Leaders Of The Music World
This year’s Mercury Music Prize winners, Elbow have always had an enviable sideline in epic sounding recordings. From their debut ‘Asleep in the Back’ released in 2001, to this year’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’; swelling strings, impassioned vocals and thumping, anthemic beats seem to be very much their signature sound, and latest single 'The Bones Of You' is no exception to the band’s stellar back catalogue of work.
Littered with some pretty strange imagery; “Cramming commitments like cats in a sack” and “Out of a doorway, tentacles stretch”; you can’t help but think that Mr Garvey might have been under the influence of some pretty strong, mind bending chemicals whilst penning this track. Somewhat peculiar lyrics aside, the gentle rise and fall of the music against Garvey’s melancholy tinged falsetto works to near perfection. This is very much the sound of a band who at the moment can do very little wrong.
Although, not a stadium filling powerhouse of a single like ‘Leaders of the Free World’ and lacking the swagger and strut of ‘Grounds for Divorce’; ‘The Bones of You’ is further evidence that Elbow so rightfully deserved their plaudits this year and will continue to garner them for some time to come.