the obvious thing - The Seldom Seen Kid

Hotblack, that was well said, and I love doing exactly what you did - putting headphones on and absorbing an album start to funish. And yes, it's especially joyful when a band is so good at sequencing, as Elbow is.

What I love about all the albums is that the more you listen to them, the more you hear, some of it is beautifully subtle.
Also my opinion keeps shifting as to what actually makes a particular song brilliant. Just one example, "One Day Like This" - At first I felt it was the strings, then I thought it was the lyrics, then definitely the drums, or is it the melody? But actually it's all those magical elements woven together that make it so beautiful. And that's the way I feel about all their music, hours and hours of joy!
Still think "Weather To Fly" is my absolute favourite though. Or is it "Scattered....."??? Or "Great Expectations"???

ChrissieInFL wrote:

Hotblack - Well put; .......It really is a step up for them and I also wish I knew why more people aren't buying and loving it.

JulieinTX wrote:

Hotblack, that was well said,

Thank you ladies. I'm glad you agree.

And Chrissie; yes, I think TSSK is quite a step up even from LOTFW and that isn't exactly ropey is it? Until Starlings I thought Station Approach was not going to be bettered as an album opener. The songs on LOTFW are excellent but there's definitely something lacking in the sound department.

My favourites are Grounds For Divorce, One Day Like This and The Fix (though no doubt this'll change soon enough)!

One day like this, Some riot and erm.......all of the others

I'm reallly feeling good about this album being a breaker for the band. I think they have got an enthusiastic record company behind them, and the album itself is so solid and strong. It feels like it flows incredibly well, more so than CoT or LOTFW, the production is breathtaking, the discipline is marvellous, so much space for the sounds and songs to breathe. The more I listen, the more I love it.

Strongly Agree,
Loving it to bits. Bones of You, Mirrorball, Weather to Fly particularly at the moment.

"Are we having the time of our lives"

Well, are we ? This will be a great soundtrack for 2008, and we will all remember this year in the future with fond memories.

highlights: starlings, bones, mirrorball, friend of ours.

low points: why isnt bones a single yet?!?!?!?! oh and weather to fly

Since the Weather to Fly chords were posted in the tabs forum, I can't stop playing and singing it. And when it comes on I feel so lifted. I love it!

Highlights on TSSK? Everything but One Day Like This is 100%.

one day like this is very good. just think of it as if youre a scouting for girls fan... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...


seem any better??

I'm a sucker for strings so love One Day Like This but Starlings soars and Mirrorball shines. I would say Tower Crane Driver is uplifting but ...

This album is my introduction to Elbow (I got hooked with Grounds For Divorce and consequently my wife about me the album last week - I hope that doesn't become ironic). From start to finish, it's one of the most moving and exhillarating aural experiences I've ever had. Guy Garvey's vocals are a bit reminiscent of Peter Gabriel but Garvey's a much more passionate singer. The music, so beautifully layered, puts this band head and shoulders above the current fodder that makes up Britain's offering to music. And what Elbow collectively achieve is more than a sum of its parts.

I've only had the album four days so I'm still waitign for the shallowness of effect but so far all the songs are in my camp. One Day Like This is an anthem but Elbow's talents prevent it from becoming just another Chasing Parked Cars; it's a really uplifting piece of music. Grounds For Divorce begs to be played loud (my four year old daughter is already a fan) and has one of the most enigmatic choruses ever written. Bones is sublime and beautiful. But it's The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver that's affected me the most. With this song I can see why they call themselves "progressive rock without the solos" - this really is their Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers. In other, less capabale hands this song would aim for humour and irony, being unable to achieve anything more, but Garvey's achingly passionate vocals matched with the beauty of the arrangement make this an incredibly moving piece of music.

One thing, though, I read on the Wikipedia entry for this album that the CD version of Starlings is 15 seconds shorter (something to do with the band not wanting to use compression when producing the album and thus not contributing to the "loudness war"). Is there anywhere that I could get hold of the longer version of Starlings?

How I missed out on them before is beyond me but I've vowed to bring myslef up-to-speed with their other stuff as soon as possible.

I agree with the earlier comment that this album will be a breaker for them. They've won the Mercury prize and Grounds For Divorce is being used on the trailer for the new Cohen Brothers film; suddenly, Elbow are everywhere. For the first time, it looks like their crtiical success will be matched with commerical success.

KingSwinger wrote:

One thing, though, I read on the Wikipedia entry for this album that the CD version of Starlings is 15 seconds shorter (something to do with the band not wanting to use compression when producing the album and thus not contributing to the "loudness war"). Is there anywhere that I could get hold of the longer version of Starlings?

Shorter? News to me. You can read more on the "loudness war" at turnmeup.org.

Good to have you on board, and yes, you really must catch up on their older stuff!

Congrats on becoming our 200th member!

If Starlings is shorter, it would have nothing to do with audio compression.

But my question would be shorter than what? The album version is the only studio version that I am aware of.

EDIT: OK just read it now, 15 seconds was removed to avoid contributing to the loundess war, makes more sense now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seldom_Seen_Kid

I recall hearing this 'full version' once... can't remember where or what it was like. Aren't I helpful?

That paragraph about mastering from the Elbow wiki page has been fairly recently added, with no citations, a missing apostrophe in "albums" and a complete disregard for readable sentence structure... so I'll take it with a rather large pinch of salt for now.

Still, if it's true, what was in that fifteen seconds? Guy and pals doing armpit-fart renditions of Cliff Richard songs? I HAVE TO KNOW!

MagicalTrevor wrote:

Congrats on becoming our 200th member!

If Starlings is shorter, it would have nothing to do with audio compression.

But my question would be shorter than what? The album version is the only studio version that I am aware of.

EDIT: OK just read it now, 15 seconds was removed to avoid contributing to the loundess war, makes more sense now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seldom_Seen_Kid

The pre release version has a about 15 seconds of loud instrumental noise at the beginning of Starlings which was cut for the released version.

lee spoons wrote:

That paragraph about mastering from the Elbow wiki page has been fairly recently added, with no citations, a missing apostrophe in "albums" and a complete disregard for readable sentence structure... so I'll take it with a rather large pinch of salt for now.

Bad grammar does not make it false. But I agree, sources are required.

However, I am happy to believe noisebox! Don't suppose there's any way any of us could hear it is there?

200th member? How cool - do I get a prize?!

Leaders Of The Free World has been put on my Christmas list and I'm sure the wife will be more than willing to hear my request. Elbow have had a similarly profound effect on her (just the other night I asked her to have a listen to One Day Like This while I left the room. When I came back she was in tears!). I have to say I'd all but given up on British music (I'm in my mid thirties and much of my passion is for much more established acts; it's pretty hard to impress me, really) so Elbow have really surprised me.

Apart from the albums, I want to get hold of the EPs and any other tracks of theirs that are knocking about. Is it quite easy to get hold of that kind of stuff?

I remember where I heard the 15 seconds now that I'm reminded it's noise - I heard it on my friend's digital version of the album! To be honest... it's better without it, I think.

Sorry, its' the completist in me!

KingSwinger wrote:

Elbow have had a similarly profound effect on her (just the other night I asked her to have a listen to One Day Like This while I left the room. When I came back she was in tears!). I have to say I'd all but given up on British music (I'm in my mid thirties and much of my passion is for much more established acts; it's pretty hard to impress me, really) so Elbow have really surprised me.

Reminds me of the audience comment of the night on Tuesday at Portsmouth. In one of the quiet moments between songs a female voice cried out 'Thank you for giving my husband so much pleasure' which made Guy and the audience laugh (maybe you had to be there).

No, that's pretty funny, that. I sing myself and it really makes the gig when someone shouts something out that's funny. Moments like that mark some gigs out from others and it's always really cool when the audience becomes part of the show.

KingSwinger wrote:

200th member? How cool - do I get a prize?!

Leaders Of The Free World has been put on my Christmas list and I'm sure the wife will be more than willing to hear my request. Elbow have had a similarly profound effect on her (just the other night I asked her to have a listen to One Day Like This while I left the room. When I came back she was in tears!). I have to say I'd all but given up on British music (I'm in my mid thirties and much of my passion is for much more established acts; it's pretty hard to impress me, really) so Elbow have really surprised me.

Apart from the albums, I want to get hold of the EPs and any other tracks of theirs that are knocking about. Is it quite easy to get hold of that kind of stuff?

All of their previous albums were in my local HMV the other day on a special rack for just £4, you must get 'Asleep in the back...' and Cast of Thousands' then she (and you) will cry (in a good way!) much more than for'One day like this'. I actually have still played the first albums over and over far more than than their last two.

All of the b-sides of singles up to, and including, I think LOTFW, were compiled ready for a double b-side album, but it was never released, for whatever reason, was it with the label change? Still hoping for that to come out, given time...but just getting to know the albums you have missed will keep you busy for now.
Otherwise, depends whether you want to get them digitally eg Warchild or itunes etc or the real deal, amazon, ebay etc.

Thanks for that. £4 each? A steal.

I think there'll be a change in fortunes for Elbow, now that Seldom Seen Kid has proven so popular (I heard Grounds For Divorce on a trailer for Desperate Housewives the other day, for god's sake) and this will result in their back catalogue being given a bit of a boost. Hopefully, that will spur the record company into getting that B-side album out.

As for digital music, it's not my bag; I like to physically own stuff so I'll be checking Amazon and Play.com (or rather, Santa will!).