Audio Vertigo - Elbow (2024)

Similar to the “Counting Crows problem”, i have a subset of bands where the first album i heard is still my favorite years later, despite lots more music I like both before and after that first taste.

Elbow (O_o) are a band I’ve loved for years, but I had thought perhaps their prime days were in the rear view. They had always been an atmospheric band, but they had been tacking into calmer territory than the mixture of grace and acerbic wit that made me love them.

Then they made this beast. The atmosphere and texture of this album is confrontational without being abrasive, just like their most classic albums. Their new drummer (new-ish: their original drummer left in 2016) is a fantastic talent. After a couple of more sedate records, maybe the band figured they owed it to him to let him cut loose.

Guy Garvey’s voice is, as always, transcendent. He could sing a grocery list and make it sound heartfelt and sensual.