Elbow - underrated :roll:

I'm getting a bit tired of people referring to Elbow as an underrated band. What's really meant by that is... underselling I suppose. Because they are not underrated - they are loved by fans and critics alike. I rarely hear a word against them.

Who's calling them underrated?

"...truly great, but astonishingly underrated bands. Case study number one: Guy Garvey and Elbow."
http://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/4550/Guy_Garvey_and_Elbow-interview.html

"Elbow are possibly the most underrated band out there. "
http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=95419

"Fact three: Elbow are the most underrated band in the UK."
http://www.hecklerspray.com/hecklergigs-elbow-newcastle-carling-academy-0504/200813416.php

"Disgustingly underrated album by a disgustingly underrated band."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leaders-Free-World-Elbow/dp/customer-reviews/B0007Y88M6/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&customer-reviews.start=1#R31VET9T01NN5A

"Elbow are easily one of the most under-rated bands around."
http://somuchsilence.com/?p=969

Just a quick google reveals those examples.

Now here's the thing - it's never meant badly. On the contrary, people are meaning it as a high compliment to the band. But honestly... I think it's just... incorrect. XD

OMG!

dictionary.com defines underrated as "to rate or evaluate too low; underestimate."

if you take the meaning of underestimate, then that could be construed as that they are going to be so much bigger than anyone thinks they are.

You have a point. They aren't insulting Elbow.

Yeah... I said that, Dab.

But yeah Trev, you're right about the 'getting big' thing, everyone expects them to get bigger than they do. In which case, surely they are OVERestimated?

"sigh"

jonny wrote:

I'm getting a bit tired of people referring to Elbow as an underrated band. What's really meant by that is... underselling I suppose.

Good point, jonny. I agree. I do think they have a different profile here in America though. They don't get the time of day from most places outside the bigger markets (like LA, NY, etc.). Minimal radio airplay, no television appearances, and the biggest music publications don't have much to say about 'em. Rolling Stone is arguably the biggest music mag over here, and the most recent "news" they covered was back in 2002, when Elbow were preparing the tracks for Cast of Thousands. They did do a review of LOTFW which was pretty harsh; 2 stars out of 5, saying that "What it lacks are top-quality tunes". Just to show you how off-base they are, they compared Guy's singing to that of Chris Martin (!), addng that "England needs one more Coldplay like North America requires another Nickelback. " So the level of acclaim isn't as universally positive on a national level here as it is there.

It's funny that you mention that, Chrissie, because I have been looking through numerous US publications in hopes that someone would review TSSK but no one has mentioned it yet. It's almost as if it's a ghost album in the States because the promotion for it is unbelievably poor. The funny part, though, is that Spin magazine mentioned them in the list of acts to not miss at Glasto, but they didn't even include a review of their album in the May issue. Personally, I don't understand it.

Yeah, there has been zip on TSSK here. I read Paste, and they are usually pretty good at mentioning releases from a diverse range of bands, although I just got the most recent ish in the mail and it had squat. Not much noise being made for them on this side of the pond. It's really a damn shame - they deserve so much more exposure than they get.

ChrissieInFL wrote:

They did do a review of LOTFW which was pretty harsh; 2 stars out of 5, saying that "What it lacks are top-quality tunes". Just to show you how off-base they are, they compared Guy's singing to that of Chris Martin (!), addng that "England needs one more Coldplay like North America requires another Nickelback. "

Sounds to me like they couldn't be ar5ed to actually listen to the album or the qualities of Mr Garvey's voice. Very poor journalism IMO.

The few negative reviews of Elbow albums I've seen seem to be along the lines of "they don't rock hard enough", which is a bit like reviewing a Metallica album and concluding with "a distinct lack of bangin' trance anthems on this one!"

One thing that puzzles me slightly is why Elbow NEVER get played on daytime Radio 2 (paradoxically, the UK's most popular radio station). Yeah, I know Radcliffe, Maconie and Dermot O'Leary are fans, and Jonathan Ross is a recent convert, but in five years of listening to Radio 2 almost daily, I don't think I've ever heard them in the daytime.

ChrissieInFL wrote:

Yeah, there has been zip on TSSK here. I read Paste, and they are usually pretty good at mentioning releases from a diverse range of bands, although I just got the most recent ish in the mail and it had squat. Not much noise being made for them on this side of the pond. It's really a damn shame - they deserve so much more exposure than they get.

Well, is the album out yet in USA? I think the release date is April 22...
I must admitt that I like the fact that Elbow is not that popular because their songs sound much more like my songs... I like the fact that people don't sing them all the time, that they aren't played on the radio all the time.. I feel something when I hear Elbow... And I think that I would lose that feeling if they became superpopular...You know what I mean....at least I hope so
The only bad thing about their unpopularity is the fact that I can't see them live...They never played nowhere near

Skeletor wrote:

Well, is the album out yet in USA? I think the release date is April 22...
I must admitt that I like the fact that Elbow is not that popular because their songs sound much more like my songs... I like the fact that people don't sing them all the time, that they aren't played on the radio all the time.. I feel something when I hear Elbow... And I think that I would lose that feeling if they became superpopular...You know what I mean....at least I hope so
The only bad thing about their unpopularity is the fact that I can't see them live...They never played nowhere near

You're correct about the US release date Skeletor, but generally, if a magazine is going to review a record, the review appears in the issue for the same month of the release date (or sometimes even the month before). Iv'e seen issues of my favorite mags come out for April and May already, and there's been nothing. Mind you, it may still show up somewhere, and I'll keep looking. But as ukkonen noticed, there hasn't even been publicity leading up to the release. Not one ad as far as I've seen! Don't know how anyone here would know the album was coming out, unless they were already a fan and were looking for it on their own.

As for your other point, I do understand you completely. It's sort of special to have Elbow all to ourselves and not have to deal with them being megastars. It would suck if the only way to see them live was in monster-sized arenas or stadiums! Then again, in a perfect world, bands like Elbow that are actually, you know, talented, would be able to outsell acts like Madonna or Justin Timberlake, who are more style (and production magic) than substance. I do wish the rewards went to those who truly earned them!

ChrissieInFL wrote:

You're correct about the US release date Skeletor, but generally, if a magazine is going to review a record, the review appears in the issue for the same month of the release date (or sometimes even the month before). Iv'e seen issues of my favorite mags come out for April and May already, and there's been nothing. Mind you, it may still show up somewhere, and I'll keep looking. But as ukkonen noticed, there hasn't even been publicity leading up to the release. Not one ad as far as I've seen! Don't know how anyone here would know the album was coming out, unless they were already a fan and were looking for it on their own.

yes, I've read spring album preview in rolling stone and they mentioned all kind of "artists" like Ne-yo and Lil Kim, but they failed to mention Elbow...

You know, I think signing to Fiction will do them a hell of a lot of good.

I know Grounds for Divorce wasn't huge - but I still think a song like One Day Like This could make them huge. We'll find out in June I guess, actually.

Fiction/Polydor are going to do a lot more for them than V2 ever did. Fingers crossed.

They seem a lot happier there, and they are doing loads more for them like getting them on Jonathan Ross, and thus meeting Brucie.

Meeting Brucie must have been a highlight!

ChrissieInFL wrote:

Skeletor wrote:

Well, is the album out yet in USA? I think the release date is April 22...
I must admitt that I like the fact that Elbow is not that popular because their songs sound much more like my songs... I like the fact that people don't sing them all the time, that they aren't played on the radio all the time.. I feel something when I hear Elbow... And I think that I would lose that feeling if they became superpopular...You know what I mean....at least I hope so
The only bad thing about their unpopularity is the fact that I can't see them live...They never played nowhere near

You're correct about the US release date Skeletor, but generally, if a magazine is going to review a record, the review appears in the issue for the same month of the release date (or sometimes even the month before). Iv'e seen issues of my favorite mags come out for April and May already, and there's been nothing. Mind you, it may still show up somewhere, and I'll keep looking. But as ukkonen noticed, there hasn't even been publicity leading up to the release. Not one ad as far as I've seen! Don't know how anyone here would know the album was coming out, unless they were already a fan and were looking for it on their own.

As for your other point, I do understand you completely. It's sort of special to have Elbow all to ourselves and not have to deal with them being megastars. It would suck if the only way to see them live was in monster-sized arenas or stadiums! Then again, in a perfect world, bands like Elbow that are actually, you know, talented, would be able to outsell acts like Madonna or Justin Timberlake, who are more style (and production magic) than substance. I do wish the rewards went to those who truly earned them!

When LOTFW came out here, I read very favorable reviews in Spin, Entertainment Weekly (easily the best weekly here), and the most reliable (I think) music rag here in the States, Blender. Blender's music review section is extensive - we have discovered several great bands/songs due to them, and I love that they're seemingly fair to everyone, no matter the popularity or genre of the artist (no, I don't work for them ...). Though it's gotten a bit better recently, Rolling Stone is far too impressed with itself to be of much good, IMO. In fact, I look to RS more for political reading/social commentary than anything else.
I'm counting on the reviews for SSK not having hit these magazines yet, but I could be wrong.
And I do agree with you both...it's kinda nice to have this wonderful band all to ourselves, though they unquestionably deserve much, MUCH greater exposure. It IS maddening, Chrissie, that better/more deserving/far more talented bands get overlooked in favor of "style", studio magic, and flashiness. Not just maddening - downright unfair.

Julie: I agree about Rolling Stone. I am addicted to Matt Tiabbi but I don't give them a lot of credit for their music coverage anymore. But, they are the biggest and easiest to find music mag in the US, so I fear a majority of the American public gets its musical guidance from RS, for better or for worse. Blender is an awesome mag; I also subscribe to Paste and Under The Radar, plus I pick up British mags like Q and Uncut when I can, since a lot of what they cover never makes it to print here in the States.

I agree fully. I wanted to mention how America is a little slow in "getting it" but the last few Elbow shows I've been to here in NY were jam packed!

This new album is getting a lot of airplay though - thank goodness! I've been harassing my co-workers over here at imeem to promote Elbow and then finally took my advice and put TSSK on the front page of the site;

http://www.imeem.com/ (bottom right hand side)

So far the album has had a whopping 527,234 hits! I really hope this helps ...

That imeem site is great... I'd never heard of it until your post yesterday on the powderblue forum. Nice bit of pluggage!

girlafraid wrote:

I agree fully. I wanted to mention how America is a little slow in "getting it" but the last few Elbow shows I've been to here in NY were jam packed!

This new album is getting a lot of airplay though - thank goodness! I've been harassing my co-workers over here at imeem to promote Elbow and then finally took my advice and put TSSK on the front page of the site;

http://www.imeem.com/ (bottom right hand side)

So far the album has had a whopping 527,234 hits! I really hope this helps ...

Yay imeem!

Niiiice job, girlafraid!