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There doesn't appear to be an Elbow consensus: they are their own band; they are the Coldplay it's OK to like; they are the Talk Talk for people who've never heard Talk Talk (or Catherine Wheel); they are somewhere between Supertramp and Superchunk; they are part of a succession of over-introspective, twaddle-peddling British rock bands. They are most of these things -- the positive things, at least -- at various points. On Cast of Thousands, Elbow's second album, the group does deserve to take its rightful place as one of the most respectable rock bands going. What separates this album from the debut isn't all that apparent on the surface. Downcast songs about relationships remain the stock in trade, but the sound has made natural advancements and the quality control is less prone to malfunctioning. In other words, they have followed through on whatever promise Asleep in the Back held; you could sense this would happen, just as you could sense that, after Lazer Guided Melodies, Spiritualized would make an even better record the next time out. However predictable, the minor differences add up to a lot. More so than ever, Elbow's greatest asset is that the band is capable of making big sounds without being bombastic or flashy. And they've tempered the characteristics that got them tagged as sad sacks, although that fact is mostly apparent in the lyrics ("place" rhymes with "virgin mother what's-her-face"; the payoff line in opener "Ribcage" goes "I wanted to explode, to pull my ribs apart and let the sun inside"). The only setback? Gospel choirs. Hopefully, at some point before they make their next album, they'll realize that their songs don't need background vocals from an entire congregation in order to feel redemptive -- or powerful. [V2 issued the album in the U.S. five months after the original U.K. release.]
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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The London Community Gospel Choir, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Burdge, String Arranger, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Young, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Hussey, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Young, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Burdge, String Arranger, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Hussey, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
The London Community Gospel Choir, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Jimi Goodwin, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Cathy Davey, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Marcus Garvey, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Beckie Garvey, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Gina Garvey, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Ben Hillier, Producer, Co-Producer - Craig Potter, Composer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Potter, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Turner, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Elbow, Producer, Co-Producer, MainArtist - Richard Jupp, Composer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Garvey, Composer, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
Album review
There doesn't appear to be an Elbow consensus: they are their own band; they are the Coldplay it's OK to like; they are the Talk Talk for people who've never heard Talk Talk (or Catherine Wheel); they are somewhere between Supertramp and Superchunk; they are part of a succession of over-introspective, twaddle-peddling British rock bands. They are most of these things -- the positive things, at least -- at various points. On Cast of Thousands, Elbow's second album, the group does deserve to take its rightful place as one of the most respectable rock bands going. What separates this album from the debut isn't all that apparent on the surface. Downcast songs about relationships remain the stock in trade, but the sound has made natural advancements and the quality control is less prone to malfunctioning. In other words, they have followed through on whatever promise Asleep in the Back held; you could sense this would happen, just as you could sense that, after Lazer Guided Melodies, Spiritualized would make an even better record the next time out. However predictable, the minor differences add up to a lot. More so than ever, Elbow's greatest asset is that the band is capable of making big sounds without being bombastic or flashy. And they've tempered the characteristics that got them tagged as sad sacks, although that fact is mostly apparent in the lyrics ("place" rhymes with "virgin mother what's-her-face"; the payoff line in opener "Ribcage" goes "I wanted to explode, to pull my ribs apart and let the sun inside"). The only setback? Gospel choirs. Hopefully, at some point before they make their next album, they'll realize that their songs don't need background vocals from an entire congregation in order to feel redemptive -- or powerful. [V2 issued the album in the U.S. five months after the original U.K. release.]
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:50:04
- Main artists: Elbow
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
© 2003 V2 Records Ltd ℗ 2003 V2 Records Ltd
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