Mosaic Wenrui
New member
elbow
UK
Esplanade Concert Hall
18 Mar 2012, Sun, 7.30pm
“Their epic, orchestral rock is complex and ambitious but never smugly clever, personally expressive yet not morbidly self-obsessed, sweetly glum rather than oppressively gloomy.”—Uncut
“It also becomes clear that elbow are still part of the crowd's real world, and not the world of rock worship – a real rarity on a stage of this size.”—The Observer
“elbow continue down the narrow corridor they've established in recent years-- immaculately recorded and stripping away nearly every bit of ethereal studio magic.”—Pitchfork
Shakespeare may have coined the term for an arm bend, but synonymous to the word elbow nowadays is a band that has enjoyed a meteoric rise from critic’s choice to household name. And just when 2009 ended spectacularly with sold out headline shows, two very prestigious Ivor Novello awards and not forgetting a Mercury Album of the Year for 2008, elbow returned with a new critically acclaimed album that defied the rapturous ascent of catchy synth and folk pop fever sweeping across the indie scene.
Purveyors of a progressive sound that often focuses on life’s little intimacies, the motley crew of five has been hailed the “everyman kings” by NME for songs that “hit the heart of the matter with frightening resonance“. And they are not wrong. Frontman Guy Garvey’s voice is sweet yet, soulful and on stage, his lyrical wit and dark humour is refreshing and magnetic.
Their fourth studio album, The Seldom Seen Kid, propelled them out of obscurity and into rock stardom, featuring anthemic hits such as One Day Like This and Grounds for Divorce; the former appearing in soundtracks to the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 Olympics.While a record about romance and bereavements, their latest release, Build A Rocket Boys! recalls the universality of childhood and home where nostalgia operates close to the heart.
From the beautiful naivety and possibilities of youth to the more grounded yet developed drive of the mature adult, the album perpetuates their signature sound of cinematic flourishes and layered arrangements. elbow continue their streak of brooding magnificence especially on Lippy Kids, Jesus Is A Rochdale Girl and Neat Little Rows.
A surprise at every turn, elbow’s ambivalence towards trends and expectations is what makes them so popular.
(1hr 30mins, no intermission)
$40*, $60**, $80, $100, $120
Limited concessions for students, NSF and senior citizens: $25*, $40**
Tickets on Sale 8 Dec!
www.mosaicmusicfestival.com
