Dear Friends

Well - am on about the 6th listen of the album - and this song has just CLICKED.

God, this song is beautiful, I think I would break down if I ever heard this live - poignant, sincere and dreamy - on about 3 minutes my whole body just melts listening to it - it's truly spellbinding, gorgeous and well, I just can't compliment it enough....

".....you stuck a pin in the map I was in and you are the stars I navigate home by."

A tender hug on a summers day....

AHHHHH I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH. <3

No, really. From the 30-second previews, I knew I was going to love this song. It's just...I can't even describe how I feel about it. It's a definite fave. :}

took a listen or two for me too.. still not quiet there yet, but i kind of sense it will
grow.

It's stunning. Possibly the finest final few seconds of an Elbow album too when the brass, like a steam train leaving the station chimes in to say goodbye until next time. Just gorgeous.

Well you guys have pretty much put into words how I feel about this song and better than I could ever put it. This is such a beatiful song, I listened to it today for 5 times in a row, plus many more times, it's absolutely fantastic

Kayleigh wrote:

Well you guys have pretty much put into words how I feel about this song and better than I could ever put it. This is such a beatiful song, I listened to it today for 5 times in a row, plus many more times, it's absolutely fantastic

It's a fine line Kayleigh - I've played 'Open Arms' enough now for a while...

I just don't want to play it too much, so I get blase about it - for the moment though I'm submerging myself in all it's glory.....

I had the exact same experience - at first I was rather indifferent to this song but after listening to the album about 5 times through I fell in love with this track. There's a wonderful warm and gorgeous quality to it. Dear Friends slightly reminds me of an older song.. perhaps Not A Job or Asleep in the Back?

i'm totally in love with this song! just love

emma wrote:

I had the exact same experience - at first I was rather indifferent to this song but after listening to the album about 5 times through I fell in love with this track. There's a wonderful warm and gorgeous quality to it. Dear Friends slightly reminds me of an older song.. perhaps Not A Job or Asleep in the Back?

yes! Exactly this. Reminds me of Asleep In The Back too. Lovely stuff.

Yep, sounds like it could have been on AITB. Nevermind I LOVE it.
This song gave me 5 secs of absolute peace. You know, when you don't think, when you're "one with yourself". That happened yesterday when I drove in the car and listened to it.
Thanks for that!!!

And to me it sounds like laying on the beach on a beautiful sunset.... *gosh*

And I gave it to my best friend who lives appr. 300 km away from me.

This song is so lovely, I heard it first in my car and when this "Floydian Sigh" comes in, my eyes get wet...

yes this track is amazing just beautiful from start to finish my fave i think

emma wrote:

I Dear Friends slightly reminds me of an older song.. perhaps Not A Job or Asleep in the Back?

Great Expectations - "You were the sun in my Sunday morning"...?

Glendarian wrote:

emma wrote:

I Dear Friends slightly reminds me of an older song.. perhaps Not A Job or Asleep in the Back?

Great Expectations - "You were the sun in my Sunday morning"...?

Great point! The songs do feel 'related' in some way. Garvey nails the vocals on this one. Wonderfully understated, heart-breakingly beautiful.

For me, the best song on the album.

This tune is one of the most beautiful tunes I've ever heard... The whole album is great, but the ending is pure bliss... I couldn't help it, I had to record a minimalistic cover version of it:

That's really a lovely cover.

Thanks Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Very impressed too, Michikawa - sounds like an ideal Sunday Morning track.
I especially like how your picking sounds. What guitar do you have/what kit did you use to record it?

Thanks! I have an old nylon string acoustic guitar from 1970s and I just strummed it with fingers. Recorded with Rode NT3 and mastered with Isotope Ozone mastering VST plug-in with mellow compression. Also drove the individual recorded tracks through SIR impulse reverb with quite a big hall reverb seed.

Nice one Michikawa - REALLY like your take on it - god I hate naturally talented people !

What's left to say???!!!
Not ashamed to say this often brings a tear to the eye. Stunning lyrics, and the way the sound blooms into a trancendent wash of vocal harmonies and guitar towards the end.......bliss.
Tucked away at the end of the new album, this is my Scattered for the new decade

from Giel Beelen's morning show on Holland's Radio 3FM, was it tues? or probably wednesday morning just gone, May 2011 ..doesn't get much better than this live,
(apart from a rare b-side )

I absolutely love this! They all look like they're having such a great time, too

That's awesome LWD - A majestic few minutes I had there.....