Elbow: Giants Of All Sizes, album released October 2019

Oooo, new Elbow music! I've been enjoying them more and more lately.

 

I have been a Elbow fan since there first album. I think as most do "Seldom seen Kid" was there benchmark. "Take of and Landing" was there last great album. "Build A Rocket" was good but there last 2 albums have been terrible. They need a drummer to round out there sound. The drum machine sound does not cut it for my liking. Just my opinion.

 

I’ve just hit the 50 mark in the last few days and I discovered Elbow in my mid 40’s. I think they are very much an older persons band, as much as that might horrify them. They came along for me at a time when I was really drifting away from some of the bands I grew up with - bands that I once loved but couldn’t relate to anymore, U2 being at the top of that list. The Elbow story is a feel good one too - years and years of trying to break through and then finally getting much deserved success with the Seldom Seem Kid, an album that could very possibly have been their last had it not become successful.
I’d love to see an Elbow biography one day - I think it would be a great yarn.

 

Loving this album!

 

The drum machine is really only in the one song, though, right? The album is fine. Reminds me a bit of where Radiohead was at the time of A Moon Shaped Pool. They're not reinventing themselves at this point, but it's a nice, familiar album that showcases what they can do with a lot of sounds (and words!) they've used before. One quibble is that at 9 tracks, I expected some of the songs to be epic-length, but the album is barely 40 minutes. 9 songs feels so incomplete.

 

If we were talking only about Little Fictions, I'd agree. That album is "off" in some way and it feels like a band unsettled with where they are at the moment. Reading up a bit more on the rift between the band and Richard Jupp was interesting. I'd thought it was an amicable split but after reading a couple of interviews with Guy, it sounds like things were pretty tense, and that album reflects that - it doesn't feel like a band that is comfortable with itself, if that makes sense. I've always felt that it was very "stiff" feeling and one of the interviews I found said that one of the other guys in the band had crafted beats from favorite drum recordings to play over before they had a drummer lined up to fill the spot. So, to me, this makes more sense why it feels stiff - they were playing to a click track, essentially, rather than a live drummer who they meshed well with. Giants Of All Sizes is a triumph to me, probably the best album since The Seldom Seen Kid, and I think at least part of it is because they played - and wrote - against a live drummer. It's much more organic feeling. I'm actually blown away by how good this album is - I really thought Little Fictions was the beginning of a downward slope. Now it just looks like a little hitch in the road, thankfully.

 

I liked Little Fictions, but do agree with most of what you said otherwise. This new one isn't quite the triumph for me that it is for you, but I do like it a good bit. I thought Take-Off was a really solid album and better than both of their last two. Giants is Elbow in comfort mode and there's nothing wrong with that.

Incidentally, I just read an interview with Garvey that explained why the album was only 9 tracks - they had more songs but cut them all because they were too sad!

 

While I don’t any of the troubles that went on with Richard Jupp, and I think that not having a proper drummer had an effect on their writing proces, Elbow’s songs seem all pretty much drumloop based, in the sense that basically the same drum pattern goes on for much of the songs. So it’s really a matter of band dynamics, for lack of a better term, that caused the dip that was The taking ... and Little Frictions. I guess.

 

So far I think I'm liking this release more than the new Keane one. This grabbed me at first listen whereas Keane is on its fourth or fifth spin and I'm only digging about half of it.

 

Have not heard 'Giants of All Sizes' yet(will check it out this week and most likely just buy the CD with my next Amazon order), but glad to see mostly positive reviews. The Last Part of this Guardian Review(Below in Italics), if I interpret it correctly, could fit for any Elbow Album-IMO, as most of their Albums are not made for Singles to be released(even if a Few Songs were released as Singles) and their Albums are Growers that reward you with repeated listens that once they get ahold of you, it is hard to let go of them(except maybe 'Leaders of the Free World' that had a few instantly accessible Songs, which would make for Great Singles, including the Title Track and 'Grounds for Divorce').

Elbow's eighth album comes wreathed in a ghostly pallor. Recorded over two years in which too many of the band’s friends and family passed away, the easy sentimentality of their biggest songs has been abandoned for something grittier, angrier and greyer. Giants of All Sizes is not an album to be filleted and squashed into playlists; it’s the sort of deeply serious and carefully crafted work that would sprout a beard and a cable-knit jumper if you turned your back on it for a second.

I have followed Elbow from their Debut Album, 'Asleep in the Back'(2001), as recall reading a Review of that Album in NME(back when Borders was still in business and stocked all the UK Music Magazines), and bought it from Amazon-UK, as was not available in the US right away. My CD actually was autographed on the Front Cover(I assume a copy, but who knows?), and thought that was nice, as even though not an autograph person in general(except was trying to get my Acoustic Guitar signed by Steven Wilson to make it unique piece of Art for me, and just missed out on that, but hopefully during his next Tour).

Anyways, my first impression on 'Asleep in the Back'(besides thinking Guy Garvey's Voice sounded like Peter Gabriel) was while really good, it could have used a few Uptempo Songs. I was also a Massive Doves Fan and their Debut Album(Lost Souls) came out the prior year in 2000, and had more variety throughout the Album, but with both of these Bands being from Manchester, I also felt they went together like both parts of a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.

While Doves are finally getting back together this year to make their 5th Album after a break since 2009, Elbow kept going and both Bands could be back near their peak, but will have to wait to see what Doves give us with their New Album(I assume released some time in 2020).

I saw that Elbow is only touring in California in January-2020, but no other US Locations are listed yet, but assume that other US Tour Stops will be added later in 2020 after they complete other Tour Stops in Europe. Although, Doves would be a higher priority for me to see in Concert, but hopefully, can see both of them.

When I mentioned in the first part of my post here how Garvey's Voice sounded like Peter Gabriel, when I first heard the Elbow Song, 'The Birds'(from 'Build a Rocket Boys!' Album), I thought that Song sounded like it could have been written by Peter Gabriel. One of Elbow's Best Songs-IMO.

Besides the Greatness of 'The Seldom Seen Kid' Album, I like to share this Song(New York Morning) and Video when introducing Elbow to other People, who I think might like their Music. The Video is awesome showing how 2 People fell in love over their common love of Music and the NYC Club Scene(including CBGB) and meeting Band Members there.

 

Was surprised at how good this is. Haven't really listened since The Seldom Seen Kid which I thought I'd grown out of.

 

Whoops, forgot 'Grounds for Divorce' was on 'TSSK' Album, and not on 'Leaders of the Free World', but think 'Great Expectations' was a Single from that Album, although not sure, but do recall it was on a Mix CD from Q Magazine(or another UK Music Magazine) of Best Songs from 2005.

 

The singles from Leaders were "Forget Myself" and the title track, but they really should have put out "Station Approach" as well.

 

Signed copy arrived from Amazon today - I say signed, really more squiggled. I can more or less figure out which one's Guy as it looks a bit like "GG", but the other three could literally be anyone

 

Just ordered. Given it a good listen and love the arrangements and textures. A proper record. The first one in 2019 to grab me and stand up to repeated listens (most have paled after initial charm has worn off).

 

Bought the vinyl yesterday. Was surprised that there was no Download code.. but then again, when I bought "Take Off" on vinyl there was no DL either!

 

Elbow is easily one of my favorite bands of the last 20 years, and as an American residing in the South, one of my white whales when it comes to live concert experiences. I guess I'm in the minority in that "Little Fictions" is one of my favorite Elbow albums, with 8 of the 10 songs getting regular rotation to this day. There's no doubt that they do atmospheric, moody, "cinematic" pop better than most, but I love when they write upbeat, beautiful melodies, and I thought "Little Fictions" had a lot of that to spare.

"Giants" reminds me of "Take-Offs" and their debut a lot, which aren't among my favorites, though those at least boast immediately accessible hooks like the instant earworms of "My Sad Captains" or "Scattered Black & Whites." Nevertheless, any new Elbow is welcome Elbow, and I need to give this new one more time to sink in.

I still can't believe they became an arena-level band. That is just crazy and amazing. Would love to see them at The Ryman here in Nashville.

 

I have only played this once but first impression is that it is the absolute top tier of Elbow albums.Will easily make my Top 10 of the year.

 

Which is (are?) the Optimal pressing(s) (the black, clear, and/or green)?

My clear pre-order's already shipped (not yet arrived) but I won't hesitate tracking down the best pressing of the lot.

 

I only buy black vinyl if there is a choice.

 

That certainly narrows it down, cheers.

 

I tend to go the vinyl route these days for the SQ, but I notice that HD tracks has this as just 44.1/24 resolution, nothing higher. So I wonder if the vinyl was cut from that file. If so, it'd be unfortunate, since 'Take Off' and 'Little Fictions' show as 96/24, and presumably the vinyl is also cut from that resolution. I have the 2-disc 45 rpm versions of some of the earlier releases and yes, they sound spectacular, so a bit surprised the band has (apparently) moved away from this approach.