"Elbow's third CD sneaks up on the listener. Upon first listen I was a little disappointed, given the fact that Asleep at the Back is my all time favorite CD, and Cast of Thousands was a very worthy follow up, I suppose my expectations were terribly high. Leaders of the Free World starts off with a bang so to speak with a song that is subtle in the first minute or so, but Station Approach evolves into a monster of a song, that leaves the listener begging for more after it's conclusion, followed by two great songs Picky Bugger and Forget Myself, which when listened to a few times, makes for one of the best 14 minutes of music I've heard all year.
The title track, Mexican Standoff, The Everthere, and Great Expectations are my other favorite tracks, but really there are no bad songs on this CD. Somehow I only discovered this band about a year ago, but they've quickly become my personal favorite band, and hugely under appreciated here in the US. This is a top 10 CD in the UK and Europe, but hopefully Elbow will find their audience here stateside. I beleive this CD is the one that could propell them into the next level.
I do wish though that they would release the DVD 2 disc version here. I purchased the UK version, but unfortunatly the Soup Collective DVD that I have been hearing such great things about, doesn't play on my DVD or US computer. Hopefully someone from the V2 label or the band might hear this, and release the 2 disc version in the US.
You can not go wrong if you've heard anything from Elbow, this CD you WILL like, so buy it! If your totally new to the band, I guess I would describe them as a cross between Peter Gabriel (when he was good), and Radiohead (although I hate to compare bands).. they are just Elbow.. and right now they are leaders of my world for CD of the YEAR.. Good job boys!!"
The Bends for the noughties
Grant Sansom-Sherwill | Sydney, Australia | 11/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't believe that Elbow are so unknown. I only bought "Cast of Thousands", their second album, when I heard one track ("Fallen Angel") on a movie soundtrack, and then was hooked. "Leaders of the Free World", their third album, is even better.
While Cast of Thousands was mostly pretty mellow, Leaders of the Free World mixes very touching emotional moments with some good crunching rock, often in the same song! Listen to "Station Approach", as an example. A superbly-layered slowly building-then-exploding epic.
Comparisons with Radiohead are justified. The similarities with Radiohead's "The Bends" are there - the crunchy rock riffs, the emotionally charged lyrics, the wrenching vocals.
Other artists worth comparing to include Peter Gabriel, for the similarity of lyrics and vocals, Joy Division, for their post-modern punk edginess, and Coldplay. This is what Coldplay would sound like if they ditched their mainstream sound and added a bit more thought and edginess to their lyrics and music.
"
Magic
smitten by music | toronto | 11/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"elbow is my all time best finds ever. i stumbled accross them by accident a few years back. i remember being absolutely mesmerized by their soundscapes and almost poetic lyrics. minimally monumental would be an apt description of their music. music that gets richer and subtler with each listen. these guys and especially guy are pure genius and magic. i am at the age (43)where i only go to classical concerts, yet when i heard that the guys were in town, i knew i had to go and see them. the show last saturday in toronto was disappointing in only one aspect. it was way too short. still, an hour and a half of pure magic sending chills and tingles down my spine. thanks."
Beautiful, multi-layered, epic work.
Mark Brittingham | Califon, NJ United States | 04/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Elbow manages to create music that is at once troubling, atmospheric and transcendently beautiful. The songs on this album are rooted in the quite ordinary experiences of their lives and loves. In this band's hands, though, they seem to shimmer and glow like few albums you'll ever hear. The production is lavish and georgeous, the musicianship is fine and the Guy Garvey's lyrics manage to express a crushing sense of longing (My Very Best), a deep despair (Station Approach, Leaders of the Free World), and an extraordinary range of other emotions while rarely rising above a whisper.
While they have been compared with ColdPlay (lyrics, lavish musical climaxes) and Doves (lush and spacey productions) they are really a force to be reckoned with all on their own. I listen to almost everything on Rhapsody these days and buy few albums but this is one I had to have for "the archives."
Highly recommended."
Leaders of the music world
M. Lohrke | Provo, UT | 02/22/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"elbow's third studio album, 'leaders of the free world,' is a solid, if immediately unspectacular release (although that might be unfair based on my own expectations after their masterpiece, yes, masterpiece, 'a cast of thousands').
'lotfw' isn't much of a departure from the previous two albums, employing a similar aesthetic leaning more towards 'asleep in teh back' than 'a cast of thousands.' it's a more muted affair, less obvious and less straightforward than 'a cast of thousands.' this, however, is probably entirely the point. 'a cast of thousands' showcased the bands ability to write a track with massive hook ('not a job,' 'fallen angels,' 'switching off) with literate, clever lyrics. 'lotfw,' feels a little more distant, and it sometimes comes off as feeling less intimate and engaging as its predecessor. that, however, isn't a gripe nor a knock on the album or the band. it's still a very emotional album. a good half of the tracks come in at 5 minutes +, but as is the case with elbow, patience is *always* rewarded. guy garvey yet again shows he's rock's most original and insightful front man. rarely do voice and lyrics match up as well as they do with garvey. it's a joy to listen to.
'lotfw' certainly has its share of shining moments. the album's opener, 'station approach' is a nice little acoustic number (before it explodes into chorus like most great elbow songs) with its endearing lyric 'you little sod, i love your eyes.' the only real 'single' on the album is 'forget myself,' a track not dissimilar from 'fallen angels.' it's a great single, highlighted, as always, by guy garvey's wonderfully expressive and husky voice. it's also a very unpredictable track incorporating something of a tribal drum intro and curiously playful vocal before exploding into a quintessential elbow chorus, and its clever lyric 'i won't forget you, but i forget myself.' that second clause saves what would otherwise be a trite and cliched lyric, but that's what guy garvey does best: take the ordinary and make it extraordinary (he's right up there with jarvis cocker and. other standout tracks include 'leaders of the free world,' 'an imagined affair' (a distant cousin to 'a cast of thousands' 'switching off') and 'my very best.'
as with most everything elbow's written in their short, impressive career (as far as releasing albums), the tracks on 'lotfw' sneak up on you when you least expect it, revealing their beauty only after repeated listens--so don't be put off by it at first. even a less-than-obvious elbow album is light years ahead of most band's best offerings. brilliant band, brilliant album. 'nuff said.
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
