Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow is an indie rock/dream pop band from Manchester,UK. They're one of the most under-rated out there (so can be said of a million other bands) but their time will surely come! (not so much for the other million bands,sorry)! They released a new album in March this year titled 'The Seldom Seen Kid'(Download here, link expires May 3). The title is a tribute to their friend Bryan who just passed away, and also a line from their hit single 'Grounds for Divorce' (quote: Monday is for drinking to the seldom seen kid)

Links:
Official site | Wikipedia | Myspace

Elbow is my new find and I'm yet to (1) Dig out why they call themselves 'elbow', namely a rather fragile body joint (2) Listen to their previous albums to see the progression of musical style (3) Attend their concert on May 6th, held in a church in downtown Vancouver =D Envy me not!

As Jady asked me why they'd hold a concert in CHURCH (are they a religious band?), I browsed through online resources and came to the conclusion they simply love venturous places and even plan to try out a forest (They need solar energy to power up their electronic set XD)



I've listened to the seldom seen kid back to back a couple of times and dare I say I love every single track on the album! It's 100% gem! 'Grounds for Divorce' (released in single) is coarse, dark and ground-shaking, something that would fit frontman Guy Garvey's 'grizzly' image. It's a very catchy tune with old-flavoured, minimalistic guitars. However this's the only heavy rock song you'd find on the album and wiki says 'it's the most rock composition ever attempted by Elbow'. Successful as it is, grounds for divorce isn't exactly representative. The lyrics are excellently written with personal reference to the neighborhood Garvey grew up in. Matter of fact, one of the greatest attractions about Elbow is Guy Garvey's beautifully crafted lyrics, which can be read through as a complete poem with the finest rhymes and metaphors. Here's a discussion link to the lyrics of Grounds for Divorce, an interesting read.

Grounds for Divorce


Tune to 'One day like this' and 'Weather to fly' on sunny days and you'll experience how the melodious orchestra loosen up your bones and toss you high up the clouds.'The bones of you'and 'Some Riot'are much darker and introspective. 'The fix' is a nice attempt at folk composition (reminds me of Broadway musicals) and features guest performance from Richard Hawley. They have proved how talented and versatile they're when it comes to song writing. One of the best I've came across among indie rock bands.

One Day Like This


The Bones of You (Live at Glasgow)


The Bones of You
So I'm here. Charging around with a juggernaut brow. Overdraft speeches and deadlines to make. Cramming commitments like cats in a sack. Telephone burn and a purposeful gait. When out of a doorway the tentacles stretch of a song that I know and the world moves in slow-mo. Straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day. And it's you. And it's May. And we're sleeping through the day. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away. Do I have time? A man of my caliber?

Stood in the street like a sleepwalking teenager? No. And I dealt with this years ago. I took a hammer to every memento but image on image like beads on a rosary pull through my head as the music takes hold. And the sickener hits. I can work 'til I break but I love the bones of you. That I will never escape. And it's you. And it's May. And we're sleeping through the day. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away. And I can't move my arm for fear that you will wake. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away.

Lisa Germano - Geek the Girl

First, some biography from wiki--

Lisa Germano is a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter who has released seven albums featuring her distinctive violin and confessional lyrics. Her album Geek the Girl received widespread critical acclaim (making Spin's top 90 albums of the 90's list). She also performed as a guest on over sixty records by other artists, including Eels, John Mellencamp, Simple Minds, David Bowie, Sheryl Crow and Iggy Pop. She has also spent considerable time touring with Neil Finn, playing violin, keyboards, and providing backing vocals. She was the featured vocalist on the 1997 album Slush, which also included members of Giant Sand and Calexico.

The first album I came into contact with was her latest 2006 release, In the Maybe World, her low, wispy vocal and melancholic confessions was reminiscent of Mazzy Star, Mojave 3, or anything that brims with pure dream-pop goodness. A reading of her biography turned out to be surprising enough, given the success she had with her label, 4AD, and how it later dropped her and the dramatic events that led her to quit the music scene altogether in 1998. I could only say I am glad (very, glad) she's now back.

Geek the Girl was her fourth studio album and the most critically acclaimed (or so says wikipedia). You may download it here (link valid till 28 Dec).