und Konsonanze sowie de intensität vo de melodie und tön. So toll.
uuh nordenglische akzent meistens sympa. wer het das gmasteret die lislige teil ghörsch fast nöd und die lute sache haued der d ohre weg alteee. er sing bitz wie de sting. aber jo schön i guess. The bones of You sött nöd so dumm goh aber de bass und so isch geil. han etz es rechts stuck ohni notize glost, d chords sind i allne songs recht intressant etz gad loneliness of a tower crane driver isch huere geil. er singt seeehr geil. drums töned oft riesig aber in hall taucht findi en schöne sound. the fix. er isch in. gitarre melodie mit gsang huere geil. offbeat orgle ding au. zweiti stimm coole kontrast. some riot. ok goht um alkoholismus vomne kolleg. One Day Like This. Er leant voll i sin akzent ine "morning sun". da isch anschinend de hit. zersch langwilig gfunde aber de bass machts im refrain interessant ich lieb dass sie es album nochem leo benannt hend (ich gsehnen nie)
ok ersts lied hani nüt chönne ahfange aber isch vlt au meh es introlied als es liedlied? the bones of you schochli besser, sehr ruhige song obwohl au relativ vill passiert? es erinnered mich chli ah dokumusig? sie zeiged chli bilder vode wiite vode ozean und de grüene wiese und e herde elefante lauft verbii und me ghört d striicher und sini sanfti, aber auchli ruchi stimm chli singt sis "lift off, love" findi sehr cute grounds for the divorce wieder andersch? erinneret mich chli ah di arktischen affen weather to fly zwar iwie cute und verträumt aber schlussendlich für mich doch langwilig hey ich han langsam gnueg indiefilmdokumusig ich mag nümme HAHAHA "holy cow I love your eyes" findi super lyrics one day like this würkli sehrsehr herzigs lied alsoooo das album isch für mich lang uf 2sternkurs gsi aber ich glaub wemmer sich chli meh innelost und au ufd lyrics achtet chan sich das album rechr lohne, ich wirds sicher mal mache wenni ziit han
hopefully brexit will make it more difficult for the english to get their hands on musical instruments
I just wasn't into it.
The Seldom Seen Kid is a good album, but it never seems to reach the heights you think are coming. Everything is good, nothing is great. Stuck somewhere in between Ok Computer and Coldplay but it’s neither. Even One Day Like This, which is very good grand song seems like it’s slightly missing something. 6.5/10
I really enjoyed this record. I was unaware of their existence before this listen.
Pretty lame! 2/5
Great listen for when you're napping in the sunbeam with your cat ... or small child
Apartment Cleaning Music
I had never heard this album before, which is surprising because apparently several songs were features on shows that I watched in college. It’s almost specifically targeted at my tastes, I’m definitely going to relisten and wouldn’t be surprised if this made it into my most listened to albums of 2024 (its too late to make it to 2023). Originally I was thinking a 4 star rating, but as the album went on I found myself digging every song.
It's fine, but I probably won't listen to it much.
OK. Not great
Not a terrible album, but not necessarily notable either. It sounds like lots of the popular rock music from the mid 2000s. Not saying it's bad, just not unique. Most of the songs sound the same. Not inspiring.
Really enjoyed this album. Great vocals. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver was my favourite song. Need to explore Elbow more.
It's fine - 3/5
- i like it! don’t know if i’d listen to it again though
Hadn’t heard of this band despite them being pretty modern.
A classic! The songs sounds complex yet accesible. Love the orchestral infused parts.
Pretty good. Nothing spectacular.
Love it!
Aight
Has flashes of interest at times but otherwise has blandness to it. It’s ok.
Pretty chill album. Some songs sound like oasis others have a Dave matthews sound.
Very easy and flowing sounds. Vocalist adds great harmonies to what is already a comfortable instrumental listen. Great discovery.
This was quite the pleasant surprise, it was. Very nice vocals and music with an emotionally mellow vibe. Very nice.
Jesus Christ this is beige. So so beige. Beige music for beige people living beige lives. Possibly the worst album.
sort of soulful but excruciatingly slow.
A great find for me. Loved this indie rock album.
Turns out I already have listened to this album and liked lots of songs on it without realising. I will continue to do so
I like this. Good music to play while working. Some of it is more midtempo and jazzy.
A 2008 rock album that's not cringy hipster music? Nice! Impressive use of sound, symphonically moving. Great use of harmony and dissonance in the vocals.
Kind of a laid back U2 feel. Will likely listen to it again
Liked Elbow since forever. This is good.
A mix of slow Sting songs and Cold Play. I really liked "Grounds for Divorce," but everything else was so generic and dull.
She likes it, I am indifferent
Cool melodies/harmonies. Interesting dynamics
Thought I might come back to this after 15 years with new ears but it's exactly how I remember it - solid and unspectacular. Doesn't reach, for me, any heights of majestic melancholy the way Tindersticks or The National do.
I'm pleasantly surprised to see Elbow on the list. It's not my favorite Elbow album, but there are some really good tracks on here.
Pretty good, but not really my style so I wasn't vibing a lot with it. Production was great when they started using more digital sounds.
Beautiful instrumentals but didn’t really stand out to me A little slow - I think I would need to listen to this album more times to understand and enjoy it. And I can see myself coming back to it. 2.5
Solid rock album that wandered genres a little. Fun experience.
Apple did a good job selling the album. But, I returned it.
Had never heard of it, seemed Ok on the first listen.
Ok Mits, it sucked but it wasn’t THAT bad. Kind of a cross between a Mr. Hudson album and a solo 90s Sting. But, it did suck.
Interesting one. Vocals are top notch. Might have to give this one another go.
0.2 Abosolutly terrible. They played the loud parts quiet and the quiet parts loud. It was so boring it made me nauseous. I wouldn't be surprised if this is worst out of the whole list. We will see in a couple of years I guess
Interesting album, reminds me of Radiohead
Never heard it nor heard of it before. . . Mid-2000s pop with thoughtful lyrics and a good vibe. I just don't have any connection to it.
2. Mope rock. Meh
I've listened to this a few times now and it really is incredible every single time. First off, the lyrics are fantastic - imaginative, playful, poetic, and sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting. The band behind frontman Guy Garvey play with a delicateness and at times brashness that conveys so much emotion and builds great tension. Overall, the album feels like you're transported into a childhood fairyland with equal parts light and dark that juxtapose each other so well. 9/10
I really enjoyed this record. Surprised I wasn't more familiar with Elbow previously to be honest. Their sound is similar to a lot of bands I already enjoy. I guess I should say, as a progressive rock/art rock band I should at the very least know SOMETHING about them. But that's the beauty of this app! Will definitely revisit this record. Still unsure if it's a full blown 5 - would love to give it a 4.5 as it's a little lower energy than I typically like, but that's what multiple listens are for!
This is completely new to me. I've heard of Elbow but don't know any of their songs. I listened with my son on the way in to daycare and work this morning, he was in a bad mood when we got in the car and as soon as this started it was like a switched got flipped. We had a very nice drive together to the first half of this album, and the second half brought me to work. I'm looking forward to listening again. I love "Audience With The Pope" I'm glad I bought better work headphones for "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver" "One Day Like This" is excellent. I really enjoyed this album, it sounds extremely lush through a nice set of head phones. I'm looking forward to listening to more Elbow.
Really good. Almost made me think of if Max Richter had a band.
What a ride
Decent songs, but I don't like the singer's voice
Kind of boring
Grounds for Divorce 4*
Highlights: Starling, The Fix, One Day Like This. Went in only knowing one single from this album. It's a mixed bag. Brooding, aching, a bit drab occasionally. Many songs are too long but hang in there as some songs have lyrical gems. Elbow Frontman Guy Garvey reminds me of Peter Gabriel (one of Guy's inspirations) but with a Mancunian lilt. Overall: 6/10
It’s interesting and a left field inclusion. Kinda takes into account a 5yr period of my life where I was aware of ZERO up and coming artists. Felt a little whiny at times. Dunno. I’ll listen again.
The esotericness of this album is a bit lost on me. It is good as what it is. I find it similar to a bleaker Peaceful the World Lays Me Down by Noah and the Whale. Some moments shine through, most notably One Day Like This
If Sting was in Radiohead. 6/5!!
Cool little album. Will mix them some slow, some fun guitar. Nice vocals
Bones of you is a banger👌
Started out well enough. Guitars, pianos and various orchestral instruments taking their turns at centre stage. Nothing really memorable. Then the album went through a “musical theatre” phase before returning to melancholy pop. Not really my style. High 2
Really liked this a lot. Definitely need to hear more of their catalog.
Melancholic 2000s sound. Can easily imagine half of the tracks as an opening to some drama/crime series
very rich sound and colorful palette like the atmosphere of the album and it sounds huge and intimate at the same time
I find it boring
Milquetoast millennial make-out music. I’m sorry, that was too mean. That’s probably not even an original thought. I’m probably read or heard that somewhere and unremembered it.
This one is not for me. I’m not sure what I expected but it wasn’t this sorta watered down Coldplay stuff. I mean, it’s perfectly serviceable 2000s rock, but it did nothing for me.
This was fine.
Some good vibes, some Chevy commercial vibes
Great opener, enjoyed most tracks after it. Really like the voice. Really good instrumentation. A few songs were a bit too boring to rate it a 5.
Cool, orchestral sound, emphatic vocals, glad I listened once, don't need to again
Voice sounds like Sting, Seal and Peter Gabriel. The Bones of You is my favourite.
Had to listen to this twice as it slowly grew on me. A nice variety of sounds.
Good album, heard quite a few songs from them but didn't know the band.
Perfect
Kinda boring but also mixed really weird? Like it doesn't feel cohesive, it seems like every part is coming from a different room in a haunted house
Een beetje Radioheadish. Eindmuziek van een mooie indie jankfilm. Ik merk dat ik hier vandaag niet helemaal zin in heb, maar ik vind het wel goeie muziek. Het zit kwalitatief goed in elkaar, er gebeuren verrassende dingen, die zanger heeft wel een gaaf stemgeluid. Ondanks dat ik er niet echt zin in heb vind ik toch vooral de wat kleinere, zieligere nummers het best. Ik ben altijd wel gevoelig voor die tochtige-fabriekshal muziek. Niet om tof te doen maar de 2 hits vind ik het minst van dit album. Dat neigt wat meer richting die prototype Imagine Dragons achtige stadium anthems.
Objectively interesting arrangement and instrumentation. I just didn’t really like anything. Not one song made me want to re-listen. These guys feel like they’d be great commercial musicians.
It was really chill. I plan on listening to them in the future.
Primaaaa
Erg divers en origineel
Killer single from this record. very pleasant indie pop.
Musik gut, Stimme gut
Great album! „The bones of you“ and „Grounds for Divorce“ are my favorites.
Alrighty
meh
Not my cup of tea. Won't listen again, but maybe I will to see if my rating is correct.
Never heard of this band/album before. Initial vibes: Fleet Foxes. I like the instrumental things these guys are doing (An Audience with the Pope), dig their sound. 3*. Standout tracks: One Day Like This, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver Some more criteria: 5-amazing top to bottom 4-very good album, but some weak tracks 3-enjoyed overall but not necessarily an album I'd revisit or that blew my mind. Middle of the road. 2-some songs I liked, but overall not a fan of this album 1-hated it
First time listening to Elbow. Few great tracks, opener and #3 were great. Dragged on slightly toward the end, whilst The Fix should have been nowhere near this album. Take that away and it would have just tipped into the 4* bucket. As it is, it's an on the fence 3.5*
liked it more than I thought I would, Audience with the Pope is lowkey banger
Didn’t feel particularly original.
Indie Lewis Del Mar with a side of Coldplay
Whilst I think there are other Elbow albums that are just as good - if not better - as this this, Seldom Seen Kid is a great album. One Day Like This is such a beautiful anthem but the album is brilliant from start to finish. From the way the delicate start of Starlings gives way to the synth stab, the album constantly takes surprising turns (hello Grounds For Divorce’s convoluted but effective singalong). Guy Garvey’s voice has a fragility and honesty that comes from singing in his own accent whilst the lyrics approach Nick Cave levels of poetry (A friend of mine grows his very own brambles…) A fabulous album. I’d put at least another couple of theirs on this list too
It's ok, a bit too sprechgesang for my taste.
Nice atmosphärische Vibes, starker erster und letzter Song. Definitiv Lern-bar
Great album
Some nice sounds and songs but got pretty boring for me as it went on. Also I'm not really a fan of the vocalist's voice.
Calm indy on a wet Monday morning fuck yeah.
Somewhat mesmerizing, then there are loud noises Very mellow lyrics Cinematic is the right word! I can get behind this a bit Don't prefer the slow songs Actually growing on me some "Grounds for Divorce" has a good sound The lyrics are just random sometimes Weather to Fly is good The outros on these songs last forever "One Day Like This" is very good! Hard to say whether I liked it or not
some standout tracks on here, and nothing to be skipped
Expected better, but it just droned on so long without any interesting musical events.
3.5 stars rounded up. "One day like this" is great.
Favorite song: Grounds for divorce - great opening line, hard hitting guitar. Loved it from first time I heard it. The rest of the album surprised me. The Fix almost sounds like a Bond song. An Audience with the Pope was very memorable.
Not normally something I’d listen do but a few songs were good. Don’t think I’ll revsir
Kinda forgot I was listening to music. 2/5.
1. Starlings - I didn't love how long it took for it to start, the lyrics are ok but don't love the way the singer sounds. It has an interesting ending. 2. The Bones of You - I like this one a bit better, it's more interesting and keeps my attention better. Interesting theme. I quite like the chorus. 3. Mirrorball - this one has an ok sound, a little simpler. Nice lyrics but not my style. 4. Grounds for Divorce - this one almost has a little bit of a country sound to me, but i like the sound it's more upbeat. 5. An Audience with the Pope - again an interesting sound, i liked the piano at the start. 6. Weather to Fly - this one has a soothing sound and nice cadence to it, but not my style. 7. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver - interesting theme again, but it's also been done already on the album...is it a little one note? 8. The Fix - again a different style to some of the other songs, actually kinda interesting style. like it almost sounds old-timey to me. 9. Some Riot - very spare music in this one, not my favourite. a little boring to me sorry. 10. One Day Like This - i like the music in this one. sounds cinematic and dramatic. 11. Friend of Ours - very slow song, ok as a closer but a little boring. Overall, I don't mind the album and there are some cool sounds and different styles within it which i think is cool, but I really don't think this kind of music is my style. I don't love the way the singer sounds and for me that is a pretty big thing for liking a musical style.
Nice album with couple really good songs
Cool find
Aight
Genesis/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel but for British millennials 🔥🔥🔥
Sick
Leuke knutselsingersongwriterij, doet me een beetje denken aan Spinvis, nog wat relaxter, af en toe wat stevigere stukjes, het meandert lekker allerlei kanten op.
Het kan wel. Creatieve liedjes zonder kinderachtig te worden. Elbow toont een heel assortiment aan originele nummers, zonder dat het nep wordt.
Ik ken Elbow wel van de hitjes die ze hebben gehad, een paar wonderschone nummers moet ik zeggen. Zoals one day like this. Ik had ook wel eens een album van geluisterd, maar deze nog niet eerder. De productie valt me wel gelijk op, met ineens een harde toeter tussendoor en verder instrumenten of geluiden die niet zouden misstaan op een carnival/kermis uit de 19e eeuw. De zingende zaag zeg maar, muziek voor bij Suske en Wiske. Het heeft daardoor wel een bijzondere sfeer en daar past het karakteristieke stemgeluid van Guy Garvey prima bij. Ik heb me prima vermaakt met het album, het album luistert goed weg als 1 geheel en de hitjes kun je zo in een playlistje kwijt. Het is geen 5 sterren waard, daarvoor is het bij tijd en wijle net iets te wazig, maar de 4 sterren geef ik makkelijk weg hiervoor.
Peter Gabriel kruising met Coldplay. Bij eerste beluistering niet per se verkocht maar bij herbeluisteren wel steeds positiever erover. Doet me terugdenken aan autoritjes met Rolli.
Bangers, ganske rolig
He sounds like Sting I feel like a grown up listening to this. Like adults only, please. Is this what Coldplay could have been?
Might be good to put on if you are having trouble going to sleep. Other than that no thanks.
Great
One of the best albums ever made. Every song becomes a new favourite.
Þetta er bara ágætis plata.
Heerlijk compleet album, muzikaal, veel gebruik van klassieke instrumenten. Melodieus, goede stem. Ground for Divorce +++
Some good songs, but slightly boring
Really enjoyed this, heard a few Elbow songs over the years and never listened to one of their albums.
Loved it
Chill, a little overlong
Yuck. Sounds like a car commercial. Or a bumper for the newest show on FX. Ok I wrote that without looking and then so read the wiki and it straight up was used in a bumper for a new FX show. And tons of commercials. Who dreams of making music like this? Very self indulgent. It’s not incompetent or anything, just deeply annoying. I could see coming back to a couple tracks, but none of the millennial whoop garbage.
Pretty inoffensive, I enjoyed having it on but nothing particularly captivated me. Sounded very much like Peter Gabriel meets modern Indie, which is fine.
Really nothing special, but nothing bad
This album is good! I like the opening song, got a little depressy by the end but I loved the opener as a fall mood listen. I'm interested to listen to their other albums
Good for my next depression episode
Hm. Interessant.
Really nothing to say about this album. I don’t hate it, but I don’t really have any strong feelings about it at all. It’s good music, no doubt about that, but I just don’t care. Almost none of the tracks really stand out to me as being better or worse than the others. The opening track was interesting for sure, but everything just started to blend together after that pretty quickly. I don’t see myself revisiting this album. 4/10 Top 3: 1. One Day Like This 2. Starlings 3. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
Album 2/1001 Best song: Grounds for divorce but An audience with the pope was close
Atmospheric folksy UK indie with some electronic elements. Soothing and catchy at times, sleepy at other times. Good harmonies and diverse song structures. Lead singer reminds me of the dude from Beta Band sometimes. Really pretty stuff but overstays its welcome a bit.
Weird and beautiful to listen to. Never heard of them before this listen. Really liked some of the "growling" harmonies Reminds me of artic monkeys / radiohead / Coldplay. I'll look into other stuff by them.
Meh. It was okay.
Was okay grounds for divorce was the only song that stood out
Spacey sleep rock. They played at the London Olympics. Best song is Audience With the Pope. Cool instrumentals throughout with some Caberet type songs.
Enjoyable. Very much a 3.5 . I'll give it a 3 just cos it's not as good as the 4s I give
Easy to listen to.
Rock slow alternativo, onda coldplay más lento, onda mac demarco más tecno. No me convenció.
Wall of sound 2009 would have loved it. Did it better than Rarariot. Too sad
Un álbum sólido pero bastante promedio. Es destacable que los miembros de la banda produjeran todas las canciones del LP, sin embargo, como experiencia completa se queda muy en la fecha en que salió, sonando incluso en algunas ocasiones demasiado comercial. No creo para nada que sea un indispensable del catálogo musical de esta lista.
Nice, enjoyable music, with some especially great flourishes that moved me. The lead singer did not seem to range much, or at least I hadn't noticed him going very far outside his wheelhouse. Kind of felt rote and forced and pretentious at times to me.
Vocalist is really good. Reminds me of Peter Gabriel and Coldplay.
Ever since hearing One Day Like This for the first time, I’ve always wanted to get into this band and this album only makes me wish I got into them sooner The arrangements are stunning and Garvey’s vocals accompany them perfectly Favourite tracks: The Bones of You, Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce, An Audience With the Pope, Tower Crane Driver, The Fix, One Day Like This
5 4 - The Fix 3 - Starlings - The Bones of You - Mirrorball - Grounds for Divorce - An Audience with the Pope - Some Riot - One Day Like This (great film clip) - We're Away - Hotel Istanbul 2 - The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver - lullaby 1 Never heard of Elbow, though I'm sure I've seen the film clip for 'One Day Like This' before. Generally, a pretty mellow listen. Nothing that set my hair on fire or anything but I'd be happy to have any of these tracks, except 'The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver' which matches the music and title pretty well, in my general stream. Not bad. A solid 3/5.
Kind of boring
Lyrical Storytelling, beautiful but a tiny bit middle class.
What a gorgeous album. Beautifully evocative, really paints a soundscape. Loved it.
i really liked this one - worth listening to again.
Liked it a lot, cool 90s rock
As far as dreary Brit Rock Pop goes, it's better than most, but not for me.
Dunno how this won a mercury, background boredom for left wing dads.
Pretty dull but decent background music. Manc Coldplay.
It was OK. probably will not listen again.
chill album. "an audience with the pope" stand out to me
Not bad, but I'm really struggling to see what artists this from dozens of other orange l orchestral indie albums.
I want to like Elbow more than I do. Some good songs, but too many bland, forgettable songs that are almost good but just don't quite hit for me.
wavy
Deep. 3/5
Enjoyed it! Each song had a different sound and feel. Definitely an intentional listen, if that makes sense.
Timeless, brilliant, great production also.
Very listenable.
Gewoonweg prachtig. Fenomenale stem van Guy, droomachtige lyrics, muzikaal heel sterk
It’s probably good to someone, but I didn’t like it
łokieć, pięta nie ma klienta.
The intro to the opener “Starlings” omg immediate chills. The instrumental to this whole song is phenomenal, banger opener. Hello the harmonies in “The Bones of You”?!?! Damn chills for this song too. “Grounds for Divorce” ok left turn on song style. I am eating upppp this album so far. Omg another left turn with “An Audience With the Pope” HELLO? Omg I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been eating up this album like for breakfast lunch and dinner and I think it’s because they sort of sound like Arctic Monkeys. And I loveeeeee the Arctic Monkeys. “The Fix” is giving A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes and I’m so here for it. Stop because “One Day Like This” is so cutie I’m living. I think “One Day Like This” would have been a better closer than “Friend of Ours” but idk maybe there’s some stylistic value or deeper metaphor that I didn’t get or pick up on that makes this a banger closer. Overall in a constant state of chills the whole album I fucking loved it.
Boring album. Aggressively fine.
Vocals are okay, but use of dynamics is either off or on. Don't like the instruments screaming and cutting out on starlings. It's pretty repetitive and looping doesn't seem to produce much out of the ordinary. Rock? I don't think so.
Very erie tracks. Enjoyed the orchestral aragements and the voice of the singer. This was a good album. I could see myself coming back and listening to other songs of theirs.
Forgettable background music
Fine background music.
Really liked “the bones of you” Other songs are quite solemn, but I get alt-j vibes from them, which is nice. Can see listening to these in the car if I’m tired Weird guitar solos “The fix” is a weird song
Varying energy, a couple of songs you'd recognise, better than I expected
Good chill vibes. Grounds for divorce always slaps.
Thoughtful, well produced, good musicianship and in their own way sticking to their guns and doing what they do best - avoiding the pitfalls of pop. Guy Garvey’s voice is full of real northern (UK) soul.
Solid album. The 2nd song seemed out of place. I enjoyed the rest of it.
I had heard of Elbow, but that was about it. I think I maybe once, very long ago, listened to one or two tracks by them, but either didn't like them or wasn't in the mood. So this seemed like what might have happened if Peter Gabriel had set up with Radiohead and kicked out Thom Yorke. It was very much like listening to early Genesis Gabriel, but with a different band that was more film-score-music and less guitar/keyboard-orientated. I loved it, nice lyrics, interesting songs, felt like a 5-star album from start to finish. I'm going to go back and listen to it again now!
Objectively good and nice, but also the moment that Elbow became a band your mum liked, instead of a really interesting cult band, as they had been in the early 00s. I saw this tour in Blackpool in 2008, they played One Day Like This second last and everyone just left during the final song, completely ignoring it. It was Scattered Black and Whites, which is 100000x the song ODLT is, and people are morons.
Another artist that I have never heard if. Album is from 2008, the year I graduated high school, so I was really only listening to radio then. Put 3 tracks from this album on my "1,001 Album Generator Favorite Tracks" playlist. Big time Coldplay, The Squeeze, and even The Black Keys vibes. Really dig this band and album.
Well-made fairly enjoyable album, not what I normally enjoy.
Strong 3/light 4
Gets a 3 bc some lows on the album, but I did enjoy it a lot when it was a good song. Nice
Pre-listening thoughts: This is the first album/artist combo I've gotten where I have never heard of any of it. Like no concept of what genre this band makes, nothing. I did some research before diving in just so I wouldn't be caught too off guard - it seems like it's indie/alt rock (also British). I'm actually kind of excited! I took this 1001 challenge on to expand my taste, and getting artists I already knew wasn't going to expand it alone. Post/during listening thoughts: You can soooo tell the lead singer is British lmao. Not a bad thing, just kinda funny. Starlings is a really lush and chill opening track, not low energy, still full sound-wise. The Bones of You is a really great track 2, propelling the listener forward into the rest of the album with its unique syncopation and addictive guitar/percussion combo (and the layered vocals!!). Let it be known that I'm also VERY biased towards female singers but this guy has a really lovely voice. Holy shit the production on Mirrorball. UGH. I already want to listen to this album again and I'm on TRACK THREE. Grounds for Divorce is like if Imagine Dragons were cool. Weather to Fly's high vocals are weird because they don't quite line up with the backing track - not sure if this was on purpose, but it's not my fav artistic choice. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver kinda sounds like something my brother would make (not in a bad way to either party, just the use of the bass (sax?) and the rhythm remind me of his work). The transitions on this album are phenomenal. It's also an incredibly cohesive body of work. ONE DAY LIKE THIS. My god. the strings. This should've been the album closer tbh. There is no better feeling than discovering good new music. 8.5/10. Favorite tracks: The Bones of You, Mirrorball, One Day Like This, Hotel Istanbul (even tho it's a non album track) *super unrelated but I realized if I keep this up, in 20 days I'll get an album on my birthday and I'm so worried it's gonna be shit*
Some Riot? More like Slow Quiet. Trudging low-tempo rock like Beta Band with the handbrake on or Arcade Fire smothered by a lovely pillow. Some songs have elements of some good 90s bands: Cake, Beck, Tom Waits, Calexico. It's pleasant enough and very unobtrusive, some lush sounds and pretty bits. The yearning vocals are the only thing that captures the attention. They seem to always be advertising a show in town, truly can't see the appeal of this as a live act. It's like the score for a movie about 42-year olds loosing interest in each other while hiking in a fjord. Boring!
They are a hard band to dislike. It is sometime a bit too nice and an overreaching desire to create anthems but otherwise its all fine
Just kinda generic rock. Not doing much for me. 2/5
nice
Wakker geschrokken bij Starlings, wat een kutstreek haha De rest van het album kan maar beter goed zijn nu. Beste nummer is meteen Starlings IMO, de rest is heeeeeel erg indie en experimenteel. Ben er niet echt weg van eerlijk gezegd. Ik krijg bij The Fix een beetje een Disneyfilm nummer vibe, vind m wel nice! One Day Like this vind ik ook een nice nummer! Vind het toch een vermakelijker album dan ik halverwege dacht, denk aan 3 sterren. Favo: Starlings, The Fix, One Day Like This
Is het echt? Een alt-rock album dat ik wel leuk vind? Deze zanger weet zijn karakteristieke stem fantastisch te gebruiken. Vol van emotie en enorm gevoelig weet het me het hele album te boeien. De uitgeklede productie is fantastisch en zorgt ervoor dat de orchestrale momenten nog harder binnenkomen. Favorieten: Starlings, Mirrorball, One Day Like This
This was okay! About half of it sounds like Sleepier Coldplay and half is some weirdly compelling Theater Kid shit. I REALLY liked the single, Grounds for Divorce, but the rest was hit and miss.
Listened to half of this and turned it off. I just found it boring.
Bof. The Bones of you est sympa mais c'est plus parce que je l'ai beaucoup entendue qu'autre chose je pense. Le reste c'est assez anecdotique
Jamais entendu parler de ce cd ni même du groupe avant. Plutôt pas mal Sauvegardé pour réécouter plus tard
Bit disappointed by this album. I was expecting more, I wanted more songs like One Day Like This but no songs were close to that level. Starlings was okay and a couple of other songs were decent Overall I'll go with 3/5 but disappointed
Added Bones of You to my all time favorites. Very good Album.
I've never been able to get into these guys in spite of trying many times. Too britpop-y for my tastes. It's nothing unbearable but also nothing really gripping to me. It's way too long too.
Itsok
I listened once, I thought it was alright, I recognised ‘One Day Like This’ and I had to stop listening because I was so exhausted. After my nap, I revisited and it is SO SO GOOD. Orchestral chamber indie rock that won the Mercury Prize that sounds like Blur mixed with early Coldplay (two of my favourite bands) etc. etc. = perfection. Just listen to it.
Not a big fan of this one. To me I hear a lot of Bowie in the singer, but with a lispyness... The band is fine, the added strings and basic orchestra filler is ok too, but nothing that elevates it. "Friend of Ours" is a nice calm subtle gem.
Vähän kesyhkö. Toimistolla muut työntekijät muisti ton ekan singlen mutta mulle sekin oli tuntematon. En tuu palaamaan tähän. 2/5
Huoh aika väsynyttä, vaikka alkoi ihan kiinnostavasti. Britti ofc..
Hieman keskimääräistä kiinnostavampaa britti-indietä. 3/5
I don't know how to sum up this album other than with the word "interesting". It seems to exist in an area between genres. At its core it is a rock album, but there is so much layered on top of it that really made me pause and consider the production behind each song. Normally that's an aspect I don't really think about when I listen to music, I'm more interested in the melody and the lyrics. But the way these songs are put together is very unique. Coupled with the lyrics and melody, this album is an unusual yet intriguing emotional journey.
weird
You know, I’m mildly confused on the “rock” aspect of this album. Jk it comes up after mirrorball Not once did I know what was coming next in this album How did this album know I was watching Peaky Blinders I don’t like the slower songs
His singing ability is decent and he sounds like Sting. Grounds for Divorce has personality and An Audience with the Pope is also good but for the rest it’s tough to get into at least with only one listen.
I like the production and Gus Garvey's voice keeps you interested. On first listen the thing that struck me was the diverse starts to each song. I especially like the trio that begins with the uptempo and catchy "Grounds for Divorce", followed by the lush piano intro and clever lyrics of "An Audience with the Pope" and ends with the haunting falsetto background vocals in "Weather to Fly". The Richard Hawley duet with its James Bond-ish theme is also cool. A classy album.
Elbow is one of those bands that you really need to listen to attentively and repeatedly to appreciate because their songs are so nuanced and carefully crafted. Lead vocalist Guy Garvey also has a very unique voice, very similar to Peter Gabriel actually. I only had a chance to listen to this twice, but I’m sure my rating would be higher if I have it a few more listens.
I had never even heard of this band. At their best, they share the strengths of Coldplay, Radiohead and Keane. At their worst, they share the weaknesses of Coldplay, Radiohead and Keane. I was pleasantly surprised by this album and I can imagine it would grow on me more and more as I listened to this album. I struggle a bit to find out what is going on here that is a must-listen.
Enjoyed
Too depressive
Catchy indie tunes
I like every track on here, which the generator process has taught me is surprisingly rare. - The romantic Starlings and Mirrorball, which are arranged with poise and patience - not afraid to take their time and linger on the quiet bits in order to build a mood. See also the epic Tower Crane Driver, which makes you wait nearly 4 minutes for its spine-tingling release, and is all the better for it. - The deliciously sly Audience With The Pope and The Fix, which sound like Fagin holding court in dingy Victorian London. - The nostalgic Bones of You and Weather To Fly, which really emphasise Guy Garvey’s poetic lyrics: ‘…when out of the doorway the tentacles stretch of a song that I know, and the world moves in slo-mo, straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day…’ - The moving Some Riot and Friend of Ours. Garvey’s everyman knack of extracting the beauty and emotion from small moments is never more effective than on the latter, and the orchestral swells in both are gorgeous. - Elbow’s two biggest hits, One Day Like This and Grounds For Divorce, which, happily, show off two very different sides of the band. As a result of these (ODLT in particular) they hit the mainstream, but it was deserved. There’s a lot craft and nuance in what they do, beyond the sentimental singalongs.
For my thirteenth birthday, I went to Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to see Muse. Supporting were Yourcodenameis:milo – a band whose energetic set I responded to there and then by thrashing around the moshpit, but would only properly “be ready for” a couple of years later; “Iron Chef” would feature on a mixtape of my teenage angst – and Elbow. I got absolutely nothing from Elbow that night. And in the 23 years since then, with the possible exception of a couple of chuckles during Guy Garvey’s 6music show, I’ve continued to get nothing from them. You’d pardon me for wanting “The Seldom Seen Kid” to get it over and done with reasonably quickly, then – but no luck, it’s almost an hour. An hour of admittedly highly proficient, often very clever, sometimes even exquisite easy listening … but still, pretty milquetoast fare. Last song, “Friend of Ours”, grabs my attention a bit differently. I let the album go around again – I’m outside restoring a rusted awning – and find some of the goodwill generated by the loveliness of the album’s final track carries over. I’m able to enjoy the tortured romance of “An Audience With the Pope”, “The Bones of You”, “Mirrorball” (we can take it as read that, alongside the rest of the planet, I have always been open to enjoying “Grounds for Divorce”). Later that night – around about now – I choose “Friend of Ours” to play while I type my review out. Again I’m stirred by the song’s gentleness, its warmth. But I can properly parse the lyrics now, and the sweetness I’d heard in previous plays hardens into something that completely disarms me. It’s a gorgeous song; the words “I love you, mate” have never sounded so perfectly at home as when housed inside its glow. So, 23 years to properly “be ready for it”. In the most perfect way: it says a lot more about me than it does them.
Beautiful stuff here, reminds me of Gorillaz more slow stuff.
I actually first heard this album close to when it was released, but I was too young to appreciate it outside of the singles. I can see The Seldom Seen Kid being a major grower. I love plenty on here, but not everything holds my attention… yet. The detailed instrumentals and excellent vocals are major strengths. I think I just need a little more time with the album for everything to sink in.
Hodně pohodový poslech. Připomíná mi to trochu Low Roar, velice lehce Radiohead a podobné britské popové skupiny, ale rozhodně mě tohle nenadchlo tolik jako výše zmíněné. Má to občas hodně teatrální nádech a to není moc můj šálek čaje. Melancholické písně se mi líbily nejvíce. Texty jsem upřímně moc nezkoumala, nijak mě nezaujaly, jen asi u dvou písní. Nic mě neurazilo, ani nenadchlo. Takový fajn průměrný poslech na odreagování nebo ke čtení. Něco do pozadí k jiné činnosti. Nechápu tak vysoký kritický ohlas (ale já nechápu kritiky obecně), je to fajn, zpěv je hezký a instrumentace také, ale není to nic, co by mě přimělo se vrátit zpátky. Nejlepší písničky: Some Riot, Friend Of Ours Nejhorší písničky: vše ostatní, co mě nijak nezaujalo Hodnocení: 6/10
Some were good some I lost interest
avg
"I've been working on a cocktail called grounds for divorce." What a great line. Here's another great lyric: "I have an audience with the Pope And I'm saving the world at eight But if she says she needs me She says she needs me Everybody's going to have to wait" A lot of excellent songwriting on this album. The lyrics have a literary quality to them. There is also stellar production and nuanced music to match the words. I hear a little U2 and a lot of Radiohead influence in the music. But as much as I'm impressed by the album, something is holding me back from fully engaging with it. I think the vocals are part of that. Guy Garvey has a nice voice but his style is very understated and controlled. He sings about love and heartbreak and longing but in a detached way. His vocals can feel conversational and, particularly with his accent, he can sound a little like Morrissey. But Morrissey lets the sadness seep into his vocals more; he wallows in his pain. Guy Garvey sounds numb to the pain. Strong album but I enjoyed it at an arm's distance. 3.5
Lots to like here. That rotating rhythmic sound that follows the tonic note of each chord in track 1 is super cool. Sounds like a marimba with an auto player thing on it? I don't even know if something like that exists but it sounds impossible for a human being to play a tremolo like that on the instrument for 5 minutes. I like the singers voice on a whole. It does this wonderful "breathing" thing that good phrasing usually needs. Like he takes a deep breath before each phrase sang and then expels just the right amount of breath in each part. I would love for a bit more dynamism in it though. The buildup on track one that starts around the 3:15 mark is beautiful. Wow! The reversed guitar is stunning too. Then the hit at 3:50, jeez I am enjoying this. I really enjoyed this. I think it's a high 3 but not currently high enough for a 4. I think with more listens it could be a 4 though.
What a great album! This group should be better known.
pretty average for the genre but i love this kind of music
Not a bad album, quite an enjoyable listen from a band I’ve never heard of
Not their best but still a good listen.
The first of these albums I had to skip partially played tracks. Some influences and technical skills similar to what I used to like when I listened to heavier stuff, but I really didn’t enjoy what they did with it. One Day Like This is an excellent song in isolation though.
I have no strong feelings on Elbow and doubt I ever will but this was a nice lush way to spend the best part of an hour. I thought they were a bit by the numbers gentle indie, a bit like Embrace, but there was more going on here than I gave them credit for before. In some places it was like if Sigur Ros were from Bury. My inner teenager can't quite get over them being music exclusively liked by middle aged people, even though that includes me now. That's a me problem though.
decent indie
I enjoyed this one far more than I maybe should have. Sure, it's really slow and super-emo but the musicianship is really great and the songwriting is off-the-charts good. I dig the Coldplay meets The Police vibe a lot. Really, the only detraction I can come up with is that it never varies from the slow/sad/chill vibe and I want more. I want to see what happens when these guys put a little energy behind their talent. Overall, a great album, though.
Personal Enjoyability (out of 40): 32 Consistency of Quality (out of 25): 20 Keeps Interest (out of 25): 22 Album Flow (out of 10): 9 Overall 83/100 ★★★★★ Quick Review: This is brilliantly crafted album. It feels heavily influenced by Radiohead in the way the atmosphere is created in each song. Each song flows almost seamlessly into the next, but never gets boring. I thought that Elbow were supposed to be a bit naff, but I couldn't have been proven more wrong.