One of the reasons I love Elbow is because they're not noisy and bombastic. Whatever they do, they need to maintain their restraint and subtlety. They have done this across five albums and no two of their songs sound the same, so monotony is never a worry.
Dano made a comment in the BARB thread about the lack of guitar here. They've never been a prominently guitar-driven band because, quite honestly, they are more interested in experimenting with sound, rather than sticking anything at the front; bass and piano are prominent here, but guitars were more prominent on Leaders, Seldom Seen had so many different instruments, nothing was pushed forward, although brass and strings featured heavily.
The next album should IMO tell a story from beginning to end and make room for a slightly heavier song, a pathetic fallacy perhaps? I' would want it to sound perhaps more dramatic than Build, maybe even combining elements of more theatrical rock, opera, and classical music. A heavy guitar would not be unwelcome at times and I think we should hear more of ALL of the boys, multi-layered vocals, etc; maybe even solos?
I know what you're thinking! Queen in Elbow form? Opposite ends of the spectrum! I don't expect this at all... Elbow don't have Queen's image or personality. Both bands are musical genii, but Elbow are subtler...
ELO and Pink Floyd also fit the above and are either of these bands like Queen? Or vice versa? Elbow can still stay Elbow. They're too unique not to.
They can be a bit dirtier though (Mexican Standoff? Grounds for Divorce?) and still put on a show. Their songs have always had narrative drive and they've always been an album band- this wouldn't be a huge departure. A bit bolder in true Elbow subtle form.... Not a huge ask, surely?
They've done the present and the past. They've covered things that actually happened to them. Now, they could look to the future and be asking questions. The next album doesn't need to be event-driven. It could be a speculative, hypothetical, symbolic journey into the future. Garvey mentioned a hatred of the way old people are treated in society. This could be used. What do these guys feel about middle age? Getting old? Dying? What do they think lies beyond that? Macabre? Perhaps, but it could just be philosophical. They've done specific. Now let's see a wider view...from all five of them. A song about the way an old couple communicate of an evening....how perhaps Garvey envisages he and Emma will be in 30 years time.....this could hone in on specifics, perhaps lighten it up in places, a la Jesus is a Rochdale Girl.... but we could have some serious, heavier themes in there too. Let's face it; Elbow are marvellous at juxtaposing the specific and the mundane with the life-and-death, existentialist stuff.... Switching Off followed by Not a Job anyone? Loneliness followed by The Fix? They do it all the time.
I think the next album could be their most exciting; they're saying "Hello, this is who we've been for the last 20 years", to new fans with Build, a nod and a "Haven't we, guys?" to their long-time fans. Now more people know them, who do they think they WILL be? What do they think about x, y and z? What do they find funny, sad, frightening or exciting about the future?
This is all a bit too early anyway... I know *they've* spoken about it, but only they know what logical direction they need to or want to move in next. I have a feeling that they will remain themselves though. They may expand and experiment, and perhaps the next album will be a little bolder, a tad louder and more outspoken.... I will be very surprised if they lose their subtlety though, lose their intelligence, and produce bombast for bombast's sake. Or ditch their gentle side for incessant aggression. It won't happen. A slightly raised voice, a more dramatic feel, perhaps even their darkest album yet.... (Build, contrary to journalistic conjecture, is NOT dark in the slightest; Asleep and Cast were far darker, as was Seldom, actually).
Whatever happens, they'll remain immense. I just know it.
Home 
Register 
Subject: The Next Album (already!)... 
Tue 08 Mar 2011, 14:41
