Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid

By: Matthew Jaworski

On their fourth album, The Seldom Seen Kid (Geffen), Elbow turn the “epic” knob to 10 and make a claim for being Britain’s best band. The album recently won the Nationwide Mercury Prize (given to the Irish or British artist who makes the “Record of the Year”) and deservedly so; it is beautiful, dynamic and dramatic, full of lush soundscapes, raging percussion and – most importantly – lead singer Guy Garvey‘s inimitable voice.

The band melds disparate and unique sounds, instruments, and styles in such a refreshing, unexpected way, and it marks a huge leap from their last album, 2005’s decent yet unspectacular Leaders of the Free World. Here, catchy hooks, sing-along choruses and playful yet honest lyrics ground and compliment the sonic experiments. Overall, the band dexterously mixes elements to create a near-perfect album that is progressive yet accessible, familiar yet fresh.

Right off the bat, Elbow warn the listener that they’ll be defying expectations with the opener, “Starlings.” With a sparse, Native American-flavored drumbeat and an atmospheric, electronic vibration – something like Tibetan singing bowls being played underwater – the song quietly creeps along, tempting you to turn up your volume knob. Out of nowhere, a startling cacophony of brass and snare drum explodes on the downbeat. If you weren’t paying attention before, you certainly are now.

Distinctive instrumentation, rock-solid groove, and warming melodies abound throughout the album, but the band’s greatest asset is Garvey’s majestic yet gravely, humble yet noble voice. Likewise, his lyrics deftly straddle the line between simple and intricate, such as in “Bones of You,” where he sings, “And I’m five years ago and three thousand miles away/ And I can’t move my arm for fear that you will wake.” Similarly, on the glorious “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver,” Garvey belts out, “Send up a prayer in my name. Just the same/ They say I’m on top of my game,” like his life depends on it and the effect is nothing short of spine tingling.

While the album isn’t completely perfect – you keep waiting for “Some Riot” and “Friend of Ours” to take off, but they never quite do – it is wholly satisfying and engaging. From the head-bobbing stomp of “Grounds for Divorce” to the mysterious slink of “The Fix,” The Seldom Seen Kid is an audacious, singular album that craves your attention.

Here’s “The Bones of You” on the Live At Abbey Road series.

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