Elbow
Asleep In The Back
On Sale Now
For $10.68

For the past five years, my favorite music has been dominated by the British, from The Verve to Radiohead to Coldplay to Primal Scream to Doves to Shack to SFA. Without hesitation, I add Elbow to that list. But beyond mere inclusion with fellow exemplary peers, I am ready to declare Asleep in the Back the best debut record by a British band since The Stone Roses' seminal self-titled debut came out thirteen years ago. Yes, this is a big statement, especially considering that Elbow started out as a funk fusion band and toiled for ten years together before releasing their first album (Asleep in the Back itself is four years in the making due mostly to problems with record companies). Nonetheless, the 12 songs on this record speak for themselves: they are beautiful, poetic, mysterious, poignant, and life affirming.

The hypnotic epic "Any Day Now" opens Asleep in the Back. A steady drumbeat and organ drone along with perfectly placed bass lines anchor vocalist Guy Garvey's repetitive sentiment of youthful impatience and indecision: "Any day now / How's about getting out of this place?" The chorus seeps into your head and never wears thin. Garvey's voice, rough-yet-tender much in the vein of Shack's Michael Head, suits the dark melancholy of this song, and the rest of the album, perfectly. Following "Any Day Now" is "Red," the best track on the entire album and one of the most gorgeous songs I have ever heard. There is a profound longing expressed in the simple three note piano progression that is the most noticeable feature of this song, and it is impossible not to be touched by Garvey's lyrics about a friend living on the brink of self-destruction: "You live too bright / You burn too fast / This can't go on too long / You’re a tragedy starting to happen." As silly as it may sound, the song is so incredibly perfect and pretty that it may bring tears to your eyes.

A distinctive feature of Elbow is the ample musical space they create due to the fact that all five musicians know exactly when and when not to play. The trip-hop feel of "Little Beast" and the explosive "Bitten by the Tail Fly" illustrate this perfectly, as organ, guitar, and bass each come in at select moments, creating an overall sonic tapestry that fits together wonderfully. "Powder Blue" is reminiscent of "Trouble" by Coldplay, but where Chris Martin apologizes to and pines for an adolescent, Garvey's subject matter is two drug addicts comforting each other ("Whenever you get so close to death / Makes you so alive"). This is another area in which Elbow set themselves apart from their peers, as they tackle intense lyrical content without ever sounding melodramatic or ridiculous.

The US version of Asleep in the Back fortunately contains a bonus track called "Asleep in the Back," which could be thought of as the cousin to "Red" since it also features a breathtaking repetitive piano bit, along with a great vocal performance from Garvey and the poignant chorus "Oh you had to ask didn't you." The album's centerpiece is a seven-minute masterpiece called "Newborn," a song detailing the experience of growing old with someone you love. The oft quoted first line, "I'll be the corpse in your bathtub," quietly opens a track that will end in an explosion of power chords. In between, Elbow show their remarkable ability to create complex guitar/organ interplay without forsaking melody. Highly reminiscent of Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden album, "Newborn" is Elbow at their most experimental and confident.

The second half of Asleep in the Back is not quite as powerful as the first, but it still contains a slew of great songs, from the catchy "Don't Mix Your Drinks" to the sleepy "Presuming Ed (Rest Easy)" to the unconventional rockers "Coming Second" and "Can't Stop." The album closes with "Scattering Black and Whites," whose lyrics beautifully detail the experience of looking back at old photographs and being nostalgically brought back to the past. It has a quiet folk-feel to it with Garvey's acoustic guitar riff and soft drum beats. "Scattering" is also the perfect closer to a tremendous record, one that is original and compelling throughout. Elbow never sound self-important or over-the-top; they get by simply by making great song after great song. I recommend this album to everyone, as it is evidence for the power and beauty of truly wonderful songwriting from an equally incredible band.

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