Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

TomDac · Aug 15, 2008

Artist: Elbow
Title: The Seldom Seen Kid
Year of Release: 2008
Record Label: Geffen
Genre: Alternative Rock

From Wikipedia:
Elbow are an alternative rock band based in England. The band formed in the English town of Bury in 1990, and currently comprises lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Guy Garvey, guitarist and back up vocalist Mark Potter, keyboardist and back up vocalist Craig Potter, bassist Pete Turner and drummer Richard Jupp. Over the band's 18 year career they have released four studio albums, four EPs and ten top fifty singles in the UK.

Acclaimed for their innovative sound and front-man Guy Garvey's candid, evocative lyrics, Elbow have received vast critical acclaim and been endorsed by major artists Blur, R.E.M. and U2.

Anyone else besides me never hear of this band? You guys over in the UK need to start turning us onto artists like these guys because this CD is PHENOMENAL. This is another recommendation from the COO at my work.

First track "Starlings" starts out with some very delicate drum beats and then at 58 seconds comes a huge crescendo that just took my breath away. WOW. Lead vocals started at 1:44 into the track and the singer has a very pronounced english accent. OK.. I'm hooked already.

2nd Track "The Bones of You" starts out sounding like it could be a Coldplay song until the vocals kick in. 52 seconds in a huge bass note from a synthesizer can be heard. WOW. I love my Summits!

Track 10 - "One Day Like This" is another standout.. Lush violins throughout the track.

I could go on and on about this CD... Also the quality of the recording is very high.

I'm gonna have to check out their previously released CDs!! Check this one out - it's a winner!

Ex Lion Tamer · Feb 11, 2009

I have their first release - Asleep in the Back and it's also quite good. I sometiomes find it a little dark and murky but still quality stuff. I skipped their next two - Cast of Thousands & Leader of the Free World, but thought I'd give them another shot after reading that they'd lightened things up a little with Seldom Seen Kid. I agree it's a good album that sounds big and powerful without being bogged down in the murky production of Asleep...

I compare them to Peter Gabriel era Genesis, whom the lead singer has more than a passing vocal resemblence to.

pjdowns · Mar 15, 2009

TomDac said:
Artist: Elbow
Title: The Seldom Seen Kid
Year of Release: 2008
Record Label: Geffen
Genre: Alternative Rock

From Wikipedia:
Elbow are an alternative rock band based in England. The band formed in the English town of Bury in 1990, and currently comprises lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Guy Garvey, guitarist and back up vocalist Mark Potter, keyboardist and back up vocalist Craig Potter, bassist Pete Turner and drummer Richard Jupp. Over the band's 18 year career they have released four studio albums, four EPs and ten top fifty singles in the UK.

Acclaimed for their innovative sound and front-man Guy Garvey's candid, evocative lyrics, Elbow have received vast critical acclaim and been endorsed by major artists Blur, R.E.M. and U2.

Anyone else besides me never hear of this band? You guys over in the UK need to start turning us onto artists like these guys because this CD is PHENOMENAL. This is another recommendation from the COO at my work.

First track "Starlings" starts out with some very delicate drum beats and then at 58 seconds comes a huge crescendo that just took my breath away. WOW. Lead vocals started at 1:44 into the track and the singer has a very pronounced english accent. OK.. I'm hooked already.

2nd Track "The Bones of You" starts out sounding like it could be a Coldplay song until the vocals kick in. 52 seconds in a huge bass note from a synthesizer can be heard. WOW. I love my Summits!

Track 10 - "One Day Like This" is another standout.. Lush violins throughout the track.

I could go on and on about this CD... Also the quality of the recording is very high.

I'm gonna have to check out their previously released CDs!! Check this one out - it's a winner!

TomDac,

I am very interested to see that you think that the quality of the recording is good.

Personally, I had thought the overall production on the album was average at best.

On my system (Without Martin Logan's I am afraid). It sounds a little dull in comparison to other IMHO better produced albums.

Reference the overall standard of the band, IE how good they are..... Excellent is all I can say. For a relatively new band, they are excellent and like you quite rightly say, track 10 with all of the Violins is an exceptional album !!!

DanH · May 13, 2017

You should try the follow up album "Build a Rocket Boys" it is another gem. Guy Garvey's lyrics are quite sharp (Lippy Kids) and quite moving (The Night Will Always Win). He can be a little self-consciously "poetic" sometimes, but he does have something to say and I think he means it.

TomDac · May 15, 2017

Thanks Dan.. I did purchase that one as soon as it was released and enjoyed it, albeit not as much as SSK.

RDC · May 19, 2017

Their latest called 'Little Fictions' (2017) is also good. I've never heard of them before I saw them perform on the Graham Norton show. They played the first song of this album, called 'Magnificent (She Says)'. It captivated me immediately. But I'm a sucker for the use of strings in pop/rock songs, that always peeks my interest. But the song is great and the rest of the album is also good.