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Leaders of the free world

Monday October 24, 2005

I can’t say I am a huge fan of them there gheeetar-based bands, with the exception of Radiohead, who I can listen to day in day out. So when people start raving about Franz Ferdinand and all that lot, I tend to not get it, or really take much notice.

So when my mate Jim insisted I listen to Elbow’s album Leaders of the free world it came as a very pleasant surprise indeed.

All the tracks are fantastic (no filler here) with Great Expectations standing out as my favourite thus far.

  1. 2se7en

    1039 days ago

    When I heard some Elbow at work, I thought it was Peter Gabriel. Not much of a fan of guitar stuff either, but Mogwai and Bloc Party both make the cut with Radiohead too.

  2. Ben Ward

    1039 days ago

    Leaders of the Free World is stunning. There are songs on their previous two albums that are dead good and worth a listen, but the new one really leaps out as the best thing they’ve ever done ever. For me the title-track is favourite – such a huge, brash and bruising centrepice. Glorious it is.

    I actually could’ve met Guy Garvey a few weeks ago at Euston station in London – he came off the train I was about to get on. Of course, what I actually did was have an attack of the willies and stood around nearby like a lost child. Then spent my journey back to Manchester feeling like an utter twonk.

  3. Tom

    1039 days ago

    It’s a great album I really like Stops.

  4. Rob Wilmshurst

    1038 days ago

    Absolutely love Elbow. Saw them supporting Muse (now that’s a good guitary band) a couple of years back, really good stuff. And for one of their more light-hearted moments, check out their cover of Destiny’s Child’s Independent Woman.

    You can see it performed by kittens here.

  5. Anthony

    1038 days ago

    I too, until fairly recently, had a bit of an aversion to 5 stringed instruments. I’ve always much preferred electronic bleeps and squelches.

    But Franz Ferdinand were actually the first band that got me noticing git-tar bands. Their approach to rock has alway struck me as being heavily influenced by the dance scene. Heavy kick drum, strong bass lines with a nicely layered arrangement of instruments.

    Think I’ll try Elbow after your glowing report. I’ve quite enjoyed the Arcade Fire recently (I tried to ignore them, but The People kept talking), oh and Tom Vek and the LCD Soundsytem who nicely slam the the squelches and plucking together.

  6. jacob

    1038 days ago

    Yes finally!
    Elbow is absolutely fantastic, be sure to try and catch them playing live. I’ve seen them when they were touring with the Cast of Thousands album and it’s amazing how they can make these complex songs sound even better on stage.

    I guess Mexican Standoff is my favourite on the new album.

  7. Nobby Burton

    1037 days ago

    I saw Elbow supporting Coldplay earlier in the year, and they were superb (I had never heard them before). They sounded fantastic live and Guy Garvey has a great voice.

    The previous 2 albums, Cast of Thousands and Asleep at the back are also brilliant. Songs like “not a job”, “fugitive motel”, “newborn”, “red” are all nothing short of absolute brilliance.

    Nobby.

  8. Stuart Frisby

    1036 days ago

    When I stumbled into the unsigned tent at a wet reading festival something like five years ago, I was surrounded by the buzz of A&R men swooning over a rather disheveled looking, unmistakably northern england based five piece.

    Elbow from that day forth have rocked my world, Asleep in the back was a masterpiece of epic proportions, cast of thousands was equally as stunning, and leaders of the free world is the latest part in one of my favourite musical collections.

    I HEART ELBOW!

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