Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid - am I missing something?

RMCF · 03-03-2009, 12:51 AM

I have seen them pick up numerous awards recently and really enjoyed their 2 big hit singles, so tracked down the Seldom Seen Kid album.

Boy was I disappointed. So many dull tracks and lifeless music. I'll not be hunting down any more of their albums in a hurry.

Anyone agree?

Kenny Glasgow · 03-03-2009, 8:17 AM

It's OK IMHO, I think Elbow are the best of a bad bunch at the moment.

I must be getting old......

Palladio · 03-03-2009, 10:18 AM

I started listening to them with their previous Album 'Leaders of the Free world' and then followed it up with 'Seldom seen Kid' and have to say I think there are some excellent tracks on both Albums (and a few dull ones as well). I certainly find them different and more inventive than many of the other current "Coldplay" type bands which I have no time for.

Wouldn't have bothered with them live normally but they were playing a local venue last weekend and it always good to catch up with old mates at a local gig. Have to say I was very impressed. Stage presence was great and a great evening had by all.

A bit worried about the merchandise though as it included Tea Towels and Aprons

The gig was good but still no substitute for my yearly fix of The Fall in April.

karkus30 · 03-03-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMCF

Boy was I disappointed. So many dull tracks and lifeless music.

Compared to what ?

soundstory · 03-03-2009, 12:54 PM

It wasn't until I saw them on the Abbey Rd concert on the BBC red button, that I actually thought, wow they are good.

I listen to the album every now and again & they don't hit me the same way.

The concert is coming out officially, worth a look

minniepk17 · 03-03-2009, 1:59 PM

By far one of the best albums of last yr and maybe even this yr! It did take me a while but I have to say I think this album is fantastic and is a welcome change to what has become a very dull scene - mind you White Lies are doing their best to change all that!

krish · 03-03-2009, 2:41 PM

definitely a grower ... took me several weeks of playing in the background, now one of my firm favourites

rockmonkey1973 · 03-03-2009, 4:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMCF

Boy was I disappointed. So many dull tracks and lifeless music. I'll not be hunting down any more of their albums in a hurry.

Anyone agree?

couldnt agree more. possibly the most boring album i have ever heard.

KoThreads · 04-03-2009, 1:16 PM

You only have to read this thread to see what i thougt of it. Now every track has grown on me. I've even going to see them at Wembley.

Elbow-The Seldom Seen Kid

*dazza1011* · 07-03-2009, 2:34 AM

ive got all there albums and they are all a bit hit and miss but they are good live i saw at sheffield uni a few years ago and they were good live also had a lot of interaction with the audience.

they also do some good cover versions

Dan81 · 07-03-2009, 12:54 PM

slow burner.

I shelved this album for a couple of months after 1st few listens....but for some reason I came back to it and although I still don't like the 1st track the rest of it is great. Something has clicked and there seems to be more depth to it than my first few listens...stick with it.

Monarch · 13-03-2009, 12:41 PM

It was an alright album, a few good songs, a few not so good (not bad, but not good). I thought that Grounds for Divorce was a great song and there are a couple of others. Overall it's a typical album in my opinion

quarry2006 · 14-03-2009, 3:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMCF

I have seen them pick up numerous awards recently and really enjoyed their 2 big hit singles, so tracked down the Seldom Seen Kid album.

Boy was I disappointed. So many dull tracks and lifeless music. I'll not be hunting down any more of their albums in a hurry.

Anyone agree?

Once you can accept in life that there's no such thing as inherently bad or good music, just stuff that's for you and not for you, you'll probably move beyond the point where you might feel the need to post deliberatley negative threads

karkus30 · 14-03-2009, 6:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quarry2006

Once you can accept in life that there's no such thing as inherently bad or good music, just stuff that's for you and not for you, you'll probably move beyond the point where you might feel the need to post deliberatley negative threads

cutting and very mature

RMCF · 14-03-2009, 7:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karkus30

cutting and very mature

I could search to see if Quarry has ever posted anything negative, but I couldn't be arsed.

Its a shame you can't ask why this band is being hailed as the best thing around at the minute when I, who has had a very varied musical taste for 30 years, find them as dull as dishwater.

I was hoping to get a response from some of their fans telling me why exactly they like them, but I do also appreciate that taste comes into music a lot. Some of the people I like others would find rubbish.

Monarch · 14-03-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMCF

I could search to see if Quarry has ever posted anything negative, but I couldn't be arsed.

Its a shame you can't ask why this band is being hailed as the best thing around at the minute when I, who has had a very varied musical taste for 30 years, find them as dull as dishwater.

I was hoping to get a response from some of their fans telling me why exactly they like them, but I do also appreciate that taste comes into music a lot. Some of the people I like others would find rubbish.

I feel the same (but not 30years of musical taste because I'm not 30!), I think a few of their tracks are worthy of this response, but not the whole album

Pecker · 15-03-2009, 10:06 AM

It's a superb album, for my tastes. The tracks that don't hit you immedistely are all the better for being 'growers' later on.

Went to see them in Sheffield the other week, and they were fantastic.

Steve W

quarry2006 · 16-03-2009, 4:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karkus30

cutting and very mature

Wasn't intended to be cutting, chief.

quarry2006 · 16-03-2009, 4:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMCF

I could search to see if Quarry has ever posted anything negative, but I couldn't be arsed.

Its a shame you can't ask why this band is being hailed as the best thing around at the minute when I, who has had a very varied musical taste for 30 years, find them as dull as dishwater.

I was hoping to get a response from some of their fans telling me why exactly they like them, but I do also appreciate that taste comes into music a lot. Some of the people I like others would find rubbish.

I'm sure I've posted no end of negative remarks (I'm restraining myself from typing one as it goes), fact is, I think threads that set out with a deliberately negative agenda are pointless. Why frown, RMCF, when you could smile so much? Your 30 years of listening to music doesn't really matter, though, so I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell us all that (save for giving some posters a bit of a boost, knowing that they're younger than you!).

skinumb · 17-03-2009, 11:50 PM

I've been buying music for the best part of 50 years and I reckon 'The Seldom Seen Kid' is a cracking good album, lyrically and melodically, with some very good arrangements. Definitely a keeper. A couple of the tracks feel filler-ish, but that's true of most albums. I too saw the Radio2 Abbey Road concert via the Red Button and was mightily impressed. They are now on my 'to see' list.

KoThreads · 19-03-2009, 8:35 PM

Karkus30 would tell you my musical taste is way away from this (as Doiexist) he knows that i'm a prog/rock old git who loves bands like Tool, Porcupine Tree etc.

So i saw Elbow last weekend at Wembley and they were fantastic..........go figure, they just have something.

zagreb78 · 30-03-2009, 11:31 PM

Elbow have been a phenomenal band ever since Asleep At The Back. Guy Garvey is an excellent lyricist, and Elbow aren't one of these fly by night, "Indie Artists" such as The Feeling, The Kooks, Maroon 5 and other such nonsense. Their appearance at the Mercury Music Prize shows just how brilliant they are..

YouTube - Elbow Performing at the Nationwide Mercury Prize 2008

pwood · 30-03-2009, 11:40 PM

Took a while to grow on me but I now agree it deserved the Mercury Prize. The other two albums that I rate from last year were Ting Tings and Pendulum.

Bridgeburner · 01-04-2009, 7:14 PM

It's a decent album. Elbow's 4 studio albums are decent, certainly worth having in your collection - chances are the mood wikll come upon you every now and again and you'll give them a spin. But for me, they haven't quite managed to put together a truly brilliant album. The Seldom Seen Kid is the closest they've come, but there are 3 or 4 ok tracks on it fillings the gaps between the really good ones.

quarry2006 · 01-04-2009, 10:17 PM

Personally, I don't hear filler on Seldom Seen Kid. Something like The Fix is a great song, well placed on the record, straight after Crane Driver which is the kind of song I didn't think modern bands were capable of. Melodramatic, passionate, intelligent, moving...it's like a distillation of the very best of, say, Van der Graaf Generator, Floyd and Genesis. I can't get enough of them, I really can't.

bowenjones · 02-04-2009, 1:02 AM

I also think that it is an excellent album, my favourite from last year by far.
I've just received the Live at Abbey Road boxset and the orchestral and choral arrangements take it to another level again imo. All the tracks sound superb on this set but Grounds For Divorce is simply awesome

07-03-2009, 12:54 PM	#11
Dan81 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Thanks: Gave 6, Got 13 Posts: 388	Re: Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid - am I missing something? slow burner. I shelved this album for a couple of months after 1st few listens....but for some reason I came back to it and although I still don't like the 1st track the rest of it is great. Something has clicked and there seems to be more depth to it than my first few listens...stick with it.
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