The Seldom Seen Kid

( 3 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Stewart Mason
In a world where even the generally mediocre likes of Snow Patrol can have honest to goodness mainstream pop success, it seems peculiar that Elbow have never broken through beyond a devoted cult following. Admittedly, the fact that their new labels, Polygram's alt rock imprint Fiction Records in the U.K. and Geffen in the U.S., are their fourth and fifth, respectively, after stints on Island, EMI, and V2, may have a lot to do with their lack of mainstream attention. Exploring the fruitful middle ground between early Radiohead's mopey art rock and Coldplay's radio-friendly dumbing down of the same, Elbow makes records built on a balance of things not often found together ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Stewart Mason
In a world where even the generally mediocre likes of Snow Patrol can have honest to goodness mainstream pop success, it seems peculiar that Elbow have never broken through beyond a devoted cult following. Admittedly, the fact that their new labels, Polygram's alt rock imprint Fiction Records in the U.K. and Geffen in the U.S., are their fourth and fifth, respectively, after stints on Island, EMI, and V2, may have a lot to do with their lack of mainstream attention. Exploring the fruitful middle ground between early Radiohead's mopey art rock and Coldplay's radio-friendly dumbing down of the same, Elbow makes records built on a balance of things not often found together anymore: strange musical textures alongside immediately accessible pop song choruses, or unexpected left turns in song structure paired with frontman Guy Garvey's warm, piercing vocals. It's no surprise that Elbow are regularly compared to old-school prog rockers like Pink Floyd and Electric Light Orchestra: they're proof that records can be cool and commercial at the same time, an idea that's not particularly hip in this day and age. Yet a song like "Grounds for Divorce," which puts a sharp, wryly funny Garvey lyric against a clanging, Tom Waits-like arrangement and throws on one of the album's catchiest tunes for good measure, or "Some Riot," which filters a yearning, lovely melody for guitar and piano through so many layers of effects and processing that it can be hard to tell what the original instruments sounded like, isn't afraid to display its accessibility even on its most experimental numbers. At the album's best, including the spacious, atmospheric balladry of the opening "Starlings" imagine if Sigur Rós could write a pop song as emotionally direct as Keane's "Everybody's Changing" and the potential radio breakthroughs of the soaring, semi-orchestral epic "One Day Like This" complete with choral climax! and the wistful "Weather to Fly," The Seldom Seen Kid is Elbow's most self-assured and enjoyable album so far. [The U.K. version added "We're Away" as a bonus track.]
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  • The Seldom Seen Kid
    The Seldom Seen Kid  

Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/22/2008
  • Label: Geffen Records
  • UPC: 602517642522
  • Catalog Number: 001106302
  • Sales rank: 9,427

Album Credits

Performance Credits
Elbow Primary Artist
Prabjote Osahn Violin, Background Vocals
Tim Barber Trumpet
Ian Burdge Cello, Background Vocals
Richard Hawley Guitar, Vocals, Guest Appearance
Guy Garvey Vocals, Group Member
Craig Potter Trumpet, Keyboards, Group Member
Mark Potter Guitar, Group Member
Pete Turner Bass, Group Member
Richard Jupp Drums, Group Member
Stella Page Violin, Viola, Background Vocals
Elbow Choir Background Vocals
Angela Thwaite Background Vocals
Louise Turner Background Vocals
Sheona White E Flat Horn
Matthew Ball Trombone
Technical Credits
George Gershwin Composer
Ira Gershwin Composer
Danny Evans Engineer
Richard Hawley Composer
Guy Garvey Composer, String Arrangements, Brass Arrangment
Elbow Composer
Craig Potter Engineer
Dorothy Heyward Composer
Oliver East Illustrations
Danny McTague Engineer
Tim Young Mastering
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 3 )
Rating Distribution

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Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Amazing Album

    If you've never heard Elbow- and, let's face it, most people haven't, especially in America- it's a bit hard to describe their sound. It changes vastly from song to song, and yet is still instantly recognizable. And their music had so many layers; every time you listen to a song you'll pick up something else, whether it be Gus Garvey's lush vocals or the haunting melodies and counter-melodies or the beautiful lyrics. Interestingly, Elbow tend to gravitate towards 3/4 rhythms, which gives several songs a waltz-like lilt. I try to introduce everyone I know to Elbow because they're so tragically under-appreciated.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 1, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews