The Seldom Seen Kid

I love finding artists that I’d never heard of. This was a bit boring at times but overall very nice.

Boring

Thought I didn’t like it as it sounded too theatrical until it got to Grounds for Divorce, then liked that, An Audience With The Pope, and following songs. Would listen to again. Recognised One Day Like This.

Pretty slick production, drums sound clean. Grounds for divorce and One Day Like This still bang. Some cringe lyrics throughout. I enjoyed The Fix, it was a different style and one that I hadn't heard before

Voice kind of reminds me of Dave Matthews

2/5. A pop/rock album that feels really bloated and would rather just listen to Radiohead because this is not working for me. I don't feel the emotion in the lyrics and the instrumentation is the worst part. It's honestly not that bad but I just don't care. There wasn't a song that I actively enjoyed from the album.

Good but it feels dated for some reason

Not my thing.

Mellow and quiet rock, not really my thing. 2/5

It was ok. But not more. Nothing here really surprised me

rock alternativo y lounge pop despuesdel diluvio.

Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

Wow. A complete surprise. Never heard of til now. I liked a lot. Peter Gabriel vibe. Want to listen to it again.

It wasn't great. No need to revisit.

It was ok

It's like if Sting and Dave Matthew's band had a 1st cousin

Good stuff. Lidt mere bombastisk end den anden Elbow jeg har hørt meget.

Listened Before? No No expectations going in. Album art is pretty neat. First impression: this has some Grizzly Bear vibes, but the vocalist is more forward and a bit crustier. Okay, three songs in, the Grizzly Bear impression was false. Sure this is indie rock, but this is a bit more full-bodied and traditional (in my interpretation). I find Mirrorball to be very pretty. The guitar riff on Grounds for Divorce reminds me a bit of a Beck song (the name of which I can't place). Production goes a bit flat during the breakdown and drowns the bass, but is otherwise a cool song. Had the rest of the album on in the background while doing other things. Enjoyed the tone and songs as a whole, but didn't find many standouts that called to me. This is a 3.5 leaning 4, but I don't think it had enough umph to warrant the higher score for me. Added to Library? No

Nothing special actually.

4.5

I was determined to give this a 2, but then I listened again and Grounds for Divorce kind of stuck with me. Then I realized that I kind of like the singers voice, so I changed my mind to a 3. The most played song was One Day Like This, but that didn't really stand out to me. Overall it was very fun to hear something I never had heard before, but it didn't impress me that much.

I can't put my finger on it but i really like this album. There was no specific song that stood out to me while listening, just the general groove was great. It feels a bit like a mix between Radiohead, Massive Attack and Nick Cave. It hits just the right place of being experimental and different while still being catchy and nice to listen too. When i finished it, I wanted to listen to it again which is a 4 star in my book.

Best songs - Grounds for Divorce, One Day Like This 3/5

Interesting musically, but overwrought emotionally. Vocals in particular seem overdetermined, a bit precious too here, borderline pretentious there.

*Marked for further exploration. Really enjoying the album.

Liked this one.

Unexpected and lyrical...sleepy and dreamlike

I like the music but the singer sounds just like Sting to me and it's very distracting. I guess that's not the worst thing but it's all I can hear. Probably a 3 if I wasn't so distracted.

Very good

I couldn't really get into this one.

This was kind of a fun little surprise the first few tracks. I knew nothing of Elbow. Then Grounds for Divorce kicked in and I thought, “Oh it’s that Chevy song.” I think this track was everywhere 15 years ago. Haven’t thought about it much since, but it’s cool. Overall this record gives like a cinematic feel, almost like if Coldplay didn’t sell out. But kind of forgettable in the end.

Seldom sounded interesting.

I first heard Elbow in an advertisement for the tv show House. I really love Grounds for Divorce and this is one album I have come back to a few times.

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

A couple of good songs, does not make a good album, especially when those good songs are overplayed

Some good tracks and I appreciated the musical arrangements. Just that the Elbow style starts to grate a little for me, over the course of an album.

some nice epic flourishes but it’s so gay, morrisey is the avatar of bittersweet romanticism, straight guys should leave it alone, they sound obese

Not my cup of tea but it is very good

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

Never heard of this band before. The lead singer sounds a lot like the lead singer from Coldplay, and the sounds had a lot of similarities to the early Coldplay as well. However, this album did not quite reach the level of some of those classic early Coldplay albums like Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head. I liked the album but it isn't something I think I need to hear more than once. I love the album cover though that is very cool. 3/5 stars to this album!

Till en början var jag lite kluven. Några låtar jag blev nervös på men sen dök det upp en del fina låtar. Blir nog en trea ändå.

No risks all indie Coldplay. I do not respect this album.

In was generic Coldplay. Not bad, but I’ll stick with the regular version.

Listened Before? N Meh. It was okay. Pretty unremarkable. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: One Day Like This

I like this album. The melodies and the instrumentation are good. They set a very specific mood. Recognizable. Unique enough for the list. I usually like shorter songs, but these songs seem shorter than they actually are. I like this record. However, I can't think of any occasions on which I would want to put on a record like this. Favorite song: the fix.

Good!

nice listen

I had never heard of Elbow before but definitely kept an open mind when I saw them described as a “cinematic” alternative rock band, which sounds like something I’d like and I’ve got to say I was pleasantly surprised with the sound of this album. This album definitely feels like an experience, it takes you through a lot of different moments which brings a uniqueness to the collection of songs. I have to say though some of this did remind me of Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” so is it not a coincidence these albums were released not too far apart from one another, I’m not too sure. Nevertheless there’s some great moments on this album, standouts include “The Bones of You” which follows a groovy progressive tone given by some of the backing instruments which sound like maracas and possibly a Spanish guitar layered with some more alt rock elements, a great track overall. Another standout being “Grounds of Divorce” which embodies almost a western style like something you’d hear in a movie montage, the guitar riff chorus is fantastic though, and of course I have to mention “One Day Like This” which incorporates more orchestral instruments and tones compared to the other songs I’ve mentioned and deservedly their most popular song. The rest of the songs have a more calm tone to them, for example, “Mirrorball” gives a similar mood to “Nude” by Radiohead although not as emotional I think which is one of the reasons for me comparing the two. Overall, I really did like this album, there was plenty of great songs and some proper expression in the songs that made it feel like a complete album. I do find some of the songs in the middle to let it down slightly though as they start to focus more on the atmosphere of the song more than anything else and I feel it strays away from some of the stronger songs on the record. All in all though a great record.

Had never heard this before. Very British. Intrigued enough to give it 4

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

Not for me

Ganske okay.

I didn’t vibe with it much at all. I can see how some people would like it though. It was produced well and you can tell why they’re a somewhat known group.

Eh

Quite forgettable

The only album I've heard on this generator that has gotten definitively WORSE the longer I sit with it. Richard Hawley ain't saving this bore fest.

Definitely interesting album. Never heard of this band. Not bad and would def listen again

I like that this album has an almost whimsical tone to it. I also appreciate the depth in the tracks with the background vocals, horns, and strings. Love the use of "holy cow" in One Day Like This. The whole song is very triumphant This album feels like a 3.5. I feel like Tim would really like it.

Loved everything about this album

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

Me encantó, pero no me facinó. No se por qué, pero cada que veo la portada pienso que no está tan bueno, sin embargo en cuanto me pongo a escucharlo mi opinión cambia completamente cada vez que lo hago. Siento que es como el "Indie para adultos", y eso no es malo. Le doy 4 al momento de oírlo, aunque estoy seguro que, por alguna razón, le daré 3 cada que no lo haga.

Lead singer sounds kind of like Sting. Some songs were fine, others were just kind of boring and slow and go on and on. Not horrible, just whatever. 6/10.

Elbow is a bit hit or miss with me. I enjoy somewhat of their songs. But never really put on the records. This record does feel like a somewhat more expansive take on their sound. I like it, but I’m not won over yet to check out more. 7,5 out of 10

it's fine

3.5

I'd resisted the obvious charms of Guy Garvey and the lads as it was not quite my kind of thing but this is an undeniably lovely album and very listenable.

Better than I expected, worth a listen.

Fav tracks: Grounds for divorce and an audience with the pope. 7/10

Couldn't listen?

HATE

Pretty great walking album, overall very upbeat vibes.

Un disco que toma mucho de mcuhas bandas, en algunas lo hace y encajan mejor o peor, dejando en evidencia de que no es un disco constante. Las letras son muy buenas, se cuenta una historia y es un disco inmersivo con concepto. En momentos se llega a ese sonido orquestal de escenario gigante, pero tampoco es ambicioso. Un disco que si estuviera mejor organizado en cuanto a lo musical se mereceria un ocho por eso le doy un 7,50/10. Incluso la mezcla no es buena en ocasiones y hay veces que la produccion se enreda un poco.

Good study music and not too bland. "Some Riot" stood, but that's about it.

Did you know Dave Matthews Band has a British spinoff? Apparently the Brits call them Elbow. Different names but equally lackluster.

I liked it a lot my first listen but when I came back to it I was bored and just waiting for it to end. I wanted to attack it a third time but in realizing it took effort I decided against it.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Alec Baldwin killed that lady on the set of Rust.

not my fucking cup o tea. actually this record fucking sucked and it sounds like these people are all trying way hard to fit into a very bland genre

Tempted to call it an all-timer.

8/10

Ok

What they do they do very well. It's just not my thing

Very good

Like a better version of Coldplay, but I don't like Coldplay.

One day like this & Grounds for divorce are tunes. The fix was quite nice as well. Overall, doesn't do much for me. Fine listening but won't be coming back, thanks x

I had no idea what to expect from this and found myself really pleasantly surprised! I really liked this, and I enjoyed all of the songs. Fav tracks: Starlings, The Bones of You, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver Least fav track: One Day Like This

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

Hieman erikoinen levy, enkä tiedä tasan tarkkaan mitä genreäkään. Mutta levyllä oli hyviä kappaleita ja hetkiä niin eiköhän tämä putoa kuiteskin luokkaan 3, voisin kuunnella uudestaan. Grounds for Divorce oli Dirt 2:ssa. Friend Of Ours hieno lopetus.

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

People used to always talk about Elbow at school but I never listened to them. Kinda wish I did now. Really enjoyed the album, a good mix of different tracks. Possibly the only thing stopping it being 5 is the first track which tried to deafen me by blasting trumpets

I didn't like Elbow when i first heard them in 2008. In the intervening 15 years a lot of my music tastes have changed. So i was willing to give them another go. And let me tell you, after all that time, they still absolutely suck ass.

this was fine, i guess

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

This is quite pleasant and creative.. great music for a relaxing morning sipping on some coffee. Nothing really blowing my mind here from a musical or lyrical perspective, but there's definitely some catchy sections that i'm digging. Praise aside, there are some songs on this album that really droned and didn't have any sort of climax or interesting sections and I got pretty bored. This is dangerously close to the coldplay category for me, but still a step above.

Like LLMs, this record doesn't innovate in any way, it just regurgitates what's around it. A predictable outcome of its environment.

So I would listen to curated radio stations named "ePiC mUsIc" which was populated almost entirely by tracks like "Grounds For Divorce". That shit was formative to my young ears. Wish the rest of the album was more like it but its a good listen nonetheless.

I'm 15 seconds in and I already enjoy it. Half way through the album I began to lose interested, the guys voice was a bit lackluster for me.

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

New to me. Okay hear me out - this guy's voice reminds me of a blend of Lenny Kravitz and sting and Chris Martin(Coldplay). It's kinda dreamy and wispy but he also pushes the rock with it. I like the creative instrumentation(strings and horns and multiple keys) between the songs, and their unique structure(prolonged builds and rare instrument highlights/voices). It's definitely not a cookie cutter album. Lots of minor keys and I like that too(the fix -spoooooooky, needs to be in a wes anderson movie)

It was pretty interesting. There was nothing that really wowed me but it was pleasant. I’d give it 7.5/10.

A really nice listen

Nostalgic and hopeful. This album represents where indie rock was around late 00’s. I do not know why I hadn’t heard about these guys before. They are one of the best kept indie secrets.

Like it but wouldn’t search it out.

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

A smooth album with great imagery. Reminds me a bit of Harvey Danger's Little by Little.

Fantastic album. I’m surprised it came out in 2008, as I was getting strong late-90s/early 2000s Brit pop rock vibes. Singer channeled Chris Martin a bit. I dug the Coldplay vibes throughout.

This is a fairly new album in comparison to most other on this list and with newer albums it's hard to determine what is original and good vs what is just experimental nonsense. This album is absolutely fantastic, experimental and original in all the right places. Incredibly enjoyable and I look forward to listening to it again. 4/5

Mirrorball is AMAZING. Rest of the album is OK. Feels like pretty generic mellow rock. Might need another listen.

Incredible! Like poetry!

My first thought was “millennial Talk Talk.” After several songs, I felt like I was watching a trick commercial.

If Radiohead wrote music for car commercials

Started off really well, but the bit kinda wore thin by the middle of the album. The choruses are definitely catchy and the arrangements complicated, and I can definitely see myself giving this one another look down the road, but the middle of the album is entirely unmemorable to me. Standouts: The Bones of You, Mirrorball, Weather to Fly, One Day Like This

Had never heard of this band and was really impressed with this album. I will definitely listen to it again.

Somewhere between Guster and fun. with lyrics that I found mediocre most of the time. Great composition though.

An old friend - couple of serious hotspots, but also music made for people who look like me by people who look like me

I know one song of this album (it’s still in rotation at one of the radio channels I listen to) and that is more than enough. I just can’t see that there’s love for music here…

Such an interesting album, with moments of brilliance. Very nearly a 5 star for me. Perhaps I’m being cruel only giving it 4.

For some reason I found myself reluctant to finally listen to this one, but I don't really know why. Could have been life stuff and a busy new release week, I guess. Either way, I did finally listen to it and very much enjoyed it. First time listening to anything by Elbow, though I'm sure I've probably heard a song or two along the way without realizing it. "Grounds for Divorce" was my favourite song on the first pass, but I really enjoyed the whole album quite a bit and am sure further listens will only increase that enjoyment.

Well. I had never listened to much Elbow save for the stuff on the radio back in the day. One Day Like This had been played to death and tbh I was a little worried about listening to it - but apparently 10 years is long enough to be able to listen to it with fresh ears and it hit different. Thoroughly enjoyed.

I went from sighing, "oh no, not another brit pop band" in my head to bopping my head along with 'the Bones of You'. Once the deep baseline dropped in and the vocals climbed, I was hooked and disappointed in myself for having judged 'The Seldom Seen Kid' by its cover. I enjoyed every single track. The sound across the album is spatial and rich, and yet the arrangements and production are intimate. By the time I got to 'One Day Like This' my enjoyment had escalated all the way to frisson, and I was already eager to explore the rest of their musical catalog. If all my waxing on doesn't help, if you're interested in a blend of original-Coldplay-meets-Radiohead, then this one will be worth the while.

Had a couple of bangers on there but whole album didn't grab me

Loved it

Guy Garvey doesn't initially sound like a singer, but his range is really good and he sings in tune with lovely melodies. Add in some quality poetry, wordplay, wit and emotive description to the hook laden music and elbow become the accessible and relatable version of Radiohead. Well deserved Mercury winner and an album that gets better with each listen.

I had not heard of this group and had not heard any of their music before. I like it. They are very skilled performers but what stood out more for me is their songs' compositional style. They do a nice job of avoiding the over-used rock and indie-rock traps; instead, there are some more unusual layers (one of many examples: the keys on 'An Audience With The Pope'). Nicely done.

You know it's not bad, in a kind of rainy Sunday afternoon slightly bored and melancholy way. Maybe a bit hungover, perhaps thinking about a work meeting Monday morning. This is the soundtrack to that bit of your life.

Take or leave

Really cool

this is really really great, a nice indie banger. songwriting is the highlight for sure, but most of it also sounds very nice too. best tracks: grounds for divorce, mirrorball, the fix.

Album #100. Completely new to me. I like this at first pass. Atmospheric sound with moody chord progressions. I can't help but wonder if I'd get bored with it quickly, so I'm waffling on a rating. When in doubt, I go conservative. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding

Not much for me in this album. Didn't find myself all that interested outside of here and there. Favorite track: Grounds for Divorce

Great

Typical indie, not catchy

"I've been working on a cocktail called Grounds for Divorce". Legendary opening line. Great album overall. Will keep listening to Elbow.

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

Free and floaty and definitely not as boring as I was expecting! Some interesting ideas, but still overall just a little too in the background.

Niet vreselijk, wel vrij saai, slecht gearticuleerd en gewoon niet heel interessant.

First listen I wasn't really getting into this and was thinking 3 but it must of got me into the mood for a second listen because now it's a solid 4. Love the tracks Grounds for Divorce, Hotel Instanbul, and One Day Like This is incredible.

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. This album came out after I retreated into my algorithmic media bubble and no longer had songs force fed to me by the TV and radio, which probably helped. I do enjoy hearing a singer with a regional accent. Reminded me of Eno-produced U2 at times. Fave track - "Weather to Fly" and the way it segues into "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver".

Nice music. Nice discovery.

Some of this kinda sounds like if Queens Of The Stone Age wasn’t heavy.

It sounds so outdated to me. I would have loved it in the 2000s but I'm not in the mood for this type of music anymore.

Es un disco que plantea un ángulo diferente e interesante al rock de la década de 2000

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

beautiful, beautiful album. really really good.

Not bad

1/20- Going to school

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

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

Я пытался послушать альбом 3 раза, потому что после каждого прослушивания было мнение: альбом крутой, но я без понятия, что о нем написать, так что 4

The dynamic range tricks work, and well. Tunes don't stick, but I have reason to pay attention to a band called Elbow now.

Seldomly seen because it’s crap.

Always have a hard time finding the stuff that I like by these guys. Will need to listen to this again.

A sleep-inducing listen. As many listeners have noticed, there is more than a hint of Radiohead in the elaborate, atmospheric song structures on this record, but I find this extremely meticulous attention to the production coupled with the orchestral instrumentation to result in a very cold listen. As for the lyrical content, Guy Garvey's voice is not to everyone's taste, but it carries an innocence which, along with his Northern charm, almost makes him a believable narrator for his tales of lost youth. But where most mancunians threw their lot in with The Smiths or Gang of Four, this cunt was stuck on Sgt. Pepper's and Queen. Weirdo. Fair play to him though, 'Grounds for Divorce' and the shit 'Hey Jude' pastiche of 'One Day Like This' have been staples of background music on British TV for the best part of a decade now. That's where most of this music belongs though - pushed so far into the background, it risks reaching hell before passing through my ears. Seriously soppy, milktoast dad rock, and it even brings Richard Hawley down with it. 'Weather to Fly' is probably the only track where Garvey's ambitious vision is properly realised. But even then, this album is currently getting higher ratings than the New York Dolls?!? (the last album I reviewed). Get to fuck. This brings nothing new to the table, and conforms to a middle of the road archetype of wannabe Phil Spector studio nerds who populated student dorms throughout the 2000s.

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

We love Elbow - this is not my fave album of theirs', but an enjoyable, laid back time. One Day Like This (an absolute all-timer) followed by Friend of Ours is a lovely little pair to end it off. Good times.

Grew up with this shit. I like it

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

This is my first two on the list so far. I understand why it would have appeal, but a movie soundtrack without the movie is so dull to me. Most of the songs go on for so long while just repeating the same musical phrase over and over and over without any new chords or anything to change it up and keep my ears from tuning out. There are some very pretty moments and some parts that I like, but overall this is an album I just did not like. Favorite Tracks: Grounds For Divorce, The Fix, and the first three-ish minutes of One Day Like This

Echos of Tom Waits doing moody blues if he were Mancunian.

Love this

Fine

The more I listen to this album, the better it appears. I started with two or three stars the first time I heard it. Now I'm on a strong four. Perhaps it would have been five if I had waited with my rating...

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

This album does not begin strong. It gives off "rom-com sad scene" vibes in the beginning. The songs grew on me a bit however; they eventually grew to being more of a "dystopian movie" kinda vibe. It's still not my cup of tea, but it's at least dramatic and large in a cliche kinda way. The mixing is oddly bad to convey this, though. I was looking for huge, immersive soundscapes that made me think of skyscrapers, but the songs felt like they were coming out of a gramophone at times. The singer's voice was good and kept me engaged, but the rest of the album's qualities were lacking. Favorite track: The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver

This one was pretty good. Although the style is not quite my cup of tea, the music was pretty good. There is something very grandiose about this album, but it doesn't sully that feeling with anything cheesy or overdone. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10.

"The Seldom Seen Kid" is the fourth studio album by Manchester, England band Elbow. The band self-produced, mixed and recorded the album. The style is classified alternative rock and art rock. I'd agree with that, especially the art rock as the songs are typically carried by strings and/or the piano. The album debuted at #5 on the UK charts and won the 2008 Mercury Prize. Very successful. "Starling" starts things off with piano, strings and backing vocals. It takes 2 minutes before lead singer Gus Garvey comes in. Subtle music but builds as it goes on. He's trying to get her to love him as he loves her. The single "The Bones of You" has a flamenco sound and groove and uses elements of the Gershwin's "Summertime." Garvey's voice comes in sounding a lot like Mark Hollis of Talk Talk. They get more bluesy on their hit "Grounds for Divorce." A nice Led Zeppelin-esque groove. Chanting. Clapping. About alcoholism. The song has been used in various TV shows and video games. "Weather to Fly" with its piano reminded me of a Sigur Rós song. A beautiful sounding song and my favorite on the album. Richard Hawley joins the band on "The Fix" about rigging a horse race. Hawley deep voice, the strings and piano add suspense. It sounds like it was written for a movie. Their second single "One Day Like This" is dominated by strings and the piano. The best string arrangements on the album. Very romantic lyrics in this love song. The album ends with "Friend of Ours." Garvey almost whispers singing about a friend who passed away. I had mixed reviews on the first listen but by the second time through I really enjoyed it. They sound somewhat like latter day TalkTalk, Sigur Rós and Richard Hawley but are pretty unique. If you like any of those artists and/or more piano/string-driven rock (hello oxymoron), you probably will like this.

eh!

That's nice and chilled, worth listening again

Definitely a few good songs, but some others were just not good enough to get this album 4 stars. 3 stars it is..

I really enjoyed this! Maybe not a 5 (yet?), but I've saved the album.

Cracking

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

When i first listened I dismissed as it been hyped up and biscuit though it was boring. On a register I up grade it yo 'nice' . Nice music for folk

I'd always dismissed Elbow as generic music for adverts but I rather enjoyed this album

Absolutely love this.

Not sure why I'd avoided Elbow, putting them down as pretentious wank, some kind of a cross between Coldplay and Radiohead. Turns out I was surprised, still a bit wanky, but in a pleasant way. "Grounds for Divorce" is the standout track for me.

There is a lot to like about this album, which I think I listened to off and on when it came out. British indie with nice layering/depth, good lyrics, some solid tracks. But I just don't like it nearly as well as other albums in the genre that came out around the same time. To me it is just not particularly groundbreaking. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't be inclined to put it on again. 3.5 rounding up in recognition of solid musicians.

This was great! Not sure if I had heard it before, sounds a bit familiar. I liked it.

Kinda groovy and jam-y. Pretty fun listen.

Добротный инди альбом с интересным звучанием, красивыми и оригинальными текстами и просто позитивной атмосферой. К сожалению, под конец альбом слегка провисает для меня, но это не отменяет тот факт, что альбом звучит отлично на протяжении всего часа. (7.5)

Ok album, sounds like a lot of the basic experimental rock that came out around the time. A few good songs on this album but it definitely would've been better if a few songs were removed and the album was cut down to 40 minutes.

This was quite good but something was missing to be a 5 star. The songs were all almost perfect...however I cannot put my finger on why.

Éclectique dans les goûts, magnanime dans la note

gros dodo donc généralement c’est bon signe

Pop británico de calidad. Muy buen álbum. Fantásticas melodías melosas, muy fácil de escuchar y suave.

I kind of loved this. At the start of the first song, I thought I was in for something Jason Mrazian which is not a good thing but by the end of it I was intrigued and the second song blew me away. The whole album was catchy, creative, skilfully made, fun.

It reminded me Peter Gabriel. Didnt have to skip tracks, so to me it was ok

Not my cup of tea.

I don’t hate this, just not exactly my cup a tea, I like to first album Has some alright tunes just doesn’t get going for me

PREFS: Starlings, The Bones of You, An Audience with the Pope, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver, The Fix, One Day Like This MOINS PREF : Grounds for Divorce

Went in blind--never heard of these folks, never heard any of these songs. Loved the opening track. By Grounds for Divorce I thought, "Oh god. Am I old? I really like this album." Giving it a light four stars--I like this, but something I can't articulate right now about it makes me think I'll feel like a chump for rating it so highly. Giving me "over-rated white artist" vibes. And yet... it's hitting my moody mellowness. Okay, talked my self out of it. 3.5 stars, rounding down because I'm so conflicted.

'Grounds for Divorce' and 'One Day Like This' are great but I'm not sure they're enough to carry the album. One night at Big Hands in Manchester a guitarist from The Fall came up to me while I was stood at the bar and talked at me for about 5 minutes before saying "You're not Guy Garvey are you?" I told him that I wasn't and that I didn't look like Guy Garvey. He walked away.

Started out tolerable, but unimpressive. It got pretty boring and tiresome by the end. It's not bad 3nough to be a 1, but boy does it make a case for it. Who is this band? How is this here? Another extremely questionable selection.

idk what this is but i'm about it

In 'The Bones of You' il cantante sembra Sting. Un po' piatto. Spero riprenda vitalità. Una delle migliori è 'The Fix' (feat. Richard Hawley)

Very very interesting album, reminded me of some late oasis stuff, atmosphere was great and had some cool vocal melodies, def will need a few more listens to really stomach what was heard. Fav songs Grounds for divorce Weather to fly The loneliness of a tower crane 7.5/10

Exceptionally average. A tad boring.

Mediocre.

Very Radioheadish. Literally never heard of this band.

There is potential for Elbow to be an artist / band that I would listen to. Nothing from The Seldom Seen Kid seemed familiar to me. I was trying to figure out how to categorize this album. I heard a little Coldplay?, a less acoustic David Gray?, a bit of a less electronic LCD soundsystem?, or a more melodic Tom Waits? The album was good, and I'd be interested in hearing mor from Elbow. "Weather to Fly", "One Day Like This", and "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver" were my favorite tracks.

Wonderful record.

Why do Manchester so often celebrate mediocrity in the Stone Roses and Oasis when they have the wit and beauty of groups like this?! Guy Garvey's lyrics are dry and moving and clever, and the music is so rich and varied that not even the X Factorification of One Day Like This can spoil it.

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

A weird, almost likable album whose lead singer sounds like he's trying to emulate Peter Gabriel in his prime.

(Content warning: discusses lyrics that employ offensive terms (not from Elbow's lyrics, obviously)) I have been bedridden for the past two (EDIT: three) weeks with a thoroughly mangled left foot, so I have paused this odyssey. Whilst watching a lot more telly than I normally do when not convalescing (humblebrag), I regularly got bombarded with an advert of Katy Perry selling a takeaway app (in the 90s, American celebrities never appeared on British ads, but made cringeworthy ads for Japanese TV, with the incorrect assumption that they would probably not migrate to the west; I don't know what it means for Harvey Keitel and Snoop Dogg nowadays to flog insurance companies and takeaways on British screens, but everyone knows Kevin Bacon's only in our ads because Bernie Madoff nicked all his dosh). In this ad, Katy Perry sings the ring-a-ding-dong refrain from Dr. Dre's Keep Their Heads Ringin'. I wouldn't complain, except the original has the lyric "When I flow, niggas know it's time to take a hike/'Cause I grab the mic and flip my tongue like a dyke". Aside from the homophobia, everyone knows Dre is a stilted, plodding and amateurish rapper who is much more content behind a mixing desk (his raps are also ghostwritten, but that doesn't make them bad; it's their bad writing that does that). The allusion to such coarseness was not what I wanted when I was in a fortnight of constant, sharp pain (EDIT: and add another week for luck). This is not due to prudishness on my part: I'll cheerily affirm that I've been wanking ten times a day just to pass the time. No, it was just a reminder of an ugliness I didn't appreciate. So, I hoped returning to the project with Elbow's Seldom Seen Kid would prove refreshing. Just by the album art, you can immediately tell that this is a completely wholesome bit of indie good taste, the acoustic equivalent of a morning jog followed by a breakfast of an apple, a banana and bran flakes in semi-skimmed milk. And like such a morning, I tried to convince myself that I was looking forward to this album. Yet just as I would fear a chilly downpour greeting me as I woke, something about the name Elbow gave me a minor yet distinct shudder. You see, Elbow have five letters in their name, and three of those letters are L, O and W. Couple that to tasteful, respectfully eclectic indie, and we are left wondering if Elbow are actually just Wilco faking British accents. My fellow invalids, I reviewed Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot two albums and two weeks (EDIT: bastard three weeks) ago, and it had Wilco's Old Faithful annoyance of being bourgeois pastiches of country rock done in exacting good taste, and thus being tolerable and utterly unlovable. And yes, The Seldom Seen Kid very occasionally veers into Wilco's turf. But thankfully, Elbow mainly show good good taste, unlike Wilco's bad good taste. Elbow are one of those British indie bands where everyone's heard the name, but nobody can place a song until someone points out what that song is. In Wilco's case, that song is on this album, One Day Like This, but we'll get to that later. Elbow arose in the aftermath of Britpop, and noticably display no indications that they have ever been influenced by the begetter of British indie, punk. Indeed, Elbow's leader Guy Garvey has been notorious for lauding prog, citing Gabriel-era Genesis, Talk Talk and Radiohead as prime inspirations (the astute reader will note the tastefulness of those choices, unlike, say, ELP or Jethro Tull). On The Seldom Seen Kid, which won the Mercury Prize for best British album in 2008, those specific bands don't receive direct shout-outs, but don't worry folks, there's plenty of record-collection rock here worth mining for allusions. For example, their other the-one-song-of-theirs-you've-heard, Grounds for Divorce, is their bluesy, Led Zeppy number, and it's quite good as a bluesy, Led Zeppy number. But that would just make Elbow the English Wilco, if a touch better. But somewhere in the middle of The Seldom Seen Kid, with the songs An Audience with the Pope and Weather to Fly, a bit of pixie dust falls onto the music and it soars, raising the listener with it. The album has this sense of both the epic and the understated which puts Elbow firmly above Wilco. This ascension peaks with One Day Like This, Elbow's Hey Jude, their stadium singalong. Happily, the song's ubiquity and potential for parody haven't really diminished it: the song feels like it possesses a reasonable grasp of its own absurdity and so one feels unabashed in joining in. And since I've been wanking ten times a day, and if it didn't come with the infernal foot agony, one day spent wanking strikes me as rather the noble aspiration as of late. As I said earlier, mild touches of Wilconess prevent this from attaining the full 5 stars. But there's definitely much to savour here, especially if you've been plagued by the wrong type of coarseness. NoRadio, signing off.

This was quite nice, with a rich sound and elegant arrangements. Nice diverse range of styles from song to song. This really does sound a bit like some lost Peter Gabriel album, doesn't it? Fave Songs: An Audience with the Pope, One Day Like This, Weather to Fly, Some Riot, The Fix, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver

very cool

Sounds like stripped down Coldplay lmao

This is another one of those albums that I think is totally fine, but I have no idea why its on this list. Like, if you played me this album blind and told me it was a Coldplay album or even a Sting solo album, I would believe you because it has a very generic sound. It's pleasant enough and I like it in the abstract, but I don't get what's special about it. I should not feel this bored 3 songs into my analysis of an album 3/5

This was a bit of a slog. I’m not going to say it was a terrible album, I just didn’t find any of it interesting. Another example of the UK bias this list seems to show. If I’m going to listen to something in this genre; I’d rather listen to Gang of Youths. Hell, as pretentious as they are at least 1975 can be interesting at times. I will say tracks 8-10 were ok but overall this was a yawner and I’m now listening to the new Foals album as I write this and it’s awesome but for Elbow 2 stars

It's a nice listen, and musically pretty interesting. I'm glad I gave it more than one listen, because it's definitely grown on me a lot more with repeat listens. I've now upgraded this from a 3 to a 4 because I really like a lot of what they're doing here.

Decent album. I knew one song from Elbow from a later album already and liked it.

La producción está buena 🥵

I tried. This got more and more depressing as it contained.

First song, I'm thinking "oh no... another boring album." But then the next few songs, I was taken aback how much I liked this.

The band name is pretty lame. I can understand why people might like this kind of music but for me it is too slow, boring, and quiet for my liking. Sorry not my thing.

2.5/5. Great first listen. Like to hear more of this one.

ok. its elbow

Really impressive lyrics. Pretty pleased with this album despite its slow pace.

Not much to say about this one. I listened to the album on Friday and now it's Monday and I can barely even remember what it sounded like.

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

Elbow really is a remarkable band. The Seldom Seen Kid almost overflows with intimacy ('Friend of Ours') and atmosphere ('The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver'). My personal two highlights where when the strings kicked in on 'Mirror Ball' and the über cool pseudo title track 'Grounds For Divorce'. Guy Garvey's voice truly is haunting and fits the entire feel of the album very well.

Elbow is one of those bands that manages to be praised universally by reviewers while flying just below the public’s radar. And that’s, to put it mildly, a shame. Guy Garvey’s emotional and heartfelt vocals haunts every minute of the album and it’s as if his presence fills up the entire room. The Seldom Seen Kid is both intimate and at times truly grandiose - and Elbow manages both equally perfect. It’s one of those albums where you just kick back and enjoy the entirety of the ride completely.

Very ok, couldn’t really get into it

Understated yet grandiose. Melancholy and drenched in nostalgia. Consistent.

I genuinely liked it

Excellent hidden gem

This was a new band for me. Reminds me a bit of coldplay but a little more rockish and not so much pop. I enjoyed a couple songs but nothing too crazy to write home about.

For a band that apparently makes indie rock, this feels like the most calculated, by-the-books art rock album you could make. It's like they went on Youtube and watched a 30 minute tutorial on "How to make an art rock album (not clickbait)". It's all very safe and I didn't hear any new, cool ideas that would warrant putting this on the list. I really liked "One Day Like This", even despite them unironically using the phrase "Holy cow" in an otherwise emotional song. Imagine that your lover makes a song about you and includes the lyric "Gadzooks! I am enchanted by your looks!"

Wow! Another great album and it took me down a rabbit hole of bands/albums id never heard before.

This was very good do you get to be a little much. I have no idea who the elbow is as I ever heard of them but I think they’re sounds a little ahead of their time. 2007 is a dark time for music, you could not pull out of the air anything you wanted, MTV had long stopped playing music, YouTube did not have music videos you can go find, and mp3 sharing services had been shut down. That’s why I think elbow remained all these years. This is a very gloomy sound but not entirely sleepy which is very soothing to me. I need to wallow in my exhaustion and sadness but still have enough rhythm to scoot me forward, accepting the reality that is the cold dark morning that starts every day.

Not terrible but not what I consider essential

Absolutely gripped me, like a schoolyard bully picking a nerd up by the collar to shake him down for lunch money. This would be an easy 5 stars, but there is juuuuussstttt a bit too much bloat for me to be quite so generous.

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

Rock

bem agradável os sons, calmo

Boring sorry :/

I’m about halfway through this record and I’m really not feeling it. For some reason I want to describe this as Christian or very PC lol - I just feel like it has no bite to it (mostly in the vocals). If I’m being real, I just don’t want this guy singing to me anymore lol. I’m really trying, but I just can’t haha.

Best new find yet. I listened to it three times already and I’m liking it more each time. Peter Gabrielish voice, clever lyrics, good stuff.

Fine, okay, whatever. It's pretty boring, no? The singer sounds like a slightly less sad Michael Head. The best track is the slightly kooky lounge-indie track with Richard Hawley. Perhaps Elbow should ask Hawley to join full time as he makes their tunes better. Otherwise, this sounds like music for people who don't particularly care about music all that much.

Completely agree on the track with Richard Hawley. The best thing on the album by a good bit. But I like "An Audience with the Pope," too. It's not the kind of thing I would gravitate too frequently but if the whole album was as moody as those two songs I could see this being something I'd put on from time to time. As is though, it's a little too blah overall. And I just don't want to go around my elbow to get to my asshole, ya know?

Oh! I know like a handful of these songs! Never heard of Elbow before but yeah this album was really fun, some stuff was moody, some was cool, good example of enjoyable 2000s music.

Interesting sound

3.4/5 it's ok just generic pop rock

*Extremely Butt-Head voice* Uhhh...is this Coldplay?

Too gloomy to enjoy that much

Did not expect this! Really enjoyed this album. Very chill, not offensive to the ears. Would listen again.

This album was a pleasant surprise. Chill. Well balanced. Relaxing but emotional. Layered And Oddly nostalgic, even though I've never heard them. I think I enjoyed every song. Especially enjoyed Grounds for Divorce & the Crane Driver one.

Wow, I really enjoyed that, I guess they play these guys on the Bridge.

Man. I feel like my really great gf (6’1” and single btw) just broke up with me. This album was eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, with a shot of Halloween spice. If you loved this, you might like Sea Change by Beck.

The opening track jump scare was incredible Luke told me it sounded like Halloween and Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind so Ill just go with that One Day Like This?? This?? THIS!!??!

interesting album. I don't know why, but it didn't really hold my attention. It had some sounds and ideas i really liked though. I need another listen probably!

definitely fits my post-redlands mellow/emotional phase. reminds me of being about 20 years old. I do enjoy, and will listen again.

I always thought I didn't like Elbow, they were too far to along the way to soppy soft rock for my tastes. Despite being familiar with the single releases on this album, I hadn't listened to it in entirety. Something obviously moved me because I went back for a second listen. The more electric, heavy tracks are pretty good but maybe there's something about Guy Garvey's voice that holds me back from really enjoying it.

A modest effort from a band on the way towards greatness. Despite teetering off towards the end, The Seldom Seen Kid has plenty of gems throughout. Kind of front loaded with memorable songs but those songs are worthwhile. Seek this one out when you can. Favorites: Starlings, The Bones of You, Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce, Weather to Fly, The Fix, One Day Like This.

Big sound rooted in their influences (blues, radiohead, clapton) that, all these years later, sound indelibly like the mid-aughts, Black Keys and truck commercials.

Really enjoyable album. Musically, Floyd; Lyrically (and vocally), Coldplay.

bag o suck

This was actually really good

A really lovely album, the instrumentation is gorgeous throughout and there are some incredible vocal harmonies on basically every track. Every song has its own unique sound and character yet complement each other really well, and it's just a tremendously rewarding listen

Loved it

Excelkent

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

Very chill, great background music, lyrics didn't matter since they aren't heard easily and the music tells the story. Repeated a lot

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

Very chill and relaxing band early on in the album.

I like that song Starlings. This was a groovy album and I like the story that the songs tell

Album calme, intéressant. Son très 2000-2010 . Très Adult alternative vibes. Bref, une bonne réécoute possible?

Was chill

Decent stuff.

Meh. Kind of forgettable, and not a great album. 2/5

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

Wears middle age like a comfortable pair of slippers.

dadrock done right

A few tracks on here were bangers. Others didn't do much of anything for me. Definitely one of those albums that feels like the spiritual equivalent of a Hugh Grant rom com: worth the experience but a rare revisit. Fave track: Grounds for Divorce

The singer's voice is a pleasant mix of Peter Gabriel and Sting. Really digging this one

Mopey depressing version of Britpop. The reason to hear this album before you die is that it may drive you to suicide.

I knew and really liked "Grounds for Divorce," and was very enthusiastic and eager to give the full album a listen. It was a disappointment for me.

Not their dullest. But still quite dull.

Not interested.

4.0 - Gorgeous in some stretches. I especially love “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver.” I also love Guy Garvey’s voice that reminds me of Peter Gabriel. Sweet melancholy, this is a record for a relaxing evening at home.

Pretty similar to every 00s indie band, but I like that stuff, so I enjoyed this too.

elbow parece ser uma banda divertida. um pop quase eletronico. 3/5

Rarely have I been so undecided about an album. On paper, I should at least *like* this thing, but it seems like many things in these songs are rubbing me the wrong way. Yes, a lot of the arrangements are lush and carefully constructed, and some of the lyrics are fantastic. BUT, and this even after several repeats, I can't manage really *caring* for these tunes. Maybe it's the torpid, sluggish, borderline-bland aspect of the rhythm section, not lively enough for alt-pop-rock, but not slow and expansive enough for post-rock either (I never *first* turn my attention to the rhythm section for indie-pop... But here, I feel like I want to kick the asses of that drummer and that bass player--get things going, please!). Maybe it's also the all-too-polished and overtly polite production, with all those late naughts trademarks that didn't age that well in that genre, up to the point where I start to stifle a little when listening to this stuff. For too many moments, *The Seldom Seen Kid* makes me feel like an elephant in a china shop being asked to wear slippers on. I'm gonna break something, I'm pretty sure of it now... Can I breathe a little, at least? Or maybe it's the peculiarities of the band's singer, a little expressive sometimes, but not too much either, and a very chatty vocalist at times, like he barely has room to cram all his lyrics ideas in within his tunes (even some of the very slow ones). As a result, some of the vocal lines sound a little too affected to my ears. Too bad, since the lyrics are generally very good, as I said before... Who knows, maybe this one will be a "slow-grower" for me? Yet after several spins, I'm starting to have my doubts about this ever happening... But maybe it's me. Maybe I've listened to too much stuff lately, and I feel *a little* burnt out. I don't know... To me, the very nature of this record is encapsulated in one of its minor songs in the middle, the one about the loneliness of a crane driver as a metaphor for a break-up. For once the lyrics are short, and yet nicely evocative. And the music sort of drones on in the background, giving you the impression of watching a set of cranes from afar, slowly moving on the horizon. If conveying that image was the intent of the band, it's an unmitigated success. But the thing is, is that sort of mundane urban landscape, slightly grating to the eye, the type of landscape I want to dive my mind into? Not really. Or, at least, not as often as to suddenly have the immediate urge to return to this record one day. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 841 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 86 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 39 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 33 - it's not a bad record, objectively. But I feel like in the last twenty years, there's been dozens of other ones Dimery's list is still ignoring, even if they were yet ten times more striking to me. And I need room for them on my own list. Sorry, Elbow fans :)

I only knew "One Day Like This", which was a favourite of my partner so it was played on a loop when it came out. In some ways this has put me off the band. It's a good song, with a structure very like Hey Jude, very catchy and anthemic, but I heard it too many times. So what do I think of the album. I quite like the sound of the vocals. Lyrics are more interesting, grown-up and imaginative than most. Melodies are not too obvious, and catchy in places. I have a feeling lots of the lyrics, especially in the verses, were written first, and the melody sometimes twisted to fit - they don't always quite go. Quite a languid, summery vibe. I noticed a lot of the songs are on the long side 4-6 minutes, maybe sometimes out staying their welcome. Arrangements are inventive and atmospheric - in places there is a touch of the dramatic sometimes maybe heading towards bombastic. The Bones of You has an interesting rhythm. Grounds for Divorce is a good song. Weather to Fly hangs together nicely, dreamy but coherent. Loneliness of a Tower Crane driver has a distinctive airy arrangement and nice soaring vocal. The Fix is a kind of heist song with mystery movie themes with big contribution from Richard Hawley. Friend of Ours is a poignant and heartfelt ending. I prefer the slower songs.

Really enjoyed this album. Sounded like a smoother Sting with a sloppier backup band.

Big yawn quiet long interludes

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

Singer's voice has a Sting/Peter Gabriel vibe. I like Grounds For Divorce, it is a little bit different than the usual. I might listen again.

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

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

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

Mellow kind of dreamy, British rock. Not abrasive or challenging in any way but not so vapid and bland as contemporaries like Cold Play. Started stronger than it finished but overall, not bad...

A really nice, flawlessly produced indie album. Uplifting but not TOO cheesy

Perfect for calm & melancholy days

J'ai trouvé cet album très agréable. Le seul petit bémol pour moi est cette soirée lors de laquelle eltrapeze avait invité Elbow dans un bar à bières à l'occasion de son anniversaire. L'artiste n'avait pas osé parler aux autres personnes conviées et a finalement décidé de partir avant même que le gâteau d'anniversaire n'arrive sur la table. Bien dommage.

Alors oui Elbow a du talent mais il est quand même extrêmement chiant. Me reviens d'ailleurs d'une anecdote, lorsque j'avais invité Elbow a partager la soirée en compagnie d'un groupe d'amis. Après deux heures de discussions animées, Elbow n'avait toujours pas osé le moindre mot, restant recroquevillé sur un bout de table.

Some really nice songs here. I remember my Mum playing this album quite a lot when it first came out, so it was nice to revisit from beginning to end. Guy Garvey has such a recognisable and easy to listen to voice, Favourite of mine has to be The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver, such great sounds and lyrics!

Vraimrmt bon, j’aime la musique production et le vibe dd l’album et aussi toutes les direction qu’ils prennet. 4.75

Need to revisit,

It was fine. Definitely heard better