Elbow:
Little Fictions:
Polydor:
LP/CD/DD:
Out Now:
Every three years or so, Guy Garvey's established charges announce a new album and exceed expectations by improving upon its predecessor. However, for the first time since their dim and distant formation some 20 years ago, 2014's The Take Off and Landing of Everything felt too precious, too mannered, too intimate, too hushed even, to be thrown to the music-buying lions. But in time, their sixth opus soon transpired to be a beautiful triumph, a symbiosis of dewy-eyed melancholy and genuine celebration. Garvey was on fine lyrical form, unleashing couplets in triplicate and strengthening his reputation as a thoughtful wordsmith and smart arranger. Elbow sometimes take a little longer than you think to fully appreciate and love them.
For album seven, Elbow have gone back to the basics of earlier albums by offering something varied, occasionally upbeat, often emotional, always descriptive and minus long-term drummer Richard Jupp who left before the sessions for Little Fictions started. In a way, one or two of the more angular songs reflect Garvey's own solo material for his largely perceptive Courting The Squall, but for the most part, it's (almost) brilliant business as usual.
The string-soaked opener and recent single Magnificent (She Says) is an anthemic ground-swell with Garvey's velveteen gruff darting between the verses like a dad dancing on helium, while the rhythmic and pretty Gentle Storm begs repeated plays alongside the following track Trust the Sun which is a ruminating dizzy skiffle that recalls Penguin Cafe Orchestra's carefree gumbo. As for Heading For Supplies, its sublime candour is all you need for a deep Sunday morning exhale.
The rest of the album evokes Velvet Underground (on Kindling) and Byrds (All Disco) and all manner of musical trademarks that maybe haven't been so prevelant on previous albums but it remains a solid reliable vehicle that is ultimately more power to (their) Elbow.
8/10
Little Fictions:
Polydor:
LP/CD/DD:
Out Now:
For album seven, Elbow have gone back to the basics of earlier albums by offering something varied, occasionally upbeat, often emotional, always descriptive and minus long-term drummer Richard Jupp who left before the sessions for Little Fictions started. In a way, one or two of the more angular songs reflect Garvey's own solo material for his largely perceptive Courting The Squall, but for the most part, it's (almost) brilliant business as usual.
The string-soaked opener and recent single Magnificent (She Says) is an anthemic ground-swell with Garvey's velveteen gruff darting between the verses like a dad dancing on helium, while the rhythmic and pretty Gentle Storm begs repeated plays alongside the following track Trust the Sun which is a ruminating dizzy skiffle that recalls Penguin Cafe Orchestra's carefree gumbo. As for Heading For Supplies, its sublime candour is all you need for a deep Sunday morning exhale.
The rest of the album evokes Velvet Underground (on Kindling) and Byrds (All Disco) and all manner of musical trademarks that maybe haven't been so prevelant on previous albums but it remains a solid reliable vehicle that is ultimately more power to (their) Elbow.
8/10